Beware of Equality!

We are all equal in the eyes of the law, we are all supposed to have equal opportunity. We are not to be discriminated against for race, religion, colour, gender or class. However, it is a clear and simple fact that we are not actually equal.

If two basketball players go for a trial and one is seven feet tall while the other is a mere six feet tall they may have equal opportunity but they are not equal. When a job applicant with an IQ of 80 is up against a person with an IQ of 120 they are not equal.

My point is that demanding any form of equality other than equal opportunity and equal reward for labour is ridiculous, it is fraught with common sense contradictions.

The worst and most dangerous demands for equality are the demands for equal outcome. Demands for the same numbers of female, male, black, white, Eskimo to be represented in parliament, on company boards, in councils or in employment. To use an extreme analogy, when I pick my basketball team I must end up with a representative group from each height category and have equal numbers of black, white, Asian, male, female, gay and transgender players so that the team is regarded as equal.

People who demand equality of outcome have a peculiar understanding of reality. In most cases they misuse the word equality to create the impression of unfairness to a group that they claim to represent. The police and the military turn down successful applicants to balance gender or race outcomes. This is positive discrimination and it is inherently wrong.

It is this kind of insanity that pervades left wing politics and we as a nation must be prepared to challenge such claims for what they actually are, a form of extremism.

Equality of opportunity is something we should strive for, equal pay for equal work is a must but equality of outcome is a dangerous and destructive form of politics.

Robin E Horsfall

www.robinhorsfall.co.uk

Who Dares Shares!