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Jesse Jackson: Tech Diversity Is Next Civil Rights Step
theodp writes: U.S. civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson called on the Obama administration Monday to scrutinize the tech industry's lack of diversity. "There's no talent shortage. There's an opportunity shortage," Jackson said, calling Silicon Valley "far worse" than many others, such as car makers that have been pressured by unions. He said tech behemoths have largely escaped scrutiny by a public dazzled with their cutting-edge gadgets. Jackson spoke to press after meeting with Labor Secretary Tom Perez for a review of H-1B visas, arguing that data show Americans have the skills and should have first access to high-paying tech work. Jackson's Rainbow Push Coalition plans to file a freedom-of-information request next month with the EEOC to acquire employment data for companies that have not yet disclosed it publicly, which includes Amazon, Broadcom, Oracle, Qualcomm and Yelp. Unlike the Dept. of Labor, Jackson isn't buying Silicon Valley's argument that minority hiring statistics are trade secrets. Five years after Google's HR Chief would only reassure Congress the company had "a very strong internal Black Googler Network" and its CEO brushed off similar questions about its diversity numbers by saying "we're pretty happy with the way our recruiting work," Google — under pressure from Jackson — fessed up to having a tech workforce that's only 1% Black, apparently par for the course in Silicon Valley.
Follow the money.
Step #1 would be for not allowing people to look down on those who are smarter. Way too many people in the USA make it a point of pride that they are dumb.
Tech isn't about equal rights. It's about if you are smart enough to get it done.
If there isn't a minority in there they are not smart enough.
It's bad enough we have to deal with the Indians and Chinese with their H1B Visas and working practically for free, the last thing we need to do is be forced
to work with someone who can't carry their own weight.
We need to stop teaching people that their skills and abilities matter and that the color of their skin is what is important right? That'll get rid of racism right? Effing liberals.
But I have a hard time referring to Rev. Jackson by the titular "US Civil Rights Leader" when in fact, he is most widely known for promoting the civil rights of a specific minority. Also, and again, I don't like where this is going. Hiring should be based on qualification of skill, and NOTHING else. Trying to make up for inequality of upbringing by arbitrating diversity standards is as stupid today as it was 20 years ago.
Physics is nothing like religion. If it was, we'd have an easier time trying to raise money!
There is no confusion, that racist is arguing specifically for black people. Not Americans in general or anything else. Instead of trying to get the government to lay down yet more regulations, he should really reach out to his communities and educate the vast majority of black people so they can get these tech jobs. The majority of black people live in low income areas and rarely ever leave. He needs to stop asking for handouts and actually start helping the people he claims to be helping.
...it's the content of one's culture.
If Jesse wants more people with his skin color in the tech industry, he needs to get more of them into the proper culture.
A thug mentality, and victimhood culture, does not succeed. A culture focused on academics, hard work, and personal responsibility does.
Hard to take him seriously when he's basically made himself very wealthy by "advocating" for blacks. It's hard to find anything he's done in the last 30 years that has had any meaningful impact, beyond lining his own pocket. But that hasn't stopped him from taking the soap box every chance he can get, before moving onto whatever new crisis comes up -- often leaving his previous efforts hanging.
Having an "equal opportunity" President is proving to be so popular, I can't wait for Mr. Jackson to be treated by an "equal opportunity" heart surgeon...
Not only is Silicon Valley young and Illiberal, they are also working on developing their businesses and would not sabotage their start-ups' success by turning away real talent.
Whatever the problem is, Silicon Valley's "racism" ain't it...
In Soviet Washington the swamp drains you.
Reverse discrimination. Jesse Jackson is putting race, not skill level, as the priority imputes to employ more blacks. In his world view, society must bend over backwards to cater to the African American.
Hey Jesse!!! Yeah you. They don't want to be an Uncle Tom. The idea of "white" culture (a culture of being educated and the further pursuit thereof) is what may of the blacks are against. Those that you represent value ignorance over everything else. For them, they derive power through victimization; and the liberal society is all to willing to go along with the coddle-fication of victimization attitude!
Life is not for the lazy.
