Thursday, September 30, 2010

Diversity Thursday

Admiral Adama goes Salamander - and oh what a sweet sound it is.
“It’s sad that we have to have a Hispanic Heritage Month or an African-American Heritage Month or an Asian-American Heritage Month or an Indigenous Day,” said the 63-year-old actor, who in his talk hearkened back to his breakout role as “El Pachuco” in the 1978 play and movie “Zoot Suit.” “That hurts because we should be to a point now that we’re celebrating the true diversity of who and what we are.”

... Olmos challenged those listening to rethink who they are.

“I told you it was going to be original,” Olmos said at one point, smiling over toward base commander Capt. James McHugh.
...
Olmos took his own heritage as an example. The son of a Mexican immigrant and a Mexican-American, Olmos said he didn’t understand what that meant until he was into his 30s.

“I do know who I am,” he said. “I come from the corner of First and Indiana, in Boyle Heights. Orale! Born and raised in East L.A. Orale!”

But “a Mexican is someone who is split right down the middle. And I mean right down the middle. Half indigenous and half European.”

In the early 1980s, while working on a film in New York, he met a man in a cafe who told him that his family name, Olmos, was actually Hungarian and meant “he who works with lead.”

Olmos learned that his ancestors hundreds of years ago fled from what is now Hungary to Spain before coming to the New World almost 400 years ago.

His heritage is both European and indigenous, but Olmos went further. He said the indigenous people of Central America originally came across the land bridge from Asia and that those people came from Africa.

“We’ve been taught for 600 years that there is a Caucasian race, an African race, an Asian race and Latino race, and we wonder why we’re in such a mess,” he said. “There is only one race.”
We've got Morgan Freeman and Edward James Olmos on our team. Patience - and eventually we will win.

Here is the kicker - picks up where the previous quote stopped;
Yes, I LOL'd.
Then he turned to the crowd.

“And what is it?”

Their response was muted at first but came on loud and clear the second time he asked.

“The human race.”
You know what that response was tepid? I'll tell you - because if you voice that opinion to the Diversity Bullies or the CNO, they will label you as part of the problem and not the solution.

That is an opinion - equality to all in front of God and man - that will get you in trouble in today's Navy diktat on race.

That is sad - but that is what it is. Good news? In time, those who believe in equality will win and history will look back at today's policy as the sad, retrograde backwash from the fetid swamp of grievance-fed academia that it is.


Hat tip "That Guy."

19 comments:

ActusRhesus said...

yesterday I was headed to PT and overheard four DoD civilians talking about a meeting they had to attend for "Diversity month" and how they all had to "represent" and "bring their diversity".

It was clear from the tone of voice they thought the concept was condescending and ridiculous.

All four were black.

So who exactly do these projects serve?

LT B said...

It is a self licking ice cream cone AR.  These projects serve the diversity business and industry.  That's it. 

cdrsalamander said...

The contractors that get paid as consultants, people who have GS positions whose job is Diversity Program Management, and/or those who produce training material to sell to both.  It is an industry - in 2010 that is what it is about .... that and feeding some Boomers' race guilt psych problems. 

Byron said...

Ahem...I'm a Boomer, and I don't feel the least bit guilty. On the other hand I am pissed as hell at the race-baiting industry for creating a layer of separation between the races that Dr. King never wanted. He was about "inclusion" and judging all equally.

On the day Jesse Jackson passes to the other side, he's going to meet a very pissed off Dr. King who will purely kick him straight to the lower levels of Hell.

Anonymous said...

No offense, but you don't look that hot in your profile pics ;)

I'm a Kelly, and I greatly prefer not giving a rat's ass about it, nor worrying about it because when it becomes the focal point, a lot more things that are supposed to get done, don't get done.

On the big front, I wish people redirected the effort from diversity to parenting. Want to fix the AMERICAN segment of the human race in a couple generations? Focus on rasing good and studious kids. The rest is chicken-bleep.

ewok40k said...

