[COLUMN] Study: Colorblind society a bad idea

Do you believe in a colorblind workplace where everyone is treated equally regardless of race or ethnicity?

Then you are a racist, apparently.

The University of Georgia conducted a study that examined 17 departments in a large health care organization. The researchers measured the beliefs of white employees (managers and nonmanagers) to determine the extent to which they endorsed either "colorblindness" or a more "multicultural" approach to diversity. They did so by asking nearly 5,000 of the white employees a series of statements to which the respondents agreed or disagreed.

Then the researchers looked at how engaged or committed minority workers were and whether those minority employees were working in departments that were colorblind or departments that took a more multicultural approach.

The researchers wanted to see in which departments the minority workers performed better.

The survey results, published in the online version of the journal Psychological Science, revealed that minority employees feel less committed to their work when white employees promote "colorblindness." Yet, when white workers champion multiculturalism, the research finds, their minority peers feel more connected to their jobs.

"Contrary to popular beliefs, workplaces that downplay racial and ethnic differences actually make minority employees feel less engaged with their work," said Victoria Plaut, an assistant professor of psychology at the university and the study's lead author. "Minority employees sense more bias against them in these allegedly colorblind settings."

Sounds like the problem rests with the minorities in this study and not the white workers who want a colorblind workplace. After all, do you really need your co-workers to celebrate your differences in order for you to work hard?

Plaut was also wrong about another thing. The study's finding is not "contrary to popular beliefs" to anyone who lives in the real world outside of academia.

People in general, but minorities in particular because of a preconceived expectation of bias, often feel biased against when, in fact, they are being treated equally. How often have you heard a child claim a teacher does not like him or her? Same concept, usually.

Still, Plaut said people who take a colorblindness approach in dealing with minority co-workers are more likely to be racists.

"Among dominant group members, multiculturalism predicts less racial bias, while colorblindness predicts greater racial bias," she said.

The study implies that companies should take a multicultural approach with their minority employees. In other words, treat minorities in a special manner rather than an equal manner.

The implication is that a colorblind approach is an attempt to assimilate minority employees into the dominant group. In other words, those of us who advocate a colorblind approach simply want the minorities to act "white," whatever that means.

The study seems to suggest, however, that treating minorities as equals harms the minority employees and the organizations for which they work.

Hogwash.

The workplace should be a meritocracy and race should never be considered for any reason. That minorities do not feel special while working should be celebrated. Regardless of whether they like the feeling, that is called equality.

Is that not what the Civil Rights movement was about? Was it not the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who said, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character"?

Apparently, King was wrong. Now, we are told, the best approach to race relations is to treat minorities differently. We are supposed to judge them by the color of their skin and celebrate their differences.

Remember when the workplace was just where you went to work? Now you have to celebrate multiculturalism.

This is why racism continues to exist in the United States.

Minorities thought they weren't being treated equally so they launched a century-long fight for equality. Rightly so.

Then, Americans began treating them equally. Again, rightly so.

That, however, was not enough. Now they want to be treated differently.

Of course they do. I want to be celebrated at work as well. That is, however, not the way life works.

Sometimes equality is not very pleasant. Still, one should cherish it, not complain about it.