At least that's what Kanye West would say.
It seems that American Atheists is in a bit of trouble. It's being accused of discrimination, and it has responded directly to those claims.
The facts of the matter:
It seems that American Atheists is in a bit of trouble. It's being accused of discrimination, and it has responded directly to those claims.
The facts of the matter:
- American Atheists fired a young black woman
- Her replacement was a "more experienced" white male. (who is presumably paid more)
- The woman claims to have been offended by an ad campaign comparing theism to slavery
- The woman claims to have heard racist jokes at work
- American Atheists defense downplays her role in the organization
- American Atheists uses the lawsuit itself as support of its decision to fire her
So there you have it.
This is one part patriarchy, one part racism, one part misogyny, one part pay equity, one part glass ceiling.
Now, it largely remains to be seen what the anti-racist social justice warriors think of all this.
They already think Richard Dawkins is racist.
Will they label David Silverman as racist after all this? Or will they find some rationalization, apply skepticism to the woman's claims, and then excommunicate her as they do to all women that cross the untouchable "social justice" alpha males? (As Marcotte would put it, "Team Feminism" is the entity that she would be exiled from)
Unfortunately it seems like this will quickly be swept under the rug, as the plaintiff made some rookie mistakes in the allegations.
Perhaps the following changes could be applied:
Perhaps the following changes could be applied:
- Drop allegations of racial discrimination, exchange it for a sexual harassment claim.
- Make a claim about unwanted sexual advances in a completely private, enclosed space. For example, an elevator.
- Avoid direct claims of misbehavior if at all possible. Make several claims that bring the target's character into question without attempting to make concrete descriptions of your interactions with them.
This is more of a recipe for success. Rest assured it would win over the hearts and minds that are easily molded by a few iterations of the Two Minutes Hate on Twitter/Tumblr/Pharyngula.
Interestingly enough, it would seem the allegation of the racial discrimination has distanced the plantiff from the sympathies of the secular white Twitter feminists.
The Twitter feminists and David Silverman will both exercise their solidarity in "white privilege" instead of arguing about the intricacies of Silverman's "male privilege" in the workplace.
For next time, simply remember: Elevator. "Coffee".