For liberals, diversity does not mean what conservatives and moderates think it does. Instead of an exploration of differing people and ideas, diversity has simply become a glorification of “special” minorities. Beyond that, there is little or no attention given to understanding opposing worldviews or even a dialogue about treating different perspectives with tolerance and respect.
These keywords are reserved only for preferred, “victimized” groups. White, straight students must listen quietly while our fellow classmates describe the harsh realities of prep school life at Barton Park. The PC class retreat into private affinity groups with faculty advisors who discuss the ways in which they are oppressed and violated by ignorant majorities. If that were true, I’d certainly empathize, support and, JOIN them as they bemoan their situation.
And at first, I can honestly say that I did. But a few things really changed all this for me. Barton Park has several diversity meetings a year, and finally this past November before elections, we met to discuss BPA’s political landscape.
Being a lone conservative, I was of course extremely excited about this opportunity and pleasantly surprised that my school had deigned to discuss differing worldviews on our campus. It seemed that BPA was straying from its working definition of diversity. Some students acknowledged that, “We are only tolerant of people who are tolerant of our views” and “If you don’t think like us, then we basically can’t deal with it.”
This was of course a beautiful and honest confession-one which I appreciated. I became frustrated again, however, when an African American student-a classmate of mine who had been especially vocal about racism on our campus- announced, “If conservatives don’t feel at home on this campus, they should just go. There are plenty of other places they can be. If they don’t like BPA they should go elsewhere or stop complaining”.
If I substituted the word “conservative” with “black”, I’d likely be suspended. But this particular outburst earned no reply. While I hate to be so blunt, I’ve realized recently that BPA liberals just don’t care about conservatives. They are incapable of respecting and tolerating people with different political or religious perspectives. Outside of the “chosen” minorities, everyone else- those whom liberals don’t want to accept or understand-are simply ignored. Or worse, they are maligned for their “hatred and intolerance”.
This was displayed when a diversity advisor asked the school to submit instances when they felt targeted or offended because of their cultural or racial identity. I informed him of the time when a faculty member verbally attacked me upon discovering that I was a Republican. I was fairly confident that this scenario would make the cut. But to my surprise, when the school gathered to discuss these instances of intolerance and bigotry on our campus, my submission was not included.
Instead, once again, the preferred groups were highlighted. To demonstrate racism against African Americans, students recalled the time when athletes dressed up “ghetto style”, disrespecting an important part of Black cultural identity. For Gay students, they were violated by offensive cross-dressing which disrespected the transsexual lifestyle.
While I concede that for some these scenarios might be hurtful, I’m still astonished that this is really the best they can come up with, in light of the excessive talk about being victimized and oppressed. I remain confused as to how my submission was considered sub par. When it comes down to offensive cross dressing and blatant targeting by a faculty member, I think I should come out on top.
But I am at peace with my place at BPA. I am well prepared for my next step in academia where these issues will likely be intensified, but I think that liberal intolerance is really hurting my classmates. When they leave the world of academia, and enter a truly diverse world where the rules of BPA don’t apply, I fear that they will be ill prepared.
“diversity” is nothing but a means to an end, for the leftists. they appeal to principles they don’t have in order to institutionalize principles they wish were real, in this case resulting in debasement of human life and American culture. that is, in the name of standing up for the oppressed minority, they have demeaned both black and white races, creating victims and villains and thus perpetuating the very slavery they claim to oppose.
there are real victims and villains of course, e.g. you being victimized by incompetent fascist marxist “teachers” because your particular brand of “diversity” doesn’t align with the agenda behind that crock of a word.
fight on — illegitimi non carborundum