The surge of articles in the Jan. 8 issue of the Mirror pertaining to diversity is further evidence the subject will be with us for the foreseeable future. So be it but the actual definition of it and the end-game remains elusive for many of us. Greg Baruso has promised to reveal his definition at a later time so we will have to wait patiently for him to enlighten us. Americans have no problem supporting people with challenges as we want to do what is right. It’s part of who we are but we want to know what obligations we are incurring up front, who will order them and to what extent.

In her article, Raechel Dawson, cites the Mirror in identifying those individuals who are diverse and thus, eligible for recognition and by implication, protection and accommodation. The non-diverse community has reason to be circumspect as it appears that another open-ended program, with the potential for quota’s and economic and legal ramifications is waiting for us in the wings. What is the mission of the diversity advocates? Is it to have meetings, conferences, lobby, or provide moral support for individuals in the diverse category? If so, will the program be competing with other programs in Federal Way for resources?

Further, the non-diverse population is uncertain how we are expected to view the diverse population. Up to now, most of us have adopted a policy of live and let live. Is this no longer correct, politically? Will we now be expected to see victims where heretofore, we saw none; just people not much different from ourselves.

Bureaucracies, once established, are virtually impossible to scale down. Will the advocates of diversity let the rest of us know when the goals of diversity have been substantially met or will new categories of eligibles be added to the stack, and we continue the quest? PC fatigue is setting in for some of us.

Someone once said, perhaps with tongue in cheek, inquiring minds have a right to know! Maybe not in every case but many of us would like to know where diversity’s end-game in Federal Way is headed and who will tell us when we have arrived.

Don Payne, Federal Way