Diversity 101: Five Easy Steps to Liberal Sensitivity
By Alyssa Cordova
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Originally posted at townhall.com
Students in university-run leadership positions are often required to participate in some type of diversity training because simply being a just and logical person is no longer enough to lead a group of people. Instead, one must be immersed in every type of culture, background, and lifestyle the Office of Diversity Programs and Services can comprehend. The Resident Advisor preparation I was given at George Mason University recently was no exception, and I have broken down GMU diversity indoctrination into five easy steps so that you, too, can become the sensitive person the Left wants you to be.
Step #1: “Examine and come to terms with your own personal prejudices.”
The second step is the Left’s subliminal way of reminding you that those truly needing diversity training (whites, specifically males) are at fault for the plights of women and minorities. Embrace the fact that discrimination is your fault and do something about it.
George Mason University, like many public universities, is an affirmative action institution, meaning they discriminate on the basis of race and/or gender when accepting and rejecting applicants for admission. Although this obvious bigotry exists in the admissions process, I have an inkling this is not what the trainers meant when they ask you to “[address] discrimination you encounter on campus.”
Step #3: “Get involved in activities and events sponsored by different groups…[or] enroll in a semester-long cultural diversity course or workshop, or a course about a culture different from your own.”
In the third step, you must begin to immerse yourself into various cultures in order to grasp how truly difficult it is for such groups to exist in our society. You must delve deeply into the immersion process by formally educating yourself about diverse cultures. Unless you want to learn about white people, George Mason provides its students with a wide variety of programs, including: Asian Pacific American Heritage Month; Black History Month; Safe zone training to become an “ally” to the members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Community; Hispanic Heritage Month; and American Indian Heritage Week. Participating in these events is the best way to truly experience the difficult lives of minorities. After all, nothing says oppression like a Pow-Wow!
Step #4: “Make a sincere effort to establish a meaningful relationship with a student of a different ethnic or cultural background or lifestyle.”
In the fourth step you are to personalize your newfound sensitivity by using discriminatory practices to find a culturally different “friend.” Long gone are the days of freely associating with people because you like them or have something in common with them. Now you must create bonds with people for the purpose of easing your guilt for the inherent bigotry you never knew you had. Once you have done this, you can breathe easy knowing you have taken a poor, friendless minority under your wing.
Step #5: “Learn to overcome the tendency to stereotype members of various groups, and instead, try to develop a sensitivity to their feelings and experiences.”
Step five can be rather difficult because, after four steps of forcing yourself to become aware of cultural differences, you are now expected to ignore all of that and pretend these differences do not exist. But don’t worry; you’ve reached the end of your journey of diversity ignorance recovery! You can now take the knowledge you have acquired and be a true advocate for these poor, underrepresented groups. Can’t you feel your heart bleeding already?
Wow, as somehow who thinks most diversity education programs are crap, I'm very impressed to see an article that is actually worse than those programs.
It actually implies that there's something wrong with enjoying hanging out with people different than you. You could rewrite the same article to argue that enjoying travel means that you must hate your home.
Does she really believe that the only reason to hang out with someone with different interests and experiences is guilt? Does she really believe that George Mason does not provide opportunities to learn about white people? I thought that's what the young Republicans is for ;)
Please don't re-post here entire articles from another site.
It's unfair to the original authors and robs them of a few eyeballs and advertising revenue. Link and excerpt and post your thoughts, but don't post the entire article.
Sorry about that IP. As far as Xians comments goes. Try putting the multiculti shoe on the other foot. Many students, myself included do and have felt "forced" to take a "non-western" courses in order to "broaden" our minds. I wonder if gay folks are forced to take classes in "Heterosexual Literature." Or if all women were put into a "sensitivity training seminar", where they were told that "all women are potential (you can fill in the blank.) The point is, college men are constantly told by their feminists "peer educators" that "all men are potential rapists." I thought we were not supposed to generalize in the multi-culti world. Actually, a true person who rejects multiculturalism as the current wave of separate but equal doctrine. Why not just be Americans? The rest of the world sees us as that. If i were to move to France, I could not get away with calling myself "an American-Frenchman! Likewise, would an African-American who moved to Africa call him/herself an "African-American-African?" Multiculturalism imposes a groupthink mentality on people. Instead of seeing the individual contributions of people, we just see their group identity. It also fosters a victimhood mentality as evidenced by the constant whining from Xian, et al. People who happen to be minorities such as Miss Cordova and buck the multicultural bandwagon are demonized as traitors. It is pure neo-marxism. Ask Clarence Thomas, Ward Connerly, Star Parker, and Tammy Bruce how it feels to be demonized by others who share a supposedly oppressed group status.
Down with multiculturalism, identity politics, and groupthink mentality.
Robert Dunn
Ex-Leftist, Born-Again Conservative American
"It also fosters a victimhood mentality as evidenced by the constant whining from Xian, et al."
Completely unnecessary.
And if anyone is whining in this thread, it's you.
Why are you so afraid of taking, for example, a "non-western" course? Is the rest of the world not worth learning about?
My "required" "non-western" course at UIUC was a SE Asian history class that I absolutely loved. It was taught by a curmudgeonly old Buddhist (former monk, IIRC) who was extraordinarily interesting.
And it's not like there's no room in a 124-hour, four-year college career to take three or four hours about something non-western.
