D.E.I. Diversity Equity & Inclusion

Trump is upset about D.E.I. (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion), maintaining that it is unfair.  Some of us feel the MAGA followers really want to take advantage of privilege.  The goal is supposed to be the best person for each position gets hired.

The original signers of the U.S. Constitution were landowning white males of a certain age.  Their rights to own slaves were respected.  Voting rights were determined by the states.

Over the years voting rights were extended to blacks (mostly former slaves), women, younger people, indigenous and even poor people.  Prejudice and legal tools were used to limit actual voting by minorities. 

It takes many years including generations for prejudices to lessen in society.  It involves heroes and martyrs like Martin Luther King Jr. or Harvey Milk.  Forced to work with minorities some whites came to appreciate the "other" was not evil or incompetent.  Adjusting to having women as bosses was hard for men, but some of us got used to it.  Making judgments when confronted by hijabs, turbans, skullcaps or even baseball caps is still normal for most of us.  Handicapped people are often ignored, although they are generally reliable employees.  Society too often takes its time to mature, but more of us are making the effort.

All of humanity is not equal, but generally complement one another.  Opportunity is also not equal and in effect means we do not always get the best mix.  The offspring of wealthy successful parents are not necessarily as talented or even as ambitious.  

In the meantime society controlled by those with power is able to protect their position against outsiders.  Here are a few areas that make a difference to who gets opportunities or real choices.

Home ownership is actually the basis for many family fortunes, but denied to many blacks as they could not get affordable credit.  Minorities are discouraged from the better neighborhoods.

Education is supposedly the tool for poor people to rise and it can work.  However the quality is not the same in all neighborhoods.  Not every student comes to class equally rested and nourished.  

Jobs are not only a measure of talent, but also a mark of status.  Discrimination based on race, gender  religion or class ensure there is not true competition.  Income affects the whole family.

Health is vital.  Statistics have pointed out that blacks die more frequently than whites at childbirth and have a shorter life span.  They receive poorer quality care from doctors.  

These factors are going in the right direction, but still have a way to go.  Despite the listed obstacles many black and other minorities have succeeded, but that seems to alarm many whites.  Population trends point that racial minorities will be the majority within only a few decades. 

Undoubtedly some deserving whites lose out and in a sense we all lose when that happens.  Competition often is used a a decider.  Being privileged means a lot is taken for granted.  Over time the ideal should be to find the best fit for every human.  Fairness is another ideal which means that society should not judge merely by outside features, but examine more closely the talents and merits of individuals. 

A legitimate concern is that we hire the most suitable.  At the same time those in power make the rules that suit them.  Donald Trump has appealed not only to bigots, but to other aggrieved groups such as Evangelicals, gun owners, fossil fuel investors, etc.

D.E.I.has served America well, in fact better than privileged decision makers of the past.  In the future it will be less and less necessary, that is if allowed to further prove its worth. 

Should we defund the Police? What does that mean?

The big question put by some people is should we defund the police.  This is interpreted from a range of cutting all budgets for existing police forces to diverting some funds to other conflict resolving entities.  In the United States the situation regarding police killings of blacks has inflamed public opinions.  W. Kamau Bell recently did an episode of "United Shades of America" that inspired this effort.  No blog post is going to solve the dilemma, but my goal is merely to offer some thoughts to stimulate constructive decisions.

 The slogan "Defund the police" is offensive to many.    Most everyone recognizes a need for police services, but lately with the greater use of videos we are aware of serious flaws.  With taxes being a dirty word there is a limit on how we can divvy up limited resources.  Part of the problem is that most of us think of taxes as a sacrifice instead of an investment.  Taxes should be thought of more like "the price of civilization." Some thoughts on taxation:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/05/taxation-necessary-tool-for.html

Do we really want to throw the baby out with the bath water?  We don't want anyone to suffer unnecessary violence and death, but that is hardly the whole story of police.  A lot of what they do is not stated--their mere presence deters a wide variety of misbehavior.  Thousands and thousands of police officers have protected people from harm.  They have helped to recover stolen property.  Many have even steered misguided youth on a better path.  As in so many other issues a balance is needed.

