Originally published in the Grand Rapids Business Journal, February 27, 2006.

Two things triggered this comic: One, Robert Dean is stepping down from the Grand Rapids city council to run for a state office. Mr. Dean is black and so there were immediate demands -- not requests, not "hey, wouldn't it be a good idea if" -- but demands that he be replaced by a black person. The next was that the Grand Rapids Public Schools recently chose a new superintendent. The final two candidates were men: one black, one white. Both very well qualified. Both with their strengths in philosophies and experience. Unfortunately, certain members of the black community seized upon the fact that the white candidate was, in fact, a Canadian citizen. He had lived and worked in the US for several years as a superintendent, but was not yet an American citizen. They thought that this and this alone should disqualify him. Silly.