If you want equity, you have to put in the work

As I read the Saturday paper, focusing on the Fred McKinney column about “Ensuring social equity only comes with work,” I saw an amazing contrast in the title, which has an oxymoron twist.

Mr. McKinney seems to be an educated and successful individual who means well, as his credentials show, but because social equity is such a sticky topic I feel he became caught in his own web. Here’s my question: Did Mr. McKinney work hard to get where he is or did he get there through social justice? My guess is that he got here by working hard all his life. If you read the meaning of social equity nothing about its meaning refers to doing hard work at all, it is about opportunity given to an individual based on how he accepted his god-given opportunity when he as an individual could have made different decisions to prosper and learn from their mistakes to actually become successful at anything. This opportunity is afforded to every American-born citizen and beyond, including Mr. McKinney, who has benefited from hard work. But it is usually poor decisions from an individual that may hold them back from achieving excellence for themselves through hard work, enabling them to go out and make something of themselves, just as Mr. McKinney seems to have done.

I have two observations about this commentary. The first observation I want to address is the title: “Ensuring social equity only comes with work.” In my view, social equity is based on giving an opportunity to an individual who might not have strived for that opportunity but because of their social status they are given an opportunity. They are not required to work hard up to that opportunity. Everyone deserves opportunity, but it should be about their qualifications, not their social status. Let’s give this social class a better opportunity while they are young and impressionable through community and education. Let’s strive to put forth young adults who will appreciate opportunity because they know they put in the time and worked hard for it. So to me the title insinuates two words with opposite meanings intertwined explain that work is the focus of obtaining social equity, which requires no work.

My second observation is that I totally agree with Mr. McKinney that we must work, but the difference in my view is we should be aiming to work so there is no need for social equity as opposed to working for social equity.

In conclusion, the thought is great but in Mr. McKinney’s eyes it really is about work. Let’s stop giving opportunities away to individuals who may squander that opportunity out of never having to work to get the social status they deserve because they poured their hearts into it. Steer young individuals in the right direction and we may never have to worry about working to bring about social equity to any community. If you want equity, you must work. I agree on that.