Want to get ahead? Be a white dude
How could a man so intelligent, get an issue so wrong? I’m referring to Victor Davis Hanson’s column Aug. 30, “Race, gender and politics in the 21at century.”
In the column, Mr. Hanson suggests that in order to get ahead, some white folks are claiming minority status so that they can enjoy “special minority advantages.” Huh?
Let’s explore some facts relating to this issue. The median income of a white household in the U.S. is about $57,000. Black households take in a median income of $33,000. Only 5 percent of the CEOs of the Fortune 500 are women. Only 1% are black. Over the last 60 years, black unemployment has consistently been twice as high as white unemployment. Black men are six times more likely to be incarcerated than white men.
Eighty percent of the Congress is white. Eighty percent of the Congress are men. Until very recently, only white guys have served as president of the United States.
As a fellow white guy, I can assure Mr. Hanson that if you want to get ahead in this country, it helps to be a white dude.
Sam Hagen, Kingsburg
This story was originally published September 2, 2015 at 5:24 PM with the headline "Want to get ahead? Be a white dude."