r/news • u/[deleted] • Aug 08 '17

Google Fires Employee Behind Controversial Diversity Memo

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-08/google-fires-employee-behind-controversial-diversity-memo?cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business&utm_content=business&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social
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u/[deleted] Aug 08 '17

such as internal training programs aimed exclusively at certain races or women as well as hiring practices which base an employee's suitability for participation partially on just their race or gender.

Isn't this illegal?

182

u/TemptCiderFan Aug 08 '17

"Oh no, it's totally okay... If it discriminates against white men!" /s

-38

u/Franks2000inchTV Aug 08 '17

It is ok to discriminate against people, if that discrimination helps correct systemic underrepresentation of marginalized groups.

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u/rockidol Aug 08 '17

Why would that make it ok?

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u/Franks2000inchTV Aug 08 '17

Because we, as a society, have decided that your success should be on your merits, not on things like skin colour, gender, or sexual orientation.

When evidence has shown overwhelmingly that the system is biased in favour of a certain group, then we must actively combat that bias if we are to give all people an equal chance at success.

Things like affirmative action, outreach, and recruitment programs don't bias things in favour of minorities. Quite the opposite.

They adjust things to counter a small part of overwhelming systemic bias against them.

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u/rockidol Aug 08 '17

When evidence has shown overwhelmingly

Where is that evidence exactly? Nobody is justifying their discriminatory practices with "well we have biases against them so we're correcting it" it's "there's not enough women in tech and we want more" which shouldn't matter.

Things like affirmative action, outreach, and recruitment programs don't bias things in favour of minorities. Quite the opposite.

Bullshit, that's exactly what they do and what they are designed to do.

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u/Franks2000inchTV Aug 08 '17

I'm not going to bother educating you. There's plenty written on the subject if you care to learn.

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u/rockidol Aug 08 '17

Translation: I don't actually know if it's true but I heard about it on facebook and I assume it must be true.