>The short: We now have need-based living expense grants for black and non-white Latino/a and Hispanic people, as well as people from many other groups traditionally underrepresented in programming.
I disagree with this, it's racist.
I disagree with this, it's racist.
> "oh I can't go cuz I don't have enough money to sustain myself"
That's the reason why you should get that grant, not because you are from a different race.
I believe you're confusing the mere recognition of races and the fact that they exist with racism. They aren't the same thing.
Not to go all dictionary on you, but here's what American Heritage has to say: "the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, esp. so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races."
Nothing in the post falls under the strict dictionary definition of racism. I would also argue that nothing in the post at all falls under any definition of racism.
I've no idea what that difference is, exactly, but I do know that you're not allowed to question it under any circumstances.
This is a very simple and pretty inoffensive question, IMO. If your goal is diversity and helping the disadvantaged: Why race instead of socioeconomic status?
By the way, they're not wrong. Racial discrimination has a pretty black and white objective definition, folks, and clicking the down arrow on my or any other post does nothing to change that definition.
It does, however, make this community look bad and knee-jerk-y. Do think before clicking, please.
Their objective is not to target and assist the people who need the most help in getting into hacker school, like the most socioeconomically challenged people in your example. That would pose a number of problems and concerns.
First of all, it would require more outreach. It would also be slower and more difficult, for factors like lack of transportation, communication, or english as a second language, just to name a few. Finally, it would be politically unwise to snub certain groups (feminists, black coalitions, etc) that are much louder and more organized than other groups or individuals, regardless of whether they are in more need.
Basically: it's both easier and more attractive to support the most vocal minorities, and it's much harder to support the people that are actually in the most need.
And yeah, people tend to vote their feelings here. You will get a million more upvotes by supporting someone's misguided cause than you will by calling out the illogical motivation.