Diversity =s Perversity

The catchword in liberal circles today is the term “diversity”. A few years ago the catchphrases were: affirmative action, racial preferences, and racial and ethnic quotas. Since those terms were not warmly embraced by many in the general public, the “diversity” proponents have latched onto the term “diversity” as a more moderate acceptable term to overcome the negatives that those other terms conveyed.

The term, “E Pluribus Unum”, was and is a traditional motto of the United States that appears on the “Great Seal” and on some of our currency. This motto was never codified by law, but it was the “de facto” motto of the United States until 1956 when the U.S. Congress adopted the phrase “In God We Trust” as the official motto. So, even from the beginning of our democratic republic, the main idea of the founding fathers was “unity” not “diversity”.

No one that I know, decries a person or persons venerating their heritage, their ethnicity or family traditions, in fact, we encourage it, but we all must remember that to be an American, a person must adhere to the traditions, the language (English), the laws (both federal and state) that have made us the pre-eminant country in the world today. Balkanization (the act of being isolated from others in your own community) of the populace is not conducive to a harmonious society. People coming into our country should strive to assimilate into our society and not set themselves apart from other Americans. As the original motto of the U.S. Stated, “E Pluribus Unum” (out of many, one) was propagated by our founders, it was the blueprint for the success of the United States.

Another phrase that points up the fallacy of the concept of “diversity” is the phrase, “United We Stand, Divided We Fall”. Many civilizations in the past have succumbed by not having “unity” as their guiding principle. The fall of the Greek Civilization and the Roman Empire are good examples of countries imploding from within rather than by mostly foreign invasion. Look at our recent history where “disunity” has caused revolt and unrest. The division that existed in Canada, between the English speaking and French speaking provinces, was a major cause of contention among those provinces where, at one time, one part wanted to secede from the country to form their own country. That division has been mitigated in recent years. Also, the division that existed between Protestant Northern Ireland and Catholic Ireland, was a violent separation, which lasted almost 100 years. Tensions are less today, but they still exist. And look at Europe today where “diversity” has been the rule the past decades or so, and now most of the countries are suffering because the immigrants that have migrated to their countries, to create “diversity”, have not assimilated and have caused havoc among the permanent residents. Predictions are that Europe will be no longer Europe the way we know it now, as the immigrant population will become the majority unless a major turnaround can occur. The “diversity” concept has bitten them in the butt big time.

So, the headline of our editorial, “Diversity =s Perversity” (perversity being defined as an action that is counter to what has been expected or desired; being contrary to the norm), should be a wake up call for America to not get caught into the trap of thinking that “diversity” instead of “unity” should be the direction our country should take. Our country is and has been a “melting pot” since its inception, within reason, as previous immigrants, by and large, assimilated into society. As a counterbalance to “diversity”, we should all be united by adhering to the precepts of one language, one constitution, and one rule of laws, as the unifying concept that will continue to make and keep America the greatest country in the world. We should all be Americans, not Irish-Americans, African-Americans, Asian -Americans, German-Americans, Jewish Americans etc., etc., we should all be just plain, good old, patriotic Americans.

Conservative commentary by Chuck Lehmann