The late Arthur Ashe suggested that "fighting the color barrier in this country was far tougher for him than fighting AIDS" (Lupica 102). Recent events involving Denny's, Congress, and K-Mart have focused on major forms of discrimination: racism, sexism, and ageism. This packet of material provides other bases for discrimination-among them health, habits, and appearance. While many cases of discrimination involve employment and housing, other areas of life may be affected as well-law, medicine, and education. Interestingly, technological progress may provide means for more insidious discrimination in the future.

While most people abhor blatant discrimination, sometimes the line between discrimination and judgment is blurred. For example, if publicly funded medical care is a limited resource, should expensive procedures for the elderly be banned? According to Webster's, discrimination makes "a difference in treatment or favor on a basis other than individual merit" ("Discrimination"). Is it wrong? Likewise, race norming adds points to employment test scores depending on race. Is this discrimination? Is it wrong?

In contemporary society, "discrimination" has primarily negative connotations. Yet another denotative meaning of the word is quite positive-the ability to make fine distinctions as does a person of discriminating taste. Everyone discriminates in this sense of the word. Humans distinguish differences when choosing a car or a home or a mate.    If individuals rather than agencies make choices, are those choices discriminatory in the negative sense or are they expressions of personal freedom?

One thing seems clear; problems can be associated with discrimination and no one is immune from the effects. An extreme form of discrimination, "ethnic cleansing," is plaguing the world today. Bosnia, Iraq, and Somalia are marked by violence based on ethnicity. Apparently, a lesson of World War 11 has not been learned. As Pastor Martin Neimoeller wrote,

"in Germany, the Nazis came for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time there was so one left to speak for me" (quoted in Facina 146-147).

Sources:
"Discrimination." Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary . 1990 ed.

Facing History and Ourselves. ed. Margot Stern Strom and William S. Parsons. Watertown, Mass: Intentional Educations Inc., 1982.

Lupica, Mike. "The Righteous Rage of Arthur Ashe." Esquire October 1992: 101-102.

In past exams, students who planned writing strategies did a better job on the final. You may wish to brainstorm and prewrite to generate material for your essay. You may bring into the exam one 3" by 5" notecard containing outlines, thesis statements, or notes. You may also bring this test packet, a dictionary, and a thesaurus. Computerized sections may write on computer.

During the final exam period, you will be assigned two of the following topics and allowed to choose one of the two. Write a well-developed, multiple-paragraph essay which responds to the topic. Your response should reflect familiarity with the source materials in the packet. Make sure that your essay addresses the issue raised and follows the organizational pattern specified.
 

1. Analyze why some employers may feel justified in discriminating in the workplace. (Thesis developed by cause and effect)
2. Classify levels of discrimination from the barely perceptible to the blatantly obvious. (Thesis developed by classification)
3. Compare the positive aspects of discrimination with possible negative effects. (Thesis developed by comparison)
4. Discrimination is/is not prevalent in schools. (Thesis developed by examples)

Good papers avoid the obvious, the generalized. A student may focus on one type of discrimination in responding to the topics.
 

1. Brainstorm the groups employers are most likely to discriminate against-old, young, pregnant, sick.
2. Share a specific instance of discrimination (from text or experience) with your class. In small groups (or as a class) classify these instances.
3. Develop some comparison grids. For example, how can discrimination regarding youths in health, education, and welfare help and/or hurt them? Laws preventing overwork and injury reduce job opportunities. Tracking in education may help some and hurt others. Reductions in teen welfare payments encourage birth control but limit choice.
4. Freewrite on discrimination in education.

Appelman, Hilary. "Cornell considers gay dormitory wing." Phoenix Gazette 24 March 1993: A-3.

Green, Rochelle. "Discrimination by DNA." Health January 1990: 86.

"Harrassment charges climb with awareness." Arizona Republic 4 April 1993: E-3.

"Judge cites model's looks, dismisses speeding charges." Phoenix Gazette 5 March 1993: A-10.

Miller, Robert Keith. "Discrimination Is a Virtue." Student's Book of College English. 6th Edition. Skwire, David and Harvey S. Wiener. New York: MacMillan, 1992. 291-292.

Neergaard, Lauran. "Man free to learn years after disability made him a shut-in." Phoenix Gazette 16 April 1993: E-5.

Nevi, Charles. "In Defense of Tracking." The Education Digest. September 1987: 50-52.

"New rape, slaughter allegations surface." Arizona Republic 5 March 1993: A-2

Privitere, Andrea. "New Job Risks: Bad health habits can be fatal to your work." Arizona Republic 17 July 1991: A-1, A-6.

Sachs, Andrea. "Excess Baggage is Not a Firing Offense." Time 25 March 1991: 50.

"Sexual harassment defined for high-school campuses." Arizona Republic 13 April 1993: E-3.