Political Correctness Strikes Again

[wopphil]

I hate political correctness and think this is b.s.

And my guess is that if you asked just about any professional woman, she'd agree it is b.s. too.

[Glen]

I hate political correctness and think this is b.s.

And my guess is that if you asked just about any professional woman, she'd agree it is b.s. too.

 

 

How nice of you to proffer an opinion for them.  I'm sure they appreciate it.  Well, that's my guess, anyway.

[HaloMagic]

Was this guy in a role where he had influence over the hiring and promotion of individuals? If so I would say the punishment should involve removing him from that role for the time being. The comment he made was one that is already a point of concern for many individuals. He didn't make a comment about a viewpoint that no one is saying is widespread right now, like people from poor backgrounds steal lab equipment. That would be a forgivable joke. He made a comment about how women are trouble in the labs. There has long been the notion that this belief widely permeates the STEM industry and prevents females from having the same vocational success as their male counterparts. If I was in charge of the organization he was in I would have to spend a long time deciding whether I could weather the backlash my organization would face with him still on that role. I'd also have to have a serious sit down with him to really determine what his viewpoint in the issue is. I don't know all the facts so I can't say I'd remove him from his role but clearly this organization felt it was necessary to do so.

Remember, if he is in a position of authority and they wanted the punishment to include removing him from such they don't exactly have a lot of choices. This person is a Nobel laureate. Asking him to step down is a bit insulting and possibly would result in a worse public image than asking for his resignation.

[Jay]

They used to send people to sensitivity classes if they made a boo boo in the office.

[wopphil]

How nice of you to proffer an opinion for them. I'm sure they appreciate it. Well, that's my guess, anyway.

Don't get your g in a bunch.

[HeavenlyHalos]

It's a "bad joke" that reflects what he was really thinking, or else he wouldn't have said it.  I hate that namby-pamby shit: "lighten up, I was just joking."  It's a safety net for trying to broadcast stupid opinions.  If you're going to fall back on something you say being a joke, you should give a hint before saying it that it is a joke.

 

That said, perhaps the punishment was indeed too harsh.  

 

Thus ruining jokes for eternity.

[Rico]

Most of us probably wouldn't be fired for such comments.  I think the problem here is he's too high profile to be making these comments in public.  He is a victim of his own success.  I can fully understand an employer not wanted to be associated further with an employee that makes remarks like this in such a public way.  Especially if that employer is a University.  

 

In the end though I think everything will blow over and he will bounce back.  He is still a freaking Knight.

[Glen]

Don't get your g in a bunch.

 

The only time it was in a bunch was when it was on the floor at your mom's house.

[Glen]

Thus ruining jokes for eternity.

 

 

Fair point, and I should have left the "before" out.  Thing is, it seems obvious this guy wasn't joking.  He was venting in public.  

[Blarg]

Glen, did you just read or hear what he said? As you have noticed even using the sarcasm font never seems to get the point across that a statement is tongue in cheek. It could very well be a very poorly cinstructed joke delivered in typical British deadpan making it very difficult to understand as funny. Kind of like The Office and the Royal family.

[Stradling]

The only time it was in a bunch was when it was on the floor at your mom's house.

Glen this is worse than what Troll Daddy would have come up with.

Edited June 16, 2015 by Stradling

[Glen]

Glen, did you just read or hear what he said? As you have noticed even using the sarcasm font never seems to get the point across that a statement is tongue in cheek. It could very well be a very poorly cinstructed joke delivered in typical British deadpan making it very difficult to understand as funny. Kind of like The Office and the Royal family.

 

 

That's definitely a possibility, but it doesn't excuse what he said and where/when he said it.

[Glen]

Glen this is worse than what Troll Daddy would have come up with.

 

 

[Thomas]

I'm not quite sure the wisdom of trying to teach empathy at the end of a stick.

[nate]

Again some people without background aren't getting it.

 

It is one thing to tell a joke, it is another thing when the joke is exactly on the topic of something that really happens.  Women are shunned from STEM jobs and labs for this very reason.  It isn't just a priest and a rabbi joke.

 

Like I said, it would be like a school superintendent in Fergusen MO telling a "joke" about keeping black kids out of the schools because they scare white kids.

Edited June 16, 2015 by nate

[Thomas]

Heh. I'm sitting in a national lab at this very moment. I couldn't be more STEM if I tried. 

[Adam]

Don't you have to be Asian to work in STEM?

[Stradling]

Don't you have to be Asian to work in STEM?

We will kindly accept your resignation.

[arch stanton]

My daughter is a second year med student with an eye towards research. I think I'm the only man that's ever made her cry and that hasn't happened since she was 7. She said she doesn't understand how anyone who says something that stupid can be taken seriously but she's cool with the resignation because it moves everybody up the chain one link.

[juansavage1]

It was a stupid thing to say and he should resign.

As the father of a girl, one of the biggest issues in science right now is that women are looked down on when it comes to STEM.

As the father of a girl, I liked the joke. I encourage my daughter to have a sense of humor and to not be offended by sex differences.

I don't think people looking down on female scientists is in any way a problem in 2015 America.

[nate]

OMG... this isn't about the women.  It is about the men that (don't) hire the women.

[juansavage1]

Let's get something out of the way: Should it be possible to hold the view that women tend to be more emotional than men or that people of the opposite sex tend to be attracted to each other AND, if you're otherwise qualified, work at a job?

[juansavage1]

OMG... this isn't about the women. It is about the men that (don't) hire the women.

What about the men who don't hire people with controversial views?

[nate]

Sure if I can also not hire Mexicans cause they tend to be lazy.

[juansavage1]

Again some people without background aren't getting it.

It is one thing to tell a joke, it is another thing when the joke is exactly on the topic of something that really happens. Women are shunned from STEM jobs and labs for this very reason. It isn't just a priest and a rabbi joke.

Like I said, it would be like a school superintendent in Fergusen MO telling a "joke" about keeping black kids out of the schools because they scare white kids.

This isn't true. Women in 2015 are encouraged to do STEM. Have you ever met anybody who discouraged a woman from doing STEM?