Virtue and Social Diversity
March 2, 2007 by Rico Vitz
… a conference at FSU this weekend, March 3rd and 4th. Details are available here.
– Rico Vitz
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Posted in Conferences, Ethics, News & Notes, Political Theory | 2 Comments
After reviewing the abstracts and the conference itinerary I wanted to comment on the morning session of March 3rd. Anytime I see the words “Social Diversity” I know that, as a heterosexual white male, this “diversity” does not include me. Never have I read anywhere someone proclaiming that more heterosexual white males are needed for diversity’s sake. The point being is that I immediately expected bias in the conference material and I was not disappointed upon reading the abstracts of the morning session.
Considering the morning session is about race and racial identity it is then appropriate to note the racial identities of the speakers. Professor Blum is Jewish and a noted author on racism. Bernard Boxill is Black and an author on Black racial interests. Shelley Burtt, I suspect, is a White female. Sophia Wong is an Asian female. Note no White males are involved in the morning discussion on race and civic virtues.
What can be deduce from the abstracts?
Prof Blum claims there are significant differences among the races and ethnicities as social identities when it comes to the civic point of view. After sifting out the intellectual fluff from the abstract we find that the jest of Prof Blum’s morning speech will apparently be this:
Different races/ethnicities have different civic moral standards and we should not promote a “one size fits all” standard. In addition, it is “civically virtuous” to promote the racial interests of Blacks.
This is pretty much what he is getting at even though he veils it in wording such as “racial justice” and “civic tasks”. Considering the respondent is a Black Professor who has written on Black racial interests I believe my assessment is correct.
Shelley Burtt will speak next and part of her speech will deal with how civically virtuous it is for American families to form multiracial families through international adoption. It seams that Dr. Burtt is not choosing sides and encompasses all Americans regardless of race as those who should take initiative in forming multiracial families. Unfortunately, I have this nagging feeling that what Dr. Burtt really wants is just for White families to adopt outside of their race. A far fetched assumption? No.
I see the bulk of the morning session as an attempt to infuse the self-righteousnesses of morality with the pursuit of the multiracial agenda.
CJ [EDITORIAL NOTE: name withheld at the request of the author]
CJ [EDITORIAL NOTE: name withheld at the request of the author of the previous comment]
What is the “multiracial agenda”?