The last several months have involved a mad scramble over the issue of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). As someone who has extensive experience in just about every imaginable aspect of DEI, over many years and in various positions in multiple civilian and military organizations, I welcome the opportunity to add my perspectives to these very critical conversations.
First my personal and professional backgrounds. I am a married male Caucasian who grew up in a lower middle-class environment, always with a significant number of friends and colleagues from across the entire spectrum of ethnicity. Over the years I have been privileged to have three biological, two adopted and approximately 35 foster children: with a strong degree of ethnic diversity in all three categories, growing even greater with my wonderful grandchildren.
Professionally, I have held numerous supervisorial, management and executive positions, including specifically serving as the equal employment opportunity officer (EEO) of a major municipal police department. I have also served as the head of a large county law enforcement agency, the inspector general of a USMC major command, as an ombudsperson for the United States Department of Defense and participated in hundreds of administrating hearings, primarily as the chairperson. Instances and allegations of racism in the workplace have been a constant factor throughout my professional life. Not surprisingly, the above experiences have shaped my opinions and perspectives on the topic of racism, and I see it as my responsibility to add those impressions to the current conversations. Bias, discrimination and harassment are not restricted just to racism, but to other behaviors as well. However, because each of these related behaviors (sexism, harassment, orientation and age-related issues) has unique differences which require different approaches, I have chosen in this article to address only the topic of racism.
Categories of Allegations of Racism
Years of experience and reflection have caused me to place the issue of racism into three primary categories. Certainly, the lines are often blurred, but for the purposes of actions and adjudications, I have found these major categories to be helpful in taking actions and resolving allegations.
Clear and Unmistaken Racist Behavior
While many feel strongly (including myself) that there are far less actual racist behaviors and actions than have occurred in past decades, the reality is that racism has not been completely eradicated from our communities and workplaces, and that its impact is devastating to the individuals and organizations involved. The consequences include hostility, favoritism, antagonism, inequities, indignities, deprivation of opportunities, lack of productivity, distrust and emotional and physical stress and anxieties, just to name some of the adverse consequences.
While penalties and adjudicated consequences are not the issues in this article, I feel compelled to share a strong belief based on years of actions in which true racism was a factor. The last few decades, in my opinion, have been pivotal and largely successful in eradicating racist from our society. With this reality in mind, any person who continues to hold racist ideologies is, again in my opinion, a very troubled individual who should not be in our workplace. It is our responsibility not only to the aggrieved parties but to all employees to create a positive workplace that is not tainted by racism. Typically, most racially troubling comments or actions fall more into the immature or impulsive category and are best handled by minor discipline and remedial instruction. However, it has been my experience that deep-seated racist behavior must be dealt with most decisively, and that minor discipline and counseling is seldom effective. When confronted with such deep-seated racism, termination is the most appropriate course of action.
Perceived Racist Behavior
This is the category that creates the greatest difficulties in adjudications, resolutions and determinations, and is most often strongly subjective to all involved persons. The factors literally lend themselves to a common script; the aggrieved party(s) alleges that certain statements or actions are the consequence of racist attitudes and behaviors, and the alleged instigator(s) is equally as adamant that the statements or actions either did not occur or were misunderstood. The resolutions are typically based on preponderances of evidence based on witness statements.
Although it took me several years to arrive at an accurate view, I have come to believe that in an appreciable percentage of sincere (believed accurate) allegations of racism, that racism is not truly a factor. This belief is based on years of experience coupled with the recognition of persons who often attribute their misfortune and mistakes to something other than their own behaviors. I cannot count the number of very perplexing situations where a person in an underrepresented group has been adamant that adverse consequences were the result of racism, when it was abundantly clear that such was not the case. I know that some will disagree, but I have come to strongly recognize that in many cases of alleged racism, the aggrieved parties “have their antennas extended a bit too high” and are seeing racist evils that do not exist. From my continuing participation in the human resource arena, I am aware that many others share this same perception.
False or Exaggerated Allegations of Racist Behavior
False and exaggerated allegations are just as devastating to innocent persons as are legitimate situations to aggrieved persons, and in my judgement have been a major factor in the recent demise of many DEI programs; the average person is just sick and tired of years of increased misuse of allegations of racism. It is seemingly automatically applied as an allegation of any ligation from a person who is a member of a minority group, and in prominent cases often triggers the appearance of commonly recognized attorneys and clergy in theatrical performances disguised as press conferences, always with the intent of financial awards or settlement. It is my opinion, and likely that of many others that the widespread proliferation of false allegations has badly diluted the credibility of racist allegations in general, thereby harming those who are legitimate victims of racist behaviors.
Equally troubling is the emotional devastation that those who have been falsely accused often suffer. Unfortunately, allegations of racism, in far too many instances, have evolved over the years as often recklessly made and often unresolved. The long-term consequences usually include workplaces and relationships disrupted and disposed of without any consideration of the damage done to those who had been falsely accused.
Resolution Considerations
First and foremost is the credibility and the personal integrity, followed by the writing and investigative skills, of those who investigate allegations of racism. Objectivity and balance are essentials. The end- product must be an investigation that all parties see as credible (to the extent humanly possible!).
Secondly, there should be a subject matter expert, who possesses those same qualities as a resource to the investigators and to the person who makes the final adjudication. Despite the best of intentions, many executive-level employees are not trained or do not possess skills in these types of matters or investigations. The absence of such a person has proven to be a factor in what has often been seen as flawed investigation involving the military, where often untrained investigators provide flawed investigations to untrained command personnel, resulting in investigations that are often perceived as neither complete nor credible. Finally, organizations need to do an overall better job of healing the trauma associated with false allegations. Workplace issues associated with racism are painful to all involved and most employers are anxious to resolve cases as rapidly as possible and move on. A case should not be considered as closed until and unless those questionably or falsely accused are conspicuously exonerated.
Summary
This article is not and should not been seen as an exhaustive assessment of this very critical topic, but rather the assessment of several critical components by a person who has much experience and scar tissue in the equal employment opportunity and workplace harassment arenas. I hope this information is seen as intended; as a contribution to an ongoing critical and evolving conversation.
Keith Bushey retired from the Los Angeles Police Department as a commander, from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department as a deputy chief, and from the United States Marine Corps Reserve as a Colonel. Other law enforcement experience includes having served as a Los Angeles County deputy sheriff, a State of California deputy game warden, and as the Marshal of San Bernardino County. He is an instructor emeritus for the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association and has lectured and written extensively in the areas of leadership, management and ethics. His entire eight booklet Leadership Series is in the public domain and may be downloaded without cost from KeithBushey.com.