DIVERSITY FATIGUE

Yesterday I had to wait in the car, not something I score very high points on, when the infernal chat on the radio started penetrating. Diversity Fatigue. I hadn't heard that one before so I re-routed the sound from straight through to stop a while. The interviewer had a guest, presumably an expert in this exciting, to me new, field of human endeavor. The expert would just be reaching an interesting point when the interviewer would cut him off in mid sentence to introduce the next caller.

I recall a book store owner who claimed good diversity because the company had been founded by a lesbian or Fat Campaigner, I can't remember which, both featured along with a whole range of ethnic diversity. "Do you have a black employee?" Well, no, he didn't. This is not good, diversity is obviously not diversity without one. The book man had the right answer though. No blacks had ever applied for a job. He did, when pressed admit to carrying black authors and had had even had a few in doing the book signing thing. Whew. Off the hook, almost. Perhaps if he had more black authors he could interest more blacks in writing. Seeing as the store was a specialist science fiction outlet I wondered about that. The man himself wondered exactly how one knew when one was diverse enough. Is there a formula?

The discussion roved and the expert was back and made a valid point. How many diverse people are employed should depend on the demographics in the area. One black employee in a company in, say Steamboat Springs, would probably be enough. He suggested one look around and see who makes up the neighborhood. That made sense to me but I'm not too sure whether the interviewer was buying it or not. She seemed to be into Diversity Conventions in a big way and could always tell immediately which businessmen were not interested. I think she is confusing the 'deer in the headlights' expression on their faces with disinterest.

I am starting to see where the Diversity Fatigue starts setting in.

Equal opportunity has been around for ages so, educationally at least, all should have an equal chance to make it. I have never subscribed to the inane fiction that all men are born equal. Some are born athletes, some born geeks and some born totally unequipped for life while most of us are middle of the road. When hiring I want the person best equipped by nature for the job not someone who will round out the diversity scheme.

Of course, some people choose to make themselves unappetizing to an employer. Walk in and greet me with a "Yo Mama" and that is IT. No way you are getting the job however well qualified. Then there are the double negatives. Answer a question with "No ma'am, I didn't play no baseball at school." Well, you ain't getting no job from me no way - I don't care what color you are.

Anyone who has graduated high school let alone college knows, or should know, how to speak properly. If he/she has too little self respect to bother I am not interested in employing them.

Oh, I almost forgot, the whole radio discussion wound up discussing why a white man, made up to look black, experienced few of the 'normal' difficulties blacks experience.

The consensus seemed to be that he might have looked black but he ACTED WHITE. Dressed white. Talked white.

Oh boy! Now isn't that a can of worms to open? I don't know of any officially black or white state schools. I seem to remember integration was going to cure all those inequalities so if it isn't color what is it?

Attitude?