Measurements of Progress

Virgil Vaupel claims the EEOC discriminates against white men. And in fact, there have been cases in which the EEOC has ruled in favor of white men who were discriminated against. If Virgil had chosen to cite credible examples of this happening, he may have introduced a compelling argument.

Instead, Virgil listed many ways in which women and people of color have proven their abilities by being hired into positions of power, including as magazine editors and as athletes. None of the examples he listed gave any credibility to his claim that the EEOC supports discrimination against white males. But, despite having just given a handful of prime examples, he seems to believe that we somehow still haven’t “earned it.”

This tells me that he somehow still believes women and minorities can’t possibly measure up to the white men of America on an even playing ground.

When Virgil asked, “When was the last time white men marched for anything?” he insinuated that white men are the only people in this country who have ever been able to accomplish anything by their own volition. Yet, he mourns the loss of white privilege. Tell me – why would someone who is born with more privilege than anyone else in the country need to protest?

They protest when they feel that unfair privilege threatened. The most obvious example of a white man marching is in a KKK parade.

(I’m sure Virgil would like me to restate that he doesn’t think a “white male dominated society is the only way to go,” just that “equal opportunity has gotten out of hand.”)

Virgil claimed that as a “feminist” who sees America with “rose-colored glasses,” I would never admit that the feminist movement can be credited with the loss of the traditional family unit.

I know the nuclear family is less common. Yes, through female empowerment women gained the freedom to leave unhappy marriages. But the reasons behind rising divorce rates are more complicated than that. All of the changes Virgil would blame on the Civil Rights movement are complex socio-economical facets of our country.

Blaming women and people of color for the “fall” of our country is irrational. Correlation is not causation. He mourns the success white men used to claim all for themselves because he is a part of our population who would benefit from that.

I’m a young woman, so I celebrate that change. I am so happy to be unmarried, so happy to not have children, and so happy to be pursuing a career. Not for “walk-around” money, but because I want to and it’s my right. And, thanks to the suffragettes and the Civil Rights Movement, his opinion is no longer legally more valid than mine. Progress!