There are those in power who would have “us” to believe that race is plaguing America– placing it on the brink of failure. After all, illegal immigration is out of control and these individuals are taking jobs away from Americans at fast food chains, warehouses, hotels, and other lower-earning positions. Also, minorities with good credit, who allegedly couldn’t afford homes in the first place, took out bad loans, and caused the housing crisis and decreased homeowner values. And finally, ‘poor’ folks (code word: African Americans) who need food stamps, welfare, Medicaid, Social Security and other government programs, caused U.S. spending to balloon out of control and over budget.
Some people will be incensed just thinking about these issues. Emotion clouds their ability to reason– which leads to blame, debate, hate, and even violence. But the reality is that race is, and always has been, a superficial but effective, means of dividing and conquering people in this country. And most of us underestimated the power of racism in America.
I believe that when President Obama was elected and people in this country of all different groups stood united and realized that we could accomplish anything together, it stirred up both positive and negative energy. But instead of us harnessing the positive power of unity and diversity, we have allowed it to polarize and immobilize us. Thus, over the last few years, Americans have been at odds with one another. Old against young. Black against White. Women against men. Gay against straight. Christian against Muslim. And the list goes on, chipping away at the fabric of America and wiping away many of the gains we have made in diversity and inclusion. The Bible says that, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand”, and this is why we are where we are.
Here are the real issues. Greed has taken center stage. Millions of dollars in corporate bailouts did not result in people saving their homes, jobs, or small businesses. Corporate executives laid low for a while, but then they gave themselves big raises and their shareholders better returns. Also, pollution from unregulated industries has resulted in great profits for some companies, but has produced extreme weather patterns and irreversible environmental damage for the rest of us. And while businesses are shedding thousands of American jobs and unemployment is high among ethnic groups, these same organizations are going overseas and hiring people of color en masse in “growing economies”. Well, if you placed those same jobs in America, we would be a growing market too, Mr. CEO. But the reality is, that you can pay highly skilled workers lower wages in other countries, while still charging exorbitant prices for products and services in global markets.
And think about lawmakers in Washington, DC. I was looking at reader comments on a few of the online news sites and some wondered why so much money was being spent on political campaigns. Contrary to popular opinions about African American constituents, I happen to vote for both Republican and Democratic candidates. I personally believe both groups have failed the American people by voting for their own self-interests. Instead of seeking solutions for this nation, they have been looking to protect special interest groups, acquire more campaign finances, and maintain power and control at any cost. There was even one lawmaker preaching about how fiscally irresponsible America is, and he hasn’t paid child support in years. There’s no accountability, no transparency, and no incentive to work with or support someone else.
So while Americans are waging war against one another over diversity, we’re distracted from the real global issues. And unless, we begin talking intelligibly about what the problems are and how to solve them, we will revert back to the 1930’s and lose our status as a world power. From my perspective, we’ve come too far and have too much at stake to let superficial issues, like race, divide us. So here’s what we can do. I’m not going to say “Buy American”, although it is a good concept– it is a little outdated and unrealistic in a competitive global market—but I will say: (1) Consider becoming an entrepreneur, or go out of your way to support small businesses. These enterprises are more likely to hire workers locally and contribute to the tax base as they grow. Additionally, they’re least likely to discriminate against who they hire. (2) Encourage large employers with big profits to support communities in America, if not with jobs, at least with financial contributions to nonprofit organizations and educational institutions for research and development, arts and culture, to name a few. Also, make it easier for workers to volunteer or get an advanced degree. Let’s not ostracize big businesses for their lack of hiring in the U.S. if they are philanthropic—but if they aren’t hiring, nor contributing big dollars to local communities, then we do need to stop purchasing their goods and services. (3) Look into the voting records of current candidates for political office. And make decisions to support those politicians that truly support you. (4) Don’t neglect the Pledge of Allegiance. Continue to foster diversity and inclusion in your professional and personal lives. Unity is where we find strength and the ability to overcome anything.
Leah Smiley is the Founder and President of the Society for Diversity, the largest global association for Diversity & Inclusion professionals. For more information about the Society for Diversity, log onto www.societyfordiversity.org.
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