ound of its being socially
backward, politically immature, and numerically in a minority, is a
flagrant violation of the spirit that animates the Faith of Baha'u'llah.
The consciousness of any division or cleavage in its ranks is alien to its
very purpose, principles, and ideals. Once its members have fully
recognized the claim of its Author, and, by identifying themselves with
its Administrative Order, accepted unreservedly the principles and laws
embodied in its teachings, every differentiation of class, creed, or color
must automatically be obliterated, and never be allowed, under any
pretext, and however great the pressure of events or of public opinion, to
reassert itself. If any discrimination is at all to be tolerated, it
should be a discrimination not against, but rather in favor of the
minority, be it racial or otherwise. Unlike the nations and peoples of the
earth, be they of the East or of the West, democratic or authoritarian,
communist or capitalist, whether belonging to the Old World or the New,
who either ignore, trample upon, or extirpate, the racial, religious, or
political minorities within the sphere of their jurisdiction, every
organized community enlisted under the banner of Baha'u'llah should feel
it to be its first and inescapable obligation to nurture, encourage, and
safeguard every minority belonging to any faith, race, class, or nation
within it. So great and vital is this principle that in such
circumstances, as when an equal number of ballots have been cast in an
election, or where the qualifications for any office are balanced as
between the various races, faiths or nationalities within the community,
priority should unhesitatingly be accorded the party representing the
minority, and this for no other reason except to stimulate and encourage
it, and afford it an opportunity to further the interests of the
community. In the light of this principle, and bearing in mind the extreme
desirability of having the minority elements participate and share
responsibility in the conduct of Baha'i activity, it should be the duty of
every Baha'i community so to arrange its affairs that in cases where
individuals belonging to the divers minority elements within it are
already qualified and fulfill the necessary requirements, Baha'i
representative institutions, be they Assemblies, conventions, conferences,
or committees, may have represented on them as many of these divers
elements, racial or otherwise, as pos