GitHub tries to quell employee anger over its ICE contract • Hacker News Board

Re: GitHub tries to quell employee anger over its ICE contract

#291

Post by mrits » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 10:59 PM UTC

csallen wrote: post #266

ken wrote: post #235

> The results of GitHub’s quarterly anonymous employee survey — which showed a decline in trust of leadership ... In 100% of cases where I've known a small company that got bought by a much bigger company, this has occurred. It's amazing anyone still believes that their small company can get bought and somehow they'll be able to preserve (what they think is) their "company culture".

Stripe acquired Indie Hackers two and a half years ago, and I love it. I get ample support and encouragement, while also retaining my freedom to run the community how I see fit. Most IHers would also tell you that the site has improved since then. One of the many keys is aligned incentives and values. If there's even a small 1-2 degree difference in the direction you and your acquirer would like to head in, that gap…

I don't think we should dismiss your argument so quickly just because Stripe isn't a large corporation. I'd be interested to know more about the approach Stripe took. I'd imagine there are plenty of mistakes to make regardless of company size.

I'd also like to point out that a small company can be so toxic that the employees would welcome any change in leadership -- because anything different can bring temporary relief.

Re: GitHub tries to quell employee anger over its ICE contract

#292

Post by TallGuyShort » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 11:01 PM UTC

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #154

commandlinefan wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also have to wonder what percentage of GitHub’s employees _are_ non-US citizens. Every programming job I’ve ever had in the U.S. was for a company that was staffed by at least 90% foreigners; if they see U.S. immigration as an adversary, they may be opposing any contract on personal grounds.

> Every programming job I’ve ever had in the U.S. was for a company that was staffed by at least 90% foreigners. Where the hell are you working? I'm going to call bullshit, because it's really not that easy to get a work visa in the US. You're saying 90% of your colleagues weren't US citizens?

My current team is at least 80% foreign-born-and-rasied, myself included, but I don't know everyone's immigration status. But this is the "whitest", most American team I've worked with in the last 8 years in Silicon Valley. Prior to that I was in the mid-west and I was the only foreign engineer.

Re: GitHub tries to quell employee anger over its ICE contract

#293

Post by zozbot234 » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 11:01 PM UTC

madhadron wrote: post #206

zozbot234 wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hong Kong nationalism is not pro-democracy. The Chinese Government supports holding elections for local government officials, including in Hong Kong. Given that, the anti-Chinese attitudes we're seeing there are quite unproductive.

Elections? There hasn't been a democratic election in China since 1912.

Hong Kong is part of China. Under the "One Country Two Systems" model, it has more 'experimental' and 'innovative' policies than the rest of the country (such as choosing their local government officials via democratic elections). But then again so does Shenzhen in other ways.

Re: GitHub tries to quell employee anger over its ICE contract

#294

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 11:02 PM UTC

ratsmack wrote: post #219

JohnFen wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

White Nationalism (in the US) is a political movement that asserts that the US should be a nation run by and for Caucasians. There are people of other ethnicities that are part of the White Nationalist movement.

I've never heard of that organization. Do they have a web site?

[deleted]

Re: GitHub tries to quell employee anger over its ICE contract

#295

Post by house9-2 » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 11:03 PM UTC

jcims wrote: post #289

house9-2 wrote: post #287

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The big difference is that "illegal alien" really does refer to a person simply existing in a country they are not supposed to be in Correct, I have no issue with the term: "illegal alien" > shortening it to just the adjective "illegals" works in a derogatory manner

Is 'criminals' better? Also technically true.

'hard workers' - also technically true

Re: GitHub tries to quell employee anger over its ICE contract

#296

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 11:04 PM UTC

plurple wrote: post #253

house9-2 wrote: post #236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> it's highly unlikely they're illegals I consider 'illegals' to be a derogatory term used by racists (whether they think they are racist is another matter) Did you drive a car today? Did you speed? If so that is an illegal activity so maybe you are also an 'illegal'? Maybe I am way off base? I should probably go hug a tree or something.

Luckily, whether you consider something racist or not has no actual impact on the usage of the term. And of course, you’re free to call a speeder an “illegal” if you want, just like apparently you’re free to call other HN users racist for using common terminology in a way you don’t like.

[deleted]

Re: GitHub tries to quell employee anger over its ICE contract

#297

Post by thrower123 » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 11:06 PM UTC

ratsmack wrote: post #13

tj-teej wrote: post #4

I think that a lot of people see a rise and mainstreaming of White Nationalism and want to push back.

If you are pro-American and are Latino, African, Asian... etc, does that make you a White Nationalist? If not, then why can we just call it Nationalism?

It will be said that you have internalized notions of white supremacy, or that you are performing "whiteness".

I wish I were joking, but these are real arguments that people make.

Re: GitHub tries to quell employee anger over its ICE contract

#298

Post by messick » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 11:06 PM UTC

ratsmack wrote: post #219

JohnFen wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

White Nationalism (in the US) is a political movement that asserts that the US should be a nation run by and for Caucasians. There are people of other ethnicities that are part of the White Nationalist movement.

I've never heard of that organization. Do they have a web site?

Here's one of the main ones: https://www.donaldjtrump.com

Re: GitHub tries to quell employee anger over its ICE contract

#299

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 11:07 PM UTC

house9-2 wrote: post #288

malvosenior wrote: post #273

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm about your age and that term has been used as long as I've been alive.

I guess I should have been paying better attention then

[deleted]

Re: GitHub tries to quell employee anger over its ICE contract

#300

Post by JohnFen » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 11:10 PM UTC

ratsmack wrote: post #219

JohnFen wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

White Nationalism (in the US) is a political movement that asserts that the US should be a nation run by and for Caucasians. There are people of other ethnicities that are part of the White Nationalist movement.

I've never heard of that organization. Do they have a web site?

I wasn't talking about an organization, I was talking about a movement. There are numerous different organizations of various sizes, as well as individuals, who are part of the movement.

None of this is new -- white nationalism has a long and well-documented history. As with all political movements, the exact moment it started is a little fuzzy. Some place it as far back as 1916 with the KKK, but I think that most people place the modern form of it as starting in 1974 with the National Alliance.