Heather Mac Donald, the author of “When Race Trumps Merit: How the Pursuit of Equity Sacrifices Excellence, Destroys Beauty, and Threatens Lives,” has cautioned that merit-based institutions are in danger of being compromised due to unfounded claims of racism in the country. Mac Donald has stated that “whites have to stop apologizing” for faults they did not commit.

Mac Donald is worried about America’s “civilization suicide” due to the “phony charge of racism.” She believes that the US is tearing itself apart by focusing on racism rather than addressing the academic skills gap. Academic excellence is not a reflection of race or ethnicity; imposing standards is essential.

Mac Donald argues that the country’s elites are afraid that the academic skills gap among minorities will never close. Addressing this issue would mean discussing the taboo topic of intellectual excellence explicitly. Mac Donald believes that America is demolishing all merit-based institutions due to unfounded charges of racism. The trend needs to stop.

The problem with the outcome of this scenario is that cultivating a culture of academic excellence among black students is difficult. Mac Donald believes that there is a harmful self-destructive ideology in black communities. It argues that academic effort is acting white; therefore, black students who are studying and paying attention to class are demeaned as traitors. To effect change in black communities, the culture must shift.

Mac Donald insists that she has researched America’s past and is heartbroken and disheartened by how ugly it was. However, the country is different today, and racism is no longer a problem. She speaks of “black privilege,” emphasizing that black people have an advantage in mainstream institutions. This advantage is due to the significant pressure placed on these institutions to have a proportional number of black employees.

She analyses the reality that institutions, including law firms, banks, tech labs in Silicon Valley, and science labs, all work hard to hire and promote qualified black employees. She asserts that white heterosexual males are now at a disadvantage in society.

Mac Donald insists that whites no longer have to apologize, stating that there is a misguided mindset of wanting to level the playing field by discriminating against white people. Mac Donald attests that no one alive today owned slaves. Instead, we must focus on creating merit-based policies that ensure everyone has an equal shot at success.

Opponents argue that compensatory transfers, pushing down white people, and similar measures are necessary to address historical injustices. However, Mac Donald believes that socioeconomic barriers will not disappear overnight. Only by taking personal responsibility and prioritizing academic excellence will black students be able to thrive in mainstream society.

Mac Donald argues that there is no shortcut for black children seeking to succeed academically; they must put in the effort to read and learn themselves. The burden falls on the individual, not on outside forces attempting to compensate for historical injustice. The tendency to lower standards, remove AP and honors courses, and focus solely on race will eventually lead to a decline in intellectual excellence, which is unacceptable.

Canceling merit-based institutions is a disastrous policy that will lead to civilization suicide. The attack on merit-based institutions and the push for diversity at the expense of excellence contradicts the principles of equal opportunity and fairness. The US must address the root of the problem, which is the academic skills gap among minorities.