Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Old MacDonald Had a Job...EOE...OE
It's nice that people actually think that the "EOE" at the end of a job advertisement means "Equal Opportunity Employer", but I'm about to burst that proverbial bubble by stating that these letters may technically be the ellipses for this meaning, but the true definition of EOE contains an ulterior definition followed by microscopic loopholes which are used in conjunction with an employer's personal tastes and phobias. From what I can gather, EOE stands for "Extremely Oppositional Employer" and the microscopic words are stated thusly: "If an applicant is the native of (and it lists several Middle Eastern and Latin countries and California), he or she shall be considered ineligible for this line of employment based on his or her coloring, nationality and/or religious preferences. We at (name a company) feel that this person would jeopardize the moral thinking of our Caucasian employees, and would infect the drinking water. All Middle Eastern men and women, due to their high terrorist tendencies, pose a threat to the security and safety of our workplace and should be considered a risk. Any Caucasian giving aid to such applicants will be considered Arab-lovers and will be relieved of their duties immediately."
My husband is an Egyptian looking for work in a Southern State...how crazy is that? He has a bachelor's degree in Hotel Management and cannot even find work as a bellboy. I highly suspect that our EOE companies are not looking past the name at the top of the Resume. Some of them take one look at him as he enters the "white folks resources dept." and make up stupid excuses..."That position was filled this morning"; "We aren't hiring right now"; "We're looking for someone who can manage a 500 room Hotel. I'm sorry, you've only got experience with 450 room Hotels and we feel that you wouldn't be able to keep up." What they are really saying is, "We don't hire Arabs." I may sound more like a conspiracy theorist by saying this, but, if you could see how hard Karim has worked at this, how many opportunities there are out there, and the types of people they are overlooking Karim to hire, you'd understand my point of view. He has applied for hundreds of places here if you count the online applications. He has received two calls and one postcard, but no offers. His resume is beautiful (thank you) and His cover letter persuasive. His education and experience, were he a White American Male (WAM), would land him a heavy position immediately. But he is an Arab. A raghead. A camel-jockey. From a country that invented beer, batteries and immortality. Go figure.
My husband is an Egyptian looking for work in a Southern State...how crazy is that? He has a bachelor's degree in Hotel Management and cannot even find work as a bellboy. I highly suspect that our EOE companies are not looking past the name at the top of the Resume. Some of them take one look at him as he enters the "white folks resources dept." and make up stupid excuses..."That position was filled this morning"; "We aren't hiring right now"; "We're looking for someone who can manage a 500 room Hotel. I'm sorry, you've only got experience with 450 room Hotels and we feel that you wouldn't be able to keep up." What they are really saying is, "We don't hire Arabs." I may sound more like a conspiracy theorist by saying this, but, if you could see how hard Karim has worked at this, how many opportunities there are out there, and the types of people they are overlooking Karim to hire, you'd understand my point of view. He has applied for hundreds of places here if you count the online applications. He has received two calls and one postcard, but no offers. His resume is beautiful (thank you) and His cover letter persuasive. His education and experience, were he a White American Male (WAM), would land him a heavy position immediately. But he is an Arab. A raghead. A camel-jockey. From a country that invented beer, batteries and immortality. Go figure.
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
"The New Colossus",
Emma Lazarus
