Pinning a Label on Government Folly

Re “If the Label Gives Offense, County Relabels,” Dec. 1: I can barely contain my anger (and laughter) over the nonsensical move by L.A. County’s Affirmative Action Compliance Office to request that 30,000 vendors change accepted industry standards and remove potentially “offensive” or “discriminatory” labels on materials and equipment sold to the county, all because one employee out of tens of thousands working for the county filed a complaint. The very idea that a government body would think itself even remotely responsible, let alone actually spend time and money, to placate a single working stiff who felt his sensibilities were offended by having to use equipment with such labels as “master” and “slave” is stultifying.

Jim Hergenrather

Los Angeles