[Foundation-l] Plea for candidates: WMF Movement Communications Manager

Fri Apr 15 22:16:24 UTC 2011

> On Fri, Apr 15, 2011 at 15:26, Fred Bauder <fredbaud at fairpoint.net>
> wrote:
>> I don't think it is bias. Giving extra attention to the global south is
>> a
>> legitimate goal. Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, French, English, and
>> Chinese are commonly spoken there. There are different considerations
>> with respect to each language. Actually I think more people speak Hindi
>> than speak English.
>
> It might be a laudable goal, but the question is whether it's lawful
> in the United States, or in California, whichever prevails. Because
> what it suggests is, if there are two candidates equally qualified --
> a person from Ireland whose first language is English (and excellent),
> and a person from Afghanistan whose second language is English (and
> excellent) -- the latter will be preferred. Not because their first
> language is one the Foundation is specifically looking for (which
> could be justified), but because they were born in a country that did
> not make them a native English speaker. That is discrimination. Try to
> imagine an ad that said: "Ideally your native language is not Urdu."
>
> Sarah
>

Well, I would not be surprised to be wrong, but I don't think your legal
theory would be valid, after all the candidate fluent in Urdo may well be
an American citizen and have read at Oxford. The question is whether a
global organization hires globally, hiring people who have experience and
skill in communicating globally.

Fred