Also regarded as the ‘Coolest Boss’ in the Silicon Valley, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, has always been an employer who consistently keeps encouraging and pushing Facebook employees to give their productive best by thinking for themselves.
Whether the task is to enhance the ‘Facebook Likes’ with ‘Better Emojis’ or addition of various fresh supplements to the timeline, the Facebook boss has always been cool, but this time, it seems his employees are trying his patience.
Few people have been striking out ‘Black Lives Matter’ by replacing it with ‘All Lives Matter’ on the walls of Facebook Headquarters.
At his recent Facebook Q&A session, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg addressed the ongoing issue, which has been garnering Facebook with oodles of rude and impolite comments. But, from what we are witnessing, it seems the issue is still going on without any halt.
This is the reason why, Zuckerberg came up with his best strategy, which is to write his views in a strongly articulated memo, in which he scolded his employees like never before. From the note, it is quite clear that this time the Facebook CEO seems highly frustrated due to the ‘Black Lives Matter’ act, which continues, despite claiming it clear in the recent gathering that issue was totally ‘unacceptable’.
The strong-worded post by Mark Zuckerberg goes on to mention that the United States’ black community continues to face consequences due to racism and oppression. He mentioned that Facebook has never had any protocols around what can be expressed in a written form on their walls, but striking out words expressed by others is highly disrespectful and a manner of silencing the speech.
The entire issue of ‘Black Lives Matter’ came to life in 2012 as a form of hashtag after African-American, Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old boy, was brutally shot to death. The slogan immediately went viral on various leading social media platforms, drawing individuals into a conversation regarding inequality and police brutality, and unifying mass across the country for such issues. Few individuals, however, pushed back with new phrase ‘All Lives Matter’.
Facebook CEO gave his own rendition regarding the movement by saying that ‘Black Lives Matter’ phrase simply wants to seek justice for the black community, which they absolutely deserve. By such phrase, he never symbolizes that other lives don’t matter.
Facebook offices’ few walls include whiteboards, which are usually decorated with signs that reads ‘Write Something’, these walls are covered with numerous layers of signatures, doodles, and messages from visitors and employees.
According to a Facebook spokeswoman, a strict memo has been sent out, but whether the individuals have been identified or taken action on, remains unknown.
Facebook CEO wrote:
“There have been several recent instances of people crossing out ‘black lives matter’ and writing ‘all lives matter’ on the walls at MPK.
Despite my clear communication at Q&A last week that this was unacceptable, and messages from several other leaders from across the company, this has happened again. I was already very disappointed by this disrespectful behavior before, but after my communication, I now consider this malicious as well.”
The post mentioned by Facebook CEO brings the spotlight on issues regarding workplace discrimination and racial representation going on in the Silicon Valley. Out of total strength, Facebook includes only 2% of black employees, and it is a widely known fact that issues regarding racial representation amid tech giants are pervasive.
The issue regarding ‘Black Lives Matter’ at Facebook has been an absolutely tiresome and deeply hurtful experience for entire Black and the Facebook community, setting a bad example for workplace culture on workplace diversity and workplace equality issue.
Facebook CEO ended his note by encouraging Facebook employees to attend town hall ‘Black@’ to be held on March 4, 2016, in order to educate themselves on the true lessons and meaning behind the issue ‘Black Lives Matter’.