We were with friends this weekend, one of whom had recently
returned from a trip to South Africa. She had amazing stories and pictures from
her trip. This got us talking about the wonderful diversity of animals. My
friend was telling us about her encounter with vultures and learning about
their importance in the “circle of life” They may be ugly and creepy, but they
are vital. She saw lions eating a water buffalo they had killed. Their guide
told them once the lions were finished other, smaller cats would come in and
eat their fill. This would be followed by other carnivores, but the feast would
end with the vultures, cleaning up what was left of the buffalo like the
garbage men of the savannah.
We watched the NBC series The Americas, and that experience was also one of amazement at all
of the different animals on our continents, and how each has an important role
to play in our ecology and wellbeing. I found myself asking why? Why so many
different types of animals, birds, bugs?
Why not just one type of bird? Is there really an evolutionary reason
for the many types of beetles we have around the world? Wouldn’t one or two be
sufficient to do beetle work?
Annie Dillard, in her prize winning Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, came to ask these same questions. In
asking she found her way to God. It makes more sense to have a Universal
Designer than an evolutionary quirk to explain the diversity. She uses the term
“prodigality”.
My yard at the coast is full of different bird songs. Our
chosen son in Australia has a yard full of totally different birds and sounds,
equally wonderful but vastly different. I am fully convinced God loves animals,
and He loves diversity. Why have 350,000 different types of beetles? Because
the creator wanted the diversity. Certainly many animals have adapted to their
specific habitat and that answers for some of the variety – but mostly I think
it was all part of the original plan.
Look at humans. We are also diverse. We come in a variety of
sizes and shapes and colors. We present different talents and quirks. We might
all be from the same place and have the same color, but we will still be widely
different in our preferences and abilities. Even within families there are huge
differences.
All this to say I don’t understand why all of the diversity,
equity and inclusion programs have been deemed “racist” because they seek to
level the playing field. To me DEI programs are very similar to my wearing
glasses. Without glasses I’d be unable to drive or do a lot of the jobs people
with natural 20/20 vision could do. Is it unfair that I get glasses to improve
my sight? No. Is it unfair to have programs that allow disadvantaged groups
achieve academic and workplace equality with the rest of us? No.
I really cringe at the idea of DEI being racist. Racist
against whom? White people. And since
white people have predominately had the positions of power and privilege
throughout the history of our country, I reject the idea that programs designed
to help the disadvantaged are racist against whites. What disadvantage is there
in being white? Did someone lose a job to a person of color? Was that a
disadvantage or an inconvenience? The disadvantaged are disadvantaged because usually
they are not white, heterosexual, middle class males.
I realize a lot of people don’t appreciate the diversity of
humankind. They feel their particular color and traits make them special, or
more important. I wonder if the ladybug feels more important than the dung
beetle, or the bald eagle feels more important than the vulture. Our own biases toward what makes something
(or someone) important or beautiful figures into our prejudice. Our fears of losing our positions of power or
security also figure into the equation.
But God does not see us this way. God created us all in His
image. If He loves the diversity in the animal world, imagine how much more He
loves the diversity in the creation He made in His image. If we could look at
each other as an image of God, maybe that would help us remove the biases. I
know that often, just meeting someone whom we see as different can make all the
difference. Just getting to know someone of a different race or sexuality can
help us see God’s image rather than fear the difference. I also know that the
Holocaust represents the persistence of bias if more visible differences are
not present. The only way Germans could tell who was a Jew or who was not was
the arm band they were forced to wear. So even if we remove color from the
equation, we will find some other prejudice to hold against people.
We need DEI programs
to help us listen to the better angel in our ear. The angel that says everyone
deserves a fair opportunity in school and work. The angel that reminds us we
are all made in God’s image and needn’t fear someone just because they are
different. The angel that shows us the beauty in all of God’s creation. The
angel that assures us we needn’t worry about offering justice and mercy,
equality, diversity and inclusion into our world.
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