On Tap from the Pub

By Tom Field

Let’s just admit it; it’s time to replace old leaders and old thinking, right?

Do you know what would be really cool for me to do? To stand up and say it’s time to get rid of all the old white guys who have been calling the shots for… well—forever. (At least in this country.)

I am turning the big 6-0 next month. It would show how I’m not self-serving and trying to protect my own interest. In fact, I know such a proclamation would be “really cool” because all the hip guys my age are doing it. The truly enlightened old white guys are admitting we screwed things up. The confessions are admirable and receiving applause and standing ovations.

Well, you can sit down.

Yeah, in this case, you can get off my lawn. You’ll want to hold your applause.

I’ll recuse myself from the popular idea that change is best and will only come by reshuffling the demographics of the ones who have been in charge.

As it turns out, you see, I’m convinced ageism is discrimination just like all the other forms of discrimination. Simply put, all the other demographics, age-race-ethnic-gender-creed or otherwise, are equally competent at screwing things up.

Let me clarify something, though. I couldn’t care less if all nine justices on the Supreme Court were women. I’m fine if every member of Congress was black. If the entire government of my state was comprised of non-binary, let it be. If the board of an organization is all 20-year olds, bravo. Although the historical record may show it might not be the best idea to have zero or unbalanced diversity on any governing entity; diversity in and of itself is no panacea.

• We don’t need more women in politics.

We need competent politicians. • We don’t need more people of color in our law enforcement.

We need competent LEOs. • We don’t need more religious persuasions in our military.

We need competent soldiers. • We don’t need more sexual orientations on school boards.

We need competent board members. • We don’t need more young people running businesses.

We need competent business owners.

Of course, we’ll debate what “competency” is, too. But at least that argument won’t have merit based on age-race-ethnic-gendercreed. And that’s the key: merit.

When you strip it all down and just consider merit; a ton of perspective changes. You can actually feel change in the wind. You’ll realize simpler truths, like being convinced your own three young adult daughters can make better decisions than a 70-year old career politician. An old white guy.