New Congress Is “Most Diverse in U.S. History.” Is This a Good Thing?

By Selwyn Duke

The 116th Congress was just sworn in, and much is made of how it’s the “most diverse in U.S. history.” NBC News opens a piece with “Congress just got a lot more diverse,” while back in November already the Guardian ran the headline, “Photo of new House members shows big gap in diversity between parties.” It’s said that what’s assumed is learned best, and it certainly is assumed here that diversity=good and, hence, Democrats=better. But is diversity really a strength?

Let’s begin with some thought-provoking questions. First, if you needed a medical team to perform brain surgery on your child, would you choose it based on diversity measures, on quota? Or would you choose the best?

Next question: People never emphasize achieving diversity when at issue are pro soccer, basketball, or track teams. But that drum is beaten — and anyone opposing it is socially beaten down — when at issue are politicians, CEOs, actors, or academics. (Why, California just enacted a law forcing publicly-traded companies to put women on their corporate boards.) Why the difference?

Read the rest here.