People have been migrating and mixing for the millenia, and there are countless examples of migrations like that of Olmos family...
My own lineage at the grand-grandparents includes Austrian industrialist of Lodz, British aristocrat, and low-born Polish peasantry and land-owning gentry. I consider myself a human, an European, a Pole,  a Szczecinianin - in that order, from the Earth, our common cradle, to the city I was born and live in. But for the diversity industry I would be a file to be labelled with numbered category. Reminds me of the worst Hitler's practices. Urgh...

Mid Mom said...

FWIW, the new Supe at USNA said, in effect, "I do not believe in diversity for diversity's sake, and I have spoken with the admissions folks about that." (he also made mention of 'geographic diversity,' if my senior memory serves me right). This was in a taped talk to the alumni this month, during q&a. I know talk is cheap and that time will tell, but it sure sounded good my ears.

Spade said...

<span>'Olmos, was actually Hungarian and meant “he who works with lead.”'</span>
<span></span>
<span>Not totally on topic, but that's an awesome name for a military person, even if he only played one on TV.</span>

QMC(SS) said...

Olmos has always been high on my list of people who say the right things to the right people at the right time.

Listened to him speak at my Niece's college graduation (UCSD) almost a decade ago, and even then his attitude was:  "It's not a Hispanic thing, it's not an African thing, it's not an Asian thing, it's an AMERICAN thing."  Couldn't agree more.

Seen many survey's over the years that have a block to check your ethnic background.  My company has a convenient little option entitled "I elect not to providt this information".  Navy needs to get onboard with that.

cdrsalamander said...

Mid Mom,
Do you know where I can get a copy of that audio?  Please drop me an email - link on the upper right of the page.  Thanks.

llq said...

"I elect not to provide ..." Amen. Love that option. I come from a multi-ethnic background. I now either refuse to answer an ethnic/racial heritage question or I check all the blocks (depends on my mood). So far, no response to either course of action.

Aubrey said...

I'm adopted, as are my 3 siblings, so no idea whatsoever of my genetic makeup.  And no interest in finding out...

My family name went from Alsace to Gdansk to Sarnia to Port Huron, so not sure if I should list my as French- , German- , Polish- , or Canadian-American (the last has to be the punchline for a joke). 

Although I suppose there is a special file somewhere for one-eyed, hockey-playing, naval-history-nerd, right-wing-nutjobs. :)

The Usual Suspect said...

I am a human being.  I am an American.

Therapist1 said...

He has no argument here.  When you think of all of the world conflicts and how mixed everyone actually is...... it just makes sense.

Grumpy Old Ham said...

This just in...professional race-baiter Rick Sanchez gets canned by CNN.

Sweet, sweet Schadenfreude...I haz it...

cdrsalamander said...

Couldn't happen to a great a55hat.  I can't stand Jew-baiters ... and when you scratch most people like him, you can find one.

Good riddance.  

UltimaRatioRegis said...

So can they fire Jimmy Carter and quit handing awards to Calypso Louis Farrakhan (Walcott) and revoke the ministry of Revvind Wright?

C-dore 14 said...

GOH, There was cheering at our house when we heard the news on ABC radio yesterday.  Today's paper had a nice summary of some of Rick's greatest on-air hits.  Looks like his luck ran out.

San Diego Sailor said...

It gets a very tepid reception from CNO and the Diversity Nazis because they have worked very hard and been strongly encouraged to create an industry, and speeches like this are bad for business.  As I have often said about Triple J and Al Sharpton, they are not interested in resolving any racial division.  Resolving racial division puts them out of business.  They are interested in fomenting racial division and exacerbating problems rather than working on them.  A guy like Olmos does not fit into that category, he appears to be some really interested in the furtherance of humanity and to not have an ulterior motive.  Its a shame that he does not get the press that some of these other buffoons, including some in our own service, get.  They got into this business because of their own insecurities and now can't turn back, that would look worse than never having gone down this path.  They are now beholden to the diversity industry--one of the few industries thriving these days.

I recently had to explain to some fairly senior people the significant differences between EEO and Affirmative Action and that some forms of proposed diversity actions were likely illegal affirmative action.  Goes over like a clammy, dead fish handshake, but it is a handshake that must be given nonetheless.  The Emperor needs to know exactly what he is wearing--at all times.