BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY MAY 24, 2021) — At a time when the city of Pittsfield needs to cut spending as well as taxes, once again it will boost both. Alas, the city has fallen  for a social trend that shall prove little more than a fad.

This inevitable, inexorable drive by city “leaders” to punish what’s left of a vanishing middle class proceeds from the political comfort and security supplied by monolithic government — one party, one huge loyalty to the status quo. There’s no other option when an organization’s three governing bodies — mayor, council, school committee — exist not in harmony but in conspiracy. They maintain a tacit agreement not to rock the boat, provide no meaningful opposition, and better yet, no serious accountability.

How else, for example — with roads looking like the surface of the moon, schools smothered by a greed of money and a lack of quality, and both public safety and daily quality of life at all-time lows — could Pittsfield even think about funding an Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)? Even if this latest woke fantasy cost $1, it would be a price too high for Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski.

Do the research. Such offices, which can be found on campus, in government, and in HR departments, deliver the opposite of what the name implies. They would be better named offices of Sameness, Inequity, and Exclusion, because if you don’t meet the criteria and check off the right boxes on race, gender, sexual orientation, and age, you’re about as welcome as a pair of Red Ball Jets at a formal dinner.

Pittsfield DEI will create two high-paying, make-work jobs, adding six-figures in salary and bennies. Neither Mayor Linda Tyer, personnel director Michael Taylor, nor the council has defined the scope of the office. THE PLANET‘s experience tell us that such fuzziness produces equally clouded intent. Translation: The only useful product of this new office will be more bureaucratic B.S. by the ton.

According to Prof. John Staddon of Duke University, the “numerical disproportions” produced by DEI “can only mean racism, a claim that will inevitably result in mutual destruction and animosity. And if ideas can’t be separated from identity — truth is not the same for everyone — the result is a nihilistic relativism.”

DEI promises greater harmony and good. It delivers the opposite by suppressing dissent and increasing division.

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The DEI move comes in Tyer’s FY22 budget proposal, a bloated one just shy of $180 million. This includes $10.4 million in new spending amounting to a nearly 6% increase.

Ward 2 councilor Kevin Morandi spoke the inconvenient truth about this pork-laden item:

“With the budget that’s in front of us this year, the percentage of the increase, adding another department, adding personnel, I won’t be supporting this department budget request,” said Morandi. Salute to Morandi.

Alisa Costa, who was part of a study group that recommended this “dunsel” addition, said funding was on the low side, merely $51,610 for two officers, one city side and one school side, for six months funding.  Do the math: $102,320 not including bennies for two officers for a half a year. Annualized taxpayers bleed for $204,640. And how much do you want to bet that after the half-year is up, the Kapanskis will continue getting flogged for what amounts to a social-engineering jerk-off.

Costa said “COVID has really struck a chord, and shown us things about our community that we weren’t necessarily aware of.” Yeah, like what?

She didn’t say.

At-Large Councilor Pete White said the office will make government look more like the city population. If so, we expect to see the two positions filled by a drug user, drug dealer, gang member, homeless person, “gimme girl,” welfare cheat, and sponger. As Moe Howard would say to Larry Fine, “Pick out two.”

THE PLANET brings your attention to Prof. Staddon’s observation about ideas and identity. When a person’s skin color, gender, age, or sexual preference must first be checked for admission or consideration, we automatically prevent a wealth of ideas from ever making an appearance.

Not a good way to run a city.

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“Forgiving isn’t something you do for someone else. It’s something you do for yourself. It’s saying, ‘You’re not important enough to have a stranglehold over me.‘” — Jodi Picoult.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

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