Klarinet Archive - Posting 000304.txt from 1999/02

From: DHmorgan@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Women and orchestras
Date: Sun, 7 Feb 1999 23:47:57 -0500

In a message dated 2/7/99 2:39:39 PM Pacific Standard Time, gkidder@-----.edu
writes:

<< "Reverse discrimination" is prejudice undertaken in an attempt to correct
the average. To the extent that this results in selection of persons
because of any extraneous criterion (race, for instance) it is almost as
reprehensible as "forward discrimination". The only difference is that the
practioners of forward discrimination usually have less civilized intentions
than the practioners of reverse discrimination. But it is still prejudice,
it is still bias, and it is still wrong. >>

Discrimination, against blacks for instance, has been incredibly brutal.
White people have a rather infamous history in this country of trying to hold
on to their priviledges--slavery gave way to share cropping, Jim Crow--the era
of real progress has been an incredibly short span. I don't know if whites
are in a position to cry foul and start protesting about fairness. It's a
lousy situation, but who created it? Unfortunately, not any of the white
people reading this--we're all too young. But we still benefit from being
white. I, for one, hate the idea that I'm getting advantages I don't deserve
just because I'm white, male, upper class, etc. If centuries of
indiscriminately promoting whiteness can only be addressed by indiscriminately
promoting blackness, I think we need to take that solution seriously.

Truly,
Don

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