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diversity
January 2009 
Diversity is NOT a strength
Posted on Oct 24th, 2008
by 
Gypster
Gypster
By J Michael Kearney
Last edited: Monday, January 27, 2003
Posted: Tuesday, December 18, 2001
Diversity, unlike merit, is, in and of itself, neither a strength nor a weakness.
We hear the mantra “Diversity is a strength,” all the time lately, but in reality, this is not a fact, not even a valid opinion, in truth, it is poppycock.
The fact of the matter is, there are far more drawbacks to diversity than there are to homogeneity.
Don’t get me wrong, there may be some positive aspects to a diverse workforce, a diverse student body, etc, but diversity is not, in and of itself, a strength.
Generally a “diverse” workforce is more often than not, a divided workforce as well. The real strength of America lies in its common culture and its unifying language, almost a universal or global language – English. Without them, our economy, our medium of exchange and our cherished way of life would be lost.
Today, in New York City Public Schools only 55% of the students speak English at home. Of the rest, 28% speak Spanish, 2% Cantonese, 2% Russian, 1% Bengali, 1% Korean, 1% Haitian Creole, 1% Mandarin, 1% Arabic, 1% Urdu and 7% Other. In most public high schools, language has become a divider. FOB – “Fresh of the Boat” is the term US-born students tag immigrant students with. It’s a label that both unites and stigmatizes.
A recent article in the NY Daily News by Jesse Graham, chronicled Jin Fan, a newly arrived immigrant from China, an FOB. She explained how language barriers create social groups. “If you’re learning English, you hang out with other students that are learning English too, but if you get into classes that are mixed, your friends change. It all depends on your English level.”
Graham described another scene, “As Jin began to walk away arm-in-arm with her quiet giggly group of friends – all recently arrived Chinese immigrants – a tall and confident Lisa Wang brushed by with her posse of African-American and Latino buddies. “I don’t have a lot of Asian friends, they get intimidated by me,” Lisa shrugged.”
America’s strength is not its population, but its Founding document the Constitution which has survived Irish political thuggery and Bossism...Italian, Jewish and black ethnic politics and maintained the essence of its original character, that is to say, the Bill of Rights still enshrines the individual OVER government and subjugates the state as a servant NOT a master.
Will our newest immigrants embrace our unifying American culture? If the past is any gauge, the answer is yes. We can expect the vast majority to immerse and eventually become absorbed into the vast American culture.
My own fiancée arrived in America from Jamaica just over six years ago and has better diction than I do and is more deeply interested in American politics than many people who were born here. She comes here as a Chartered Accountant in the English system and has recently completed an Accounting degree from Baruch College.
Will all this new energy and new ideas be a good thing? Almost certainly, but just as surely there is a limit to how many newcomers any nation can absorb and we are fast approaching that point.
Further, the idea that “diversity, by itself, is a strength,” is a foolish one. No reputable studies have shown a diverse workforce to be as efficient, let alone, more efficient than a homogeneous one.
Is diversity a bad thing?
Not at all. Is it, by itself, a strength?
Is it superior to homogeneity?
It certainly doesn’t appear so.
Web Site JMKearney.com
Last edited: Monday, January 27, 2003
Posted: Tuesday, December 18, 2001
Diversity, unlike merit, is, in and of itself, neither a strength nor a weakness.
We hear the mantra “Diversity is a strength,” all the time lately, but in reality, this is not a fact, not even a valid opinion, in truth, it is poppycock.
The fact of the matter is, there are far more drawbacks to diversity than there are to homogeneity.
Don’t get me wrong, there may be some positive aspects to a diverse workforce, a diverse student body, etc, but diversity is not, in and of itself, a strength.
Generally a “diverse” workforce is more often than not, a divided workforce as well. The real strength of America lies in its common culture and its unifying language, almost a universal or global language – English. Without them, our economy, our medium of exchange and our cherished way of life would be lost.
Today, in New York City Public Schools only 55% of the students speak English at home. Of the rest, 28% speak Spanish, 2% Cantonese, 2% Russian, 1% Bengali, 1% Korean, 1% Haitian Creole, 1% Mandarin, 1% Arabic, 1% Urdu and 7% Other. In most public high schools, language has become a divider. FOB – “Fresh of the Boat” is the term US-born students tag immigrant students with. It’s a label that both unites and stigmatizes.
A recent article in the NY Daily News by Jesse Graham, chronicled Jin Fan, a newly arrived immigrant from China, an FOB. She explained how language barriers create social groups. “If you’re learning English, you hang out with other students that are learning English too, but if you get into classes that are mixed, your friends change. It all depends on your English level.”
Graham described another scene, “As Jin began to walk away arm-in-arm with her quiet giggly group of friends – all recently arrived Chinese immigrants – a tall and confident Lisa Wang brushed by with her posse of African-American and Latino buddies. “I don’t have a lot of Asian friends, they get intimidated by me,” Lisa shrugged.”
America’s strength is not its population, but its Founding document the Constitution which has survived Irish political thuggery and Bossism...Italian, Jewish and black ethnic politics and maintained the essence of its original character, that is to say, the Bill of Rights still enshrines the individual OVER government and subjugates the state as a servant NOT a master.
Will our newest immigrants embrace our unifying American culture? If the past is any gauge, the answer is yes. We can expect the vast majority to immerse and eventually become absorbed into the vast American culture.
My own fiancée arrived in America from Jamaica just over six years ago and has better diction than I do and is more deeply interested in American politics than many people who were born here. She comes here as a Chartered Accountant in the English system and has recently completed an Accounting degree from Baruch College.
Will all this new energy and new ideas be a good thing? Almost certainly, but just as surely there is a limit to how many newcomers any nation can absorb and we are fast approaching that point.
Further, the idea that “diversity, by itself, is a strength,” is a foolish one. No reputable studies have shown a diverse workforce to be as efficient, let alone, more efficient than a homogeneous one.
Is diversity a bad thing?
Not at all. Is it, by itself, a strength?
Is it superior to homogeneity?
It certainly doesn’t appear so.
Web Site JMKearney.com
Access: Public
I find such discussions mere distractions to keep us away from actively quieting our minds, while at the same time realizing that we all succumb to such debates from time to time when they hit our flashpoints. Love the Icon. Alchemy symbol?
The pertinence of discussions such of these I feel are timely and certainly not distractions. I feel that distractions are forms of entertainment that shut the mind off, and preoccupy our thoughts unnecessarily. One example of this may be found in American Football. Once it was primarily male, I have noticed a campaign to capture the females as well, to get them distracted with sports and alcohol. Some people, I have noticed, think of very little outside the sport besides their job, their car, their sex life, etc. These are all unnecessary distractions in this day and age, and purposely placed before us with TV.
We all can have quiet times and relax our minds but we must remain focused on the important things that affect us as a human culture, because the grand lesson in this life school is Unity, we are here to realize that we are all one, and one thing that is hindering that for some is the ideas implanted since birth and, more recently, through the mass manipulation device called TV.
As for the symbol, I felt it resonated with me. As far as it's origin, I'm really not sure. lol It just seemed appropriate for some reason.
ASSIMILATE!!
resistance is futile…
bwahahahahahahaha
it's called cultural genocide. and the descendents of immigrants want to keep the descendents of those indigenous-to-this-continent out… by building a wall, complete with armed guards…. and forcing everyone to speak their language, and … and …
it's sickening. unity doesn't come about by wanting to make everyone be like you. it comes about by respecting our differences, celebrating diversity!!
hahahaha
Unity is not the same, nor is it everyone being the same or not respecting or honoring differences. We just can't see it as a strength or to celebrate it anymore, that is all. :)