Labels

WARNING Contents in coffee cup are hot!

Product may contain peanuts

Do not exceed recommended dosage!

Serving Size: 1 bag

Some labels are good. Labels can give us any amount of valuable information. Sometimes we think the labels may be silly (isn't coffee supposed to be hot??) but someone still deemed them necessary for one reason or another.

Lately I've been hearing a lot of labels being tossed about in the hunt for a Supreme Court Justice. Labels regarding gender, ethnicity, race and sexuality. All these discussions of who would make a good political appointment that center around things besides their qualifications. I keep hearing "we need a Hispanic", "the President should appoint a homosexual", "the Court needs a black female".


I've got an idea. How about all the resumes get stacked up without names or any identifying information and a selection gets made based on nothing more than....



wait for it



their qualifications for the job!! Wow! What a concept! Appointing a Supreme Court Justice based on their ability to interpret the laws.


I guess I live in a very idealistic world. I think that in 2009 labels should be unnecessary in our conversations. People should be men and women not a black man or Hispanic woman. Not a gay man or a white woman.


Why is it necessary to use these labels?

At one time in society then maybe there was a need. But not now. We're all equal under the law - at least for most things. We can all apply to and attend college. Any college. We can all apply for the same jobs - any job. We don't have the same boundaries that existed 60 years ago. The only boundaries that exist now is in our abilities and our drive. Sure, I could apply to MIT but I won't get in. I didn't work hard enough in science in school. And the cost is a bit much. But if I were accepted I could certainly work extra jobs to pay for it if it meant that much to me.

There was an ad on television the other night for a vo-tech college. At the end "women and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply". I know that diversity is the "big thing". I'm all for it - in the right context.

People who want to participate in something should. But don't ask someone to join your group just because of WHAT they are. People should be asked to join a group based on WHO they are. What skills they bring to the table. Their qualifications.

That goes for everything. Supreme Court Justices included.