From a NYT article:
As I read it, America is about 63% non-Hispanic white. Which sounds pretty close to Google's proportion of white technical staff.
It sounds like Jackson really needs to have a discussion as to why black people are being so out-hired by Asians.
Posting as A. C because you are afraid to face the Black Man.
Comander Taco, Now is the time for a -1 RACIST moderation to put these peope in there places!
And that's EXACLTY how the Jesse Jackson shakedown works.
"Do what I say or I'll call you a RAAAAAACIST!!!"
Jackson really should patent that. It's a hell of an effective "business" method.
It's not racism to point out the fact that most H1B scab labor in IT is Indian. It's also not racist to point out that "lowering the bar" is bogus.
If Jesse wants to wage the next race war, he should start by getting more black kids interested in STEM and education in general. He can fight against the pervasive drug and gang culture that keeps black kids away from any means to better themselves.
Perhaps he could even get a bunch of athletes and rappers to just read to kids.
A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
Like Microsoft laying off 18,000 and simultaneously arguing for more H1B visas?
I don't get it...I worked hard and was determined, and built my career from the ground up, WITHOUT a college degree. I don't understand why or even how I've continuously found work in an industry that needs a civil rights movement...? Should I ask the myriad of previous and current minority co-workers their experiences and trials/tribulations in attempting to break into this industry with such a color barrier? This is a fucking slap in the face of the ACTUAL civil rights movement of the past, and it sickens me.
He doesn't need to.
Black Computer Science graduates essentially reached parity in 2006, capturing 12.4% of CS degrees. no longer can they be dismissed as an “under-represented minority”.
I am an Indian (asian) and work in SF and have worked in a few big tech companies down in the valley. I understand that people like Jesse Jackson spew a lot of rhetoric for their own cause not necessarily for upliftment of the people he supposedly represents. And, I also understand, the solution isn't as easy as making tech companies have some sort of affirmative action - if there aren't enough black people with basic tech skills or college degrees then affirmative action isn't going to help. All that said, it is bizarre - in all the places I have worked including the current, there isn't a single black person on the entire floor. And, think, places like Oakland are just right across the Bay here but so few black people on the tech workforce. It speaks volumes about the failed social integration of black people in this nation - and it has failed at so many levels - from basic primary education, healthcare, law enforcement to higher education and outright discrimination. It doesn't matter who's to blame for it, really because at end of the day, you have a population that isn't as functional as the rest and we should be fixing that. Instead, we have these arguments where people don't even seem to recognize the problem.
His arguments are, "pay attention to me so I can use the plight of African-Americans to fatten my own bank account."
In fact, that's the only argument he and Sharpton have ever had. I pray, when they die, the ghost of MLK spends eternity bitch-slapping the both of them day in and day out.
An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
Wouldn't it be more fair to be colorblind in the workplace and hire people according to skill?
There are two different schools of thought when it comes to solving racial inequity issues. Once school recommends that we strive towards colorblindness in decision making, the other school suggests that we deliberately take color into account but in a more positive way. The justification for the first school is that "two wrongs don't make a right". The justification for the second school is that "the situation won't resolve itself naturally". It's the whole equality of opportunity vs. equality of outcomes argument that tends to dominate our political discourse.
"Black Googler Network"
What a bunch of racists! I wonder how strong the "White Googler Network" is. Or the "Hispanic Googler Network". Or the "Men's Googler Network".
What a bunch of race hustling, shake-down artists.
So what you are saying is that we need a program where kids go in to read to athletes and rappers?
But the only pool of kids that can do that are the very ones these athletes and rappers BEAT UP in school for acting white by learning to read in the first place!
This is not a racist rant, but a realistic look at some of the issues Jackson might want to address within the black community first before taking his usual stance of blaming everyone else:
72% of black kids born out of wedlock (compared to 17% for Asians). The Rev [cough] Jackson himself had an affair & fathered a child with another woman.
