I think it is becoming increasingly clear that “diversity” often obscures and even obstructs needed efforts to eliminate discrimination. A good example of what I mean can be seen in this article about a racial incident in a suburban hospital near Philadelphia (thanks to Dave Huber).
A number of months ago the husband of a maternity patient prevailed upon hospital administrators to keep blacks out of his wife’s room.
For several days in September, supervisors told African American employees to keep out of a woman’s room because her husband, who was white, insisted that only white employees assist in the delivery of his child.
Staffers said they were only trying to prevent a confrontation with the man. But the decision violated the hospital’s antidiscrimination policy and prompted outrage among employees and community groups.
The hospital apologized, as it certainly should have done; the ususal suspect consultants on multicultural sensitivity were called in to conduct focus groups and surveys; and their report will soon “dictate terms of a ‘cultural competency’ training program, which will be mandatory for the hospital’s 4,600 employees.” The goal, said hospital vice president Meg McGoldrick, is to “ensure that diversity exists in our hospital, and that we’re handling these issues appropriately.”
It seems to me that the only cultural incompetence on display here is the hospital administrators’ inability to recognize that what they need to do is simple, not complicated. They do not need to worry about such politically correct gaseous euphemisms as “cultural competence” or even “diversity.” Instead, they should simply enforce their already existing non-discrimination policy.
Indeed, trying to solve a discrimination problem by insisting on “diversity” is rather like trying to put out a fire by pouring gasoline on it. If the hospital followed the “diversity” solution that is now an article of faith in higher education, it would have to ensure that all patients are served by a racially representative group of doctors, nurses, and attendants.
I recall the reports on this incident when it first occurred, and there’s some additional information you need in order to understand the hospital’s position.
Apparently, the husband was not only insisting that blacks be kept away from his pregnant wife during delivery, but his behavior and words implied threats of physical violence. One report I recall stated that the hospital administrator feared for the safety of his employees, and so asked black employees to remain away from this very agitated man.
If in fact this is what happened, then I would place no blame on the hospital administration. Rather, I would criticize those employees who apparently value ‘racial diversity’ over physical safety. Shame on them. Of course, I suspect they would be first in line to sue if the agitated bigot had actually attacked a black health care worker attempting to aid his wife.
Maybe the administrators should have told the man to settle down or they would call the police and have him removed from the hospital.
Perhaps the man was having an excessive reaction to learning the differences in what it takes the respective races to get into the academic training programs. If whites (and asians) must be exceptional to get in and others merely require a pulse for admission, perhaps this was his (crude and misguided) way of increasing the chances that his wife and child obtain competent medical care.
The downside of AA is that it undermines the achivements and perception of competent minorities.
From the Broken Clock department
I saw this one at Discriminations and decided to pluck the cool part from the middle of the post. Without the opening and closing paragraphs it’s pretty sane. A number of months ago the husband of a maternity patient prevailed…
I would criticize those employees who apparently value ‘racial diversity’ over physical safety.