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From: ellis@spar.UUCP (Michael Ellis)
Newsgroups: net.women,net.flame
Subject: Re: Discrimination
Message-ID: <250@spar.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 17-May-85 17:12:09 EDT
Article-I.D.: spar.250
Posted: Fri May 17 17:12:09 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 19-May-85 08:04:51 EDT
References: <354@iham1.UUCP>
Reply-To: ellis@spar.UUCP (Michael Ellis)
Distribution: net
Organization: Schlumberger Palo Alto Research, CA
Lines: 54
Xref: linus net.women:4639 net.flame:9104

Why do *I*, as a white adult male of Northern European descent, have to pay
for what *someone else* did more than 200 years ago?... My ancestors came to
this country 130 years ago from Germany and started farming...(*I*) am the
*first* person of the entire clan to graduate from college, and, while life
is modestly comfortable, am not what one could call privileged or powerful.

So, why do *I* have to pay for something *I* didn't do?  *I* didn't hold any
slaves, *I* didn't force any Orientals into ghettos in San Francisco, *I*
didn't lynch any black people in the South, *I* didn't put the phrase "No
Irish Need Apply" in help wanted ads, *I* didn't block any women from the
workplace, *I* didn't sweat any illegal aliens in unsafe working conditions,
*I* didn't do any of the things people cite as the reasons for this reverse
discrimination. I hadn't even been born when most of these things were
happening. So why do *I* have to pay? -- Carl Deitrick

    *YOU* make me throw up.

    *Your* white ancestors intelligently came to this `land of opportunity'
    where `ALL WHITE MALES ARE CREATED SUPERIOR', lived decent, hard working
    lives, and now, *YOU*, the fruit of their expectations, have fulfilled
    their hopes by attaining a what probably seemed but a dream a short
    130 years ago.

    But one reason why their dream was realized--and a large part at that--
    was due to a system skewed heavily in favor of white boys like *YOU*.
    That meant many people's dreams went unfulfilled since the results of
    their labor were usurped by a system that favored *YOUR* FAMILY.

    That also means their offspring were less likely to go to college than
    *you*.  Or have a good paying enginerd job and display their selfishness
    to the world here on the DrivelNet.

    So now *YOU* are complaining!! What's wrong? Do *you* want more??

    We all have complaints. And if *you* listened more to those coming
    from the most brutally disadvantaged families, maybe *you'd* shut up.

    Nobody's saying *you* should feel GUILTY about today's underprivileged.
    Even though our society unfairly made *you* and *your* parents the
    beneficiaries of wealth that could have gone towards better housing,
    health, and education for the deprived.  

    After all, *you* are INNOCENTLY in the possession of their STOLEN
    INHERITANCE. 

    I'd have hoped that those who have enjoyed the benefits of being white
    might also have the generosity and good will to share a bit of their
    unearned wealth. 

    *You* oughta be grateful for what *you* have received and stop
    complaining. Perhaps it's true that material well being does breed
    GREED. Pity.

-michael