ETHNICITY
R. A. Schultz
When, in the early 1990’s, I was about to retire from the police job on Long Island, I sought employment in the security management field, specifically as a chief or director of security on a college campus. My desire was to get away from New York State and I was more than willing to relocate anywhere in the country except in any states in the northern tier. I hate snow.
I guess in the interest of promoting “diversity,” one of the pillars of political correctness, all of the applications I received were accompanied by a separate form inquiring as to the applicant’s “ethnic background.” Listed were the usual menu of ethnic options, but the one that kept catching my eye was usually toward the bottom of the list: “Southwest Pacific Islander.” I think that in the era prior to the advent of political correctness, this ethnic subcategory was generally referred to as “Polynesian,” though why that term was dropped falls into the septic tank of “anyone’s guess.”
Of course, they’ll swear up and down that ethnicity plays no part in their hiring decisions. If that were true, why would they ask the question in the first place?
In any event, with my dear Irish grandmother laughing heartily in the recesses of my mind, I decided to have some fun. The next application I received was accompanied by the form, which bore the ultimate option, “Other:_____.” I checked the box and entered “Northeast Atlantic Islander, 25%.”
My guess is, from the crickets I subsequently heard, liberal academia was not amused. I guess that’s just the way they are.
