D E  I

An Examination

By: Bill Schoettler

May 23, 2023

Diversity, equity, and inclusion, when it comes to people, are nonsensical concepts that deny reality and common sense, and human experience.  

What Is Diversity?

My cell phone tells me it is the state of being diverse; variety. That’s pretty much what I thought it was. But I heard our beloved President tell the Howard University graduating class that white supremacy is the greatest terrorist threat to our country. 

My reaction was to wonder how a college graduating class of black students would react to the naming of otherwise unidentified white people as being a terrorist threat to the country.  

This is the type of speechifying that one expects to hear when trying to rouse up the battle urge in troops, or perhaps a half-time talk to a football team to go out to the field and pulverize the opposition. But there is no opposition out there, no identifiable enemy to combat. Unless, of course, Biden was talking about all white people.  

Did he mean all white people are terrorists? Or just some of them? Are there any terrorists who pose a threat to this country who are not white? Certainly, it would seem that all we had to do was round up all white people and put them in concentration camps…possibly for re-education. Certainly, there must be some who can be salvaged! 

I didn’t hear the whole speech so it is possible that Biden gave further and more specific definitions and descriptions of these white supremacist terrorists. Again turning to my cell phone for guidance [this is a handy gadget, including phone calling, it gives me directions and definitions] I learn that a supremacist is a person who believes that a particular group, especially one determined by race, religion, or sex, is superior and should therefore dominate society. 

I guess that a white supremacist must believe that white people are somehow superior and therefore should dominate society. Is this not diversity? Do we not celebrate the opposite of unity? I mean, if we are going to celebrate our differences there is no need to call for something as archaic as unity when it is the diversity we are praising. Or is it the 15% of our population that should dominate? When we celebrate diversity we need to emphasize what makes us different from each other and being black is a noticeable difference. Should we talk about black supremacists [terrorists]

So I have looked around at this country’s recent history and found a black President. I have found two black Supreme Court Justices. I have found current and recent black mayors, black congressmen (oops, and black congresswomen), black millionaires, and black people performing virtually every job, occupation, trade, or profession. Recognizing that blacks represent roughly 15% of the total population of this country and freely confessing I did not make an actual count of these diverse mixtures of racial colors in the workplace, I would say that it would be pretty much an appropriate percentage distribution of colors per the color-representation in the population. But that’s only an impression and I’m sure that the President checked those stats with much more accuracy when he gave his speech. Continuing my confession of scanty investigation I will reveal I live in California and have not visited as many States recently as has the Pres. 

I do have access to information sources such as the published FBI national crime statistics…where I would have expected to find ample evidence of what the President described as the greatest terrorist threat to this country. 

What I did find in these stats is the majority of crimes have been committed not by whites but by blacks…just as the majority of victims of crimes seem to be blacks. I suppose that those white criminals, the minority of those who commit crimes, may well be actual white supremacists and thus are the basis for the President’s attack. Presumably, the blacks committing the majority of the crimes and blacks being the majority of the victims of crimes presents an interesting but convoluted foundation for winnowing out the white-on-black white supremacist terrorists as distinguished from the simple but non-terrorist blacks who prey on black victims. I can only presume that the President and his speech-writer(s) have done this winnowing out and his speechified conclusion is amply supported.  

Of course, I began this discussion about Diversity. Where is it and how do we find it? Can we find diversity in the criminal statistics that are annually published by the nation’s leading law-enforcement agency? 

But this brings up a more realistic issue…at least as I view the subject. The entire concept of diversity is, to me at least, being misapplied entirely. When one looks at a forest, for example, one sees a diversity of trees. Some are tall, some short, some have different kinds of leaves, branches grow differently, some are older, some younger, and usually many have fallen and are in diverse stages of decay. But the forest, like virtually every other thing in nature…as well as every aspect of human life and the production of things by humans…is, to put a word on it, a complex matter. That is, everything is made of up many little parts, each one separately identifiable and unique. A forest is a forest and, yes, it is a collection of a diversity of trees plus bushes and other growing things. But it is a forest. Or is it? 

People are made up of multiple parts as are automobiles, houses, airplanes, animals, trees, rose bushes, and on and on and on. Which sort of suggests that for anything to even exist requires cooperation and diversity. All the parts have to work in concert with each other so the whole will not just survive but function as it was designed to function.  

