News The Media & Racism .. Three black teens bombarded with racism due to success in NASA competition

[HairyChick]

I hate discrimination as everyone knows. Byt, the media has been playing the race card a little too much. Every day this stuff happens and it doesn’t make the news. Now it’s hourly reporting of incidents. Publicizing it won’t cause change, it just gives bigots more ammunition. Yet, I’m glad they publicize it so people realize this happens all the tine and black people who claim targeting or racism aren’t lying.


Three black teens bombarded with racism due to success in NASA competition

Three Washington D.C.-area high school students entered a competition supported by NASA, developing a way to purify lead-contaminated water in drinking fountains.

Instead of being celebrated for being the only all-black, female team to be named as finalists, the trio were bombarded with racist comments by anonymous online trolls on the website 4chan, according to The Washington Post.

The content that the trio entered was NASA Goddard's Optimus Prime Spinoff Promotion and Research Challenge. The grand prize is a trip to the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. and a $4,000 stipend, according to the contest's website.

Mikayla Sharrieff, India Skinner and Bria Snell, all 17-years-old, tried to celebrate their achievements, with one of them texting, "Hidden figures in the making," referencing the hit 2016 movie, "Hidden Figures."

"Hidden Figures" is about three African-American women who worked at NASA in the agency's early days. The movie went on to gross $236 million, has an approval rating of 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and was nominated for three Academy Awards.

Though Sharrieff, Skinner and Snell were popular on social media, racking up votes highlighting their work, anonymous posters on 4chan said the trio's work did not deserve to be among the finalists, adding that the African-American community only supported them because of their race.

One even said they would consider hacking the voting system to give others, including a team of teenage boys, better odds of winning the competition.

NASA said in a statement that although voting had been compromised. Sharrieff, Skinner and Snel's project is still listed among the other finalists, of which there are 8 in total.

"Unfortunately, it was brought to NASA's attention yesterday that some members of the public used social media, not to encourage students and support STEM [science, technology, education and math], but to attack a particular student team based on their race and encouraged others to disrupt the contest and manipulate the vote, and the attempt to manipulate the vote occurred shortly after those posts," NASA said in a statement on the competition's website.

The government agency added: "NASA continues to support outreach and education for all Americans, and encourages all of our children to reach for the stars."

Sharrieff made mention of the issues on her Twitter account, posting a picture with a letter and the caption "Thank you so much your support (heart emoji)"

Her initial tweet about the project, noting that "We are the only team from the east coast & female minority group!" has been retweeted nearly 3,000 times since being posted on April 23.

Winners will be announced in early May, the website states

[Bladewire]

NASA is the world's largest space program belonging to the country that put the first human on the moon.

I guess the relevant juxtaposition is that there are people strong enough & brilliant enough to rise above those trying to keep them down and humble enough to use their knowledge to help all of humanity, even the haters.

[Diomed]

Once you realize that it really is a ploy to keep us divided / anxious / fearful /distracted then all you can do is try to shine a light and not support them.

They've taken one of the greatest inventions of all time (the television) which could have been an absolutely amazing formational tool and turned it into a backdoor route into subconscious manipulation

People should begin a practice of total accountability, rather than looking the other way in the name of profit.

Money truly is the root of all evil.

[blackmonsters]

What kind of card are the White nationalist playing?
Or does the "race card" only apply to Blacks?

[mikesouth]

yer using the word discrimination when you mean bigotry we all discriminate its only a bad thing when its bigotry

[HairyChick]

Originally Posted by Diomed

Once you realize that it really is a ploy to keep us divided / anxious / fearful /distracted then all you can do is try to shine a light and not support them.

They've taken one of the greatest inventions of all time (the television) which could have been an absolutely amazing formational tool and turned it into a backdoor route into subconscious manipulation

People should begin a practice of total accountability, rather than looking the other way in the name of profit.

Money truly is the root of all evil.

The media is manipulating people was exactly my point. This isn’t nationally newsworthy. It was on FOX News online. It’s sad and wrong but with racism so prevalent these days the media is taunting people into doing it for exposure.

They expect big bucks and recognition. Anyone can make up a story about discrimination and it detracts from the true stories. You just know soon a white person will claim they went into a black-owned or black- neighborhood store and were called “honky” or worse. They’ll demand justice, money and equal retribution.

Yes, it happens every day in every locale. Publicizing it won’t change the situation as they expect. Copycat racism with heinous results will transpire.

