I hope this is a dead horse.  Michael's remark was aimed, I would like to
believe, not at any ethnic group but at employers who "hint" at an ethnic
preference in posting their vacancies.

Now, as to Mr. Vreeland's commentary, a REAL problem in the museum field is
the haughtiness that certain professionals have demonstrated.

"WE don't tolerate....."  Who, Mr. Vreeland, is "we?"  Does "we"  refer to
those who have positions in the major museums in the large cities?  Does it
mean professionals who work in New York City?  Does it mean the ones who
think they need the white smocks and Armani suits to "play the role?"

The American Museum of Natural History is a fine museum, I am sure, and I
have enjoyed visiting it.   I hope someone will let us know when it begins
to live up to its name "American," because currently its service is limited
to those who want to visit New York City.

There is much more to be learned out in America's grassroots than Mr.
Vreeland might imagine.   Like London, New York City is no longer where all
the important things happen.  It is just a place where everything costs
more.

-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Vreeland <[log in to unmask]>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.museum-l
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Friday, August 14, 1998 2:35 PM
Subject: Re: Job Opening: Asst. Director


>Dear David,
>Thank you for sharing that we me.
>Chilling is what I intended.
>I would like to wake up some of the people on this list to REAL problems.
>Michael's remark was a slight at people of color and the city I call home.
>If I scared you, I apologize. I would still like to hear an apology from
>the originator of this slur.
>I'm not really angry. I'm just sad that people like Michael can say or
>write hateful or hurtful  things and some peoples only voice of disapproval
>is grammar correction.
>I will watch my "dems "and "dos" from now on.
>Pete
>AKA the thought police
>
>
>> I don't defend or endorse Michael Hering's very unfortunate remark.
>>However, I find Peter Vreeland's response, "We don't tolerate your kind
>>of thinking to exist..." equally chilling. If there's one thing scarier
>>than racism, it's thought police. Oh, it was meant to be humorous? I
>>suppose there's no chance Hering's flippant remark was meant as a joke,
>>however distasteful or ill-considered? Nahh, some people can determine
>>who is an "angry" (he didn't appear angry to me, but Jackie certainly
>>did) "little racist" on the basis of 3 lines of e-mail. I'd ask Mr.
>>Hering to apologize to the list members for an inappropriate, offensive
>>remark, but I think it's going too far to brand him a racist. Many
>>non-racists have made racially offensive and insensitive remarks through
>>miscalculation, accident, Freudian slip, etc. Let's try to be tolerant.
>>     But if there's one thing I won't tolerate, Mr. Vreeland, it's the
>>failure to use "you're" and "your" correctly... Lighten up, folks. A
>>temporary fit of jerkiness doesn't equal racism.
>>
>>David Haberstich
>
>
>
>Peter J. Vreeland                               Phone:  (212) 769-5183
>Department of Education
>American Museum of Natural History              Fax:    (212) 769-5329
>
>Central Park West at 79th Street
>New York, NY 10024-5192 ,USA                    E-Mail:[log in to unmask]
>
>The opinions expressed here are solely the responsibility of the
>author and should in no way be construed as representing the opinions,
>positions and/or policies of his employer.