The Inclusion Delusion
Why we should celebrate diversity but reject inclusion.
In 2021, a friend asked me to participate in a panel discussion for an event at his church. I was thrilled as this was the first time I had been invited to speak at such an event. The pastor explained that on previous occasions, the panel had consisted exclusively of African American men, and he was looking to add some diversity. I commented, candidly, on how great it was to know that middle-aged white women were still in demand and that I would love to be a part.
Admittedly, diversity is counterintuitive to our human nature. As individuals, we prefer to stick with people who look, think, act, and speak like us. Contrary to what we see in the news, the term doesn’t just apply to pigmentation differences in our skin, either. If you want to evaluate just how diverse you are, look at the political views of those you associate with. Chances are that 97% share your same opinions and beliefs—and the other 3% are family!
Diversity, especially when it happens organically, can be a wonderful thing. It encourages us to look beyond physical characteristics and evaluate each individual based on their skill sets, education, personal attributes, and character. In America where we pride ourselves on being a melting pot of different ethnicities and cultures, diversity should be celebrated.
Inclusion, however, is something very different. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), inclusion is
''the achievement of a work environment in which all individuals are treated fairly and respectfully, have equal access to opportunities and resources, and can contribute fully to the organization's success.”
The phrase “equal access to opportunities” caught my attention. Although it sounds nice, this raises serious questions for me. As a parent, I understand that treating my kids equally isn’t always the right or fair thing to do. Back when our older kids were in middle school, we bought one cell phone and asked them to share it equally. As you may imagine, that didn’t work out well for the younger sibling.
Is Inclusion fair?
The term inclusion is deceptive because it is not only impossible, but unadvisable, to treat everyone in a workplace, and especially a society, exactly the same. For example, there’s a reason why:
10-year-olds are excluded from being qualified to drive
Your great-grandmother wouldn’t be eligible to enlist in the military, and
A legally blind individual shouldn’t be accepted for pilot training.
When someone is ineligible to ride a rollercoaster at an amusement park because of being too short or too tall, it is because participation may endanger themselves or others.
Did you realize that nearly every airline across the world has a height requirement for flight attendants? The These Gold Wings website explains that, although each airline’s constraints may differ slightly, the average height requirement is a minimum of 159 cm (5’ 2”) with an arm-reach of 212 cm (6’9”). The author continues,
“The reason behind airlines requiring a certain height cabin crew is not only for the brand’s image or appearance, something that could be seen as discriminatory, it’s mainly for reasons of safety.”
The practical reasons for this requirement are for crew members to be able to reach emergency equipment located in overhead bins, access all areas on the plane, and to avoid spinal injuries from years of exerting stress on the spine from lifting, pulling, and pushing objects over your head. Read more here.
So, using this logic, you may imagine that the requirements for becoming an air traffic controller would be much more stringent considering the nature of the job. But you would be wrong. In 2014 the FAA stopped requiring experience as a prerequisite for this high-stress, critically vital role. See the article here.
Then, in 2018, Tucker Carlson reported that the FAA’s selection process favored diversity over skills, competency, and experience. Blaze news reported,
“According to Carlson, due to changes implemented during the Obama administration, air traffic controller candidates are now required to complete a "biographical questionnaire" before even being considered for a job with the FAA.
“If they don't pass, they aren't considered for a position—no matter how much experience they have or how qualified they are.
“Fox News obtained a copy of the questionnaire and how it is scored. According to Carlson, candidates whose worst subject in high school was science and candidates who are unemployed receive the most points possible on the test. In contrast, licensed pilots and those with extensive air traffic control knowledge aren't highly scored.”
Imagine that. Individuals with military experience are being discriminated against when hiring for crucial government positions in the name of inclusion.
The Wrap-Up
Don’t be fooled. Inclusion doesn’t mean what it used to. According to the religion of inclusion, it’s not enough to give everyone the same opportunity, you must guarantee the same outcome.
To use another analogy, if diversity means inviting everyone to your birthday party, inclusion means that you are expected to not only invite them, but to seat them at the head table, sing happy birthday to them, and grant them equal access to all the cash gifts you receive.
Inclusion requires you, someone who has spent many years and resources to achieve a certain goal, to give away your opportunity and influence to someone who hasn’t earned it and may not even want it.
In short, inclusion is not fair. Inclusion perverts the idea of equality and creates more discrimination, not less. Any time our government attempts to manipulate the natural order and due process, the result is always chaos.
So, what will happen when our government manipulates the definitions of “marriage” and “family” in the name of inclusion? We will explore this subject further in the upcoming weeks.
Thanks for reading and remember to always pursue the truth.