Employees of kixeye accused of racist remarks fired • Hacker News Board

Re: Employees of kixeye accused of racist remarks fired

#21

Post by flyinglizard » Fri, Oct 05, 2012, 10:07 PM UTC

Jare wrote: post #3

w1ntermute wrote: post #2

This was a very disturbing incident, and I can only hope that it was an isolated incident and not indicative of a larger trend in the startup industry. The demographics are skewed enough as it is when it comes to this industry.

Here's hoping the quick, decisive and very public action by management sends a clear signal.

Here's hoping that all those who were involved were given due process and handled fairly with the matter being thoroughly investigated by management, rather than being thoughtlessly fired to appease the masses or to be cannon fodder in the lawsuit brought on against kixeye.

This is completely regardless of the case at hand, mind. I expect companies to act responsibly towards all employees.

Re: Employees of kixeye accused of racist remarks fired

#22

Post by coderdude » Fri, Oct 05, 2012, 10:07 PM UTC

sergiotapia wrote: post #16

indy wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

you sound racist

As a Latino minority, promptly go fuck yourself. You and the PC crowd are the scourge against "getting shit done". Go back to /r/shitredditsays you twat. If you're offended by things like this you are either: a) Extremely sheltered. b) A racist yourself.

This place is ridiculous. They're calling him racist, a troll, coward, little boy? These people are being upvoted for this? It's pathetic and embarrassing to be lumped in with this crowd.

You're being downvoted for speaking the truth. They're not downvoting you because you called someone racist or sheltered, at least you know that. It can't be because you told him to go fuck himself since being civil obviously isn't something they care about either.

Re: Employees of kixeye accused of racist remarks fired

#23

Post by phene » Fri, Oct 05, 2012, 10:09 PM UTC

flyinglizard wrote: post #21

Jare wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here's hoping the quick, decisive and very public action by management sends a clear signal.

Here's hoping that all those who were involved were given due process and handled fairly with the matter being thoroughly investigated by management, rather than being thoughtlessly fired to appease the masses or to be cannon fodder in the lawsuit brought on against kixeye. This is completely regardless of the case at hand, mind. I expect companies to act responsibly towards all employees.

Honestly, it sounds like the latter.

Re: Employees of kixeye accused of racist remarks fired

#24

Post by barking » Fri, Oct 05, 2012, 10:10 PM UTC

indy wrote: post #10

mynameishere wrote: post #9

Everyone is trying his best to be PC, but the real takeaway is that you have to be careful not to hire some ultra-sensitive pantywaist thug who publicly cries "racist" at every shitty joke, giving your company weeks of terrible PR to clean up. “Hey he’s dressed like Run DMC, does he know how to rap?” Oh, the poor darling. Let's ruin a bunch of people's livelihoods over this apparently wicked comment.

you sound racist

He sounds angry and a bit OTT to me. Inferring that someone is a racist (as you're doing) is extremely serious. Your remark comes across as a bit creepy actually

Re: Employees of kixeye accused of racist remarks fired

#25

Post by tedunangst » Fri, Oct 05, 2012, 10:12 PM UTC

aaronbrethorst wrote: post #4

http://www.twitlonger.com/show/jh72ja What are we doing to make sure this never happens again in the future? Well, even before this incident, we hired a VP of HR who has implemented a sensitivity training program for all employees. Which was evidently ineffective.

There's no policy you can implement that will prevent all bad behavior. At least not until your employer goes all Minority Report on you (there's a double meaning for you).

Re: Employees of kixeye accused of racist remarks fired

#26

Post by flyinglizard » Fri, Oct 05, 2012, 10:13 PM UTC

mynameishere wrote: post #9

Everyone is trying his best to be PC, but the real takeaway is that you have to be careful not to hire some ultra-sensitive pantywaist thug who publicly cries "racist" at every shitty joke, giving your company weeks of terrible PR to clean up. “Hey he’s dressed like Run DMC, does he know how to rap?” Oh, the poor darling. Let's ruin a bunch of people's livelihoods over this apparently wicked comment.

I wonder how many of those burying your comment would hire that guy themselves.

Re: Employees of kixeye accused of racist remarks fired

#27

Post by npc » Fri, Oct 05, 2012, 10:13 PM UTC

sergiotapia wrote: post #16

indy wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

you sound racist

As a Latino minority, promptly go fuck yourself. You and the PC crowd are the scourge against "getting shit done". Go back to /r/shitredditsays you twat. If you're offended by things like this you are either: a) Extremely sheltered. b) A racist yourself.

how is it necessary to make racist comments in order to "get shit done"? will your production systems all crash if you don't make a minimum of 5 jokes about nappy hair and malt liquor a day? have you encountered a nasty bug in rails that can only be fixed by exposing it to clips of Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany's?

Re: Employees of kixeye accused of racist remarks fired

#28

Post by indy » Fri, Oct 05, 2012, 10:14 PM UTC

sergiotapia wrote: post #16

indy wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

you sound racist

As a Latino minority, promptly go fuck yourself. You and the PC crowd are the scourge against "getting shit done". Go back to /r/shitredditsays you twat. If you're offended by things like this you are either: a) Extremely sheltered. b) A racist yourself.

Wow. Wouldn't call myself sheltered or racist but I am a British Asian who has experienced racism at work.

Re: Employees of kixeye accused of racist remarks fired

#29

Post by codemac » Fri, Oct 05, 2012, 10:14 PM UTC

> While many in San Francisco have begun to use the term "post racist" as a matter-fact-statement to describe the relatively inclusive work environment, the difference between the mostly affluent white community on the peninsula and the impoverished Oakland across the bay is impossible to miss.

What? Who says that? The only time I've heard the phrase "post racist" is either The Colbert Report, or people being sarcastic in reference to something really racist. It's because of places like Oakland that no one I know in San Francisco believes on any level we live in a "post racial America".

That little sentence is really offensive to me and hopefully others who are aware of the severe and drastic gender and racial inequalities in the tech industry.

Until I see ~10% of tech workforces being African American, I'm not even going to begin to think about "post racial" anything.

Re: Employees of kixeye accused of racist remarks fired

#30

Post by aeontech » Fri, Oct 05, 2012, 10:15 PM UTC

aaronbrethorst wrote: post #18

klsvu wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

it is worth noting that they let the 4 employees in question go, that shows that they are taking the issue seriously now, IMO anyway

> they are taking the issue seriously now They are certainly taking the threat of a lawsuit seriously. Edit: I'd be interested in asking you a question privately. Mind emailing me? My email address is in my profile.

The email field in the profile is not publicly visible.