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Equalizing Views on the EEOC

I'm not sure what Virgil Vaupel intended to communicate in his last article, in which he revisits Equal Opportunity. I came away with an understanding of what he meant to say, but just in case (because I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt) I'd like to revisit his “revisit.”

The article seems to be his attempt to criticize the establishment of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which was established due to the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The EEOC investigates discrimination complaints based on an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, genetic information, and retaliation for reporting, participating in, and/or opposing a discriminatory practice.

Vaupel claims the establishment of the EEOC was both the “death knell” and the “knock-out punch” for the “White Male American.”

(Can I say that I think his choice to capitalize White Male is very creepy?)

I guess I have to agree. LBJ's Civil Rights Act was the first and arguably last strong move our government made to mandate equality, therefore making moves to dethrone the white male from their place of total privilege over all others. Women, because they are people, were given the same rights as men. People of color, because they are people, were also given the same rights as white men. (Whether or not these things have actually happened is for another time.)

My question is, did he intend on communicating his apparent view that this shift away from the systemic oppression of women, minorities, and every other non-white-male is a bad thing?

Does he believe white men should have more privilege and opportunity than everyone else?

 

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