Susan Rice: having too many whites on the National Security team puts America at risk

Susan Rice: having too many whites on the National Security team puts America at risk

May 20, 2016 by Nancy French

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In a commencement address at Florida International University, National Security Advisor Susan Rice told graduates that the demographics in her department are too “white, male, and Yale” and is threatening the security of America.

It’s hard to take this woman seriously when she was the one ensuring the world that the Benghazi attacks were the result of a YouTube video.

But it’s very concerning, what she said:

“Too often, our national security workforce has been what former Florida Senator Bob Graham called ‘white, male, and Yale.’ In the halls of power, in the faces of our national security leaders, America is still not fully reflected…

“I’m not talking about a human resources issue. I’m highlighting a national security imperative.”

That is very provocative language and she has the full force of the Obama administration behind her, with the president signing executive orders that prioritize diversity and inclusion inside the federal government, instead of simply hiring the most qualified candidates. But according to Rice’s speech, having an LGBT person in a foreign embassy will make an LGBT person in Bangladesh feel understood. See? Safety.

And even though it’s obvious that the Obama administration is wading in the waters of groupthink, Rice decried “the dangers of groupthink” — presumably all those white males who all think the same:

“By now, we should all know the dangers of ‘groupthink,’ where folks who are alike often think alike. By contrast, groups comprised of different people tend to question one another’s assumptions, draw on divergent perspectives and experiences, and yield better outcomes.”

Which voices outside of Obama’s special group are they listening to?

Rice is saying that America is at risk unless we are pursuing “pluralism and tolerance” first. She said:

“Without tapping into America’s full range of races, religions, ethnicities, language skills, and social and economic experiences, we’re leading in a complex world with one hand tied behind our back.”

Forgive me, but I’ve always understood that the safety of our country starts with the men and women of our armed forces, not the suits sitting around a federal discussion table talking about skin color.

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