Racists Getting Fired for Social Media Posts

While I support people learning the hard way why racism is stupid, I'm not sure that this is the best way to go about it. These people aren't getting a chance to apologise and realise they've done wrong -- if they refuse to apologize or repeat offend, fire them, but give them a chance to make amends.

Some of these people are unapologetic pricks, but some of them are just stupid, misguided, or have been badly raised. If we don't give them a chance to realize what they're saying has impact, they won't learn. If we instantly fire them we risk them forever associating speaking carefully and kindly with 'not getting fired' or 'not having crazy internet people hunt me down' instead of understanding that words have weight and power.

EMaree said:

While I support people learning the hard way why racism is stupid, I'm not sure that this is the best way to go about it. These people aren't getting a chance to apologise and realise they've done wrong -- if they refuse to apologize or repeat offend, fire them, but give them a chance to make amends.

Some of these people are unapologetic pricks, but some of them are just stupid, misguided, or have been badly raised. If we don't give them a chance to realize what they're saying has impact, they won't learn. If we instantly fire them we risk them forever associating speaking carefully and kindly with 'not getting fired' or 'not having crazy internet people hunt me down' instead of understanding that words have weight and power.

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The people pointing out racist online activities aren't firing anyone. That decision remains in the hands of the racist's boss, who will ultimately decide whether a gentle lesson and a chance to make amends is warranted, or if the employee should be let go.

Devil Ledbetter said:

The people pointing out racist online activities aren't firing anyone. That decision remains in the hands of the racist's boss, who will ultimately decide whether a gentle lesson and a chance to make amends is warranted, or if the employee should be let go.

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Gotta disagree there, Devil -- the Racists Getting Fired blog directs people to contact the workplaces of the offending people. We only see one e-mail -- asking that the employer "handle the situation properly" -- but given the title of the blog, there's a clear aim here.

Not to mention that they openly celebrate every sacking.

Now, whether it's a small business where reputation matters or large minimum-wage employer, they're going to get bombarded with tens of thousands of reblogs, notes, phone calls and tweets (source) telling them their employee should be sacked. I'd like to imagine they'll handle things evenly and with consideration. But they won't.

Your average employee isn't worth keeping around when the local papers get word that local deliveries are handled by a racist. Some teenager working a cashier job is worth a lot less than the press bad-mouthing a big corporation and slamming their social media with bad reviews. Everyone is replaceable. These employees will be out the door without a moment's thought.

Besides, if the employee was reprimanded and the company apologised for them, they risk more uproar for being the company that still employee a racist.

EMaree said:

Gotta disagree there, Devil -- the Racists Getting Fired blog directs people to contact the workplaces of the offending people. We only see one e-mail -- asking that the employer "handle the situation properly" -- but given the title of the blog, there's a clear aim here.

Not to mention that they openly celebrate every sacking.

Now, whether it's a small business where reputation matters or large minimum-wage employer, they're going to get bombarded with tens of thousands of reblogs, notes, phone calls and tweets (source) telling them their employee should be sacked. I'd like to imagine they'll handle things evenly and with consideration. But they won't.

Your average employee isn't worth keeping around when the local papers get word that local deliveries are handled by a racist. Some teenager working a cashier job is worth a lot less than the press bad-mouthing a big corporation and slamming their social media with bad reviews. Everyone is replaceable. These employees will be out the door without a moment's thought.

Besides, if the employee was reprimanded and the company apologised for them, they risk more uproar for being the company that still employee a racist.

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Apparently, lynch mobs are cool if it's for the right reason.

I would not do this, but if I was in the group being described as needing to be shot... I can understand that person feeling differently as a potential customer of that business.

I think it needs to be pointed out that this is not just "social consequences" - people being shunned at the local bar or country club. This is people (and their families) being financially harmed because they hold views others detest, and people actively seeking that financial harm. That's what I disagree with. And if anyone thinks this sort of action changes anything for the better, they're sadly mistaken. Not only does it reinforce the original attitude, it can tip the balance for people who are not quite there yet.

I am just not sure that if someone posted a picture of them with a rifle saying they were going to [my community] to shoot [people like me] that I would be so sanguine. Actually talking about shooting people is a bit more than just saying bigoted things.

veinglory said:

I am just not sure that if someone posted a picture of them with a rifle saying they were going to [my community] to shoot [people like me] that I would be so sanguine. Actually talking about shooting people is a bit more than just saying bigoted things.

