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After GitHub CEO backs Black Lives Matter, workers demand an end to ICE contract

latimes.com

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Re: After GitHub CEO backs Black Lives Matter, workers demand an end to ICE contract

#111

Post by elicash »

marpstar wrote: post #71
jobeirne wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But to expect that a _federal agency_ will be denied service from a private entity, especially for essentially political reasons, is lunacy. Um, think you've got this backwards. Private entities shouldn't have to take on anyone they don't want as customers (for whatever reason - do you have to justify who you do or don't want in your livingroom?), but publicly-funded institutions shouldn't be able to deny service o…

GP didn't say they should be required to work with certain entities, only that it could jeopardize their stance with other, less controversial, entities.

> could jeopardize their stance with other, less controversial, entities

That would, of course, be a terrible and illegal abuse of power and essentially be the government policing political speech by private individuals. What an indictment of our government (and I don't mean a single person, but of the system itself) that this seems to be an uncontroversial statement. Because I agree, it's true, and it's the mark of terrible corruption.

Re: After GitHub CEO backs Black Lives Matter, workers demand an end to ICE contract

#112

Post by PascLeRasc »

DudeInBasement wrote: post #10
johncena33 wrote: post #2

I guess this is the reason lot of corporates try to stay out of politics. Because once you set a precedence then people will use that as to push their own political agendas. I personally don't like the slippery slope argument since it's very lazy and justifies inaction in many cases. But at the same time when I see news like this, I just wonder how long it will take two different subgroups trying push their own confl…

One side gets de-humanized and shown the door. I'll let you guess which side that is. This is why I think good people prefer a-political companies. It is sad, that there are people who have commitments/families, and they are taken hostage by this.

Since the context is ICE, I would really think about rephrasing your comment about conservative employees being "taken hostage".

Re: After GitHub CEO backs Black Lives Matter, workers demand an end to ICE contract

#113

Post by coolreader18 »

johncena33 wrote: post #26
duxup wrote: post #6

Is GitHub a hug part of what ICE ... does? Personally I wouldn't want to work for a company actually detaining people, but call me terrible but I'm not sure I'd feel the same about letting them pay to host some code...

This is a genuine question. I want to immigrate to USA, but currently there is no easy way to immigrate to USA. On the contrary Canada has a fair immigration system that allowed me to stay, work and eventually be citizen. Why don't people push for a fair immigration system in USA instead of abolishing ICE? What exactly am I missing here?

ICE only was founded after 9/11, and given that in their short history they've caused so much suffering, it's not unreasonable to demand that the agency be shut down.

Re: After GitHub CEO backs Black Lives Matter, workers demand an end to ICE contract

#114

Post by codezero »

rattray wrote: post #14

What a bummer that workers are publicly demanding this, and (presumably) seeking press attention on it. I'm no fan of ICE – a very large percentage of my friends in the US are immigrants, and I generally want my country to be a welcoming one. ICE has certainly committed unethical and probably illegal acts (probably true of most federal agencies). But to expect that a _federal agency_ will be denied service from a pri…

I think it's great that employees can direct this kind of business decision.

It's also unfortunate (I am assuming) that the employees have much less of a stake collectively than other shareholders.

There's a good chance they would make more informed decisions if they were to fail or be successful based on those decisions.

For what it's worth, I think the employees would still make these demands, it would just be nice to be able to show that it was also the right business decision.

Re: After GitHub CEO backs Black Lives Matter, workers demand an end to ICE contract

#115

Post by couchand »

mtgp1000 wrote: post #82
mchanson wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We are going through a very strange and extreme period in US History. Corporations are a huge part of the political landscape. Of course workers who are powerful will demand things of their workplaces. All corporations are political. By accepting the ICE contract previously it was political. Now by reversing they would be changing sides. They were already in the political fray.

>All corporations are political This is a meaningless statement that people use to justify railroading their personal politics into everything. By making my services available to everyone equally I am emphatically not making a political statement. This same sentiment is effectively turning an increasing proportion of consumers away from entertainment media.

Just because you aren't thinking about the implications of your decisions doesn't make the consequences any less real.

Re: After GitHub CEO backs Black Lives Matter, workers demand an end to ICE contract

#116

Post by m3kw9 »

Yeah this is going over the line as ICE isn’t purely used for evil purposes. They do need to protect boarders, what you need is to change some of ICE’s policies. Is sort of like demanding To end all contracts with companies that does not have a have a good diversity policy

Re: After GitHub CEO backs Black Lives Matter, workers demand an end to ICE contract

#117

Post by staticassertion »

rattray wrote: post #14

What a bummer that workers are publicly demanding this, and (presumably) seeking press attention on it. I'm no fan of ICE – a very large percentage of my friends in the US are immigrants, and I generally want my country to be a welcoming one. ICE has certainly committed unethical and probably illegal acts (probably true of most federal agencies). But to expect that a _federal agency_ will be denied service from a pri…

Microsoft already banned the police from using Rekognition.

I think if the bar is "don't kill minorities" people are mostly going to be OK with you cutting the contract.

Re: After GitHub CEO backs Black Lives Matter, workers demand an end to ICE contract

#118

Post by johns »

dnissley wrote: post #75
jobeirne wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But to expect that a _federal agency_ will be denied service from a private entity, especially for essentially political reasons, is lunacy. Um, think you've got this backwards. Private entities shouldn't have to take on anyone they don't want as customers (for whatever reason - do you have to justify who you do or don't want in your livingroom?), but publicly-funded institutions shouldn't be able to deny service o…

By this logic, businesses would be able to turn away customers based on their race.

People are not agencies. Protected classes exist to protect people from discrimination, not to protect agencies/companies/organizations.

Re: After GitHub CEO backs Black Lives Matter, workers demand an end to ICE contract

#119

Post by hobofan »

dnissley wrote: post #75
jobeirne wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But to expect that a _federal agency_ will be denied service from a private entity, especially for essentially political reasons, is lunacy. Um, think you've got this backwards. Private entities shouldn't have to take on anyone they don't want as customers (for whatever reason - do you have to justify who you do or don't want in your livingroom?), but publicly-funded institutions shouldn't be able to deny service o…

By this logic, businesses would be able to turn away customers based on their race.

Isn't that what the status quo in the US is? AFAIK outside of discrimination in a few specific industries (e.g. insurance rates), there is very little discrimination protection for customers.

Re: After GitHub CEO backs Black Lives Matter, workers demand an end to ICE contract

#120

Post by quadrifoliate »

rattray wrote: post #14

What a bummer that workers are publicly demanding this, and (presumably) seeking press attention on it. I'm no fan of ICE – a very large percentage of my friends in the US are immigrants, and I generally want my country to be a welcoming one. ICE has certainly committed unethical and probably illegal acts (probably true of most federal agencies). But to expect that a _federal agency_ will be denied service from a pri…

> What a bummer that workers are publicly demanding this, and (presumably) seeking press attention on it.

They have a problem with their employer, and are being heard in the court of public opinion. Why is that "a bummer"?

I don't have a particular opinion on whether or not what they are doing is an effective way to accomplish their aims. But workers speaking out for any reason, ranging from unethical wage suppression to insufficient toilet breaks to disagreement with company policy, should always be cause for rejoicing.

Employers in the US hold a wildly disparate amount of power (with health insurance being tied to employment, and no social safety net) – so employees that speak out tend to help tilt that balance a very tiny bit back to the side of the employee.

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