Why do we put so much emphasis on diversity?
It's found a place in nearly every business, government and educational institution in the United States. Our University goes as far as to cover TigerTransit buses in advertisements for the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs.
Why should they go through such trouble? The injustice of the past is gone. There is no discrimination that's enforced legally. We can all vote. We can all walk the streets and intermingle, and we can all hold respectable jobs.
Although government-sanctioned discrimination is gone, we must still recognize the importance of diversity in our organizations and our lives.
We believe there are excellent reasons for giving such weight to diversity. America is such a strong nation because of the different ideas and perspectives that invigorate us.
The starkly different Europeans, Africans, Middle Eastern and Far Eastern cultures and people that made their way to our fledgling nation allowed it to grow. The mixing of these cultures has given us the versatility of which all Americans can be proud.
All of this is why we were pleased to see George Lucas's new film "Red Tails," coming to theaters. As Alabamians we're familiar with the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, and we're glad this powerful story of courageous Alabama men is being told across the country. However, not all Americans are aware of this group.
We hope "Red Tails" creates new opportunities for filmmakers using new and different casts to promote American values and multiculturalism.
We believe this story--and others like it--need to be told. People who are of different races and come from different walks of life respond to pressure differently. It is this we must be aware of. The awareness of our diversity gives us the understanding of the different approaches each of us have to life. We develop a richer culture when we're able to see and understand the experiences of our countrymen.
America is in the truly unique place of being the melting pot of the world for all cultures and races. We believe any person on the planet can find a life for themselves here--it's why people continue to immigrate to our nation.
For this reason we believe the individual has a responsibility to diversify him or herself. It was Martin Luther King Jr.'s wish that a man would be judged by the content of his character and not by the color of his skin. We cannot be prepared to appreciate the cultural differences of others if we are unable to understand those differences.
We as citizens have a responsibility to accept other cultures as they accept ours.
A person may have a different skin color than you, but chances are they share the same hopes and worries and day-to-day problems. Reach out to them as you would a member of your own race or culture, and most often they'll be glad you did. Move beyond your comfort zone and engage someone you normally wouldn't. Learn something new about a people you don't understand. As you do, you will be carrying on the American spirit as you do.
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