BlackGirlsCode Raises $21,000 To Fund Summer Of Code Program • Hacker News Board

Re: BlackGirlsCode Raises $21,000 To Fund Summer Of Code Program

#111

Post by mrmusa » Wed, Jul 18, 2012, 8:43 PM UTC

There are 3 ways to respond to the critics of BlackGirlsCode: 1) The weakest response is to grow upset and say nothing 2) The average response will post a comment in defense of good sense 3) The best response is to take action. So hit this link up and give Black Girls Code a boost of support and morale http://www.blackgirlscode.com/help-us-grow.html

Finally, when PoorPeopleCode, WhiteBoysCode or Latina Hackathon call upon the Hacker News community for support, for the sake of whatever you believe in, GIVE BACK so that others can do what you do. It is NEVER about exclusion. The _meme_ is about recognizing "I'm blessed with talent, skill and experience so I help to pay it forward".

I just took the highest level of action by sending my gift of support of $100.

Don't just sit there shaking your head; do something!

Re: BlackGirlsCode Raises $21,000 To Fund Summer Of Code Program

#112

Post by king_jester » Wed, Jul 18, 2012, 8:46 PM UTC

tikhonj wrote: post #79

malvim wrote: post #65

Ok, cool. Everyone has their ideas, they all make sense (we're all reasonably rational people here) and, in an ideal world, I agree that we should not need or have these groups. Except... the under-representation is already there, so we have to deal with it. And I think BGC is a damn fine way to deal with part of it. Is there anyone here who is NOT a white male and would care to comment?

While agree with your comment, I think your last comment is unwarranted. Just because somebody is a white male does not devalue their point. Moreover, you should really never judge an argument based on the person making it.

> Just because somebody is a white male does not devalue their point.

The people least affected by racism, both personally and systemically, absolutely have almost no value to their comments. How can they? In the US, white-ness is the norm. If you aren't white, you get treated differently automatically and people don't hesitate to call you racist when you try to do something to help people just like yourself.

> Moreover, you should really never judge an argument based on the person making it.

This is true, but when someone claims to have knowledge about a thing they cannot by definition experience, they should absolutely be called out on it. Also, talking over actual people of color to give a white opinion is erasing and serves to make those people, already hard to find in tech circles, even more invisible.

Re: BlackGirlsCode Raises $21,000 To Fund Summer Of Code Program

#113

Post by rmc » Wed, Jul 18, 2012, 8:47 PM UTC

fiblye wrote: post #88

rmc wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sometimes people in the privileged group (male and/or white) don't like targetting based on race/gender when it's negatively affects them .

This kind of "logic" really bothers me. Just because a chunk of a certain demographic is comparatively "privileged", we should gloss over all those who struggle to make a living simply because they were born a white male? If anything, being born poor and white can be more difficult because people bitch about your "privilege" each time you ask for the slightest degree of help. If you're poor and white, you're pretty m…

Race isn't the only issue. Poverty/classism is also an issue. In some contexts poor white people are more privileged than poor black people, and in some cases less privileged than a rich (white or black or …) person. But race is an issue, so we should tackle it. And poverty is an issue, so we should tackle it.

For an example of benefits of being white in USA, have a look at this: http://www.amptoons.com/blog/files/mcintosh.html#daily

Re: BlackGirlsCode Raises $21,000 To Fund Summer Of Code Program

#114

Post by peterwwillis » Wed, Jul 18, 2012, 8:48 PM UTC

tysonjennings wrote: post #107

peterwwillis wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did you know that White people are statistically more likely to consider themselves superior to non-White people? Also, it's obvious why Jews get more nobel prizes. Since they control the media and the banks, they get better education and better publication of their work. Duh! Don't believe me? Type in "jews control " in Google and check out the auto-complete results. Proof.

You think you're being clever by mocking me? Just for the record the people that believe themselves the most clever are the ones least qualified to make the judgement. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect

Nah, I just think you're a douchebag and felt like being snarky.

Re: BlackGirlsCode Raises $21,000 To Fund Summer Of Code Program

#115

Post by nollidge » Wed, Jul 18, 2012, 8:49 PM UTC

Produce wrote: post #33

slurgfest wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If some black girls want to code, what possible reason do you have to object? Let them. Leave them alone, if you aren't supportive. That's all you need to do. The group isn't preventing white people from coding. If you want white people to code, you can make your own group. And it will fly really well anywhere in the South and many places in the West and you won't have to say anything about how it's only for white pe…

So if I started a charity called WhiteMenCode, do you think that it would be fair to all of the other races and genders? Would it be fair that one segment of the impoverished get special treatment? Surely it would be better to organise something like PoorPeopleCode, since that is the segment of society which, in fact, needs help - poor people. Who gives a crap about race or gender? It's bigger than that.

