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Since you seem to be very connected to the a generic literal meaning of things, try taking one more step and imagine how this "racism" would manifest itself, wh

Since you seem to be very connected to the a generic literal meaning of things, try taking one more step and imagine how this "racism" would manifest itself, what the negative repercussions could be. Would whites and males be kicked out or jailed for trying to attend? You're ignoring the cultural context in favor of whatever correct perspective you have. Unfortunately, natural language doesn't respond well to simple analysis like yours.

smokeyj 13y ago
> Since you seem to be very connected to the a generic literal meaning of things Quite the opposite. I'm arguing in principle, and if you would like to redefine these words, I have no problem with that. > try taking one more step and imagine how this "racism" would manifest itself I fear that people continue to only associate with those in their small bubble of what makes them comfortable instead of reaching out and forging relationships that span sex/color/religion. Maybe they feel that they need a "black" version of education, and feel less confident in their ability to thrive in a multi-cultural society. Instead of opening up to new cultures we cement ourselves in one that we can identify with based on superficial factors like skin color and clothes. I'm actually arguing from a position deeper than "white men should be able to join too!". Please, don't take it that way. I think humans tend to be afraid of people who are different than themselves, and that's the core issue. When we turn our skin color into an identity, we segregate ourselves from so many people. I think something like sports/teambuilding would be more effective at breaking down the barriers we're witnessing in our society.
- hackinthebochs 13y ago
  These are all mostly separate issues than teaching black girls to code. Why do you think they must be conflated and tackled at the same time? There is a benefit to tailoring solutions to different problems. There is nothing contradictory about being for all the things you mentioned while also encouraging specifically black girls to experiment with coding.
  - smokeyj 13y ago
    > There is a benefit to tailoring solutions to different problems. There is, but I don't think that being inclusive to black girls requires being exclusive to everyone else. Not only that, they're cutting themselves off from potential peers who can help them grow their passion for programming. Maybe I'm being naive, but I think it's possible for a brand to appeal to people of multiple races. In my mind I see other minority kids feeling left out and unappreciated. This kind of hits close to home, so I'm not just speaking out my ass. But just to reiterate, I don't think reaching out to people of a specific demographic is inherently wrong. I just wish it could be done without being exclusionary.
- wrongc0ntinent 13y ago
  This is not a plain level field. Many are still suffering from institutional discrimination based on race, generations later, just as some are still enjoying the fruits of it. The bubbles exist. Obvious point made because this ties into culture, which is what programs like this help with. You're trying to deal with social issues at a universal human level which is orders of magnitude harder, if not impossible in practice. If I'm understanding you correctly. My point was, however: you're taking an absolute view of discrimination based on race being racism. It's not the case.

smokeyj 13y ago

> Since you seem to be very connected to the a generic literal meaning of things Quite the opposite. I'm arguing in principle, and if you would like to redefine these words, I have no problem with that. > try taking one more step and imagine how this "racism" would manifest itself I fear that people continue to only associate with those in their small bubble of what makes them comfortable instead of reaching out and forging relationships that span sex/color/religion. Maybe they feel that they need a "black" version of education, and feel less confident in their ability to thrive in a multi-cultural society. Instead of opening up to new cultures we cement ourselves in one that we can identify with based on superficial factors like skin color and clothes. I'm actually arguing from a position deeper than "white men should be able to join too!". Please, don't take it that way. I think humans tend to be afraid of people who are different than themselves, and that's the core issue. When we turn our skin color into an identity, we segregate ourselves from so many people. I think something like sports/teambuilding would be more effective at breaking down the barriers we're witnessing in our society.

hackinthebochs 13y ago
These are all mostly separate issues than teaching black girls to code. Why do you think they must be conflated and tackled at the same time? There is a benefit to tailoring solutions to different problems. There is nothing contradictory about being for all the things you mentioned while also encouraging specifically black girls to experiment with coding.
- smokeyj 13y ago
  > There is a benefit to tailoring solutions to different problems. There is, but I don't think that being inclusive to black girls requires being exclusive to everyone else. Not only that, they're cutting themselves off from potential peers who can help them grow their passion for programming. Maybe I'm being naive, but I think it's possible for a brand to appeal to people of multiple races. In my mind I see other minority kids feeling left out and unappreciated. This kind of hits close to home, so I'm not just speaking out my ass. But just to reiterate, I don't think reaching out to people of a specific demographic is inherently wrong. I just wish it could be done without being exclusionary.
wrongc0ntinent 13y ago
This is not a plain level field. Many are still suffering from institutional discrimination based on race, generations later, just as some are still enjoying the fruits of it. The bubbles exist. Obvious point made because this ties into culture, which is what programs like this help with. You're trying to deal with social issues at a universal human level which is orders of magnitude harder, if not impossible in practice. If I'm understanding you correctly. My point was, however: you're taking an absolute view of discrimination based on race being racism. It's not the case.