Social Justice and Social Work: Response

On reading Pelton's essay "Social Justice and Social Work," as well as Scanlon's subsequent response, I was as interested as I was conflicted about the content of the piece. The subject of Pelton's writing is important, and the author raises questions that we all should be considering. However, I found his perspective to be somewhat different from my own and the tone of the writing to be unnecessarily inflammatory. While there is a fine line between group-specific advocacy and discrimination, I think it is dangerous to be overly cautious about acknowledging and working on the assumption of group differences at the risk of blinding ourselves to realities that could improve care.
     Pelton makes the point that "statistically valid stereotypes" are stereotypes none the less. I must disagree with this on the basis that observable, measurable and statistically quantified differences amongst social, ethnic, and cultural groups, while still up for constant re-evaluation, move out of the umbrella of "stereotype" and rather become measurable phenomena occurring in a specific portion of the population. I do agree with Pelton that it is important to look first to commonalities between us all as humans, but I think also that when you're working in a society in which there exists structures which, whether implicitly or explicitly, discriminate against certain sections of the greater population that it is valid to examine these structures in order to subvert their  negative effects.
I appreciated Scanlon's response. He acknowledged the validity of Pelton's concerns while bringing to the table what I feel to be a more realistic and reasonable perspective. Scalon also brings up the possibility of utilizing population groups and their existing differences as a strength in Social Work practice, which I think is a constructive alternative to Pelton's proposal. Maybe we are not all exactly the same, but why should that have necessarily be bad? Diversity in all areas of life can help to make a more vibrant and thriving society.