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Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Pluralism in America

Bill Clinton claimed he would assemble a Cabinet that looked like America. So he chose six people of various skin tones who were ideological clones of himself. They all had almost identical education, beliefs, thought patterns, worldviews, and skills. Only skin color varied. Groupthink is not diversity.

The situation 20 years later is very different.

Prior to the Civil War, some Christian pastors would incite their congregations to rape and torture Mormons in the neighborhood. Kidnapping the children, shooting the men, and burning their houses was "God's work," they taught. Now two Mormons are among the top candidates for U.S. president. That is some progress.

(Of course, 3,556 people are considering running for the GOP nomination so far.)  Diversity can challenge us and make us better, both in our businesses and in our personal lives, but it needs to be real diversity. 

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