The Scales of Injustice

In a society that provides strong legal sanctions against discrimination based on race, religion and sex, where can an aspiring bigot turn for victims these days? Robert Half, president of a New York-based personnel agency, claims he has ferreted out an as yet unforbidden social prejudice: against the fat. Half--5 ft. 10 in. and 150 Ibs.--surveyed 15,000 executives across the nation and discovered that of those earning $25,000 to $45,000 per year, only 9% were more than 10 Ibs. overweight. In the $10,000 to $20,000 bracket, however, fully 40% were. Half s conclusion: the fat executive is being grossly underpaid and underpromoted. "You should hire on the basis of competency," he urges.

"When you discriminate against overweight people, you may end up with mediocrity. One client said he didn't want anybody who was from Brooklyn or fat.

I asked him why. 'Because,' he told me, 'they both steal.' " One might well ponder what's next. Discrimination against blue-eyed people as probable liars? Short people as likely extortionists? Six-fingered piano players as poor credit risks?

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