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From: welsch@houxu.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Who makes important decisions?
Message-ID: <211@houxu.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 1-Oct-83 12:42:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: houxu.211
Posted: Sat Oct  1 12:42:00 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 2-Oct-83 21:30:59 EDT
Organization: Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 41

In a recent article the following statement was made.

	White men make the vast majority of important decisions in this
	country.

There are a number of false connotations that such statements
promolgate. First, is that all white men make "important"
decisions. This is false. Fact - very few (less than 1% of the
US population) people make "important" decisions.

The second false connotation, is the connotation that if we can
just be certain that minorities participate in the making of
"important" decisions then all (more) "minority" problems will
be solved. Fact - there are more black people in more important
decision making positions today than there were in 1960. Fact -
the average adjusted income for a black family today is less
than it was in 1960.

Third, is the false connotation that we can create equality by
simply shifting who makes decisions. Fact - there is more
discrimination between white males than between members of any
any other groups ie. decisions as to which white male to hire
are not made less based on ability than on who you know, what
school you went to, what economic class you are a member of, how
you dress, what religion you are, etc.

Fourth, is the false connotation that "white men" as a class are
responsible for the situation that a small percentage of white
men make most of the important decisions.  Fact - this is a
historical remnant of the emergence of Western Europe as a
dominate force and later the emergence of USA as a dominant
force.

Fifth, is the false connotation that this can be changed without
changing our culture. This is false as long Judeo / Christian /
Moslem ... religions teach that "men" make important decisions.
How can we keep people from believing other wise. People will
act on their beliefs.

						Larry Welsch
						houxu!welsch