How do startups already part of YC feel about this? What are the ramifications of having your name tied with and being part of an organization that backed something that has as much to do, if not more, with politics than technology?
Welcome, ACLU
451–460 of 1001 posts
Re: Welcome, ACLU
#452Politics aside, the ACLU is experiencing hyper growth. They received the equivalent of six years of donations in 48 hours. I'm interested in seeing how YC helps them.
Re: Welcome, ACLU
#453Although I think the American Civil Liberties Union is incredibly valuable and I'm glad they have a lot more money now to fight for the American people, I'm questioning all of this. Where was the outpouring of funding when black people were being gunned down by cops from West Coast organizations? Where has YCombinator been as our own impoverished African-Americans are getting slaughtered in the streets of Chicago? Wh…
I'm completely sympathetic to your point. Part of the problem is that the examples you give were, sadly, not enough of a deviation from the status quo to shock people into large scale action/donation. Trump's actions are, and he/Bannon/et al. also built up an ever increasing antagonism during the election cycle that wants an outlet.
Re: Welcome, ACLU
#454Earlier quoted context omitted.
> They are an unqualified, categorically "good" organization The ACLU is wonderful, no doubt about that. But I think some people do put an asterisk next to the group because of their (obviously somewhat strange) categorization of the protections of the 2nd amendment as outside the scope of American civil liberties.
The 2nd amendment has the second largest lobbying organization in the country looking out for it. It doesn't need help from the ACLU.
> the second largest lobbying organization in the country
I don't think the National Association of Realtors has a dog in this race.
[1] http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/top.php
[2] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/23/lobbying-groups-gop...
Re: Welcome, ACLU
#455I don't know exactly what this means, as the implementation details are hazy, but if this entails substantial support to the ACLU (in terms of lawyers, money, or both), then that is awesome. I donated to the ACLU yesterday and I'm encouraging everyone I know to do the same.
I would caution people about how they donate to the ACLU. I made a donation last year and since then have been awash in solicitations for donations from SCLC, Planned Parenthood, Grean Peace, PETA, and other leftist organizations. While I don't object to many of these organizations, I take my privacy very seriously and I wasn't aware when I donated that my personal information would be given/sold out the way it has b…
there's an option on the donation page where you can opt-in to the ACLU sharing your details with other charitable organizations. (the default is opt-out).
Re: Welcome, ACLU
#456This is very welcome news, even if it won't go over well with the large number of authoritarians here.
> the large number of authoritarians here. Everybody who has a different viewpoint than me is a !
Large number isn't everybody. There are many libertarians here, and I have a different viewpoint from them too. I've just been surprised how many people turned out to be authoritarians once one got into power.
Re: Welcome, ACLU
#457Although I think the American Civil Liberties Union is incredibly valuable and I'm glad they have a lot more money now to fight for the American people, I'm questioning all of this. Where was the outpouring of funding when black people were being gunned down by cops from West Coast organizations? Where has YCombinator been as our own impoverished African-Americans are getting slaughtered in the streets of Chicago? Wh…
My question is, what would you like to see happen? They can't go back in time and donate earlier. Pulling funding now would satisfy the desire for consistency, but doesn't seem like a good outcome.
Re: Welcome, ACLU
#458Earlier quoted context omitted.
> They are an unqualified, categorically "good" organization The ACLU is wonderful, no doubt about that. But I think some people do put an asterisk next to the group because of their (obviously somewhat strange) categorization of the protections of the 2nd amendment as outside the scope of American civil liberties.
I am an ardent supporter of the individual right to gun ownership but you can't fault the ACLU for having a slightly different interpretation of 2A while still believing in the right. And has others have stated, I'd much rather have the ACLU focus on things like 1A, 4A, etc. Leave 2A to the NRA and other 2A-specific advocacy groups.
I'm not so sure of that. It may be that their willingness to look at 2A in a completely different framework, claiming that the meaning of "the people" is different in just this case, will eventually undermine their defense of the rest of the Bill of Rights as well.
Re: Welcome, ACLU
#459Earlier quoted context omitted.
How would you label people who are for reducing civil liberties then?
I think you should provide a bit of evidence for the "large numbers" of people in favour of "reducing civil liberties" on these boards.
Well for one, take a look at all the comments complaining that this is too political, or complaining about the dirty liberals on this site.
Nearly all (not all, but nearly all) the people who are against the ACLU are the people that you're looking for.
Re: Welcome, ACLU
#460Earlier quoted context omitted.
Accusing someone of "virtue signalling" instantly ends any possibility for reasonable discussion, because it's a stark violation of the Principle of Charity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principle_of_charity On a meta-level, invoking "virtue signalling" is itself a signal that you want to ad-hominem the human subject rather than discuss and resolve the issues. It is the opposite of rationality, and it's a bit weird…
Wrong. It's entirely irrational to give this level of attention and resource to an issue with such relatively little impact, particularly when noting the contributing events that led up to this issue were largely ignored (and directed by the same presidential candidate many of these organizations openly supported). Virtue signalling is the correct description. This is more about image than substantive change.
Relatively little impact on you perhaps. Many people are impacted, and what particularly scares people is that the order seems deliberately cruel in detaining people who were in transit, has green cards or dual citizenship. There are some 22 million non-citizens in the U.S. and many of them are now very unsure about their future. I bet there are many YC founders among them.