Is diversity really a good thing?

I continue to marvel at the shortsighted view (at least in my opinion) that diversity is a sought after value when ethnic, racial, linguistic, cultural differences have pulled so many counties apart.

As Patrick J. Buchanan once stated in an editorial commentary, “The melting pot — language, law and culture— worked to make us one nation and one people.” On the Great Seal of the United States, there is emblazoned the motto: “E Pluribus Unum.” According to Alan Frederick at Oxford University, “E Pluribus Unum” is Latin for “one out of many,” or, “from many, one.” Never codified by law, it was considered a de facto motto of the United States until 1956, when Congress passed a resolution adopting “In God We Trust” as the official motto.

Originally suggesting that out of many colonies or states emerged a single nation, it has come to suggest in contemporary times that out of many peoples, races and ancestries has emerged a single people and nation — illustrating the concept of the aforementioned melting pot.

But of late, it has become fashionable to assert that the more diverse America becomes, the better and greater she becomes. The melting pot that Pat Buchanan talked about has cracked and is now scoffed at by multiculturalists as a concept that of cultural genocide.

A few years back, I watched a team of doctors in Miami work furiously in an attempt to save a loved one. The team was led by a Japanese specialist, an Israeli, a French doctor, several Cubans, and others from different backgrounds. What struck me, however, was that it was a team composed of Americans united in one task.

Contrast that reality with the fact companies must now have a commitment to diversity as demonstrated through strategic initiatives aimed at providing training and awareness to employees, hiring people of diverse backgrounds at all levels in the organization and establishing guidelines for increasing dollars spent with minority suppliers. Employees are asked to appreciate, value and celebrate differences.

All well and good, but what does this say about our being one nation and one people? And exactly what does “celebrate” mean? I do not have to celebrate difference in order to value it, and I certainly don’t need a Human Resources type to help guide me through the “process of celebration.”

Human resources people righteously assert that diversity enhances their company’s ability to serve others and strengthen the global economy for everyone’s benefit. Silver-smithed words, indeed, but finish the thought and tell us just this is done.

Yes, people are diverse in many ways. We live in different places, have different kinds of jobs, and go to different schools. We have a variety of ethnic backgrounds and religious beliefs. And we speak many different languages and differ in our thoughts and feelings. But at the end of the day, we are all Americans, and anything that tears that asunder weakens our country.

Ted Sares of North Conway can be reached at tedsares@roadrunner.com.