> Who gives a crap about race or gender?

Bigots, for one. And beyond that, we all harbor subconscious biases that collectively act to disadvantage certain populations of people.

> Surely it would be better to organise something like PoorPeopleCode

Oh SURELY it would be BETTER. Are you actually physically sitting in a belfry made of ivory right now? Maybe that would be better, if someone had the resources and know-how to make it happen.

But back here in banal reality, how about a black woman starts BlackGirlsCode, and a Latin@ person starts LatinKidsCode, and so on, with each of them using their particular strengths and personal networks, each biting off and fixing a tiny little portion of admittedly larger problems?

Re: BlackGirlsCode Raises $21,000 To Fund Summer Of Code Program

#116

Post by king_jester » Wed, Jul 18, 2012, 8:50 PM UTC

tysonjennings wrote: post #107

peterwwillis wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did you know that White people are statistically more likely to consider themselves superior to non-White people? Also, it's obvious why Jews get more nobel prizes. Since they control the media and the banks, they get better education and better publication of their work. Duh! Don't believe me? Type in "jews control " in Google and check out the auto-complete results. Proof.

You think you're being clever by mocking me? Just for the record the people that believe themselves the most clever are the ones least qualified to make the judgement. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect

The fact that you cite the Dunning–Kruger effect while providing no evidence, citations, or logical arguments in your OP is quite amazing.

Re: BlackGirlsCode Raises $21,000 To Fund Summer Of Code Program

#117

Post by rmc » Wed, Jul 18, 2012, 8:51 PM UTC

_delirium wrote: post #24

jbattle wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would be a little surprised if anyone seriously objected to a sewing for boys class

There actually are groups like that for areas where men are historically underrepresented, such as the American Assembly for Men in Nursing ( http://aamn.org/ ). As far as I know they don't get a lot of flak. With white people in specific there is a bit of eyebrow-raising, because "white" is a bit broad, a historically dominant group (in the U.S.), and has some history of "white organizations" being intended mainly f…

More specific organizations targeting subsets of white people are common, though. For example, there are scholarship programs for Americans of Greek ancestry.

Lots this non-Anglos weren't considered white back in the day. JFK was asked if his being Catholic would hinder him.

Re: BlackGirlsCode Raises $21,000 To Fund Summer Of Code Program

#118

Post by tysonjennings » Wed, Jul 18, 2012, 8:52 PM UTC

king_jester wrote: post #116

tysonjennings wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You think you're being clever by mocking me? Just for the record the people that believe themselves the most clever are the ones least qualified to make the judgement. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect

The fact that you cite the Dunning–Kruger effect while providing no evidence, citations, or logical arguments in your OP is quite amazing.

This is a web forum not a dissertation. Do your own research.

Re: BlackGirlsCode Raises $21,000 To Fund Summer Of Code Program

#119

Post by rmc » Wed, Jul 18, 2012, 8:53 PM UTC

mibbitier wrote: post #37

_pius wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4262233

I disagree. Everyone can be a minority if they decide to, depending on how you cut the population. To claim "white males" are a majority is just an arbitrary distinction you're making. Everyone is a majority or minority depending on your criteria. You don't fix racism/sexist/etc with more racism/sexism/etc. You fix it by being inclusive, and judging people on their merits.

Everyone can be a minority if they decide to, depending on how you cut the population.

Correct. But not all minorities have the same amount of power/wealth/prestigate/social stigma/advantages. "Minority" was originally a term to refer to some people. Don't take it too literally. It's not "minorities" per se that's bad, it's when one "minority" has much less power and advantages than the people who aren't in that minority.

Re: BlackGirlsCode Raises $21,000 To Fund Summer Of Code Program

#120

Post by tysonjennings » Wed, Jul 18, 2012, 8:54 PM UTC

peterwwillis wrote: post #114

tysonjennings wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You think you're being clever by mocking me? Just for the record the people that believe themselves the most clever are the ones least qualified to make the judgement. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect

Nah, I just think you're a douchebag and felt like being snarky.

"Nah, I just think you're a douchebag and felt like being snarky."

I see you're an arrogant prick in addition to the mental midgetry. Don't forget to keep those defenses up in the future. Don't argue intelligently. Seek to marginalize your opponent. That'll make you feel better. :)