Double the unemployment rates of whites (roughly 5.4 to 11.5% as of last month)
Why doesn't he talk about the negative affects of hip-hop culture (glorifying violence, promoting misogynistic attitudes to an extreme, promotes wealth through any (often illegal) means)
On average, African American twelfth-grade students read at the same level as white eighth-grade students. 54% of African Americans graduate from high school, compared to more than three quarters of white and Asian students. [http://www.pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/tsr/too-important-to-fail/fact-sheet-outcomes-for-young-black-men/]
50% of the murders in the country are committed by black men, who comprise only 6% of the total US population. NEVER talks about, but will spend endless hours race baiting over a single case like Martin.
Look at the murder rate in Chicago, his home town (and the perps)
As a liberal myself, Jackson's race baiting and racial profiteering sickens me -- he only uses his racial politics to advance his own ego and fatten his wallet. He hasn't been a civil rights leader in decades in my opinion, he's a self serving jerk who actually promotes racism, a dependence culture and victim mentality. He's done more damage to the black community than good, but is such a smooth talker, his fans don't see it.
'The unexamined life is not worth living' - Socrates
Jesse Jackson is not a Black leader. He does not and never has spoken for Black people. He is self serving and always has been.
However!
As one of the few Black men in IT, I have to say it is prejudicial almost every time I interview for a position. I have over 15 years in IT. I have done Software Engineering; SQA Engineering; Systems Engineering and Technical Project Management. There have been questions of my ability to do what is on my resume that are legit. But I have had more than a few instances where it was obvious to me that the questions "all of a sudden" take a weird turn. I applied for a Systems Admin position, did really well on the phone technical screen. Came in for a face to face and things took a turn. Under the guise of "I just want to see how you think" questions that are usually asked to potential Software Developers are being asked. I handled the questions with ease (a good education AND experience as a Developer). The surprise on the face of interviewer was disheartening. I knew what was being attempted. So now questions like, "How does one measure the amount of water passing a particular point in a river?" or "Why can you not see the Moon during the day?" are being asked. I've asked more than a few of my IT colleagues if they have had these situations and not one has. The assumption that all Blacks are from the "Inner City" "the ghetto" or "Urban" and lack education is so wrong. There are many of us that are twice as good and make half as much because of the Supremacist entitlement that pervades this culture.
in there places
Come now, that's hardly proper Ebonics; you've got the wrong pronunciation and spelling. :p
On a more serious note, I'd never judge anyone by their skin color or ethnic background... but their behavior and cultural attitude, that's goddamned fair game. And I'm willing to bet that if you insist on "acting black," I'm not likely to find your abilities any more impressive than if you act like whitetrash or a dumb hick. Reality may be a bitch; what she isn't is a racist. ;)
Problem is, racism is stereotyped. White males are assumed to be racist, women and blacks are assumed to be less racist. Ask 10 slashdotters if white male hiring managers would be racist in their ratings of resumes, or if women and black hiring managers would be racist in their ratings of resumes, and I'll bet they'll rate the white male highest in terms of racism :)
There is an echo chamber of social prejudice where the social prejudice of given groups is taken as natural and confirmed.
The fact of the matter? I've met more black racists than white ones. YMMV.
Yeah, and it would be awesome if he would do that, or if that were remotely his intent. But Jesse just wants SV companies to hire more black people. He doesn't care about the real reason there aren't a lot of black people in tech - he just wants to force companies to magically hire more black people regardless. Indians? Ageism? Yeah a real "Civil Rights Leader" should care about that, but I guarantee he does not...
Posting as A. C because you are afraid to face the Black Man.
Comander Taco, Now is the time for a -1 RACIST moderation to put these peope in there places!
And that's EXACLTY how the Jesse Jackson shakedown works.
"Do what I say or I'll call you a RAAAAAACIST!!!"
Jackson really should patent that. It's a hell of an effective "business" method.
Prior art anti-semite!
Jesse has a point, but only so far as he takes it across the board. If we're pushing for affirmative action in tech, then it should apply everywhere. Including professional sports. I think it's only fair that NBA teams show a mandatory 10% white men with equal playtime on the court, 10% asian, and 5% latino.
Oh, and I think that every Society for Black Engineers needs a counterpart Society for White Engineers.
I always thought the next step for civil rights was getting better proponents than Jesse Jackson.