That’s right. That’s what it says and means.
Because Jayson Blair,
- 1. a black man,
- 2. worked for the most prestigious paper in the United States – the New York Times,
- 3. and big time lied by fabricating parts of stories, and because
- 4. the two head honchos of the New York Times – Howell Raines and Gerald Boyd,
- 5. and the owner of the times, Arthur Sulzburger, Jr.
- 6. pushed Blair forward despite questions regarding his integrity …
ALL diversity programs should end. Right now. This proves they are a failure.
Puh leeze.
Mainstream pundits have touted this crap all week because “since all black people look alike” if one screws up, they all are screw-ups and therefore must be simultaneously lynched.
Puh leeze.
THE ONE AND ONLY THING BLAIR PROVES IS – IDIOTS CROSS ALL COLOR AND ETHNICITIES. Hallelujah, we’ve been integrated!
But in fairness let’s play this game.
If Jayson Blair were white would there be this maelstrom?
For everyone who heard of Stephen Glass, before this week, cough once, fart twice.
Hmm, the air still smells good.
For the uninitiated almost five years ago to the day at the age of 25, Stephen Glass, a New Republic associate editor and writer for several other magazines (George, Rolling Stone, Forbes) committed the same journalistic sin as Jayson Blair – what you don’t know or can’t prove, make up. And on a much grander scale – to prove the validity of one source quote he created a voicemail for a fictitious company. That’s deep.
Back then Jacob Weisburg, a former New Republic writer1 “cautioned against reading too much into isolated examples of magazine malpractice. In any profession, he said, ‘you’re going to have ambitious people who cut corners to get ahead. People who would make stuff up or plagiarize would do it regardless of the pressure to produce. I don’t think it’s rational. It comes from something deeper.’ Furthermore Glass was the second New Republic reporter with plagiarism problems.
Small deviation – Mr. Glass now knows he was wrong. And he’s remorseful. And apologetic. And has a new book to explain it all.
Next question – If Jayson Blair was white would the head honchos have pushed him?
Probably not.
Did the honchos push solely out of the goodness of their diversity hearts?
Joke question, right? The economic power of the black community is larger than many industrialized nations. You want a piece of that pie? Reach out to that community (i.e. Coke, GM, KFC). You want community news sources? Cultivate a diverse staff. Knowing the sins of the forefathers (segregation) definitely played a part but this wasn’t pure altruism.
Should diversity programs now be dismantled?
Should companies stop promoting white men to CEO because of Enron and WorldCom? Should a black never be elected mayor of D.C. because Marion Barry had a drug problem? Should white ballplayers be abolished from the majors because of Pete Rose? Okay, maybe all answers are yes. Maybe this country is better off if run by women? Won’t happen and neither will the former. Next.
Nevertheless the call to dismantle diversity is not the worst issue of this mess. What is?
- That mainstream media is actually asking blacks (i.e. the National Association of Black Journalists) to respond to this question.
- That black media and pundits are responding, and
- The responses are in defense.
And no one thinks this is crazy.
Regardless of your color, if you asked your mother a stupid question did she a) answer the question, or b) give you a look that told you she knew there was no dispute over who your daddy was, because right now you were acting just like him, and his kin.
This is no different.
Get over this collective guilt to defend.
So from here on this is how this game will.
If you hear – “This proves diversity does not work. Affirmative action is a mistake. These people are not qualified.” Your response – the same look your mother gave you in the previous scenario. Do not speak. Just give the look.
If the words are in the form of a question (Don’t you think this proves diversity does not work?) – again, just give the look.
With either statement or question one of two things will happen – he/she will think you’re crazy and walk away OR keep talking and prove they’re crazy. With the former or the latter, do you really care?
If you feel forced to respond, which should be rare, (again, see above scenario), you still only need two words – “And” and “Next.”
“Diversity doesn’t work.” Crazy.
“And?” You.
“Well, this proves it.” Crazy.
“And?” You.
“So it should be dismantled.” Crazy.
“And?” You.
Again, one of two things will happen – Crazy will think you’re crazy and walk away OR …
“And what? Why do you keep saying and?” Crazy.
Your response – Give the look, pause, then say – “Next.”
Crazy will think you’re crazy and walk away OR …
“What are you talking about? And? Next?” Crazy.
Now is when you say more than two words – “I was thinking the same thing. You don’t know what you’re talking about?”
If they splutter and attempt to explain, repeat the look, say “and”, and finally “next”. You should also think, ‘and if I stay here any longer I am crazy.’
Remember when other folks are crazy or stupid, the best defense always is to refuse to play.
You won’t lose, and they can’t win.
1 “Editor Says Article On Computer Hacker Is Entirely Fictitious” by Howard Kurtz, Washington Post, May 11, 1998.
