LETTER: Diversity is a fact of life

Editor,

Westbroek, in using the term ‘diversity’ to argue his political views, does not define diversity. In my view, diversity is not a political agenda, but rather a fact of life: humanity is characterized by great diversity in ethnic background, language, age, religion, sexual orientation, and so forth. This cannot be denied, even by people who live in a corner of the world with less diversity than in other places. As such, diversity is not something one ‘agrees’ or ‘disagrees’ with, just like there isn’t much to agree with when it comes to gravity or the cycle of seasons. They are facts of life.

Accepting diversity as an undeniable aspect of our life in this world, we’d better prepare ourselves to live in a world where we have to work side by side with people whose views and practices may differ radically from our own. I believe that too few people who belong to the dominant group (and this may differ according to the context) have learned to listen to those in marginalized groups. Too few persons belonging to privileged groups (here we can fill in ‘of European descent, heterosexual, male, middle class, English-speaking, able-bodied’) are open to unfamiliar perspectives without first requiring those who hold the differing perspectives to become ‘more like us’. We have one planet, one future that belongs to us all. We need to learn to listen to all kinds of perspectives, not just the ones that keep us comfortable. We need to learn to work together with all kinds of people, not just the ones who are ‘like us’ in outward ways. And we need to learn to value the contribution that each individual makes to the common good.

And so, I completely agree with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., (who Mr. Westbroek quotes at the end of his piece), who urges us not to judge people by the color of their skin (nor, I would add, by their gender, or their native language, or the nature of their sexual orientation, or their disability, or their religion), but for the content of their character.

Karin de Jonge-Kannan