Once again, in his June 14 column “Diversity is our strength? There’s no evidence of that,” Thomas Sowell has attempted to validate his inability to comprehend our greatest asset, that which sets us apart from the homogenous societies he feels flourished despite a lack of diversity.
By suggesting that Japan’s population has not been harmed by a lack of diversity he characteristically fails to grasp common knowledge. Not so long ago, Japan had been swept into the radical visions of a few zealots due to their inability to listen to alternative views, and saw thousands of its citizens vaporized as a result.
His view misses the point that diversity is not just about genetics, nor it is it a silly pipe dream conjured up to attack the aspirations of the affluent. It is the basic idea that society as a whole will benefit when we replace ignorance, hatred and fear with acceptance, understanding and cooperation. It is our ability to consider alternatives to the self-glorifying fantasies of those who misuse their power, the notion that a good idea is not diminished when it originates from outside our own familiar social groups. Conversely, a bad idea should not be embraced because it does.
Sowell’s dismissal of diversity does nothing to legitimize the Republican effort to install an unqualified wrecking ball, who openly espouses racist views, as our president. Sowell’s tunnel vision best illustrates why we need to embrace the concept of diversity.
