Diversity: A Worthy Goal or A Result of All That’s Worthy?

Diversity is the result of a strong society. A strong society will not be built when diversity is the goal. As a country and society, we have so elevated diversity that we’ve lost track of the values that made us so appealing to so many of different nationalities.

After the Fort Hood shootings, General George Casey was interviewed on This Week With George Stephanopolis, and he had this to say:

“What happened at Ft hood was a tragedy. But I believe it would be an even greater tragedy if our diversity becomes a casuality here. And it’s not just about muslims. We have a very diverse army. We have a very diverse society. And that gives us all strength.”

First of all, what happened at Ft Hood was not a tragedy–it was an evil act of terror committed by Nidal Malik Hasan.  13 innocent people were murdered and over 30 innocent people were injured. The DOD and federal law enforcement agencies classified the attack as “workplace violence”. When hearing something so grossly mislabeled, one does well to turn to Orwell:  “But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought”.

For General Casey to not only compare the loss of diversity to the murder of innocents, but to declare the loss of diversity to be an even greater tragedy is abhorrent and morally bankrupt. And, less important, it’s foolish and counter productive.

President Obama had this to say after the terrorist attack in Boston, appealing to Americans:  “… staying true to the unity and diversity that makes us strong.”

President Obama and General Casey said the same thing:  it is our diversity that makes us strong.

Our society is not made stronger or greater by its diversity. We have a strong and great society. Diversity is nothing but a byproduct; proof of our greatness and our strength. Because of those qualities we appeal to and attract – dare I say it – diverse people.

Do we want to include murderous terrorists as members of our society so as to be more diverse?  Of course not.  Do we want to include officers in our Army who believe the U.S. is evil so as to have a more diverse Army? Of course not. Should universities be judged by the diversity of their student body, or for their ability to provide a quality education?

Diversity for its own sake should not be the goal of our Army, our universities nor our country. There are common values we all must share:  commitment to the rule of law, commitment to the Constitution, and belief that all are created equal. And I don’t think it’s too much to ask that members of our armed forces be in agreement that the U.S. is a force for good.

Why do some parts of society have diversity as a goal at any cost while others are exempt? The NBA for instance, has no ethnicity goals. They are focused on building the best team possible. Are our armed forces, police departments and universities, who value diversity above all else, less important than a winning basketball team?

Instead, we have millions of taxpayer dollars being spent pursuing diversity. For example, at UC San Diego, we have recently hired Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Linda Greene. Ms. Greene earns $250,000 per year in regular salary in addition to having received a relocation allowance, a temporary housing allowance and a relocation allowance of $60,000.

UC campuses have raised tuitions and cut departments.  I know many college students and recent graduates. The universal complaint of these students and graduates is the inability to get enrolled in the classes they need to graduate, thereby extending, sometimes by years, the time it takes to acquire the necessary credits to graduate.

So instead of hiring a couple of extra professors and better serving the students, the ever-elusive goal of “diversity” is now sucking up hundreds of thousands of dollars in resources. Would it not be a better use of limited budget dollars to actually serve the students by providing a quality education in a reasonable amount of time, thereby providing a more attractive campus and a more productive use of students’ time for – dare I say it again – a more diverse student population?

It’s easier to chase diversity and claim it as a virtue than to do all that is necessary to remain a strong and great nation, great university, great army, great police department, and therefore attract the best of the best, regardless of color, creed or sex.