Google has fired the employee behind the company’s controversial memo on diversity, after CEO Sundar Pichai stated that it had the violated the search engine giant’s code of conduct.
James Damore, an engineer for Alphabet Inc.’s Google, used his 10-page screed to discuss his belief in gender stereotypes and why they affect the workplace, branding Google an “ideological echo chamber” and requesting that Google ends its diversity programs as a result of them “discriminating” against others — i.e. the white men who aren’t allowed to take part in them.
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Though Damore argues that he supports diversity in Google, he added that he believes the company’s current diversity programs “alienate non-progressives,” bemoaning the “high priority queue and special treatment for “diversity” candidates.” Damore also argued that “women, on average, have more neuroticism,” along with claiming that if society allows men to become “more ‘feminine,’ then the gender gap will shrink, although probably because men will leave tech and leadership for traditionally ‘feminine’ roles.”
James Damore. (image Credit: Google)
The memo soon went viral, with Google coming under fire as a result. Now the company has taken the steps to remove Damore from his position within the company, with the engineer claiming that he was terminated as a result of him “perpetuating gender stereotypes.”
Since his firing, Damore has been in contact with his supporters in order to stage a crowdfunded appeal on the right-wing fundraising site WeSearchr. He has stated that he is “reviewing his options for legal action against Google,” with him requesting $60,000 on the platform in order to pursue this case. “The radical Left has been whipping up hate mobs to get independents, libertarians, conservatives, and simple contrarians publicly shamed, bullied, and fired from their jobs for years,” Damore’s crowdfunding page reads. “Now they’re attacking a man for honestly, wisely, and politely expressing his opinions to his colleagues. And they’ve gotten him fired.”
In a statement issued to employees and published by Bloomberg, Google’s new vice president for diversity Danielle Brown said: “We are unequivocal in our belief that diversity and inclusion are critical to our success as a company. We’ll continue to stand for that and be committed to it for the long haul.”
Despite Damore’s recent termination, it wasn’t long before he was offered another job. After it was revealed that Damore had been fired, WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange tweeted: “Censorship is for losers. @WikiLeaks is offering a job to fired Google engineer James Damore.”
