Study: Americans use ‘Diversity’ To Cover-Up Their True Views About Race
MINNEAPOLIS
A new study by the University of Minnesota’s sociology department say that though Americans are optimistic about the word “diversity,” it is often used as a blanket to cover their true feelings about the “R” word — race. The respondent’s biggest fear, according to the study, is that America is transforming into a multicultural nation overnight. The researchers say American diversity talk is sort of a ‘happy talk,’” an upbeat language that is now part of everyday conversation.http://diverseeducation.com/artman/publish/article_7644.shtml
June 21st, 2007 at 3:13 pm
Perhaps Americans struggle with the meaning of diversity because so many have not truly experienced it. Before you reap the benefits of diversity, you have to understand the challenges. And it is challenging, because it is much more comfortable to work, worship, socialize, and go to school with people who are just like you. Most workplaces, churches, and neighborhoods are not truly diverse, especially when you factor in socio-economic status as well as race. This needs to change. Comfort should not be our goal. How can we ever understand another point of view if we never meet people with different cultural viewpoints and experiences?
For a truly diverse culture, look at Honolulu…and even with a multicultural, diverse population, it is not perfect and there are still struggles and huge issues.
June 21st, 2007 at 10:45 pm
As stated in the article, Diversity is hard to define. There are so many organizations that are touting diversity from their own prespective that one wonders what american society will utlimately come to realize the word diversity to mean.
Every major corporation is hiring a Diversity Champion to develop a diversity strategy that will enable the corporation to draw people into their workforce. The reason for this is the consistently changing demographics of the population in the U.S.
As a white male, I find that the above leads me to believe that diversity is another name for Equal Opportunity. When I discuss this with others, I am told that I have the wrong perception. Diversity is what each and every individual brings to the organization to increase its productivity. If that is so, then why are they targeting their future workforce requirements to certain races/ethnicities? That’s Equal Employment Opportunity with another politically correct name.
Perceptions aside, I believe that Diversity “is” what every individual brings to the table regardless of how they speak, act or look. I know from education that our perceptions are based upon our socialization process but, I also know that if one understands their own perceptions and can diversify their thoughts based upon that knowledge that a lot of the problems we have today that involve race would disappear. If we just realize that we all are individuals and allow ourselves to accept that premise then diversity will be realized.
June 22nd, 2007 at 10:04 am
Diversity simply implies “not white.” Environments are considered diverse when non-whites are represented. If there are a majority of white persons present no one considers them diverse. The “difference” or diversity is that people are something other than white.
June 24th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
If one were to concur with Bryan’s thought process, then it naturally follows that if the workplace is all black, then diversity does not exist there, either. We are simply saying that if the workplace is all white, there is no diversity; we are saying that if the workplace is “all” anything, then diversity does not exist.
June 25th, 2007 at 2:32 pm
Mr. Cook says that “if we just realize that we are all individuals and allow ouseles to accept that premise, then diversity will be realized.” Were it that easy! Unfortunately, a majority of whites do look at themselves as individuals, but have trouble regarding people of color as individuals. They are generally treated as a monolithic group. As a result, we often hear many white people tell people of color to go back from where they come when one of their group commits a heinous crime. When Mr. McVeigh did his thing in Oklahoma, I wonder how many whites were asked by people of color to go back from where they came. And race is still the big elephant sittting in the room in this society. Most people don’t want to talk about it. Diversity is an issue confronting most countries and each one is trying to come up with a solution, but you have to put everything on the table including those that may make some people very uncomfortable.
June 25th, 2007 at 5:25 pm
After having read the responses prior to mine I see there is still a broad view as to what “diversity” really means.
In the end diversity means whatever is different from yourself and your natural course of things. Meaning, diversity could be as simple as taking a break from your normal 9-5 mon-fri grind (I’m being diverse today by not being at work) or as extreme as integrating your office with a barrage of ethnic backgrounds just because you’re trying to be diverse or obtain kickbacks. I personally believe organizations private and public are focusing way too much on integrating their workplace and setting up standards to MAKE people accept diversity. When was the last time you enjoyed something being jammed down your throat? Diversity is quickly become a work standard such as 401k or taxes and death. Diversity, in my mind, needs to be cutting edge. As soon as we assign diversity a number, a requirement and a file, if you will, it will become a mute point in every aspect. Having met the goals of the organization we have successfully diversified our organization. Yes, but is everyone in your organization diverse? Of course they are. Does everyone in your organization accept it or are they still who they were when there was not an action to integrate diversity?
Keeping diversity in the front of our minds is hard to do. As Anne said, “it is challenging, because it is much more comfortable to work, worship, socialize, and go to school with people who are just like you”. I love being exposed to different cultures and seek diversity in my life. Being a military brat and having a goal in the military for a long time before I entered the private sector had brainwashed me into believing diversity was accepted and welcomed everywhere. In the military you are stripped of all originality and built back up as an American. The only prejudice I possess is what has been bred into my past by my grandfathers and their fathers. I still struggle today with not thinking a racial slur when someone cuts me off or wrongs me. It is a conscious thought however and while I hate that part of my life I accept it as a constant challenge. All of us have these thoughts whether conscious or not. We’re slowly losing the people who grew up in the intolerant age of our past to old age or illness and soon the views and opinions of the younger Americans will be what our country looks at for the future of diversity in our nation. I strongly believe our views on diversity are changing quickly. With more focus on integration, tolerance and acceptance at least we’re moving in a positive direction. Yes, it is quicker than the populace can bare but it beats regression. We’ll make it eventually…at the end of a long and laborious road. The only unfortunate side is there will ALWAYS be prejudice in our world. Your challenge is to overcome it locally and project your positive view globally.
June 26th, 2007 at 6:25 am
As a person who has worked for many years in addressing the under representation of minorities, paricularly in education, I see the word “diversity” in many cases as a cop out, i.e. a way that institutions, schools, jobs, etc. do not really have to deal with diversity as it relates to ethnicities (I do not like using the word “race” since scientifically we know that race is not biological but rather a social construct). Regardless, it is easy for many to hide behind the word diversity by referencing many other factors that are much easier to include, e.g. a group of White men with different color hair could represent “diversity”! As for some of those who have responded already, I would suggest that they really examine the profound effects that “White privilege” has when considering the definition of diversity. Perhaps then they might realize that although these other definitions of diversity may be “dictionary correct”, they do NOT address the problems of exclusion of many groups which is the type of diversity that many of us have struggled to achieve.