Sensitivity trainers need to show more sensitivity

Valley Press on ^ | Thursday, February 1, 2007. | Editorial

[BenLurkin]

It's a good thing to be aware of other people who are different from you, but it's another thing when politically correct "diversity training" runs amok. That's what happened at Arizona State University. Ryan Visconti, a 22-year-old senior and dormitory resident assistant, took part in mandatory sensitivity training for dorm employees.

In a role-playing exercise, he was asked to portray a gay Hispanic seeking admission to a church. A woman with a Southern accent told him he was a hopeless sinner and would go to hell and could never join the church no matter what he did.

In the course of going along with the skit, Visconti was rebuffed at every turn.

Wait a minute, Visconti said. The exercise was doing exactly what it was supposedly designed to prevent - promoting ugly stereotypes.

"All it did was reinforce the most hateful and ugly stereotypes in our society."

Among the stereotypes promoted in the exercise were the notion that all Christians are bigots who hate gays. Other exercises portrayed all whites as wealthy, while Hispanics were told they could only become landscapers or live in ghetto apartments. The exercise promoted the stereotypes that all whites are bigots and that all minorities and gays are constantly discriminated against and therefore cannot possibly have a shot to succeed in our society.

Visconti said the role play was based too much on extreme situations that were too unrealistic to relate to real situations. He said he was particularly miffed at the portrayal of the church as a place where everybody hates homosexuals and tells them they're going to hell.

The committee that drew up this "diversity" exercise clearly showed a lack of understanding of those who are different from themselves. There's no room for discrimination, hate or bigotry - of any kind.

[Tzimisce]

It's okay to stereotype the "majority" cause it doesn't hurt them. :D

(/sarcasm)

[delphirogatio]

The Law of Irony *strictly* enforced here.

[TrailofTears]

Well put. The only people I hear going on and on about these things in the society anymore are the race-baiters, and poverty pimps. They need to get a life and stop their anti-christian bigotry.

[Argus]

This kid's parents should sue for wasting their tuition money on forced leftist indoctrination camps instead of classes.

[California Patriot]

Great stuff.

I wonder if we'll see such an editorial in any of the state's major papers. Not holding my breath.

[kinoxi]

In a role-playing exercise, he was asked to portray a gay Hispanic seeking admission to a church.

I personally would have to decline that request.

[silverleaf]

Probably had to use role-playing Christians because none of the 20something diversity trainers is Christian.

[silverleaf]

Probably had to use role-playing Christians because none of the 20something diversity trainers is Christian.

[Freedom_no_exceptions]

This reminds me of the "Stereotype Olympics" skit from Mind of Mencia, only without the humor.

[Maceman]

They should call it "Superiority Training" because its obvious purpose is to reinforce Progressives' misguided conviction that they are morally superior to everyone else.

[Neoliberalnot]

The so-called diversity training industry is nothing but a scamming method to extract millions of dollars out of the private and public sector. These programs cost thousands of dollars to be paid in full to the promoters and thousands more in lost productivity by participants.

[Right Wing Assault]

So, was this guy allowed to use a phony Hispanic accent and also lisp as weirdly as possible? If so, isn't he making fun of gays and Hispanics? Seems so to me. That's not very "PC".

Bravo for the guy for calling them on it.

[DManA]

This guy better be careful. The elites might lock him in a mental institution for his anti-social thoughts.

[MikeHu]

Role-playing exercises are probably the most counterproductive teaching device created by the teaching "professionals" -- guaranteed not to solve any real problems.

What people need to do is get real -- and solve real world problems, and not all the fake problems they can imagine. That kind of ability is the reason for liberal delusions of grandiosity and intelligence.

[UlmoLordOfWaters]

I went to "diversity" training that was just like this. The "trainers" made fun of Rush Limbaugh (this was shortly after his drug issue became public). They also made fun of Christians and protrayed them in extremely stereotypical ways.

We had to write a review of the class and I wrote a scathing complaint about the trainers' bias.

[hondo1951]

The excersise should have been like this. Gay hispanic male wanting to become a muslim.

THUD-SOUND OF HEAD HITTING FLOOR-NEXT

[keats5]

Drudge has a headline saying this student got probation for refusing this indoctrination. When I click the link, I can't seem to get to the article, though.

[keats5]

Apparently this student has now been suspended for four days, for refusing to go to a different, but similar, indoctrination exercise. He's retained counsel.

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