Fear is a powerful factor, even more than greed when resources are being prioritized.  Politicians want power for different reasons, but the successful ones soon learn how to get attention.  Short term concerns are more effective than long term concerns.  Newscasts and newspapers learn to draw ratings with sensationalism with the motto "if it bleeds it leads."

Law enforcement will be a necessity as long as some humans harm or exploit others and we still believe everyone deserves a "fair chance."  Violence and theft are concerns we all feel.   It cannot be argued that everyone would obey whatever laws the majority agree to without some fear of possible violence or imprisonment.  On the other hand conflicts are normal and often require only a better understanding to be resolved.  An important factor sometimes turns out to be mental health.  

Politicians have found that running on a law and order campaign guarantees a core following.  Some are fearful and others can be encouraged to fear all sorts of things, many of them unspoken.  Once in power the elected decision makers have to prioritize spending while also trying to minimize taxes.  If fear causes police budgets to be bolstered, it has to be offset with cuts elsewhere.  Parents value schools, but non parents see little value.  To me education is crucial for society to function:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/05/central-role-of-education.htmland http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2012/11/what-teachers-make-by-taylor-mali.html

 How does education help reduce crime?   It must be admitted that education allows some to defraud others, but that should be minimal to how more people are liberated.  An educated citizen is not just one with a lot of knowledge, but also with the realization that no one knows everything.  A good education should suit individuals to their talents and opportunities.  Critical thinking skills may not be attainable by everyone, but the more that such skills are developed the better for everyone.

We are headed where the production and services expected by citizens will be done by fewer and fewer people.  This could create much greater inequality unless enough people take steps to avoid it.  Inequality would exacerbate violence and deception for those who are not satisfied with their lot in life.  This may well be another critical factor.

A lot of attention is being given to bad cops, but it would be unfair to depict all police as violent trigger happy racists.  Recruiting and training are key, but so are enforcing standards.  At one time a stereotypical image was of an Irish cop which in reality was the result of economic factors that discriminated against the Irish.  Today it does seem that blacks are one minority that has been attracted to law enforcement.

How does society attract decent men and women who can not only enforce the law, but resolve conflicts without using violence or even the threat of violence? That is a key question with no easy answers as such people are in demand elsewhere.  Given the right education such people do exist, but many would prefer other challenging vocations.  Pay and working conditions need to be considered.

Education is for everyone.  With the right education (and a fair economy) for everyone there may well be less need for law enforcement, but it is wise to assume humankind will never reach this level, at least not in our lifetime.  Too many youngsters drop out and too many others flounder for reasons that need examining.  Education needs to be a much higher priority and should receive more resources than police as they currently exist in too many jurisdictions.  It is true that most voters do not share this viewpoint when it comes to dollars and cents, but overcoming this obstacle needs to be a mission for everyone who has power.

We no longer live in isolated villages and need to better understand what makes other people function.   There are so many things humans with a variety of talents need to know that it is a separate topic.   

Individuals need a general education, but also a specific education.  Those who will help enforce laws require skills.  Wisdom is not reacting to circumstances with set responses, but evaluating and considering reasonable options.  In dealing with other people  (in my opinion) psychology and sociology are useful to understanding people.  Diversity is actually normal even in closed societies, but too often discounted in open societies.  Some differences are obvious, if too often dismissed.  The more the differences can be understood, the less need for conflict.

As we have learned in medicine and science there is so much knowledge that we have to develop skills to co-ordinate various aspects of it.  Nobody has the answer to all problems.  One skill is to determine what higher level of skills are required.  The crux of dealing with problems is to understand.  If we can learn (and some of us already have) to apply skills more effectively there will be less need for forceful interventions.  Career guidance is key--theoretically everyone is suitable for some job, but some are especially suited for demanding jobs.  

