Article here from the front page of today’s fish wrap on the diverse mix of military personnel at the Forward Operating Base Air-Borne in Afghanistan. It was a very nice article and it got us to thinking because everyone knows what a big deal “diversity” is, particularly if one attends college or works in the education or government fields.
Our problem with “diversity” has always been that its treated as a “means” rather than an “end”. This leads people who should know better to say ridiculous stuff like “We (our organization, school, country) are great because of our diversity” or “Our strength is our diversity”….. it makes us cringe because diversity of itself is not a good or bad thing… its not morally quantifiable as .edu-guy would have us all believe. Diversity is just a by-product or the end-state of a country that strives to fulfill and live up to the ideals upon which this country was founded.
Diversity happens when a nation is fashioned out of rule of law not cult of personality. Diversity happens when equality in the eyes of that law is guaranteed by the government of that nation not granted by the same. Diversity happens when the people of that country have a deep and abiding faith in something larger than themselves… that faith being something that is inextricably linked to a generosity of spirit which manifests itself in love and compassion for their fellow man.
People from all over, all walks of life and all races and ethnicities want to be a part of that and that’s why they come to this country. And that’s how diversity happens. And that is something for which to be thankful.
Hope everyone is enjoying their Thanksgiving weekend. Want to thank Mrs. B-Daddy for hosting one of the finest Thanksgiving dinners we can remember. We’re still hurting from shoveling our boilers full of all that goodness on the dinner table.
Our problem with “diversity” has always been that its treated as a “means” rather than an “end”. This leads people who should know better to say ridiculous stuff like “We (our organization, school, country) are great because of our diversity” or “Our strength is our diversity”….. it makes us cringe because diversity of itself is not a good or bad thing… its not morally quantifiable as .edu-guy would have us all believe. Diversity is just a by-product or the end-state of a country that strives to fulfill and live up to the ideals upon which this country was founded.
Diversity happens when a nation is fashioned out of rule of law not cult of personality. Diversity happens when equality in the eyes of that law is guaranteed by the government of that nation not granted by the same. Diversity happens when the people of that country have a deep and abiding faith in something larger than themselves… that faith being something that is inextricably linked to a generosity of spirit which manifests itself in love and compassion for their fellow man.
People from all over, all walks of life and all races and ethnicities want to be a part of that and that’s why they come to this country. And that’s how diversity happens. And that is something for which to be thankful.
Hope everyone is enjoying their Thanksgiving weekend. Want to thank Mrs. B-Daddy for hosting one of the finest Thanksgiving dinners we can remember. We’re still hurting from shoveling our boilers full of all that goodness on the dinner table.
(This post is dedicated to our friend, "David", a British national who is attempting to become a U.S. citizen and is patiently working his way through the maddening bureaucracy of our government in order to become one).
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2 comments:
Dean,
Thanks for the kind words for Mrs. Daddy. She was very happy that you and all the family and friends enjoyed Thanksgiving in our home.
Was there any tuna?
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