> Malcolm Pollack 14 Apr 2014 at 2:33 pm
> “Not white”? “Not male”?
> How about “No Irish need apply”?
> Imagine if you announced that you were looking to fill job openings, but didn’t want any women or blacks.
> That this can be done so openly, so blithely — and that it is considered not an act of unconscionable bigotry and race war, but rather as a badge of honor — is very ominous indeed.
> Ralph Thayer 14 Apr 2014 at 3:27 pm
> “Not white. Not male.”
> Noted.
> BubbaMustafa 14 Apr 2014 at 5:56 pm
> So you hate whites and males? That’s a blatant discriminatory statement. You have shown your true colors. Way to go!
> LitThom 14 Apr 2014 at 6:04 pm
> “Not white. Not male.”
> That is just wrong. I mean we all get you, and I agree with a strong approach to diversity, but that is just wrong.
> Will Cate 14 Apr 2014 at 8:02 pm
> re “Not white. Not male.”
> Thanks for letting us know that this is not an operation to be taken seriously.
> JOC 14 Apr 2014 at 8:35 pm
> It’s so hip to discourage employment of white males, especially if you are one (and already have a newsroom full of them.) #johncook’swhiteguilt
> JOC 14 Apr 2014 at 8:49 pm
> It’s so hip to discourage employment of white males, especially if you are one (and have a newsroom full of them).#johncookswhiteguilt speaks in terse, serious language.
As a minority, I understand how these people feel; as a minority, it does however also bother me that these people react in such a reflexive manner. It is such a small percentage of times where people like that experience any sort of discrimination. Frankly, if I reacted in this reflexive manner every time I faced some mode of discrimination, the people I surround myself with would find me to be an insufferable, whiney brat.
Strong language, perhaps, but I can think of no other way to characterize how I would be perceived in analogous circumstances.
But hopefully, you do find ways to point out that this is not OK. I mean, it's not OK when it's done to a minority because of them being a minority. When it's done to white males because an outfit wants more diversity... meh, I can't get too excited about it, even though I'm white and male.
Don't become an insufferable whiny brat. But don't stop trying to find effective ways to call out racism when you run into it, either.
I really appreciate your sentiment. I will say this (and again I do agree with you): bigotry of varying degrees is so common and so engrained in society that if I were to bother to recognize its presence consistently, it would quickly become unsustainable.
I do try and find ways to point out the "not okay" aspects of situations when I can, but it is rare. Here, for example, I took a leap of faith in the HN community for it to be okay for me to criticize the knee-jerk reactions of the aforementioned respondees to the original post. For me, it's just such a "weak" reaction for said people to complain in some rare, ambiguous case that in no way relates to them personally, about discrimination against white males. "Weak" is really the only word I can come up with right now.
> Malcolm Pollack 14 Apr 2014 at 2:33 pm > “Not white”? “Not male”? > How about “No Irish need apply”? > Imagine if you announced that you were looking to fill job openings, but didn’t want any women or blacks. > That this can be done so openly, so blithely — and that it is considered not an act of unconscionable bigotry and race war, but rather as a badge of honor — is very ominous indeed.
> Ralph Thayer 14 Apr 2014 at 3:27 pm > “Not white. Not male.” > Noted.
> BubbaMustafa 14 Apr 2014 at 5:56 pm > So you hate whites and males? That’s a blatant discriminatory statement. You have shown your true colors. Way to go!
> LitThom 14 Apr 2014 at 6:04 pm > “Not white. Not male.” > That is just wrong. I mean we all get you, and I agree with a strong approach to diversity, but that is just wrong.
> Will Cate 14 Apr 2014 at 8:02 pm > re “Not white. Not male.” > Thanks for letting us know that this is not an operation to be taken seriously.
> JOC 14 Apr 2014 at 8:35 pm > It’s so hip to discourage employment of white males, especially if you are one (and already have a newsroom full of them.) #johncook’swhiteguilt
> JOC 14 Apr 2014 at 8:49 pm > It’s so hip to discourage employment of white males, especially if you are one (and have a newsroom full of them).#johncookswhiteguilt speaks in terse, serious language.
As a minority, I understand how these people feel; as a minority, it does however also bother me that these people react in such a reflexive manner. It is such a small percentage of times where people like that experience any sort of discrimination. Frankly, if I reacted in this reflexive manner every time I faced some mode of discrimination, the people I surround myself with would find me to be an insufferable, whiney brat.
Strong language, perhaps, but I can think of no other way to characterize how I would be perceived in analogous circumstances.