Korczyk, Sophie M.

English

Hollins University

Hollins University Hollins Digital Commons Ann Hopkins Papers Manuscript Collections 4-16-1985 Bias Lives Sophie M. Korczyk Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.hollins.edu/hopkins-papers  Part of the Civil Rights and Discrimination Commons A18 Tuesday, April 16,1985The Washington PostAN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERTou to Dnng a tresn and varied diet to-the tables 6Fthis wealthy country. Since then, when migrantworkers are found held in bondage or a migrant childdies from dysentery, public concern again flaresmomentarily. Congress may even tighte  slightly thepoorly enforced standards meant to curb the worstabuses. But there can be no better testimony to theephemeral quality of this concern than last week sdecision by the Occupational Safety and Health Ad¬ministration to kill a long-awaited rule re uiring thatfresh water and toilets be provided to field workers.There is a sick joke quality about the Labor De¬partment s justification of its decision. OSHA DirectorRobert Rowland says that even if a federal standardhad been set, it would have been laxly enforced. Well,he is certainly in a position to know how often hisagency disreg rds its own rules. Mr. Rowland notes,moreover, that migrants in 13 states are already cov¬ered by some sort of sanitation standards. Perhaps hethinks that those in other states can simply moveacross state lines when they feel the urge. After all,they’re migrants aren’t they?You should know that we are not talking about unnecessary frills. Thousands of field workers andJohns Hopkins University of workers on the nearbyDelmarva Peninsula, have shown that, as a result ofthese primitive conditions, workers suffer highrates of infectious, parasitic and to ic diseases.One expert, recently hired by OSHA to review allavailable evidence, concluded that parasitic disease ismore common among U.S. field workers than amongGuatemalan children. And because they have no¬where to wash their hands and must relieve them¬selves in the fields, these diseases are passed, on tosurrounding communities and the consuming public.The compelling need on both humanitarian andpublic health grounds is no longer seriously disput¬ed. Even the farm organizations, which have tradi¬tionally opposed federal standards, have muted theiropposition. One official told reporter Ward Sinclairlast week that  many of our members are preparedto put this behind us.  Advocates for the farm work¬ers are prepared to appeal OSHA’s decision in court.Labor Secretary-designate William Brock shouldmake sure that appeal isn't necessary. Mr. Rowlandsays that his agency has “higher priority standards to enforce. What priority can be higher than treatingall  eople in this country as hu an beings? ."O , All  IGHT  I COUL  ALSO THROW  S1 £ TRIP FOR THE GUYS WHO WERE  HTHE  THER SI E r -.. *Bias LivesJudge Gerhard Gesell finds it hard tobelieve that female stereotypes still gov¬e    he business world s attitude towardwomen [ Portr its of Ex-EmployeDrawn in Sex Discrimination Case, Metro, March 29], but it is true.A woman in business today is ex¬pected to be creative and aggressivein pursuing the interests of her organi¬zation. But if she uses those samequalities within the organization,whether to protect her  ork from in¬terference or to compete fort re¬sources, she will be told she hasrou h edges. Mind you, these edges  ere rough¬ened in the service of the same peoplewho now want them smoothed. Thebusiness world tells women: “Bring inthe contracts, but don t forget thecookies! To Ann Hopkins I say: “May theforce be with you, sister.”ammunition dump. Americans in¬dulged in wishful thinking about peace,but the government of PresidentThieu was more pragmatic. F5s with,underslung bombs took off daily for re¬taliatory strikes. “Mop ing up  wouldhave taken them a decade and re¬quired the aid we d promised.I saw no “Yankee Go Home  atti¬tude there. Those industrious and in¬telli ent people were rebuilding theircountry while .defending it, and werekind to me. May Day 1973 was agenuine labor holiday with no pinktinges. All our GIs who were flownhome from Saigon passed a govern¬ment sign, weatherbeaten by 1973,thanking them for their sacrifices.What a pity, then, that two troubledex-GIs recently chose our Mali’s Viet¬nam Veterans Memorial for suicide at¬tempts. Our memorial commemoratesonly the dead. We’re stuck with ourmemorial's desi n, but we can shuckoff the myth of defe t.SOPHIE M. KORCZYKlexandriaRUSSELL C. MANNWashingtonFor the RecordFrom an article this, month i  Marke-Trends, newsletter of the Greater /Washington Rese rch Center:The Greater Washington re ionis now one of the top centers for the"singles  life style in the nation. Com-jpared to the rest of America’s 10 larg¬est met os, this region: .ranks first in percentage of itsadult residents who have never beenmarried; - iis second in the percentage  hoare not currently married; ;m o«rrj»ntAffe_whQ toostjington postEUQENE MEYER, 1875-1959Pffl IP L. GRAHAM, 1915-1983DON LD E. GRAHAMPublisher, BENJAMIN C. BRADLEE MEG GREENFIELDExecutive Editor E itorial Page EditorLEONARD DOWNIE JR. STEPHEN S. ROSENFELDM naging Editor Deputy E t l Pa e E itorRICHARD HARWOOD JOHN B. KUHNS •PETER H.SI BERM NDeputy Mana ing E itors¦. THOMAS H. FE GUSO  ' ’Presiden  an  Gen r l Man  er ..VICE PRESIDENTSNICHOLAS CANNISTRARO JR. MarkeUn BOISFEUI LET JONES JR. CounselELIZABETH ST. J. LOKER A vance  S stemsTHEODO E C. LUTZ PersonnelFRANK MANZON Circula ionTHOM S 0. MIGHT ProductionVINCENT E. REED CommunicationsDO ALD S. RICE OperationsALAN SPOON ControllerAWRENCE  . WALLACE Industrial  elationsPublished by The Was in ton Post Compan KATHARINE GRAHAM ' ~~Chairman of the Boar -- ,RICHARD D. SIMMONSPreside t. :  115015t  3t.NW.Wasl: g on,D.C.a)07l.(2Q2)334-C VI

Bias Lives

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Bias Lives

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