"Diversity is our greatest strength."
A phrase seemingly uttered by every left-leaning man and woman in America. In fact, if you're a journalist, educator, college student, union member, actor, minority, illegal immigrant or job seeker, you can't just utter the phrase, you are required to shout it from the rooftops at every opportunity or else be stripped of your humanity and be called a hater and a racist and a mean poopy-face.
Don't even dare ask why diversity is our greatest strength or you'll be labeled a 'denier'. Being called a denier is even worse than being called a racist 'cause there's nothing worse than being a racist and denying it...I guess.
Well, I'm asking why? Nobody ever says why. Is there anyone out there that can give me a list of say ten verifiable facts why? If there are I haven't found them yet. I've searched high and low for these verifiable facts...and this is what I've found; greeting card platitudes.
The quotes that follow are from iCelebratediversity.com and are representative of attitudes promoting diversity found at many other web sights, including business, education and government sights.
We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color. -- Maya Angelou
Great achievements are not born from a single vision but from the combination of many distinctive viewpoints. Diversity challenges assumptions, opens minds, and unlocks our potential to solve any problems we may face. -- Source Unknown
If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity. -- John F. Kennedy
We have become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams. -- Jimmy Carter
If we are to achieve a richer culture, rich in contrasting values, we must recognize the whole gamut of human potentialities, and so weave a less arbitrary social fabric, one in which each diverse human gift will find a fitting place. -- Margaret Mead
Note that none of the above quotes offer any concrete, practical reasons why diversity is so great. Business, education and government emphasize how diversity 'brings people together', 'exposes people to different cultures' and 'teaches us how to be inclusive of people different than ourselves.' These reasons sound all well and good, but the reality is that judging by how Americans live their lives, 'exposing people to different cultures' does not bring us together nor induce us to be 'more inclusive.' In fact, it seems to have the opposite effect. More on this later.
If diversity is indeed our greatest strength then Los Angeles ought to be our greatest city since it is probably the most diverse city in America, L.A. county being home to 140 nationalities speaking 130 languages.
It's neighborhoods should be fully and peacefully integrated; it's schools should be the safest in the country with the highest graduation rates and top scores in college entrance exams; crime should be low, as well as drug use and teen pregnancy rates. Discrimination suits should be relatively few and the local EEOC should be looking hard for anything to do. City governments should operate efficiently and elections should not devolve into racial block voting. There should be little religious or cultural strife. All the people should be able to and want to communicate effectively with one another and share their 'rich tapestry' and 'beautiful mosaic' to the benefit of all.
While I certainly don't believe diversity is the panacea for all that ails America (as apparently so many others do), L.A. ought to be head and shoulders above most other cities in America, or perhaps the world, when it comes to benefiting from diversity in practical ways that can be observed, measured and contrasted with other cities.
Alas, it is not so. On the contrary, Los Angeles is the poster child for why diversity is not only not our greatest strength, but may very well be the greatest cause of societal strife and conflict in America.
In Part II we will examine the reality of diversity in Los Angeles and how it argues against diversity being our greatest strength...or a strength at all.
1 comment:
We are not all one tribe. In the US, diversity is a reality.It SHOULD be a strength if you use it right. ( ie do it the way it was Taught when Deuce was in school). Take the strengths that are part of the diversity. Approach projects with NEW ideas and thoughts ! Having said that, the diverse people need to come together into the
Melting pot. If the people are hungry. poor, or just want a new mouse trap......perhaps the diverse ideas can figure out how to do it. However, the melting pot needs to have a more or less similar vision. We need to go close to the same direction. IN the past that was a vision built on Freedoms ( from the Constitution) and free enterprise !! We need to speak with one language !! Its hard enough to bring 100 + different nationalities together without giving them the option of English OR Spanish ( or whatever). Remember your roots...but LIVE America ! The problem isnt what diversity IS but rather in what the whiny liberals have made it! They use it to divide the country...to speak with 100+ voices , instead of one American voice !
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