The Charlotte Observer ran a story on April 30 in response to National Honesty Day. On this day, as it is apparently observed across the country, anyone participating may ask any question and receive a straight forward, honest answer from someone representing an opposing view. To me, the obvious question is, "Why can't we always be honest?" Why do we need one day a year to stop toeing the party line of whatever agenda we support? Maybe people really are that jaded...
But I digress.
The mayor of Charlotte proclaimed the Day, and someone asked the Charlotte newspaper why they support such a liberal agenda. Their response seemed even-handed and reasonable. I don't agree with them generally, but I respect their attempt to explain themselves. In many cases, I agree with their goals, but disagree about the best way to achieve those goals.
But one statement stood out to me: "Discrimination is wrong in every instance." This is tantamount to saying that making choices is wrong. How foolish. They would probably say that they meant that discrimination against people is wrong in every instance. If that is so, then employers cannot hire anyone. To do so is to discriminate against those who do not get the job. Even if they hire all applicants, they are discriminating against those who did not apply.
So mothers should not discriminate against pedophiles when they hire baby sitters? Factories cannot discriminate against 10-year-olds when hiring line workers? The NBA can't discriminate against non-athletes?
A world without discrimination could not function. You could not choose a route to work, an item from a menu, a place for vacation, or a grade of gasoline.
The newspaper needed to define its terms better.
Dictionary.com does give this as its second definition of the word: "treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against a person or thing based on the group, class or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than individual merit."
That makes a little more sense. But we discriminate against felons, those who cannot pass the Bar exam or the CPA exam. Schools not only educate, but discriminate as they give students grades.
I'm not advocating discrimination against people because of their race, national origin, etc. But to say that "discrimination is wrong in every instance," over simplifies and borders on nonsense.
