Discrimination – it’s all around us

Americans are not known for their humility. We’ve been the richest, most powerful nation in the world for a long time now, so I guess it’s only natural that we tend to think of ourselves as being a cut above the rest.

After all, we are among the world leaders in so many categories. Some of them are obvious (income, personal freedom, fast food consumption, etc.), but there are others that you would have to dig beneath the surface to recognize. Like guilt, for instance. Is there any other country that wallows in its past and present shortcomings with the enthusiasm that we do? I don’t think so. As a white male, and a Southerner to boot, I try to set aside some time every day to mentally flog myself over the many bad things my forbears might have done.

And I have to do that, otherwise I might slip up and say or do something that will cause offense to some group of people to whom I should be more sensitive. That point was driven home for me a few weeks ago when I had the temerity to question whether or not the process that led to the nomination of a certain Supreme Court nominee was really an exhaustive one that fairly considered all possible candidates, even those who happen to be male and/or Caucasian.

Shortly thereafter I was subjected to an editorial trip to the woodshed on these pages, and I consider myself to be properly chastened. I must keep in mind that not only can white men not jump, they also cannot talk about reverse discrimination without feeling like they are being lumped together with those bed sheet-wearing yahoos who inexplicably consider themselves to be part of some “master race.” And let me tell you, those are definitely not the kind of people I want to form a lump with.

So I am trying to turn over a new leaf and be more sensitive to the subject of discrimination in our society. And in that spirit I want to discuss a story I came across this week that highlighted a previously unsung class of people who are, through no fault of their own, experiencing verifiable discrimination in the work place.

Did you know that recent studies have shown that tall people make significantly more money than their vertically-challenged coworkers? After accounting for all other factors, it appears that every additional inch of height accounts for almost an extra $1000 a year in annual salary on average. That’s right, mister 5-foot-nothing, that former basketball player who sits in the next cubicle is probably making ten grand a year more than you just because he’s tall enough to dunk.

That’s just plan unfair, and in this golden age where we continuously seek new ways to redress discrimination and eliminate unfair practices, something needs to be done. Obviously the vertically-challenged should be added to the protected list of people who can sue for workplace discrimination. But thinking about this injustice has got me wondering, how many other people are being mistreated by our society yet have not been awarded the deserved title of “victim”?

I would be willing to bet that people who are introverted, overweight, homely, obnoxious, or smelly could very well be suffering from unfair treatment in the workplace and in our culture in general, just like short people are. And something needs to be done about it.

President Obama should institute a new, cabinet-level department that would be in charge of rooting out and redressing any and all instances of discrimination being perpetrated on any American for any reason. Laws should be written, tax breaks should be handed out, and apologies should be made. There is no excuse for any American to be discriminated against in this day and age, and it is the federal government’s job to actively combat all forms of prejudice wherever they occur.

The exception, of course, would be when the discrimination is targeted at Caucasian males, which