Discrimination

A topic came up this week discussing discrimination. The discussion was centered around the typical message which says it's bad to discriminate against people based on their appearance.

I wanted to ask my questions about that to the speaker, but of course didn't want to cause trouble and stayed silent. But I can ask my questions here.

In the context of the general principle of non-discrimination on the basis of appearance, it's fairly easy to agree that people should not be excluded from a job, housing, a loan, or a school based on their race. Sure, if you have good credit you should get the loan or mortgage or be able to rent the apartment regardless of how you look. If you are the most qualified for the job among the applicants, you should get the job.

Here's where I have an issue. Discrimination happens every day and for a multitude of reasons. Who hasn't been in the market for a new job and found out they can't get many jobs for which they are highly qualified because the company decides to hire a friend or relative of a manager or executive?

When I was in college during the tight job market and awful Jimmy Carter economy, I had a couple of friends who lost great jobs simply because the company was under pressure to comply with affirmative action. Later, a terribly unqualified person was hired in the computer lab in which I worked because she threatened to bring a discrimination suit against the college for having no black employees in that department.

If I am interviewing applicants for a job, I would tend to discriminate against these types of people:

• Women that wear too much perfume or men too much cologne (I'm allergic)
• Anyone who does not wear clean and professional clothing to the interview
• Anyone who cannot speak clearly using proper English grammar
• Anyone who is militantly __________(fill in the blank)
• Those with personalities I don't like (extreme arrogance, fail to make eye contact, foul-mouthed, etc.)

So when is it acceptable to discriminate? If the person is or has -

obese?
a smoker?
a harelip or cleft palate?
bad acne?
bad breath?
discolored, broken, or missing teeth?
a deformity or birthmark?
poor personal hygiene?
a 70's style wardrobe?


What if the person is -

a fundamentalist evangelical Christian?
a Muslim?
a Mormon?
a Catholic?
a Buddist?
an Atheist?
a variant of Paganism, like Wicca?

Back to the basics, is it OK to discriminate based on race if

• it's combined with other factors like appropriate dress and speech?
• the intent is to give underprivileged minorities an opportunity?
• the company is owned by a racial minority who wants to hire just members of his own race?
• the company is owned by an immigrant who hires only other immigrants from his country of origin?

Is it OK to discriminate against smokers and overweight applicants to save money on health insurance?

Is it OK to discriminate against homosexuals if it's combined with other factors like inappropriate dress and behavior?

What's the point I'm trying to make?

Discrimination happens every day. Many times we can all agree that the discrimination in company hiring is unfair.

The problem is that when the government is asked to step in and force it to be fair, it can never work. Because the government then gets into the business of choosing winners and losers.