I was hoping someone would reply to the reader's letter in Today by Alison Burns. I thought her response to Ben Ong Seng Wee would generate some kind of response from the anti-discrimination people.



Ben Ong Seng Wee wrote in to Today about unjust exclusiveness of Tanglin club. In his letter, he stated that the club banned maids from entering. Alison replied saying that the decision to ban maids "has nothing whatsoever to do with racism or snobbery, and everything to do with social responsiblity."



What does social responsiblity of clubs and customers consist of? The separation of people into classes by profession? While we cannot ascertain whether it was racial discrimination, it certainly does appear alot like class discrimination. Class discrimination where people are prejudiced based on their profession, income, wealth or even looks.



Alison states that, "I know from experience that when a gaggle of maids gets together around the pool or in the playground, they can get so caught up in their converstions that the kids take it as a chance to run wild and disturb other members."



If maids can get too caught up in their conversations, could not the same happen to the parents? Would the children not run wild all the same without the pressence of the maid? What has banning the maid got to do with controlling children? If the club was indeed concerned with children running wild, they should ban children, not maids.



Last but not least, Alison said, "Many clubs follow the same rule". If mob makes right, then the world should have been flat, not spherical.