Some police forces have access to resources that allow them to use military weapons.  A few years ago there was discussion about sharing helicopters to thwart car thieves in the Toronto to Hamilton corridor.  It came down to there were other  options that were less expensive.  Force settles some problems, but aggravates others.  President Eisenhower wisely pointed out that a bomber displaced several schools.  Society has to decide more wisely where our resources are best allocated for the most harmony.

Police unions may be an obstacle to any rearrangement of resources.  It is their duty to protect members, and it should be expected they would want to protect job security.  We hear reports that too often they represent bad cops and have been effective in reducing any punishment.  Assuming that existing police jobs are displaced in favor of specialized conflict resolvers might it be possible for the same union to represent the new ones?  There are potential conflicts and perhaps the new members might feel they are not understood properly.

The core problem is people.  We are greedy and we are fearful.  We are not equal and are easily misunderstood.  But we need to get our act together before it is too late.  An effective police force supported by appropriate specialists could help steer us to a better future.  Even so, this would only be part of the puzzle.

TRUST: THE CRUCIAL FOUNDATION FOR DEMOCRACY

David Johnston was the Governor-General of Canada for seven years.  His basic contention is that the rule of law strives toward justice, but it depends on trust between citizens with the institutions that stand for and serve them.  As I write this we are all being tested with the greatest global shutdown in my lifetime.  We will need to trust one another and our institutions if we are ever to move forward and to be honest there is doubt.  His book "Trust:  Twenty Ways To Build A Better Country" does point us, as individuals and members of larger communities in the right direction.

Each of the ways to build a better country has individual examples and are illustrated with examples from his experience as a securities researcher, university administrator, Governor-General and international diplomat.  This post can only skim over his deeply thought out prescriptions.

Reinhold Niebuhr, a lecturer he heard at Harvard; "Man's capacity for justice makes democracy possible; but man's inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary."

Financial markets that depend on other people's money need to be as open as possible to guard against manipulation.  Listen to all stakeholders; otherwise your proposals may not be acceptable by all those affected.

Be consistent.  Trust takes awhile to be earned.  Unfortunately it can be lost in a flash.

John Helliwel, a Canadian economist and editor of the Happiness Report is credited with the concept that happiness should be the measure by which we gauge the performance of governments and of the progress of countries and people.

Johnston had a long productive discussion with Angela Merkel concerning how the EU (now under stresses) stayed together and she asked about Canada.  Johnston gave out a book that impressed him, "Why Nations Fail"  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2012/11/why-nations-fail.html 

He went back to James Michener's book on Spain that helped explain the fall of Spain.  In 1492, the same year Spain had sent Christopher Columbus to America they also started ridding their world renown University of Salamanca of Muslims, then Jews and then scientists that opposed the Church.  
Spain had been an international beacon for education.  When they tossed aside their diversity and instead pursued gold it started their decline.  As Johnston points out diversity is a strength and that inclusion leads to trust.

Teachers are critical to building trust.  While including teachers that may have inspired us Johnston expands to those who have set good examples of how to behave.  He believes we must honour (using his Canadian spelling) and cherish them.  As Governor-General he refined the Canadian system of honouring citizens who have made worthy contributions.

A quote from the author; "The diplomacy of Knowledge is my name for the willingness and ability to work across disciplinary boundaries, cultural barriers and international borders to uncover, share and refine knowledge."  In international surveys Canada is at the top for trustworthiness.

It has been difficult to do justice to this book in a short post.  It requires some profound thinking, but I believe the thoughts expressed are crucial for humanity's future.  Hopefully this slim overview will point my readers in the right direction.

An earlier blog focused on the role of trust with selling which is not just the transfer of goods, but how we sell ourselves to others. http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2012/10/smart-trust.html

EARLY REFLECTIONS ON THE 2018 MID TERMS

The counting is not quite completed, and there will be re-counts) but some general truths are obvious.  Racism is still an effective political strategy.  Corporate interests can still dominate the reality.  Gerrymandering and voter suppression is a significant factor.

