Recently I was standing in the morning meeting at my job and we were reminded of the DEI programs at our company. DEI, where has everybody been? For nearly 60 years we have been moving into the mindset presented as DEI but now the younger indoctrinated crowd and the older liberal crowd have decided that we are still living in the 1800’s and need to be coached on this topic.
So lets discuss this a bit.
“Diversity” describes a wide variety of differences that may exist amongst people in any community, including race, ethnicity, nationality, gender and sexual identity, disability, neurodiversity, and others.
“Equity” is the practice of providing fair opportunities via personalized approaches based on individual needs, thus aiming to “level the playing field” by taking into account the different starting points of different individuals. Therefore, “equity” aims to achieve fairness by considering each individual’s trajectory and context, and should not be confused with the notion of “equality” which aims to treat everyone the same.
“Inclusion” specifies the desired outcome, namely, ensuring that individuals find opportunities and spaces to participate, regardless of their differences.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity,_equity,_and_inclusion
Before we get started let me set the goal post for you I am a 60 year old 6 foot 5 inch tall 240 pound white male of European descent . This will get me a “Racist” or “Homophobe” label from the start and we will get that out of the way right now. Bare in mind that gives you no real information about me.
Diversity
The definition above describes the differences among us. Isn’t the goal to not to focus on our differences concerning the race, ethnicity, nationality, gender and sexual identity, disability, neurodiversity, and other things that make us different. I would think that we are supposed to focus on the things we have in common. I seem to remember Dr. King saying some stuff like that.
In the 1970’s as a teenager in Texas (The heart of the racist bible thumping south) I had Black, Hispanic and even a gay couple as friends. Not to mention having a Hispanic girlfriend in elementary school. That sent my father into a tailspin. I worked for many years in and around the Black, Hispanic and Gay communities and sorry for bursting your bubble I never took Race, Ethnicity or anything else in that list into account when interacting with anybody.
My grandfather was a very intelligent and god fearing man. I will never forgot that he told me to look at everyone this way.
“I don’t care what you look like or where your from. Show me who you are“.
– R. C. McKiddy
Equity
The phrase that stands out for me there is “level the playing field“. I don’t know about that. The playing field has never been very level for me. I left school in 10th grade for work to help my family. Had my first of two children and a meth head wife by the time I was 22. Lost jobs because I was the wrong flavor and have been unable to get government assistance to help support myself and my wife who has survived two strokes in the last three years because I don’t fit the demographic.
Let’s not forget being treated like a big dumb redneck most of my life even though I completed and passed my GED exam in half the allotted time at SMU and was even able to get 3 semesters of college in with everything else that was on my plate.
Level playing field my ass!
Inclusion
This brings us to number three. The one that would make me giggle if it actually made sense. Here’s what I mean.
In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s thanks to Dr. King and others there was a great awakening (not Awokening). Peace and love for everyone around you. We were all brothers and sisters and it was a new age of community.
There were still those of the old school that tried to hold on to the status quo (Like my father who was a police officer) but for the most part all the barriers were down.
The difference today is that the government knows if we are fighting with each other that we are not paying attention to what they are doing. Most of the population today has been slowly indoctrinated to Disunity, Enmity, Intolerance and the Woke agenda starting in elementary school.
The destruction of our history, The sexualization of our children in elementary school, The words “I’m offended by that” and so many other things are a sign of the times we live in.
Here is how we start getting things back to something like normal. Grow up, stop whining and show us who you are!
© 2023, Richard Bailey. All rights reserved.