Google's diversity strat lead who said Jews have 'insatiable appetite for war' is no longer diversity strat lead
- Reference: 1622759508
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/06/03/google_diversity_lead_blog/
- Source link:
He also wrote that he "still despised" homosexuality.
Kamau Bobb was hired as the global lead of diversity strategy and research at Google in 2018 though today is no longer in that role. A Google spokesperson told us on Thursday Bobb remains an employee and is focused on STEM-related work. He is no longer part of the mega-corp's diversity planning.
[1]
Days earlier, people leafing through Bobb’s personal blog found a now-deleted post from 2007 criticizing Israel regarding the conflict in Gaza.
[2]
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“If I were a Jew I would be concerned about my insatiable appetite for war and killing in defense of myself,” he blogged (here’s a [4]copy in the Wayback Machine's archive).
“Self defense is undoubtedly an instinct, but I would be afraid of my increasing insensitivity to the suffering [of] others. My greatest torment would be that I’ve misinterpreted the identity offered by my history and transposed spiritual and human compassion with self righteous impunity.”
[5]
This sweeping statement sparked shock on the internet, leading to calls for Bobb to be fired. Michael Dickson, executive director of StandWithUs, a pro-Israel non-profit, said he thought Bobb wasn’t “fit for” his job.
I searched for "antisemitism" and "hypocrisy".
Here's what I found.
Google Diversity Head [6]@kamaubobb Said Jews Have ‘Insatiable Appetite for War’ [7]https://t.co/dE7OS7Kw9Q
Did [8]@Google Google him?
He's not fit for this post.
And there's more: — Michael Dickson (@michaeldickson) [9]June 2, 2021
If you're wondering whether Bobb had any other views, shall we say, incompatible with a career in diversity strategy, he had [10]this to share, also in 2007: "I realized that within my inner emotional core, not only do I not agree with homosexuality, I still despise it in a way that I would not want there to be any connection between my personal character and it."
No one at Google googled Bobb, it seems.
“We unequivocally condemn the past writings by a member of our diversity team that are causing deep offense and pain to members of our Jewish community and our LGBTQ+ community,” the search super-biz's spokesperson told The Register .
“These writings are unquestionably hurtful. The author acknowledges this and has apologized. He will no longer be part of our diversity team going forward and will focus on his STEM work.
[11]
“This has come at at a time where we’ve seen an alarming increase in antisemitic attacks. Antisemitism is a vile prejudice that has given rise to unfathomable acts. It has no place in society and we stand with our Jewish community in condemning it.”
If you're wondering how old and mature Bobb was in 2007, we note that in 2005 he left Georgia Institute of Technology with a PhD in science and technology policy, and had graduated from University of California, Berkeley in 1997 with a master's degree in mechanical engineering.
Bobb was not available for immediate comment. Regarding his STEM work, and judging from his [12]other writing , he has devoted much of his energy to tackling the unfair barriers people of color, particularly Black and Hispanic folks, face when trying to enter the world of high technology, science, and engineering. ®
Get our [13]Tech Resources
[1] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YLmlW2GgoS9v0SDkLU3PZwAAAJM&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YLmlW2GgoS9v0SDkLU3PZwAAAJM&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
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[4] https://web.archive.org/web/20210603013019/https://www.kamaubobb.com/hidden-blogs/2007/12/if-i-were-a-jew
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YLmlW2GgoS9v0SDkLU3PZwAAAJM&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://twitter.com/kamaubobb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[7] https://t.co/dE7OS7Kw9Q
[8] https://twitter.com/Google?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[9] https://twitter.com/michaeldickson/status/1400014005717110784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[10] https://web.archive.org/web/20210603012214/https://www.kamaubobb.com/hidden-blogs/2007/03/wondering-about-relationships
[11] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YLmlW2GgoS9v0SDkLU3PZwAAAJM&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[12] https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/10/black-struggle-technology-jobs/573859/
[13] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Still there?
His problem was that he didn't commit sex-pest behaviors. Could have maybe got a promotion or a raise. Never settle for underachievemers! You could have hired and trained up a real HR nightmare in the time you kept this guy around, Google!
I wonder if anyone has checked to see if these are still his views.
I'm sure we all have some skeletons from the past that we would rather not come to light in later years, having presumably matured in our positions somewhat.
Judging someone now on what they thought 14 years ago is probably not all that fair, although I do not know this chap at all.
That's the problem with having everything recorded for eternity in the Wayback machine. Nobody cares if you change your mind.
'I wonder if anyone has checked to see if these are still his views.'
We've asked him. We'll let you know if he responds. Google PR and HR are going to be all over him, though.
C.
It doesn't matter what his views are today. He has been judged in absentia in the court of public opinion, based on today's social mores, on views he expressed a decade and a half ago, and has been found guilty without an actual trial. There will be no appeal, and those suggesting one will automatically be judged similarly.
Be afraid. Be very afraid. You may be next.
Remember that of-colo(u)r joke you used to tell in the frat/sorority house?
"Remember that of-colo(u)r joke you used to tell in the frat/sorority house? "
As far as I can tell, these statements were not meant as jokes, so that is a bad comparison.
Except ...
... the people doing the judging have absolutely no sense of humo(u)r.
Out of context
@Jake “It doesn't matter what his views are today. He has been judged in absentia in the court of public opinion…”
A court willing to pass judgement on statements taken out of context. I read the linked article, it was not antisemitic it was a condemnation of the policies and actions of Israel under the guise of Judaism. In fact, nothing he said has not already been voiced by some members of the Jewish faith.
As for the comment on homosexuality I could easily take offense he is attacking my sexuality. But again, read the linked article it is nothing of the sort, again taken out of context.
Maybe he is unsuitable to have a job with some role in diversity. Seems you can not be diverse and have an opinion.
Re: Out of context
We must have read different articles, that whole article has a homophobic under current, never mind the supposed out of context quote.
Re: Out of context
"Maybe he is unsuitable to have a job with some role in diversity."
That may very well be true. Or it may not. Half a dozen words typed in who knows what circumstances a decade and a half ago are certainly not enough to go on, IMO.
"Seems you can not be diverse and have an opinion."
Oh, you can have an opinion alright ... it just better be the same as the minority doing the current screaming. All else makes you into a bad-guy, regardless of how reasonable you are.
Don't you just love the knee-jerk downvoters in threads like this?
I weep for humanity.
Have a beer, friend.
Dispassionately
How about an open free dialogue where all with different opinions are able to posit their positions and be challenged respectfully as equals leading from thesis to antithesis to synthesis where eventually conversions are made by both sides leading to finding a common ground ?
Re: Dispassionately
What? You mean act like civilized human beings in a diverse society, with many sometimes opposing viewpoints?
How dare you, Sir!
Yuu MUST march in lock-step with the rest of us, or you WILL be extirpated! There cannot be any crimethink in our society!
Free speech is fine
But don’t expect everyone to accept it
Still there?
I am surprised he is still working there - people have been sacked for less than this at Google and similar companies very recently…