G
George
http://www.insightmag.com/news/2004/01/20/National/Opinion.Robinson.Crusoe.Meets.shtml
Insight on the News - National
Issue: 01/20/04
By Mark Q. Rhoads
.............................................................
.....................................................
Sometime in 2003 a Los Angeles County employee noticed some video tapes and
computer components used by the county were labeled "master" and "slave,"
leading him to file a discrimination complaint with the county's Office of
Affirmative Action Compliance.
................................................................
..........................................
The complainant was of the opinion the terminology was offensive, leading
the Los Angeles County government to send a memo to its vendors and to
contractors doing business with the county asking them to look for
alternative labels.
Joe Sandoval, the division manager of purchasing and contract services,
................., told vendors that "Based on the cultural diversity and
sensitivity of Los Angeles County, this is not an acceptable identification
label."
........................... The memo continued, "We would request that each
manufacturer, supplier and contractor review, identify and remove/change
any identification or labeling of equipment components that could be
interpreted as discriminatory or offensive in nature."
The Sandoval memo asks vendors to look for alternative terms but does not
suggest what the new language should be.
....................................................
............................................
Mark Q. Rhoads is a former Illinois state senator and former editorial
writer for the Chicago Sun-Times.
Insight on the News - National
Issue: 01/20/04
By Mark Q. Rhoads
.............................................................
.....................................................
Sometime in 2003 a Los Angeles County employee noticed some video tapes and
computer components used by the county were labeled "master" and "slave,"
leading him to file a discrimination complaint with the county's Office of
Affirmative Action Compliance.
................................................................
..........................................
The complainant was of the opinion the terminology was offensive, leading
the Los Angeles County government to send a memo to its vendors and to
contractors doing business with the county asking them to look for
alternative labels.
Joe Sandoval, the division manager of purchasing and contract services,
................., told vendors that "Based on the cultural diversity and
sensitivity of Los Angeles County, this is not an acceptable identification
label."
........................... The memo continued, "We would request that each
manufacturer, supplier and contractor review, identify and remove/change
any identification or labeling of equipment components that could be
interpreted as discriminatory or offensive in nature."
The Sandoval memo asks vendors to look for alternative terms but does not
suggest what the new language should be.
....................................................
............................................
Mark Q. Rhoads is a former Illinois state senator and former editorial
writer for the Chicago Sun-Times.