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Labor Official Attacks U.S. Racism, Sexism

By Phillip Kimball
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Attacking racism and sexism in
America, Labor Department official
Elizabeth Duncan Koontz Wednesday
night said that it is time to "let people do
what they want, whether they are male,
female, black or white."

"The economic status of blacks and
women in this country must be elevated
and it must be elevated now," she said.

Over half of the women between the

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ages of forty five and fifty four work and
over a third of these women live in
poverty." Mrs. Koontz stated. "Blacks,
especially black women, are going to get the
raw end of the deal unless they are critical of
themselves and they must start now."

Myth Cited

Speaking to an audience of about one
hundred people in the Chemistry auditorium,
Mrs. Koontz, director of the Labot
Department's Women's Bureau, cited prejudice
and the existence of "myth" about minority
groups as the main factors in the inequality of
blacks and women. "These prejudices exist at
home, in business and in virtually all walks of
life. When people in minority groups are not
recognized for the qualities they have, they
have the right to rebel." Mrs. Koontz stated.

Mrs. Koontz's lecture dealt with how
prejudices and "myths" develop in both family
life and in business. "From the very beginning a
boy," she said, black or white, is taught that he
is superior to girls. In the same manner a girl is
trained to be meek and to do what she is told.
A boy is forced to play football while a girl
must play with her cookstove. Children are
taught to respect the artificial symbols
surrounding each sex."

Masculinity

"Later in life society dictates what a man
must do if he is to be 'masculine'. He is told
that a man can't show emotion and that they
must treat women as inferior. What is even
worse is that women accept this second class
role," Mrs. Koontz stated

"In the very same manner", she said,
"blacks are raised to believe they are inferior in
a white man's world." Mrs. Koontz said that
she felt that equal opportunity for blacks was
impossible in many parts of the country.
"When applying for a job a black man must
quickly try to adopt to the preconceptions of
his perspective employer, no matter what they
might be. He must cover any personality he has
to get the job."

Discrimination

"Society must eliminate racial and sexual
discrimination at the same time. We must fight
on both fronts," Mrs. Koontz said.

"This country has enough wealth, enough
space so that we can eliminate racism and
sexism without discriminating against anyone
else." Mrs. Koontz said.

"By sharing and building," Mrs. Koontz
concluded," we can make a nation that we can
be proud of. We can be proud of the people in
this country, no matter who they are, what the
color of their skin is or anything else. And
baby, that's the name of the game."