The media needs to be clued in about the lonely, attention-seeking keyboard warriors whose goal is to create havoc and discord to entertain themselves and laugh at the outcome. We have people like that here but you’re recognizing their tactics and ignoring their taunts. No reaction means no satisfaction. It isn’t easy though ...

[OneHungLo]

Originally Posted by PamWinterReturns

You just know soon a white person will claim they went into a black-owned or black- neighborhood store and were called “honky” or worse. They’ll demand justice, money and equal retribution.

The difference when a black person goes into a white owned business/area the worst is he may get a look. If a white walks into a black area he very well could lose his life.

[Bladewire]

Originally Posted by PamWinterReturns

The media is manipulating people was exactly my point. This isn’t nationally newsworthy.

News about NASA isn't newsworthy?

[blackmonsters]

Originally Posted by mikesouth

yer using the word discrimination when you mean bigotry we all discriminate its only a bad thing when its bigotry

If this was the Wheel of Fortune I'd ask you if you wanted to buy some punctuation for that sentence.

[HairyChick]

Originally Posted by Bladewire

News about NASA isn't newsworthy?

Yes, it is. But the story focus and headline was about skin color. If the focus was on NASA and the first black women were secondary, it’s newsworthy. The angle was stirring up anger at racism as if it’s the first time it happened.

But, in retrospect, if I were black, I’d want the focus on their color. As a female, I want that prominent. As a white female, I’m proud of the women and proud the black women were recognized. So I can see why stories come from different angles.

I guess the story angle can be considered racism to some but not to all. It depends how you look at it.

[HairyChick]

Originally Posted by mikesouth

yer using the word discrimination when you mean bigotry we all discriminate its only a bad thing when its bigotry

We all discriminate? How so? I agree it’s bigotry but racial discrimination is the more common term.

I see how people treat you when in a wheelchair. I’d never realized how prevalent it was. Discrimination? Nope. Stupidity? Nope. Uninformed? Yep.

I’d like to think I don’t discriminate. I might without realizing it ... now I’ll be up all night thinking..,

[mikesouth]

simple are you gay/ if so you discriminate based on sex if not ditto

do you have preferences in who you go out with make friends with are you vegan? thats discrimination discrimination in and of itself isnt a bad word will all discriminate based on our preferences in life....its the why that makes it good or evil

[Bladewire]

Originally Posted by PamWinterReturns

Yes, it is. But the story focus and headline was about skin color. If the focus was on NASA and the first black women were secondary, it’s newsworthy. The angle was stirring up anger at racism as if it’s the first time it happened.

But, in retrospect, if I were black, I’d want the focus on their color. As a female, I want that prominent. As a white female, I’m proud of the women and proud the black women were recognized. So I can see why stories come from different angles.

I guess the story angle can be considered racism to some but not to all. It depends how you look at it.

The article made the correlation between three girls and the "hidden figures" black women who worked for NASA and weren't given credit for their ground breaking work.

I despise racism and I hate hearing about it but when we have some POTUS says immigrants are racist and says that a judge of Latin decent can't rule on his case because he'll be bias, and says people if a certain religion should be denied entry to America, those messages need to be met with opposition and people must see the result of such poor "leadership" , girls winning a NASA competition and being deminished by others simply because of their race and winning the competition by an organization that used to hide women of color, and their accomplishments in their ranks, from the public. Sucks all around.

When I lived overseas there was none of this constant divisiveness and hate in all aspects of society and it's been like this constantly since 9/11, which is what made me move overseas the first time for 5 years. Sad

[newB]

You see that stuff all the time - we even saw it here just a month or so ago: "Go to this website and vote for ________."

Hell, I just heard about people in the black community encouraging those who want to see the Avengers movie to instead buy a ticket to Black Panther then sneak in to see the Avengers, so the Black Panther will stay on top.

So which part is more racist, people choosing to support others of the same ethnicity in unconventional ways, or getting so upset about it you plot some retaliation? Because to me, they both sound a little racist.

[HairyChick]

Originally Posted by Bladewire

The article made the correlation between three girls and the "hidden figures" black women who worked for NASA and weren't given credit for their ground breaking work.

I despise racism and I hate hearing about it but when we have some POTUS says immigrants are racist and says that a judge of Latin decent can't rule on his case because he'll be bias, and says people if a certain religion should be denied entry to America, those messages need to be met with opposition and people must see the result of such poor "leadership" , girls winning a NASA competition and being deminished by others simply because of their race and winning the competition by an organization that used to hide women of color, and their accomplishments in their ranks, from the public. Sucks all around.

