
Ask HN: Does Y Combinator support Black Lives Matter? - perfmode
Netflix recently stated on its Twitter account: “To be silent is to be complicit. Black lives matter. We have a platform, and we have a duty to our Black members, employees, creators and talent to speak up.”<p>Stripe: &quot;Racism is antithetical to Stripe’s mission. We stand with the Black community against discrimination and police violence.&quot;<p>Google: &quot;We stand in support of racial equality, and all those who search for it.&quot;<p>Amazon: &quot;the inequitable and brutal treatment of African Americans in the U.S. must stop...&quot;<p>Intel: &quot;Standing on the sidelines is not an option. Today we are pledging $1 million in support of efforts to address social injustice and anti-racism. #blacklivesmatter&quot;<p>Does YC? Do the views of members of the HN community reflect those of YC? These are honest questions intended to promote discussion.
======
seesawtron
I see this as a passive aggressive question, not a question to promote
discussion. You ask a question to which no one would answer NO. Yet you imply
that by not making a public statement, YC's default answer is NO. Hence
tricking them into follow suit like the firms you listed to do the same.

~~~
dragonwriter
> You ask a question to which no one would answer NO

Lots of people would answer no. Lots of people would answer that not only do
they not actively support Black Lives Matter, they actively oppose BLM.

> Yet you imply that by not making a public statement, YC's default answer is
> NO.

Passive indifference is not support, and not making public action (of which a
public statement is the most minute example) is passive indifference.

~~~
seesawtron
>Lots of people would answer no. Lots of people would answer that not only do
they not actively support Black Lives Matter, they actively oppose BLM.

Cite some examples.

~~~
dragonwriter
[https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-10/cajr-
sif1018...](https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-10/cajr-
sif101818.php)

”The study used a nationally representative sample of 2,114 people from 33
states and the District of Columbia to study opposition to and support for
BLM. Data were collected in 2016, with researchers asking people how much they
had heard about BLM. Those who said they had heard a lot or a little were
asked a follow-up question about their level of support for or opposition to
the movement. People who were unfamiliar with BLM were excluded from the
study, as were those who said they didn't know or declined to answer. In all,
31% of the people interviewed opposed BLM.”

~~~
seesawtron
Thanks but I was referring to answers more in terms of OP's question where
known people or companies would NEVER make statements opposing BLM. Anonymous
users and people in surveys have no accountability but companies and famous
people have users/fans that could be lost.

~~~
dragonwriter
Well, among the biggest non-anonymous entities to have attacked BLM have been
police unions, e.g., [https://www.sanjoseinside.com/opinion/blue-lives-matter-
sj-p...](https://www.sanjoseinside.com/opinion/blue-lives-matter-sj-police-
union-miss-key-moment-for-change-by-attacking-black-lives-matter/)

A whole lot of known people an organizations have actively supported one or
both of Blue Lives Matter and All Lives Matter, both of which are hostile
responses to Black Lives Matter, and have often done so attached to direct
condemnation of BLM, including frequently (by as notable a known person as
then candidate and now President Donald Trump) explicitly calling BLM a racist
movement.

------
anton96
I kinda used to , but seeing the increasing amount of identity left content ,
I decided the step out and not post anything supportive.

I really couldn't understand that 'hey you white do this' style but that was
nothing against the fact that people calmly asking why using this were firmly
opposed.

What I really don't accept is that I can't debate because I'm white.The
inability to debate is something I really can't and of course that wasn't
explained to me.

I tried to read some new 'educative' content but I really keep seeing a
generalized anti-white tone across everything I read.

Heck I also read that white should shut up if someone tell them that something
is racist or homophobic , as gay white if someone would say something that
would homophobic and I would tell them but if it wasn't mean or if it was
unintentional I would gladly explain them what the problem is.

I guess that among BLM or everything related there are certainly a lot people
who want to talk but in my web social environment I don't want to side with
them.

But I'll be glad to speak bout it here , in a more anynomous environement.

------
tomhoward
Y Combinator Core's CEO [1] is African-American, and he posted this to HN in
the past 2 days (as well as submitting the main article):

[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23380748](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23380748)

I know from having been in the YC community for over 10 years, that a lot of
effort goes into identifying and supporting startups founded by PoC and/or
servicing particular needs of PoC communities, as well as raising awareness
and providing education with a view to increasing startup participation and
success among PoC in the long term.

I know they wish they could do more, and that they keep working to figure out
ways they can do more.

Individual partners are supporting the cause in their own way (YC chairman Sam
Altman posted in Instagram earlier).

[1]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Seibel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Seibel)

~~~
tomhoward
Further to my comment above, I can see from the internal YC discussion forums
that the issue is being actively discussed within the community, with some of
the discussions being initiated by the most senior YC partners, and others by
YC company founders. A sincere intent to bring about tangible change is
evident. It would be inappropriate to share more details publicly, but I can
attest that support and action is evident in the YC leadership and community.

------
austincheney
I cannot support any organization that opposes use of body cams:
[https://m4bl.org/policy-platforms/end-the-war-on-black-
peopl...](https://m4bl.org/policy-platforms/end-the-war-on-black-people/)

------
eucryphia
This is pointless.

Because you didn't mention white lives, does that mean you want all white
people killed?

All lives matter; the lives of police suspects, the lives of police, the
livelihoods of shopkeepers and their employees, the livelihoods of customers
of those shops who now face higher prices to pay for the theft and higher
insurance premiums.

Don't be drawn in by those who foment unrest, be suspicious of their motives.

------
mydongle
I believe black lives matter in the grand scheme of things. I don't care about
the group, if anything they've only done harm to their cause.

Due to recent events and seeing all the footage coming out, I can say it has
all proved the value of the 2nd amendment. So many cases where innocent
bystanders are simply at the mercy of rioters and looters and cops not being
allowed to act due to fear of racism accusations and sparking more violence.
On the other hand, there are also cases where people with guns were able to
defend themselves and their businesses from these streetwalking ghouls.

