Reverse discrimination

         it seems kind of trite and even crazy to want to share about something so long ago. Does anyone really want to know? Does anyone care? I am not alone in knowing these feelings. Therefore I will share a story that illustrates the damage that discrimination of any kind can wreak on any person. It is heartless and at times the damage can not be undone.

         I began work with the developmentally disabled shortly after a very painful divorce. I was in a place of doing a lot of soul searching. The church I pastored closed, my dad died and my wife's dad died not too long after that. I was faced with finding a job other than the pastor job I had trained for. I searched the want ads and saw the word "compassion" I knew that job was for me even before the interview took place. This was happening in the context of being told how uncaring I was on a personal and professional level. After all a divorce was in the works and a church I pastored closed about the same time and I had my share of critics. If only.....you had done this it would have never happened. Working with the developmentally disabled gave me a chance to get a second opinion.

         Things went surprisingly well. I discovered I had a gift. I could work with people others neglected or ignored. I felt good about making staff and consumers feel good about who they were and what they were doing. I quickly was promoted from a support staff to a primary care supervisor of an individual who was very difficult to work with. Life was good. I found my niche or so I thought.
         Leadership had changed hands. I felt it was my job to be supportive of them as possible. The person was dark skinned. I immediately was reminded of the civil rights movement. I recalled people I had worked with and been friends with. The fact that we both wanted to provide excellent care to the developmentally disabled was reason to be optimistic. Besides that she had recently lost her dad. I knew she wanted to make him proud.

         There were major changes shortly after she started her position. All employees hours were cut to 40. This was very upsetting to me. I worked a lot of extra hour(not overtime, there was none). I was told to get work elsewhere to pay my bills. I received no sympathy. Then I started noticing as hard as I tried not to. The employment started changing color. I dismissed this as a mission she was on to make dad proud. I noticed further these new employees were getting the hours I had so desperately covetted so I could pay child support. Still I longed to be compassionate. It never occurred to me that I could be victimised. I was beginning to hear ramblings about a lawsuit in process that had something to do with reverse discrimination. I did not want to believe it could be true. Maybe they were just prejudiced themselves.