Mr. Apodaca,
Thank you for making this statement to the group.  I especially agree with
your final comments as a woman and ethnic minority who had difficulty gaining
entrance into the fine arts field.
Jeanette Spencer
Marketing Manager
American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC)

On Tuesday, August 18, Paul Apodaca wrote:

<Does this mean that a job posting for education about Western culture
<would most logically be applied for by a caucasian of European descent?
<This reasoning does not make sense. Hispanics would not logically apply
<for positions as English teachers, or an American Indian would most
<logically not apply for a job as a folklorist of any culture other than
<indigenous American? Only a man can curate objects made by men? Advances
<are made by women who apply for jobs that have been  withheld in the past,
<by ethnic minorities applying for jobs that have excluded them in the
<past, by caucasians, whether Anglo, Germanic, Slavic, or Nordic, applying
<for jobs outside of their families of origin, by servicemen participating
<in all areas of the military not just as pilots or as cooks. No, it does
<not hold up logically or reasonably if we wish to continue making
<advances. Don't be timid, apply for any job for which you are qualified.
<Many minorities and women know how nerve wracking it is to apply to an
<institution not of their own community, it takes nerve and a belief in
<your own self worth. Go ahead and try. Your own qualities and abilities
<will show through. That is the promise of America.
<
<Best,
<
<Paul Apodaca

On Tue, 18 Aug 1998, Robert T. Handy wrote:

> I sure hope this does not get me into trouble again, but I must admit that
> when I see an ad for a position at an institution with some kind of focus
> on Africa, African-American music, art, culture, history, etc., I simply
> assume they are looking for African-American candidates and that I as an
> Anglo, would not be considered for the position.  Therefore, I do not
> apply.  Is this such an outlandish assumption?
>
>
> ------
> Robert Handy
> Brazoria County Historical Museum
> 100 East Cedar
> Angleton, Texas  77515
> (409) 864-1208
> museum_bob
> [log in to unmask]
> http://www.bchm.org
>
> ----------
> From:   Gary Crockett and Jenny Olman[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent:   Tuesday, August 18, 1998 9:37 AM
> To:     [log in to unmask]
> Subject:        civility or side stepping equity
>
> <<File: ATT00006.html>>
> Thankyou David Harvey. Of course this is a far more relevant issue for
> discussion.
>
> If the larger issues of affirmative action had been raised, as some of the
> commentary has suggested might be behind Mr. Herrings comments, then that
> would be a legitimate "issue" for discussion on the list.
>
> The delight in vilifying Herring and, as such, side stepping this
> considerably more pressing issue seems to imply that the idea of supportive
> bias or preferential treatment in the interests of equity, access and
> inclusion holds little favour in the cultural sector. How long can we
> delude ourselves that the playing field is level? In our institution, under
> government support, applicants with specific cultural backgrounds are
> openly sought for certain positions.
>
> Gary Crockett
> Curator
> Hyde Park Barracks Museum
> Sydney Australia
> [log in to unmask]
> website www.hht.nsw.gov.au