THE
UNAUTHORIZED GUIDE TO THE REEDUCATION CAMPS
Niccolo Machiavelli wrote in The Prince, "It should be borne in mind that there is nothing more difficult to handle, more doubtful of success, and more dangerous to carry through than initiating changes in a state's constitution." The current "change" agents are not (yet) armed; however, they are insidiously sowing their semantic seedlings. This column will help the reader identify, analyze, and (peacefully) resist their regressive reeducation.
Social equity (a.k.a. "social justice"): a society of equals
What you may believe: a society defines the rights of man (such as "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness") and applies them equally to all; no part of society enjoys rights not experienced by the whole.
What they may tell you: ..." a set of standards which apply to our personal and social relationships with other individuals and/or groups. These standards consist of a bundle of rights and duties which apply to members of certain "protected classes" in society. These protected classes are defined by state and federal law, and categories of classes include: race, color, national origin, religion, creed, gender (sex), age, disability and veteran's status. These groups have been designated as protected because of certain injustices which have occurred against the members of these groups in the past and present. Social equity is the means used to help to redress these injuries. The term also covers the protection of certain fundamental rights which we all enjoy as citizens of a free society. Therefore, social equity is really nothing more than doing justice to our fellow employees, students, or acquaintances who have, as a result of membership in a protected class, suffered injuries now or in the past. These injuries may take many forms but generally consist of some form of harassment or discrimination which has caused the victim to suffer a loss of the equal rights and opportunities that we all cherish as American citizens."[1]
How they use it:
"But its [the private sector] record in creating social equity and assuring environmental sustainability, on the other, is woefully inadequate."[2]
"A quantitative analysis of the survey data and a qualitative analysis of respondents‚ comments are reviewed and shared with the campus community and the social equity team."[3]
"The following goals emerge out of the School's mission statement and guide its educational practice: to develop human relationships that are grounded in social justice, human dignity and mutual respect; to develop new and more just organizational forms; to transform already existing structures to ones which affirm and enhance human dignity and social diversity; and to identify new ways to influence social, economic and political systems to distribute power, resources, rights and freedom, so as to achieve social justice."[4]
The unauthorized analysis: from antiquity to the present, numerous political philosophers posited the nature of social equity. While the mental giants of Western Civilization may not have agreed on social equity‚s precise definition, there was one common theme: there is no social equity when an inherent right of all men applies only to a few.
The "change" agents' social equity yields inequity. It creates "class-based rights" and not "universal rights." It imparts an arbitrary "duty" on a group of people. It balances a society on bias and not merit.
[1]Shippensburg University, Office of Social Equity. "What is Social Equity?" Retrieved from
http://www.ship.edu/Social_Equity/What_is_Social_Equity_/
[2] Heintz, Stephen B. (22 September 2009). Revolutionary Ideas for Revolutionary Times: Why CSR is a Thing of
the Past [PDF document]. Retrieved from http://www.rbf.org/usr_doc/Why_CSR_Is_a_Thing_of_the_Past.pdf
[3] Rankin, Susan R. (2003). Campus Climate for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender People: A National
Perspective [PDF document]. Retrieved from
[4] State University of New York Stony Brook, School of Social Welfare (30 April 2008). "Mission Statement."
Retrieved from http://inf-web.informatics.sunysb.edu/ssw/mission.cfm