The Hazards Of ‘Colorblind Equality’ – Analysis

The Hazards of Colorblind Equality

By Wanjiru Njoya

The words of Lewis Carroll are often cited in reference to the culture wars and the redefinition of words whose meaning used to be regarded as plain.

“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.”

“The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many different things.”

“The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master—that’s all.”

This is the fate that befell the phrase “equal opportunities,” which has been used to justify all manner of “diversity, equity and inclusivity” (DEI) schemes. It will also be so with “colorblind equality,” a phrase now being championed by egalitarians as a counterpoint to DEI. Egalitarians are committed to promoting equality in one form or another and are thus engaged in a debate over whether colorblind equality would be a suitable replacement for DEI.

Justice and Equality in the Classical Liberal Tradition

Justice in the classical liberal tradition is not defined or understood by reference to racial identity or any other form of personal identity—as reflected in the idea of “blind justice.” To libertarians, justice is based on the concept of self-ownership. Justice, as expressed in Roman law, means to give each man his own. One could of course say justice is colorblind, sex blind, gender blind, or age blind and list all the identity features to which justice is blind, but that would add nothing useful to the concept of justice and would serve to obscure rather than to clarify the meaning of justice. Similarly, equality in the classical liberal sense means formal equality before the law, without the need to list all the types of personal identities that are to be treated as equal before the law.

“Colorblindness” Is Not “Our Shared Value”

The fact that conservatives are now at the forefront of promoting “colorblindness” as a necessary corollary of equality under the law illustrates the truth of Murray Rothbard’s words: “It is rare indeed in the United States to find anyone, especially any intellectual, challenging the beauty and goodness of the egalitarian ideal.” Conservatives accept the premise that the US Constitution requires “colorblind equality,” and they are now engaged in an unholy tussle with CRT ideologues as to what exactly is meant by “colorblind.”

What’s in a Label?

One might ask what would be so bad about calling equality “colorblind” and henceforth referring to the Constitution as “the colorblind Constitution.” After all, we all want the Constitution to be colorblind, don’t we? This would surely be a good way to signal one’s virtue, if one were so inclined. We could call the United States “the colorblind United States” and affix the term “colorblind” to all institutions, beginning with “the colorblind Supreme Court.”

• About the author: Dr. Wanjiru Njoya is a Scholar-in-Residence for the Mises Institute. She is the author of Economic Freedom and Social Justice (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021), Redressing Historical Injustice (Palgrave Macmillan, 2023, with David Gordon) and “A Critique of Equality Legislation in Liberal Market Economies” (Journal of Libertarian Studies, 2021).
• Source: This article was published by the Mises Institute

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

The article discusses the concepts of equality and justice, particularly in relation to race. These issues are central to achieving gender equality (SDG 5), reducing inequalities (SDG 10), and promoting peace, justice, and strong institutions (SDG 16).

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere
• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status
• Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all

The article highlights the need to address discrimination and promote equality based on race. This aligns with Target 5.1 of SDG 5, which aims to end all forms of discrimination against women and girls. Additionally, the article emphasizes the importance of inclusivity and equal treatment for all races, which relates to Target 10.2 of SDG 10. Finally, the discussion on justice and equality connects to Target 16.3 of SDG 16, which focuses on promoting the rule of law and ensuring equal access to justice.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 5.1.1: Whether or not legal frameworks are in place to promote, enforce, and monitor equality and non-discrimination on the basis of sex
• Indicator 10.2.1: Proportion of people who believe they have been treated with respect and dignity
• Indicator 16.3.1: Proportion of population who have experienced a dispute in the past two years and who accessed a formal or informal dispute resolution mechanism, by type of mechanism

The article does not explicitly mention specific indicators. However, based on the targets identified, the following indicators can be used to measure progress:
– Indicator 5.1.1 measures the existence of legal frameworks to promote and enforce equality and non-discrimination based on sex, which can be extended to include race.
– Indicator 10.2.1 assesses people’s perception of being treated with respect and dignity, which can be used to gauge progress in promoting inclusivity and equal treatment.
– Indicator 16.3.1 captures the proportion of the population that has experienced a dispute and accessed a formal or informal dispute resolution mechanism, which reflects access to justice for all.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: eurasiareview.com

Join us, as fellow seekers of change, on a transformative journey at https://sdgtalks.ai/welcome, where you can become a member and actively contribute to shaping a brighter future.