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I recall that threatening to shoot someone may be a crime, and it's police who should be notified, not (or in addition to) an employer.

But what if they got someone not just fired from their job, but arrested and put into jail? How would they provide for their families? </snark>

And about bigoted and bigot, that word has been largely replaced, I think because it's not considered a strong enough insult:

https://books.google.com/ngrams/gra...e=&direct_url=t1;,bigoted;,c0;.t1;,racist;,c0

https://books.google.com/ngrams/gra...are=&direct_url=t1;,bigot;,c0;.t1;,racist;,c0

shadowwalker said:

I think it needs to be pointed out that this is not just "social consequences" - people being shunned at the local bar or country club. This is people (and their families) being financially harmed because they hold views others detest, and people actively seeking that financial harm. That's what I disagree with. And if anyone thinks this sort of action changes anything for the better, they're sadly mistaken. Not only does it reinforce the original attitude, it can tip the balance for people who are not quite there yet.

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So your contention is that adults should not be held responsible for their words, even if those words are uttered in public, because the consequences might be painful for themselves or their families. Correct?

Funny. I thought you leaned toward conservatism, which tends to uphold that whole "personal responsibility" thing. I guess it's not so much a rule for you as sort of a guideline?

It makes me wonder if I should try to take down any and all evidence of queerness on my "anonymous" accounts because I have moved from a state where sexual orientation is a protected class to a state where it is not for financial reasons.

shadowwalker said:

I think it needs to be pointed out that this is not just "social consequences" - people being shunned at the local bar or country club. This is people (and their families) being financially harmed because they hold views others detest, and people actively seeking that financial harm. That's what I disagree with. And if anyone thinks this sort of action changes anything for the better, they're sadly mistaken. Not only does it reinforce the original attitude, it can tip the balance for people who are not quite there yet.

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This is the epitome of social consequences.

I'm kind of torn on this one. On one hand, I hate bigots and it's nice to see them get some sort of punishment for publicly spewing their ignorant bile. On the other hand, as Don cheekily noted above, the wolf-pack/mob mentality seems to be acceptable only when it supports what "we" want. If the mob's on our side of an issue, it's totes awesomeballs. When it's on the other side, it's a horrible travesty of social order.

But, do some of us like when this happens because faux karma seems satisfactory and/or it's simply the result of the somewhat bullshit "eye for an eye" mentality that is unfortunately ingrained in our culture? When we read about these people getting harassed online (and, trust me, I have very little sympathy for them considering what they said/did), are we hoping this will be a wake-up call for them and they'll change their ways or are we instead simply celebrating that they "got what they deserved"? If it's the latter, how does that help things?

Again, I think Don's right, at least from what I inferred from his post. These wolf pack tactics exist on a very slippery slope and groups don't tend to think or act nearly as rationally and intelligently as do individuals. The potential for actions like this to snowball into doxxing and bullying the everloving shit out of someone and ruining their lives over even the slightest of social grievances is definitely there, and that's a truly scary thought. It's not hard to imagine a scenario where, eventually, saying something like, "I don't like rap music" gets the same full-napalm mob response as saying some of the vulgar things listed on that Tumblr right now.

If we snuff out all of the voices of stupidity, then how will we know what a voice of intelligence sounds like, if there's nothing left to contrast it against? I truly hate bigoted thinking, but if everyone thought and acted the same way, then the world would be a terribly Orwellian place, and that's the danger of things like this Tumblr account.

CrastersBabies said:

Opty, I think there is something to your comments. I wonder about this direction of internet vigilantism. Part of me cheers when I think of Anonymous releasing information about the rapists from Steubenville (for example). But another part of me wonders about that sort of mob mentality and what might happen if power like that ends up in the wrong hands.

I think it is a very slippery slope.

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That mob mentality is a constant. It's an inescapable flaw in the human cognitive system. There's no reason to wonder what might happen; mob power has been in the wrong hands for all of history. I think what is different now is that the organising power of the internet allows mob power to be steered without the intervention of demagogues, politicians, or other 'thought leaders'. And that scares them a lot.