Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site phri.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!mhuxn!mhuxr!ulysses!gamma!epsilon!zeta!sabre!bellcore!decvax!tektronix!uw-beaver!cornell!vax135!timeinc!phri!lonetto From: lonetto@phri.UUCP (Michael Lonetto) Newsgroups: net.women Subject: Re: Discrimination and Affirmative Action Message-ID: <274@phri.UUCP> Date: Thu, 20-Jun-85 17:19:43 EDT Article-I.D.: phri.274 Posted: Thu Jun 20 17:19:43 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 23-Jun-85 06:54:08 EDT References: <338@unc.UUCP> <337@mhuxr.UUCP> <219@kontron.UUCP> <344@mhuxr.UUCP> <247@kontron.UUCP> <806@oddjob.UUCP> Organization: Public Health Research Inst. (NY, NY) Lines: 50 > 1. Assume that natural endowments are distributed evenly among men, women, > american indians, negroes, orientals, and caucasians--at birth. > 2. Assume that socialization and education have little or no effect on > the presence of these natural endowments--that despite discouragement, > 3. Assume that socialization and education can only enhance these natural > endowments, and that the greater the endowment, the less socialization > 4. There being an equal distribution of natural endowment in both sexes > > 5. Because women and minorities are undereducated and underemployed > 6. If handled incorrectly, AA can be easily used against the people it > is intended to help. The government cannot legislate the correct > > 7. As long as it is handled carefully, AA can be good for the workforce, > good for the country, and even build some character in the men that > presently must rely on unfair advantages. > Cheryl Stewart All I can say is that programming must be too easy a job if people CAN rely on >>unfair<< advantages. In research such people usually find something not too difficult for them (low pressure) and vegetate. There is unfortun- ately an "old boy" network in place (though it is being converted to "old scientists") and it is difficult for ANYONE starting out. In fact there are nowhere near enough good jobs for all the very qualified people around now. I think this has more to do with the lack of women in science than anything AA is likely to cure. Who wants to go into a field where there aren't enough jobs and those that exist go to people who "know someone?" The answer is, those people who got a bug for curiosity at an early age and can't help them- selves. I would like to see more women in science, but with the state of public school science education what it is, and the societal discouragement of women exibiting interest in yukky things like the insides of animals (or the mathematics of cosmology for that matter) it doesn't look likely in the near future. This is a shame, since attitudes are improving towards women (at least in biochemistry) and in some places (like here) they are already quite good. sigh. -- ____________________ Michael Lonetto PHRI NYC (allegra!phri!lonetto) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!LIFE IS A TRIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!