Opinion: 'Colorblindness' did not work in Charlotte 80 years ago; it will not work now | The NT

The Trump administration's crusade against diversity, equity and inclusion policies has parroted a long-standing conservative talking point that they diminish the validity of individual merit.

The focus on individual achievements alone goes hand in hand with a broader notion of 'colorblindness'—seeing past the race or ethnicity of job and scholarship applicants when considering them for a position.

In and of itself, this notion speaks to the unfounded anxiety of primarily white communities that evil cabals are intentionally hiring unqualified applicants to fulfill 'racial quotas,' a practice that is illegal in the United States and can be tried in court.

Moreover, they intentionally misunderstand the use of race consciousness in application policies, which vary from business to business, another fact they often skew. This is exemplified by the example set by the city of Charlotte in the era of the Civil Rights Movement. Its attempt to obscure the injustice and racial violence this country underwent through focusing on 'economic development' alone failed to redress biased policies against non-white citizens.