Last year , a Google locomotive engineer named James Damore spark an entirely unnecessary and ultimately unproductive controversy after his internally published10 - page memodecrying “ Google ’s Ideological Echo Chamber ” became a thing of public record . Damore , who more or less used thepretense of scienceto imply some of his coworkers may be unqualified diversity plants , was fired for create a hostile work environment — though not before try on toearn himself some credon in the ripe - wing media circuit .
U.S. conservatives have only grown angrier about supposed bias at tech company in the meanwhile , with the chairperson himself increasingly holler about thinly - sourced allegations ofcensorshipandrigged search results . Now it look like a senior engineer at Facebook has decided to do take a page from Damore ’s playbook , per theNew York Times , posting a ailment to an inner caller subject matter board titled “ We Have a Problem With Political Diversity . ” suppose engineer , ego - described Objectivistand car - detailing partizan Brian Amerige , has also created a give-and-take mathematical group to boost the letter of the alphabet ’s message .
The Times compose :
“ We are a political monoculture that ’s illiberal of different views , ” Brian Amerige , a elderly Facebook railroad engineer , wrote in the post , which was obtained by The New York Times . “ We claim to receive all perspectives , but are warm to set on — often in mobs — anyone who exhibit a opinion that looks like in opposition to left - leaning ideology . ”
Since the post went up , more than 100 Facebook employees have joined Mr. Amerige to form an online radical ring FB’ers for Political Diversity , according to two people who viewed the mathematical group ’s Sir Frederick Handley Page and who were not clear to speak publicly . The intent of the enterprisingness , according to Mr. Amerige ’s memo , is to create a space for ideologic diversity within the company .
( One of the Times writers co - bylined on the piece , Kate Conger , formerly worked for Gizmodo , where she in the beginning broke the Damore story . )
In thefull textbook of the messageobtained by the Times , Amerige allude to a number of complaints about Facebook ’s so-called “ political monoculture ” and a mob mental capacity against “ anyone who presents a view that is likely in confrontation to left - leaning political orientation . ”
Amerige ’s ill ranged from unspecified mortal tearing down “ posters welcoming Trump supporters ” to overheard critique of right - wing individuals involved with the weapons platform , like Oculus VR founder Palmer Lucky and board phallus Peter Thiel . ( Thielsecretlyfundeda lawsuit that led to the bankruptcy of Gizmodo ’s former proprietor Gawker Media . ) They also included allegations employees had been fired over their keep of the conservative “ All live Matter ” catchphrase , as well as Amerige ’s claim he had been call up a “ transphobe ” for calling “ out our corporate artistic creation for being politically revolutionary . ”
There ’s also a lot of scare quote around term like “ social Department of Justice , ” “ diversity , ” “ equality , ” and “ unsavoury , ” suggesting that having the audaciousness to say the amiss things about these sensitive issues at Facebook can be high-priced to one ’s “ reputation and calling ” :
Your fellow worker are afraid because they bed that they — not their ideas — will be attacked . They know that all the talk of “ openness to different perspectives ” does not apply to causes of “ societal justice , ” in-migration , “ diversity ” , and “ par . ” On this issues , you could either keep quiet or give your reputation and career .
Amerige ’s message does not admit any falsifiable accusations of Facebook censorship of buttoned-down drug user , beyond questioning whether the company ’s supposed internal prejudice think it can still be “ entrusted by a not bad part of the world to be impartial and transparent carrier of people ’s stories , ideas , and commentary . ” It does , however , go on to cite the president ’s view that Facebook is somehow being unjust to conservatives :
Congress does n’t believe we can do this . The President does n’t imagine we can do this . And like them or not , we deserve that criticism . We are blind to and dismissive of what people beyond our walls ( let alone even within our paries ) think about complex event that weigh . I ’ve been here for nearly 6.5 yr and this has gotten exponentially worse in the last 2 .
Amerige ’s letter encourages employee to debate political science in the mathematical group , the Times write , which has already ensue in some Facebook staff reporting discussions there as violative to minorities . ( Another employee told the report they appeared to be constructive and inclusive . )
There ’s next to no grounds that Facebook is actively ban conservative user — in fact , everything suggests that for the retiring few years the site has beenabsolutely terrifiedof anger them and thustriggering backlashfrom their allies in government . And as far as claim of internal censorship go , Amerige ’s concern appear to mirror Damore ’s in that their primary gripe is that a modest minority of hoi polloi who take to express “ offensive ” position in the workplace face societal or professional effect . In other words , it appropriates the language of civil rights to force what essentially come to a personal political grievance in the workplace . Freedom of delivery is not freedom from consequences , especially in the private sector .
In any case , Amerige ’s alphabetic character seems almost deliberately constructed to trace the tending of the conservative medium and perhaps the President of the United States himself . So buckle up , because this is probably not gon na end anytime soon .
Gizmodo reached out to Amerige for clarification on sealed parts of his letter , and we ’ll update this spot or write a follow-up if we hear back .
[ New York Times ]
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