I watched those debates on Fox News Channel last week, as well as the coverage afterward. Do you know what I didn't see or hear from any so-called mainstream news agency?

I didn't see or hear anyone making this comment: "Wow, the group of candidates running for the Republican presidential nomination is diverse."

What gives? I thought "diversity" is the name of the game. I thought that's what politics is all about. In fact, I thought racial and gender diversity is what makes the world go round. I thought it is to be celebrated, honored and extolled.

Year after election year, I've heard the GOP getting pummeled for being the party of white men. That's the myth the popular culture puts out there. Yet it was striking to see the diversity on display during the debates. Sure, there are 12 white male candidates, but there are also Dr. Ben Carson, a black man; Sens. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, Hispanic men; Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, an Indian-American; and businesswoman Carly Fiorina.

Do you know what else I didn't notice? I didn't notice any of the five candidates above making their ethnic background or gender a principal reason to vote for them.

What a stark contrast with Democrats, who seem to be all about identity politics.

I have to tell you the record-breaking audience for the first of the GOP presidential debates got to see something remarkable. It got to see the real face of the Republican Party, not the caricature invented by the media and the Democrats. It was refreshing — and revealing.

Do you know what else was refreshing and revealing? That all five of those candidates love America with all of their heart and never play the minority underdog card. None of them seeks to "fundamentally transform America" politically or culturally. None of them has made his or her living in the grievance industry of community organizing. Interestingly, they all have succeeded in life with amazing accomplishments — with nothing being handed to them because of their gender or their ethnic identity. I find this very encouraging.

I also find it alarming and revealing that some of the most vicious attacks from the other party are directed against these five. In fact, you could accurately say that all the firepower of the media and the Democratic Party is focused first on Donald Trump, as front-runner, and then on Carson, Cruz, Rubio, Jindal and Fiorina.

There's nothing the Democrats and their media despise more than conservative minorities and conservative women. They see them as traitors to their race or gender. Isn't that interesting? In other words, women and blacks and Hispanics and other minorities in America aren't supposed to think for themselves and draw their own conclusions about politics. They are supposed to think and act like the majority of members of their "group." Is that really diversity?

If diversity is a good thing when it comes to skin color and gender, why is it a bad thing when it comes to ideology and politics and worldview? You mean we're supposed to all look different but think alike?

This is the essence of the political-correctness war being waged by the media, Democrats and other so-called progressives.

It's a lie. It's an illusion. It's intimidation. It's deception. And it's irrational and tyrannical.

To find out more about Joseph Farah and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.