It was taught by a curmudgeonly old Buddhist (former monk, IIRC) who was extraordinarily interesting.
Was it Professor Lehman? If so, I took the exact same class and also found it extremely interesting.
Yep - that's the guy. I never understood why he dyed his mustache, but it only added to his quirky coolness.
Before I took the class, the only knowledge I had of the area was related to western history - exploration, colonization, WWI and Viet Nam War, etc. It was extremely beneficial to learn more about the area, but also to reinforce that there's a lot to be gained from learning about something through a non-western perspective.
IP, geez, you sound like you should be working for the Dean of Political Correctness at UIUC. Typical Blue State Republicans, cowards, only concerned with $$, not with saving Western Civilization.
Mr. Dunn is not talking about voluntarily taking a class in a non western culture. No one is arguing that. Its when its forced down peoples throats and people are made to feel guilty for crimes they never committed. IP, did you ever have to sit through a lecture where the professor ranted and raved about how all men are potential rapists? Were you ever made to feel guilty just for being a white heterosexual male. As someone who had to endure that for four years and was told to shut up about any dissenting viewpoints from radical feminism, I can apprecriate Mr. Dunns objections to mandatory diversity. Its always diversity and tolerance in regards to skin color or sexual behavior, but when it comes to differing viewpoints on college campuses, conservatives, libertarians, and old school liberals/Democrats need not apply. Try supporting the Chief in one of these multi-culti training seminars and you will be called a racist.
Will the REAL Conservatives please stand up? Their must be a reason why the IL GOP is in such a bad shape, oh, Republicans don't have backbones!
If a respected University education means not being exposed to the non-western world and social movements within our own society and interacting with people and professors who challenge the culture/viewpoints of their students is a "real conservative" belief, then the North Koreans have the proper "real conservative" University system down pat!
Sheesh.
--
Glock21 Op/Ed
Yeah, I respect conservatism enough to not think it means being willfully ignorant. There are all sorts of gen ed requirements. I'm sick of the PC pro-rock people demanding that I know something about rocks.
And I have absolutely no clue why I needed to take a European history class, but it's not like knowing something about it is hurting me somehow.
Finally, I have very little patience for someone who thinks that having their racial, gender identity challenged for a few short hours for a few short years is some monumental burden. To think that being called a potential "rapist" or a "racist" is the end of the world. Who is supposed to be the PC fragile group in this discussino? That someone would do so and then call others "whiners" is hilarious whether it's a lack of self-awareness or intentional satire. With the mysterious and wonderful Robert Dunn, one can never been too sure.
I hear a most liberal whine..........too be sure. With its own ignorant twang. Not to worry, its not the end of the world either, just a few words, in a few of my extra minutes.
I too took a course in far eastern religions, with an emphasis on Buddhism. "may you set your bar high, and stay close to it" Professor Bhodamire (spelling?) at Millikin. He was one layed back fella. Myself and a girl had class, two on one in his office. One of my best experiences in school and something that impacted my way of thinking in a most positive way.
Alas, this too will pass......(this particular thread contesting the liberal agenda in action).....dont let it get ya down (thats a Buddhist thing) , the p c phenom is still alive and kicking.........hmmmmmmm
"Yeah, I respect conservatism enough to not think it means being willfully ignorant."
I respect people who adhere to conservative views enough to not think they're all willfully ignorant. Some tried and tested philosophies are worth respecting. When they start telling me the planet is only a few thousand years old and that unregulated laissez faire capitialism is the only true way to run a government... well... I start to personally have my doubts about them as an individual. :-)
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Glock21 Op/Ed
Hey Xian, do you personally believe the "all men are rapists" crap?
Well, I have been ignoring Anonymous posts entirely, but I suppose since I'm being addressed directly with what could either be trolling or an honest question, I'll assume the best and see what happens. Let's hope I'm rewarded...
I'd argue that all people are potential rapists. We have a biological sex drive that if we do not use powers of empathy, would lead us to use any power we have over others we find sexually appealing to have sex with them.
However, I think part of humanity is the ability to push aside instant, selfish gratification in favor of our values and beliefs.
Now we live in a society where many of the images of masculinity have to do with having sex with anyone you can get your hands on. It's likely that this is what the person who said "potential racists" meant. If men do not choose to reject those definitions of their gender identity, they certainly have the potential to do harm upon others.
Furthermore, while we would like to treat sexual assaults as a long line of isolated incidents, it is quite clear that societal climate does affect the frequency of assaults in that climate. So it could be argued that we all facilitate rape in someway. I think it's important to not restrict that responsibility to men, however. It's not as if there are no women who are complicit in this climate. (Please don't confuse this with absolving the assailant of responsibility. Obviously the vast majority of the responsiblity always lies with the person who ultimately chooses the action. However, to treat them as a long series of unrelated occurences gives no hope to address the problem on a systemic level.)
Finally, I do agree that wide sweeping statements such as "all men are potential rapists" are not constructive without adequate context or explanation. Without context, it's likely to just solicit defensiveness and anger. I was not in the classroom that Mr. Dunn was, so I cannot say whether there was context. I can say that I've seen both--so-called feminist flame throwers who simply seek to push their perspective without actually improving anything and people who ignore the entire explanation and just sound-bite the quote in a disingenous attack on any gender equality movements.