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I am angrier than a women’s libber without a bra to burn over this whole diversity nonsense. I am especially peeved about being forced to attend sexual diversity harassment training. It seems like everyone in America has been brainwashed into thinking that diversity is the greatest thing since sliced bread. It isn’t. Our national motto is “out of many, one” - not the other way around (as Al Gore likes to say it.)  

If I filed a lawsuit every time someone called me a Mexican or some nice looking young lady at work groped me, I would be a wealthy man. And why shouldn’t I sue? Isn’t the right not to be offended enshrined in the penumbras of the constitution? (Third amendment I think, but you have to read between the lines to see it.)  

As a public service, allow me to boil down the status of current sexual harassment and diversity law for Regular Folks, who were just raised to treat everyone equally and with respect (which is now illegal in most instances). If you do any of the following to someone and they take offense, you will be sued. Banned activities now include: looking, complimenting, standing too close, touching, using nicknames, making sounds, facial expressions, hand gestures, giving gifts, sending e-mail, following, etc.  

You can get fired, sued, or drawn and quartered for any of these at work or on your own time if done to a boss, co-worker, subordinate, customer, client, vendor, the guy you buy your coffee from in the mornings, etc. There is literally no limit to your liability. Absolutely anything you do that some loon happens to take offense at makes you, your employer, your yet unborn great grandchildren, and everyone you have ever met liable.  

The best part is that there is no defense because the crime is entirely in the eye of the complainer. If someone claims to have been offended, that is literally enough for a company to take action. Even if you don’t get fired or sued, the accusation itself will become an albatross around your neck for as long as you have to work for a living.  

This is just the sexual harassment stuff. The racial/ethnic/sexual preference/transgender/religious/political affiliation/matriculation/legal status/age/appearance/disability diversity stuff is almost worse. I won’t even go into how wrong, evil, and racist affirmative action policies are. The whole idea that I have to value diversity makes me sick. The very premise is racist and implies that there are innate differences between certain groups based on their race which make them better or worse at some things.  

When liberals talk about diversity, they never mean diversity of experience or background or knowledge or skills, they mean black/brown/red/white (actually whites are excluded)/yellow and male/female. This is the most superficial and least important thing about any individual. Who brings more diversity to the table: a white guy who grew up in Mexico and speaks Spanish or a third generation Cuban-American who has trouble ordering at Taco Bell?  

The problem with anti-discrimination and sexual harassment laws is too big to fix. We need a do-over. We need to get rid of these laws altogether and tell people who are too delicate to be in the workplace to go home and shut up.  

When the 1964 Civil Rights Act was being debated, Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater famously and passionately spoke out against the proposed law. Not because he was a southern-racist-Democrat, but because he recognized that the law was wrong and evil and restricted our freedom of speech, our freedom of assembly, and our God-given right to be jerks to each other.  

Senator Goldwater did vote for laws that made it illegal for government (federal, state and local) to discriminate on the basis of race, but the Civil Rights Act, as we all well know, went a lot further. It barred private individuals from discriminating against protected groups. Of course, being a politician, Sen. Goldwater eventually caved to the pressure from the media and public opinion and recanted his opposition to the Civil Rights Act.  

Well, Barry was right the first time around. The Civil Rights Act didn’t get into sexual harassment laws, but it opened the door for them and they are just as wrong. I know what you are thinking: “We can’t allow employers or businesses to discriminate against women and minorities.” Yes we can, if the alternative is worse, and it is.  

Let’s take a worst case scenario. Say a boss flirts repeatedly with his secretary and she takes offense. That is clearly illegal and she can sue. But what if he is just a horrible boss and micromanages her and overworks her and gives her no raises and is just plain rude? Both situations may be equally unbearable but the latter is legal and the former is not. In my opinion, her only recourse in both cases should be the same. Find another job. This is my solution even if a boss tells his secretary that she either sleeps with him or she is fired. What if he gropes her, you ask? That is assault and may even be felony sexual battery depending on the circumstances. In that case, she should go to the police.  

Racial discrimination is especially appalling, but should it be illegal? Would you frequent a restaurant or any business that was whites-only and had a big sign out front stating their policy? Most regular folks would not. Such an establishment would have a very limited clientele and such a policy would hardly be a recipe for economic success for a business. When private businesses discriminate, they pay a real economic cost. The problem of racial discrimination in public establishments (restaurants, hotels, etc.) is self-correcting.  

An employer, or potential employer, could discriminate against me because I am fat, or ugly, or dumb, or he doesn’t like my clothes, or my haircut, or my shoes, or where I went to school, or what state I am from. He may mistreat me for any of these reasons legally (in most states). My only recourse is to find another job. That would be my option as well if I were to face racial discrimination.  

In the end, that is why I do not and will never complain or sue about being sexually or ethnically/racially harassed or discriminated against - because there is something more important. Freedom.
 

Well stated. "Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose, And nothin' ain't worth nothin' but it's free. . ." from "Bobby McGee" - by Kris Kristofferson

>> newsmagician247

Friday, January 23, 2009, 5:48 am

El Cid, most excellent column, as usual of course! I agree 100% with you, being down here in Texas, if I sued everytime an older woman at Wal Mart or 7-11 called me "sweetie" or "honey", I like you mentioned would be wealthy beyond my dreams. It's got to be an age thing Sir. I was raised to respect my elders, and ALL others as well...Treat them as I'd like to be, etc., etc...Cutting-up with friends as a child helped thicken my skin for the real world, yet as you mentioned this now-a-days is illegal if overheard. Before I ramble on for ever, let me just say I wholeheartedly agree with you as mentioned and I know this can't be overcome in whole, but we as regular folks need to grow a pair and realize that petty things like these type law suits are going to further the liberal causes that will ruin this Country! God bless you, and keep up the excellent writing!

>> Michael Brady

Friday, January 23, 2009, 9:17 am