When former Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao spoke at Harvard as a visiting fellow, I hoped she would spark debate on everything from white collar overtime regulations to pension assets. I attended her study groups and can attest to the fact that she did this and more. Ms. Chao was engaging, provocative, and thoughtful, the type of speaker who helps one question deeply rooted beliefs. In this respect, she was a complete success. Yet one might contend that as a student body, we did not take full advantage of her visit. Rather than debate Ms. Chao’s controversial policies enacted during the Bush administration, we instead focused on an irrelevant matter, her race. Indeed, we repeatedly questioned if Ms. Chao spoke enough about her role as the first cabinet member of Asian Pacific descent.
The American Dream is not about race, but rather ideas and willpower. Ms. Chao has had an illustrious career, and it is on her (considerable) merits that she ought to be judged, not on whether she paid homage to her race. There were also complaints that Ms. Chao did not spend ample time discussing her Chinese heritage. The very mention of this topic is at least somewhat baffling. After all, Elaine Chao is an American citizen. When she negotiated trade agreements in Beijing, she represented Washington. Ms. Chao’s ancestry and race are as irrelevant as those of our new President. I will evaluate Barack Obama just as I evaluated George Bush, Bill Clinton, and every other American politician or policymaker, by examining his or her actions.
There are of course many groups on campus celebrating race. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. I appreciate and celebrate the diversity of Harvard’s student body. (As we chanted, “Many Colors: One Harvard.”) I recoil in disgust at slurs or racist epithets. Americans hail from all corners of the globe and come in every color, and this gives our country a unique insight into other regions, which is quite an excellent advantage.
Still, I am upset when people insist that Americans classify themselves based on their race. Race is not a defining characteristic in our nation, and it is an error for people to make it one. The United States is a successful melting pot, because it encourages and allows mixing, not because it forces ethnic separation. Ms. Chao should not be criticized for focusing on her policies. Neither should any political figure on either side of the aisle.