As a progressive I am actually disappointed.  Definitely some results were encouraging, but I thought the logic of the situation merited a lot more changes. Although the majority of voters expressed a disgust of Trump the system is "rigged" against their wishes.

House of Representative vote does indicate a massive anti Trump sentiment but the Constitution restricted the impact.  The total vote for the House of Representative was over 3 million extra for the Democrats, but they didn't get the equivalent number of seats with the actual power.

Voting rights were boosted in a number of states which will enable more voters to exercise their rights the next time around in a more equitable fashion.  In Florida ex felons will be given an easier voting opportunity.  Other states will have fairer districting or easier registering.

The Kavanagh confirmation vote cast a shadow.  Joe Manchin decided to confirm and that probably saved his re-election in a state won by Trump.  Ohers were not so lucky as they didn't vote to confirm where Trump was popular--Heidi  Heitcamp and a few others paid for their Kavanagh votes.  This may illustrate that many of Trump supporters were most keen on the Supreme court having an anti-abortionist to be the deciding vote.  The religious right still has power but they are tied to the financial and political goals of the 1%.

Another positive factor was that seven new scientists were elected.  They are all Democrats, but hopefully will help boost fact based decisions.  On the other hand it was pointed out that Florida with its environmental problems rejected the more environmental candidates for Senator and Governor.

There is more diversity in power than ever including African American, indigenous, women and LGBT people.  Mostly on the Democratic side which more closely reflects the actual population.

Attitudes and reactions are constantly changing.  The whole world pays attention when a President is about to be voted upon, however the American system gives an adjustment every two years.  It is all meant to give checks against power abuse while at the same time providing some government stability.

The president is given power for a period of four years with the possibility of renewing for another four years.  Senators are elected for a term of 6 years and their elections are staggered so that 1/3 are replaced every two years.   The length assures enough time to accomplish something while change is possible.  The House of Representatives are elected every two years.

Overseeing this is the Supreme Court whose members are nominated by the president in power, but confirmed by the Senate which may or may not be of the same party.  They are supposed to be beyond political pressures, but obviously they are not.

A few reminders why I feel Trump has to go.  Climate change is becoming more obvious, but vested interests are able to bribe politicians.  The Middle East is a mess made worse by trumpian decisions regarding, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Israel.  De-regulations are helping to increase deadly pollution, warming gases and the next financial disaster.  The Supreme Court will likely be even more conservative (against interest of most of 99%).  Russia has something on him or maybe he is just mesmerized with dictators.  His racism and attitudes towards immigration is dangerous for everyone. Drain the swamp is a joke.  Medicare needs to be expanded not restricted.

Likely there will be meaningful investigations.  Trump has immediately taken steps to curtail the Russian probe by firing Jeff Sessions and bypassing Rod Rosenstein.  And now the Supreme Court is  more friendly to the president he can get away with more mischief and worse.

What to do with the hard earned advantage in the House of Representatives?  They should be careful not to copy the Republican obstructionist strategy.  There will be plenty of offensive legislation to fend off, but there should be an effort to compromise perhaps on infrastructure and maybe even medicare.  There is the danger that Republicans will claim credit for anything popular which means Democrats have to toot their own horn.  They should also expect to get some of their own legislation in return.

While we are in the lame duck transition we can expect more developments as Republicans will try to stymie Democrat efforts.  For at least another two years there will be a more conservative tilt to the total judicial system.  Hopefully voters will realize the role the courts play in everyday life.

The photo is of Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

The Ordinary Virtues

Canada lost a superior statesman when it rejected Michael Ignatifieff. Conservative tactics to demean Ignatieff were despicable.  I am pleased to know his intellect is not being wasted

Michael was in a discussion with Joel Rosenthal regarding celebrating the centennial of the Church Peace Union, a group that had been founded by Andrew Carnegie.  From their discussion came the idea for the Carnegie Centennial Project which essentially is a global study of ethics in action.  This book is the culmination of that effort.

