The best

Meritocracy is the antithesis of equity. The first means striving for excellence and the second striving for equal results. It is the old joke from Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon where all the kids are above average. America is a success story for many reasons, one of which, is the idea of trying to be the best. Competition brings out the best in people be it business, sports or education. Capitalism produces winners and anyone who competes can be a winner. The nice thing is that there doesn't always have to be losers but second place and third place winners. In sports there are not many superstars but there are many stars. Life in a free society is about trying and failing and trying again. The old story says if you get knocked off your horse the first thing to do is get back on the horse. Your team doesn't have to end up with the most points if everyone tried their best. The famous sports writer Grantland Rice said when the Great Scorekeeper in the sky comes to write behind your name, He'll not ask whether you won or lost but how you played the game. Concepts like diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) relegates merit to second place and promotes mediocrity. To compete on the world market American needs the best.