Few experiences can shift your viewpoint for the better quite like being caught in the crossfire of America’s ongoing culture war. If you believe that the left is particularly intolerant, how then do you reconcile the existence of right-wing censorship? Conversely, if you think political violence is a hallmark of the right, how do you interpret the riots often associated with the far left? When confronted with similar behaviors from opposing sides, ardent partisans often retreat into flawed comparisons. They find solace in the belief that, no matter how egregious their own side may be, the other side is invariably worse.
However, there exists an alternative viewpoint. By stepping away from the confines of partisan allegiance, one can more clearly discern that human nature is a significant driving force behind American conflicts, perhaps even more so than ideological divides.
This notion resonated with me while I reviewed my colleague Nicholas Confessore’s insightful and thorough investigation in The New York Times Magazine on the University of Michigan’s ambitious yet faltering investment in diversity, equity, and inclusion (D.E.I.).
Confessore’s report unveiled two troubling facets of the university’s D.E.I. initiatives. The first is the disheartening outcome of these efforts. Despite the university’s substantial financial expenditures, the hiring of numerous diversity administrators, and the implementation of an array of new policies, the initiative has largely failed. For instance, the percentage of Black students remains stagnant at around 4 to 5 percent of the undergraduate population, a stark contrast to the state’s demographic makeup, where 14 percent of residents identify as Black.
The second troubling aspect is the atmosphere of intolerance that surrounded these ineffective policies. Confessore’s investigation is filled with examples of professors who faced baseless allegations of racial or gender bias. Moreover, following the horrific terrorist attacks by Hamas on October 7, when the university’s commitment to pluralism was truly tested, Michigan found itself unable to fulfill even its most fundamental legal obligations.