The world has changed drastically.  Diversity is showing up in more and more global cities.  Each group feels an affinity for its own kind, but are forced to work, study etc with others.  There is a lot of self segregation. 

This book is focused on human rights and the ongoing struggle to boost them.  There is a battle on one side of which are poor institutions and human vices.  Opposing that are ordinary virtues.

So what are "ordinary virtues'?  Ignatieff designates tolerance, forgiveness, trust and resilience.  May be ordinary, but necessary if we are to survive as a planet.  In many places different people live side by side, but the ideal would be to live together.

Corruption, a most serious problem--police corruption--many accept corruption if they feel they get something in return.  An earlier blog  explores a little more deeply:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/07/thieves-of-state.html

Michael and other members of the project travel to cities of interest around the world.  As they travel to different cities with their unique perspective Ignatieff ties their concerns to the ordinary virtues.

Jackson Heights in Queens, New York is one of the most diversified areas in the world- and close to the Carnegie Foundation.  side by side vs together  --policing is absolutely necessary for a moral economy of a global city--one concern is that NY police have infiltrated local mosques--on the other hand New York considers itself a sanctuary city along with Los Angeles and Portland that offers a municipal ID allowing all citizens to open bank accounts and make loans

Immigrants are often conned, but they need to learn to trust strangers.  The internet, tv and cell phones enable most newcomers to maintain ties with the old country.  Politicians court them but this often entails them becoming interwined with old world politics.

Los Angeles  was the scene of the Rodney King riot.  It uncovered tensions between whites and blacks,  but also Koreans felt discriminated against. They are slowly developing stronger ties between the races also including Mexicans and Central Americans.

Brazil was visited before the Olympics.  They spent time in the infamous favelas where poverty and corruption go hand in hand.  There were efforts to form consent based community police that were able to deal with drug dealers. Unfortunately Brazil seems enmeshed in corruption, but there are groups fighting the corruption.

Bosnia was part of the former Yugoslavia.  When the Iron Curtain broke down it opened a lot of hatreds.  Bosnians were mostly Muslim and surrounded by Serbians and Croatians.  neighbors turned on each other in ethnic conflict.  After peace declared and borders established there is a serious lack of trust.

Myanmar has been in the news regarding the Rohinga expulsion.  Igntieff spoke with some extremist Buddhists who wanted a pure country.  Aung Sun Suu Kyi, once admired around the world is now vilified for her lack of protest.  Ignatieff goes below the surface to point out that good ideas cannot be implemented with out institutional and individual support. She is inside a political situation that is unwilling to compromise.

Fundamentalists offer uncompromising answers to the existential question of national identify.  when democracy comes majority rule is integral and that often goes against the human rights of minority groups.

Fukushino had an unimaginable disaster, three catastrophic events compounding one another.--earthquake, nuclear plant meltdown and tsunami.  It tests people's trust  in institutions that failed to predict this possibility.  Ignatieff is encouraged by the resilience of the Japanese

South Africa-most blacks notice little change--blame white privilege and would like to see a redistribution of land--real problem is there are not enough jobs to go around.  Mandela knew Africa needed the whites to stay and help South Africa to grow and to gain their co-operation in a new South African constitution he needed to include their concerns.  The different black and Asian groups feel they have suffered enough.  In the news as I write this is a movement to redistribute land owned by whites to blacks.

There are many competing global perspectives, but Ignatieff feels we need to recognize those who want to dialogue.  We need to tolerate those who see things differently.  Judge people one at a time instead of as part of another group.

Ignatieff feels the ordinary virtues can thrive with support from institutions.  People have to be alert to the ever present danger of corruptions.  My feeling is he is advocating that a mutual support system is needed.  We, at all levels need to encourage the ordinary virtues which in turn will help maintain legitimate institutions that work for the benefit of everyone.  Ultimately for humans to survive we have to work together, not just side by side.