When I lived overseas there was none of this constant divisiveness and hate in all aspects of society and it's been like this constantly since 9/11, which is what made me move overseas the first time for 5 years. Sad

I read something earlier about two black men found dismembered and stabbed. Headline could have said that two men were found ... Why did their color need to be in the headlines? Do they think black people won't read it unless it's about black people? I don't generally see "white woman raped" or "white woman's body found" in headlines. Yet lately color is mentioned if the article is about a black person.

The color of these women is mentioned as if black women aren't usually smart enough to do something this important. Or, was the angle to grab the attention of black people? Is color more important than gender? Depends whom they're trying to read it first. Black women or women of color? Which is more shocking, women vs men or black vs white?

Their tactics to grab readers isn't thought of lightly.

[brassmonkey]

Originally Posted by mikesouth

yer using the word discrimination when you mean bigotry we all discriminate its only a bad thing when its bigotry

what??? they want them stupid and wondering around shooting people
the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.

[DBS.US]

The two men where just sitting in Starbucks waiting for a friend when the police came in and arrested them.

[nico-t]

my god... this racism shit seems to be an obsession to pam... what the hell happened to you for you to have such a weird obsession?

[brassmonkey]

Originally Posted by nico-t

my god... this racism shit seems to be an obsession to pam... what the hell happened to you for you to have such a weird obsession?

well you have your bullshit as well.

[OneHungLo]

Originally Posted by nico-t

my god... this racism shit seems to be an obsession to pam... what the hell happened to you for you to have such a weird obsession?

Possible psychological projection

[dyna mo]

if you don't like the media publicizing these sorts of stories then you shouldn't be publicizing these sorts of stories for the media.

[ghjghj]

Originally Posted by PamWinterReturns

I hate discrimination as everyone knows. Byt, the media has been playing the race card a little too much. Every day this stuff happens and it doesn’t make the news. Now it’s hourly reporting of incidents. Publicizing it won’t cause change, it just gives bigots more ammunition. Yet, I’m glad they publicize it so people realize this happens all the tine and black people who claim targeting or racism aren’t lying.


Three black teens bombarded with racism due to success in NASA competition

Three Washington D.C.-area high school students entered a competition supported by NASA, developing a way to purify lead-contaminated water in drinking fountains.

Instead of being celebrated for being the only all-black, female team to be named as finalists, the trio were bombarded with racist comments by anonymous online trolls on the website 4chan, according to The Washington Post.

The content that the trio entered was NASA Goddard's Optimus Prime Spinoff Promotion and Research Challenge. The grand prize is a trip to the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. and a $4,000 stipend, according to the contest's website.

Mikayla Sharrieff, India Skinner and Bria Snell, all 17-years-old, tried to celebrate their achievements, with one of them texting, "Hidden figures in the making," referencing the hit 2016 movie, "Hidden Figures."

"Hidden Figures" is about three African-American women who worked at NASA in the agency's early days. The movie went on to gross $236 million, has an approval rating of 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and was nominated for three Academy Awards.

Though Sharrieff, Skinner and Snell were popular on social media, racking up votes highlighting their work, anonymous posters on 4chan said the trio's work did not deserve to be among the finalists, adding that the African-American community only supported them because of their race.

One even said they would consider hacking the voting system to give others, including a team of teenage boys, better odds of winning the competition.

NASA said in a statement that although voting had been compromised. Sharrieff, Skinner and Snel's project is still listed among the other finalists, of which there are 8 in total.

"Unfortunately, it was brought to NASA's attention yesterday that some members of the public used social media, not to encourage students and support STEM [science, technology, education and math], but to attack a particular student team based on their race and encouraged others to disrupt the contest and manipulate the vote, and the attempt to manipulate the vote occurred shortly after those posts," NASA said in a statement on the competition's website.

The government agency added: "NASA continues to support outreach and education for all Americans, and encourages all of our children to reach for the stars."

Sharrieff made mention of the issues on her Twitter account, posting a picture with a letter and the caption "Thank you so much your support (heart emoji)"

Her initial tweet about the project, noting that "We are the only team from the east coast & female minority group!" has been retweeted nearly 3,000 times since being posted on April 23.

Winners will be announced in early May, the website states