A Republican congressman has exposed the absolute uselessness of the diversity and inclusion officers that so many institutions have, including the agencies of the federal government.
On Tuesday, Florida’s Rep. Brian Mast questioned Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at the State Department, about how these diversity initiatives are put into practice when hiring.
Mast first asked her if being bald or being 5’8″ made someone a better diplomat. Abercrombie-Winstanley responded that those did not matter. The congressman then asked if being white, black, Asian or Latino made any difference, and again she answered, “No.”
But it was the question that Mast asked directly after that that left Abercrombie-Winstanley absolutely dumbfounded.
“Can you tell me, am I white?” Mast asked her.
Abercrombie-Winstanley thought about the question for a moment and then responded that she would have to ask him how he characterizes himself in order to obtain an answer.
Mast then repeated the question, and she said that she did not know. The congressman then proceeded to ask her if he was half-black, Latino, Asian or Pacific Islander, or brown, to which the ambassador gave the same answer.
Mast, who according to the Daily Caller is half-Latino, then said, “It shouldn’t matter that I’m half-Mexican, it shouldn’t matter whether I’m able-bodied, or ambulatory or not ambulatory, that doesn’t have anything to do with what my background is.”
He then proceeded to say that what mattered was that the people in the military or in federal agencies volunteered to do the work and proved that they have the skills in order to do a good job.
Being bald or 5’8” doesn’t make someone a better diplomat. Neither does being white, or Asian, or Native American, or Black, or Latino.
We don’t need the State Department to check boxes, we need it to further the foreign policy objectives of the United States. pic.twitter.com/lb4SgRjNz0
— Rep. Brian Mast (@RepBrianMast) June 13, 2023
Mast made a point that should be self-evident to everyone who believes in American ideals. One’s race does not enhance or diminish one’s capacity to do their job. It is your character and abilities, not your race, that determines if you are qualified.
This is especially true when it comes to federal offices like the State Department. These are very significant institutions, and the people who work there have very critical jobs. Therefore, the government needs to ensure that the right people are being hired to do the job.
If we place diversity above ability when hiring for these important jobs, then we are headed for disaster.
In addition, Mast’s line of questioning to the ambassador about the effect of race on the job proves just how meaningless her position as a diversity and inclusion chief is.
Abercrombie-Winstanley agreed with Mast’s argument when she said that the race of an individual does not affect their ability to do the job, just as their height or hairstyle does not affect it either.
If that is the case, then why is there a need for someone like Abercrombie-Winstanley? If she believes that merit comes before race, why does she continue to be an advocate for the “diversity” agenda?
Diversity hiring is a meaningless and discriminatory employment practice that is only going to lead to disaster if it is not ended.
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