In response to “Editorial: Crop of commencement speakers lacks diversity” in Opinion on March 10:
I am a 61-year-old white man, the sort that is often considered irrelevant and accused of being angered by the loss of privilege following social incursions of one or another previously oppressed groups. To allay any such considerations, I state for the record I have enough privilege to suit me, and no lack of money. I say what I say out of concern for our educational and other institutions.
I am old enough to remember when the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. stated that one day he hoped we would be judged by the content of our character, not the color of our skin. Our obsession with diversity has created a society in which the reverse of the reverend’s hopes have been achieved. We care less about an individual’s achievements, the new criteria being whether they are African American, Hispanic, LGBT, female, American Indian or some other protected group. I believe this obsession with diversity is actually subtly racist. It suggests that without special treatment by the great white father, no member of the protected classes could succeed. I don’t know about others, but I would feel greatly insulted. There’s two cents’ worth from an old white male.
Dr. Andrew Kindler
UC Berkeley alumnus
I agree. UCLA is one of the worst offenders of this type of racism. It is largely propagated by white liberals, who are the biggest racists on the planet.
excellent letter….so true!
“Law professor John Powell said in an annual UCLA human rights lecture Tuesday that he thinks increasing diversity in American society is perpetuating the historical structure of oppression and fear of minority groups.
He said he believes the increase in diversity is causing more privileged groups to distance themselves from minority groups and increased animosity toward minorities.”
http://165.227.25.233/2014/04/02/ucla-bunche-center-lecture-explores-effects-of-diversity/