Jared Diamond wrote "The World Until Yesterday" that illustrates perspectives of primitive people that I believe demonstrate humans have always had similar problems.  You will find my take on it on the  bottom half of  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/06/jared-diamond-expanding-our.html

He is a man with a truly global view that needs to be shared.  An earlier blog about Michael Ignatieff:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/04/fire-and-ashes-by-michael-ignatieff.html 

IMMIGRATION A THREAT OR AN OPPORTUNITY

Immigration is big news in the United States, but also in other "western" countries.  There are those of us who "belong" and there are those "others."  Some of the lesser noticed news is that immigration is decreasing in some quarters, but not enough to quell all of the very heated complaints.

The most obvious concern for many is a threat to their job and as jobs are being automated and outsourced there is a race for what is left.  Wages and perks are declining.  Unfortunately (or it could be fortunately) society is becoming so efficient at making things that the job situation is very likely to decline everywhere.  Immigrants aren't responsible so much as reacting to the fact that economic opportunities are shifting.  Inside Canada and other countries the unemployed are being told to move to where the jobs are.  Immigrants from foreign countries are in fact doing just that.

The positive side is that immigrants increase demands for all sorts of products and services that in turn offer opportunities for domestic jobs.  The job market started to boom when the "boomers" began demanding products and services and much of that demand has declined as the boomers age..  Immigrants also provide services that will be greatly needed as our population ages.  Some of them provide skills we lack and others provide investment capital that can be put to good use and others are willing to do "dirty" work that the rest of us shun.  At bottom we are most fearful that most immigrants are willing to work harder for less.

In some areas there will be competition for immigrants.  Some skills (or willingness to do dirty work) will be in short supply.  How can we make it more attractive for immigrants?  Money will be a major factor, but many immigrants are very concerned about their close relatives, education and cultural opportunities, community acceptance, legal protections. etc. 

Aside from jobs there is the whole idea that "they" are different and are replacing our culture that we hold dearly.  Most immigrants do want to fit in and sooner or later they mostly do.  Hockey is still the big deal for Canadians while Americans still get excited about football and baseball.  We still have our Hollywood movies and Thanksgiving turkey.  Many of us love our cottages and many of the rest of us (including many immigrants) envy them.  Most immigrants want to fit in and do adapt, but thank goodness they don't forget everything they learned back home.

Numbers and enthusiasm do make a difference and a  lot of us established nationals have come to appreciate it.  Going back before Europeans took over North America the real Native North Americans had a lot of quaint customs that we borrowed--maple syrup, snowshoes, canoes, corn on the cob and a philosophy that some of us revere such as conservation and respect for nature.  They have adapted somewhat to our notions of property, work for pay, bureaucracy, language, etc.

It is good that many immigrants take pride in many of their customs as some of us have found they add to our enjoyment of life.  Food is one example as more North Americans eat a variety of ethnic foods such as pizza, Pad Thai, quinoa, samosas, burritos, etc.  Music has been packaged in many different formats with immigrant contributions from all corners of the Globe.  Soccer and basketball owe much to immigrants as do other sports.  Cricket is providing enjoyment opportunities for native born as well as immigrants. This is only a small sampling of the countless contributions immigrants have added to our culture.

Us natives have a certain way of looking at things, but are now wanting to deal with the rest of the world and we don't always understand the global marketplace.  Immigrants bring a variety of perspectives that can not only shed light on our global opportunities, but also contribute to bettering our lives.

How many can we take in without hurting our economy?  There is a limit, but perhaps we should focus on how many we need to keep our economy going.  We need to have people buy products and services that might otherwise result in red ink.  We need people to carry on functions that are necessary, but  difficult to get natives to do.

How much can we absorb  without changing more than we want?  I think that will change with time as "we" won't be the same "we" we are today.  I believe what will be retained is more than just what the majority values and that will include a variety of options.  Not everyone will be as excited about hockey, but a few might be excited about soccer.  Everyone will be able to find music and art that they love. There is more to life than what you were born into and discovering some of the new things will be to your benefit.

Every change requires adjustments.  Immigration does for all parties, but all parties stand to benefit.  It is only a problem in some minds, it should be an opportunity for all.