What is Idaho’s way?

At the heart of the “Idaho way” flap is a zero-sum fallacy about advancement for non-white Americans (“28 lawmakers oppose Boise State diversity programs,” July 13).

Whether intended or not, the logic at the heart of the letter to BSU’s incoming president signed by 28 Republican legislators is the racist and white supremacist claim that non-white citizens — and, importantly, also their children — advance into more secure and prosperous lives only at the cost of something being taken away from their white counterparts. This is flawed logic, but serves the useful purpose of dividing our nation according to racial lines and creating precisely the kinds of resentments and hostilities that are at the heart of the white supremacist agenda. It is also the core of Donald Trump’s ongoing racist messaging to white Americans.

Attracting and retaining a more diverse student body strengthens and enriches the educational experience for all members of a college or university community, with desegregation of education arguably the most important linchpin for the desegregation of society generally. Do these ill-informed legislators want Idaho to maintain its reputation as a whites-only enclave hostile to a younger and more diverse demographic who might otherwise come here and contribute to our state’s growth and future prosperity?

Chris Norden

Moscow, Idaho