In an era where social cohesion is needed more than ever, the Democratic Party, known for its progressive stance on issues, seems to actively support policies and actions that promote division rather than unity.
One of the more recent controversies is the Democrat's support for racially exclusive events like Boston's Mayor Michelle Wo's 'electeds of color' Christmas parties, which are rightly being criticized for fostering exclusion. The basic idea is that the mayor only wanted to invite the nonwhite members of the Boston City Council to the Christmas party, at the explicit exclusion of white people. But there was a problem when the invites were sent. They were accidentally sent to a few white members of the council. This event would normally be a highly embarrassing episode in a rational society where people care about upholding our constitution. Still, Michelle Wu apologized, not for the discrimination – but for accidentally sending the invitation to white people. Again, she apologized for the confusion, not because she hosted a segregated holiday party.
However, Michelle Wo's racist attitude towards white people isn't an isolated incident. Explicit anti-white discrimination is no longer unusual in this country, and it is not only racial bias, affirmative action admissions, and racial preferences in hiring and promotion. Policies in government and universities overly ban white people from participating. The reality is that racial segregation has made a comeback in this country. Unfortunately, the people advocating for it won't call it that. They would never call Mayor Wu's segregated party a segregated party. Even though we all know that is what it is.
Another example of this insanity is (a practice) at Evanstown Township High School in Illinois, which segregates its English and math classes by race. Blacks and Hispanics go to one classroom to learn English and Math, and Asians and whites go to a different classroom. The school board calls it AXLE (Advancing Excellence, Lifting Everyone) – lifting everyone by dividing them. Believe it or not, this is nothing new for Chicago. A few years ago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said that for one day, she would not talk to white reporters. She never apologized for it, and why should she? She understands that in Chicago, anti-white race hate isn't just tolerated. It's popular.
There are many more examples, such as the George Floyd murder. The media loved it – it was great for the narrative and ratings. This issue turned our country upside down, yet no one was held accountable for the Black lives that were lost and Black-owned businesses that were ruined during the violent protests that took place all over the country, when looting and destroying were carried out in the name of "justice." But of course, he's undoubtedly the victim, and victimhood pays off in America. Segregated graduation ceremonies are another issue; as of 2019, more than 80 universities offered segregated graduations, the dream of racists, and the aim of the Jim Crow Laws of the past.
The sad part is none of these incidents are national scandals. They're portrayed by much of the media as national progress. Few challenge these absurd and irrational decisions. Because of that ambivalence, racial equity is bringing about the return of racial segregation, the very thing that the Civil Rights Movement fought against. It seems that it is indeed solely the color of skin and not the content of character that determinately labels the individual; the true racists of the past would truly rejoice in 21st-century America.
While it's crucial to celebrate and recognize the achievements and contributions of individuals of color, it's also important to remind ourselves that exclusively valuing people based on race can inadvertently create a sense of 'us vs them,' something we really must avoid. We must strive to create spaces where everyone, regardless of their racial or ethnic background, can come together to celebrate differences of opinions, basic common values, and shared experiences.
Here, we should briefly mention another often overlooked diversity: the diversity of thought. Racial diversity is relatively indifferent to one's character; it is a diversity for which the individual has done nothing to earn, namely, one's physical attributes. But a society of fools focuses on the shallow things in life. True intelligence and sincere mental effort demand we look at the content of the character of an individual, not the genetic characteristics of the individual's ethnic group. To focus on skin color, for example, is intellectually and morally lazy, it is undesirable, it's intellectually shameful. We can change our ideas; we have agency over that. However, we do not have much agency over many of our physical attributes. Perhaps that is why the Left is so focused on labeling people based on their physical attributes the way racists did in the past; it locks people in and chains them down. You cannot escape your physical attributes or ethnicity. What about our minds and thoughts? Well, the Left tells people of color that they must think a certain way or otherwise they are race traitors or just plain fools, a dishonest and fallacious poisoning of the well so typical from the irrational discourse that is tragically predominant in the Left's worldview. The Left loves to see college boards filled with the physical diversity of different sizes, shapes, and colors, but it passionately despises the intellectual diversity of thought and opinions. We should ask ourselves whether the skin-deep and quite shallow diversity that some groups in America push for can stand up to the meaningful intellectual diversity that a smarter, albeit smaller, America is pointing out to us.
The issue of accountability is another point of contention, as seen in the case involving Harvard's president, Claudine Gay. Her indifference and seemingly passive support of antisemitic statements on Harvard's campus have sparked much-needed reflection and debates about whether her race protected her from accountability. This situation raises important questions about the standard of accountability and how it should apply equally to everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, or position. These discriminatory actions contradict the Democratic Party's stance on promoting inclusivity and combating bigotry. The Democratic Party openly practices something that Chris Rock wisely labels as "selective outrage." This racist selective outrage promotes the cognitive dissonance that protects dishonest people like Claudine Gay but allows the promotion of violence against an ethnic group like the Jews. It allows for other such irrational contradictions like promoting through the Me Too Movement, the infallibility of women accusers, and yet holding Bill and Hillary Clinton's alleged sexual victims as questionable or, at best, unimportant. We must be vigilant to avoid selective outrage; it is intellectually dishonest, and we must be aware of cognitive dissonance; it is one of the fruits of intellectual laziness.
In contrast, it's crucial to recognize the strength in unity and the power of shared culture deeply entrenched in our Hispanic community. The Hispanic community is unique because individuals are not just their skin color but also their shared culture, language, traditions, and experiences. This sense of unity and commonality has been a source of strength and resilience, allowing the community to overcome challenges and thrive for years. Anglo and Black are ethnic terms, but Hispanic is exclusively not; it is cultural.
The Democratic Party must consider these issues in their policy-making and rhetoric. If the goal is to build a more equitable and inclusive society, then actions and policies should (reflect and) live these values. Whether intentional or not, divisive tactics or rhetoric can lead to fragmentation and conflict among different groups. Again, avoid cognitive dissonance.
As we delve deeper into the intricacies of multiculturalism (which implies diversity of thought) and inclusivity (which demands diversity of thought), we must remember our common denominator — we are all Americans. This shared identity truly unites us regardless of our origin or skin color. We should not lose sight of the fact that we are all part of a larger American community.
Our shared identity as Americans and the historical and ideological implications of a shared American identity should serve as a platform for unity and mutual respect. We must foster an environment where all citizens feel valued and included, and unity and pride transcend physical differences.
We must remember that true American unity isn't just about standing together; it's about standing together as truly Americans. We must celebrate our diversity not as a point of division but as a source of strength and pride because what truly unites us is not the color of our skin but our basic shared values, dreams, and aspirations as Americans.
