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A Conservative Definition of Diversity
James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal ^ | November 29, 2019 | Avi Woolf

Posted on 11/29/2019 7:20:12 AM PST by karpov

Are conservatives against the campus diversity administrative machine or are they opposed to diversity itself?

The argument in favor of the former seems like an easy one. Ever since debates over affirmative action heated up in the ‘60s and ‘70s, conservative groups and publications—this Center included—have marshalled an impressive array of data, stories, and philosophical arguments in favor of merit-based acceptance of students into college and against what seems like artificial boosterism that leads to unintended and negative consequences—even for the beneficiaries of affirmative action themselves.

However, there is a great difference between elite conservatives and the rightwing “man on the street.” The fact that Turning Point USA, one of the most popular conservative student groups, repeatedly gets caught in scandals involving support for white supremacy and open and covert bigotry toward their fellow citizens means that too many young conservatives hear conservative leaders rallying against the liberal conception of “diversity” and think they mean diversity as such.

It’s more than odd or embarrassing that this is the case—it’s tragic. Ever since the rise of modernity in the form of the French Revolution, conservative thinkers of all stripes and across the globe argued fiercely for the diversity and variety of human life against the pulverizing flattening of modernity and of progressive thinking.

Edmund Burke famously railed against the French destruction of its local traditions and regional identities in favor of mathematical départements. British conservatives fought for local variety in their country in the nineteenth century against the utilitarians seeking to flatten everything based on mathematical formulas. America’s own conservative movement in the ‘50s arose against the crushing political conformity of that era. All throughout, conservatives everywhere celebrated or at least tolerated a degree of human variety as a bulwark against uniformity and as an expression of human wonder and growth.

(Excerpt) Read more at jamesgmartin.center ...


TOPICS: Education
KEYWORDS: college; diversity

1 posted on 11/29/2019 7:20:12 AM PST by karpov
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To: karpov

Campus diversity is the same old 60’s hippy scam everyone gets a slice of the pie and nobody has to earn it.


2 posted on 11/29/2019 7:25:46 AM PST by Vaduz (women and children to be impacIQ of chimpsted the most.)
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To: karpov

The next time some academics tell you how important diversity is, ask how many Republicans there are in their sociology department. - Thomas Sowell


3 posted on 11/29/2019 7:27:11 AM PST by tbw2
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To: karpov

I read Mr. Avi Woolf’s article. I cannot find a thesis or a logical conclusion anywhere. It seems to be mainly a mash-up of English words.


4 posted on 11/29/2019 7:28:18 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: karpov

Diversity and multiculturalism are a cancer.


5 posted on 11/29/2019 7:30:42 AM PST by Altura Ct.
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To: karpov

Diversity is not a goal. It is something you must reduce as much as possible, in fact. The idea of a melting pot means that those of different cultures will become one culture over time. It doesn’t mean dividing ourselves into multicultural enclaves.


6 posted on 11/29/2019 7:38:57 AM PST by Telepathic Intruder
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To: Altura Ct.

Diversity in a competitive environment is the natural order of things. Diversity with forced “socially just” outcomes, is far worse than cancer.


7 posted on 11/29/2019 7:39:15 AM PST by Hugh the Scot ("Jesus was a fundamentalist".- BipolarBob)
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To: Telepathic Intruder

What they want is the “tossed salad”, in fact they now deem the term “melting pot” as racist.


8 posted on 11/29/2019 7:39:46 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

He was out to write a 1000 word article and did. It didn’t matter is he made any sense.

Liberals have taken Webster’s Dictionary and reversed the meaning of every word in it. “Diversity” to them means everyone who thinks just like MEEEEE!


9 posted on 11/29/2019 7:40:17 AM PST by bgill
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To: karpov
I think it's mostly a disagreement over what the word diversity means.

Conservatives think diversity is a plethora of ideas from everyone. Leftists think diversity is people from different walks of life thinking the same thing...

10 posted on 11/29/2019 7:47:10 AM PST by jeffc (The U.S. media are our enemy)
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To: jeffc

“Conservatives think diversity is a plethora of ideas from everyone. Leftists think diversity is people from different walks of life thinking the same thing...”

Now that’s a brilliant summary. And amply demonstrated by the libtard reaction when someone on the plantation speaks non-plantation truths.


11 posted on 11/29/2019 7:55:46 AM PST by Da Coyote (is)
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To: Hugh the Scot

I think the concept of social “diversity” took hold after it was recognized that genetic diversity makes a population robust from extinction due to sudden introduction of deadly plagues, loss of an essential food resource, etc.

How that principle extrapolates to mandates based on sex, sexual preference, sexual identity or national origin is not clear to me. I don’t think those that demand these things are at all concerned about extinction events, in any case.


12 posted on 11/29/2019 8:13:03 AM PST by rightwingcrazy (;-,)
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To: rightwingcrazy

It’s done specifically to dilute the value of those who achieve.


13 posted on 11/29/2019 8:53:02 AM PST by Hugh the Scot ("Jesus was a fundamentalist".- BipolarBob)
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To: karpov

Diverse is a description; the media, academia, leftists, and the Democrats have largely been successful in elevating it to a virtue. Merely questioning this alleged virtue is to be labeled as elitist or racist, or both. Not questioning it has led to widespread incompetence, a lack of excellence in nearly all endeavors, public or private, and will eventually the dissolution of civilization itself.


14 posted on 11/29/2019 9:04:29 AM PST by GenXteacher (You have chosen dishonor to avoid war; you shall have war also. Wall)
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To: karpov

Funny how university football teams don’t do diversity — No females, chubby or skinny computer geeks, short little Mexicans or handicapped persons.

WTH? They preach “Diversity is our strength!” at those universities...


15 posted on 11/29/2019 11:39:23 AM PST by polymuser (It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit. Noel Coward)
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