We have an American Society made up of many different parts. Again, with the help of my cell phone, I learn that there are between 350 and 430 languages spoken in the United States of America, making it one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world. Now THAT is what I would call DIVERSITY. 

We hear a lot about diversity these days. The phrase is usually part of a sentence that says we need diversity. But, for crying out loud, EVERYTHING IS DIVERSE. WE HAVE HAD DIVERSITY SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PLANET…which, you have to admit, is about as long as anything can exist. Some program and movement or effort to achieve diversity is a sort of silly idea when you think about it.  

What makes a human what he/she is? Obviously have the combination of all the diverse parts…because all those diverse parts work together to make the whole able to function. What makes a nation is all the diverse parts that work together to make the whole able to function. If my fingers decide to work independently, my whole body won’t function properly.  

How can a nation exist with diversity? By absorbing its diverse elements and WORKING TOGETHER to make a better world. United with a common language, common goals, common history, common everything…for everybody. There is an old (common) saying…United We Stand, Divided We Fall. 

What is Equity?

Like so many traditional words, this one has different meanings. The traditional meaning is…the quality of being fair and impartial. This kind of equity may be termed philosophical equity. 

The other type of equity, in the traditional sense, may be termed financial. If one is purchasing a house, and if good fortune has smiled upon this one, then the difference between the mortgage, the amount of the purchase price that is still owed, minus the present market value of the house (the amount for which the house can now be sold to another) is called equity. As a more specific example, the difference between how much is owed to complete a purchase and the full market value of anything may be called equity. 

As we all know, there is yet another conceptual definition that certainly isn’t financial but tends to be more philosophical, at least in a sense. The term “equity” refers to fairness and justice and is distinguished from equality. Whereas equality means providing the same to all, equity now means recognizing that we do not all start from the same place and must acknowledge and make adjustments to imbalances. 

There is an old maxim (a short pithy statement expressing a general truth or rule of conduct) in the law…” one who expects equity must do equity” which suggests that if you want equitable treatment you must provide equitable treatment. But the use of “equitable”coupled with the word “treatment” suggests something entirely different from the last-above given definition of equity. And the way the word is used in the now classical diversity, equity, and inclusion combination certainly suggests a meaning which is not traditional. In fact, the latest definition of equity is a construct…something made up of whole cloth. The idea that making adjustments to imbalances is part of equity is someone’s idea of a joke. The philosophical definition of equity includes the principle of balance. That is, something is equitable if it is in balance. 

Somehow the new idea of equity includes a concept of imbalance, which, when you think about it, is absurd. The concept of equity includes the concept of balance. To separate these ideas is not just a violation of language, it is a violation of common sense.  

Okay, I realize that someone decided that those people generally identified as “black” have been handicapped in this country because of the prejudicial attitude of non-blacks. Therefore, the only way to provide blacks with the balance they call “equity”, a balance that will bring blacks to the same level as non-blacks, is by providing special treatment and special advantages for blacks so as to move them into the same balance as non-blacks. The word “equity” has been re-defined to incorporate the concept of making adjustments to imbalances. 

The current definition suggests some kind of philosophical idea that, to me, sounds strange. The new definition says that I should recognize that we do not all start from the same place. I can certainly agree with that. Starting from the same place sounds like the way a classical race is begun. People, contestants, or competitors all line up at the same place, the traditional gunshot is heard and all competitors/contestants begin racing. The purpose of the exercise is to find out who crosses the finish line first.  

I suppose if we’re beginning a philosophical discussion about starting at the same place and making adjustments to imbalances we raise more questions than we answer. For example, on an oval racetrack runners begin in a staggered lineup to accommodate the curves that occur…but the ending, the finish line is straight across the track…which means that each runner actually runs the same distance and they compete with each other over the same distance. This is equality…something that didn’t use to be different from the concepts of equity.  

What we have in this country is opportunity. This suggests that if a person can demonstrate a certain level of ability, either in academics or a trade, or simply reach a minimum age, that person can: 

Enter an apprenticeship,  

Enter an educational program, 

Enter an employment. 

Some people will not qualify because they lack the demonstrable ability/competence/intelligence to function at the entry-level of such programs. But for the past half-century or more this country has made available to people of all colors, from all ethnic backgrounds educational programs designed to help everyone start from the same place. There is another old saying that might apply…you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.

The English language is taught at all levels of education in this country. Those who were not born into the language are provided special assistance to learn. Those who were born into the language but who lack vocabulary or grammar are also provided special assistance. Those who have demonstrated minimum fluency in the language are provided examples of literature and orations showing different levels of excellence in communication in the language.  

Equity, equality, and balance – all suggest a sameness. Which is a valid concept. What is not a valid concept is the reality that each one of us is different and unique and true equality IN OUTCOME is impossible. Always has been. Always will be. The inequality of every individual is so apparent that is not worth mentioning. Not only are the genders different. Within each gender there are differences. People are all different but at the same time, we are also similar. We hold roughly similar goals in life and have similar wants. But each of us has identifiable, unique characteristics not shared by any others. This is a reality and no amount of re-defining, re-imagining, re-setting or re-wording of language will erase those differences.  

What is Inclusion? 

As you might have guessed, this word has two meanings. The first, and more traditional is the action or state of including or being included within a group or structure. And then our recent and woke meaning; The practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized such as those who have physical or intellectual disabilities and members of other minority groups. 

Once again we run up against revisionism, the re-defining of words into a meaningless mish-mash of syllables that by themselves make sense but when coupled with others of the same ilk turn common sense into gobbledegook. [My own word, admittedly, but valid nonetheless]. 

Advertisers have long told prospective customers that “included within this offer will be two-free passes to …whatever”. Or, “included with your purchase will be a ‘free gift’ that will delight you”. You get the idea. The word “included” suggests that for the price of something you get something extra. That “extra” means it will be “included”. We would call this process “inclusion”. 

But the new definition has nothing to do with a bonus or something extra. The new word does more than imply, it frankly states that there are people in this world [impliedly but not specifically stated “in this country”] who have been excluded or marginalized because of physical or intellectual disabilities.  

Now if we stop there, stop with the description of those excluded or marginalized people, we have an easily-identifiable group. This group, these groups would be people who have what is traditionally called “disabilities” such as combat wounds or other physically-caused handicaps that occurred sometime during their lives…or possibly handicaps that were revealed at birth such as physical deformities or missing limbs or other physical handicaps. Civil laws, both national and State laws provide for protection and support for such unfortunate people.  

The definition, however, goes on to include a reference that refers to groups that are both easily identifiable and difficult to identify. These are those who are members of other minority groups. 

Need we ask for the identity of other minority groups? Obviously blacks, so-called African-Americans. But to be honest, if we’re going to discuss other minority groups we must be honest. Following the “logic” of language, a minority group would be any identifiable grouping of citizens (oops, are we limiting our categories here to only citizens?) who have previously (or even currently) been treated with less than equal respect. For example, in this country, there is a history of less-than-equal-respect shown toward Irish Americans, Native Americans, Italian Americans, Mexican Americans, English Americans, Polish Americans, African Americans, Catholics, Jews, Moslems, members of many different religious sects (such as Branch-Davidians), and currently even MAGA-Republicans, Conservative-Republicans, Democrats. Have I exhausted the totality of victims of mistreatment in this country?  Probably not. Blonds are the butt of many jokes (i.e., mistreatment) as are women with large breasts, women with small breasts, children who have to wear glasses, children who are inept at playing sports, and people wearing some kinds of clothing. The list is almost endless. 

After all, being a victim is more a subjective attitude than a realistic condition. How can we say such a thing? Easily. One is only a victim if one decides to be a victim. Handicaps exist more in the mind than in actual reality. A double amputee just climbed Mount Everest, for example. Thalidomide babies born without arms have learned to function in daily life as have others with physical and mental and emotional conditions that can easily be called “disabilities”. Excellence in any activity requires focus and devotion and mental discipline. Being born a certain “color”, to certain parents or in a certain lifestyle is no guarantee of either ultimate performance or ultimate failure. It is frequently seen that twins born and raised with equal treatment/opportunity/benefits will be easily identifiable by their respective outcomes in life.  

Diversity, equity, and inclusion, when it comes to people, are nonsensical concepts that deny reality and common sense, and human experience.