Google Fires Diversity Head Who Accused Jews of Violent Obsessions

NEW YORK
The Google logo at the company’s headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

Google has fired Kamau Bobb, the company’s head of Global Lead for Diversity, Strategy and Research, after a recently rediscovered 2007 blog post he wrote, accusing Jews of an “insatiable appetite for war and killing,” was circulated online and prompted outrage from Jewish organizations.

On his personal blog, which has since been deleted from his website, Bobb had expressed the belief that all Jews were morally responsible for the actions of the Israeli government, and that Israel was defined by an “insatiable appetite for vengeful violence.” He also indicated he believed the Holocaust should have been a moral lesson for the Jewish people.

In a statement, obtained by the Jewish Journal, Google said, “We unequivocally condemn the past writings by a member of our diversity team that are causing deep offense and pain to members of our Jewish community… These writings are unquestionably hurtful. The author acknowledges this and has apologized. He will no longer be part of our diversity team going forward and will focus on his STEM [Science Technology Engineering Math] work.”

“This has come at a time where we’ve seen an alarming increase in antisemitic attacks,” the statement continued. “Antisemitism is a vile prejudice that has given rise to unfathomable acts. It has no place in society and we stand with our Jewish community in condemning it.”

In an email obtained by the New York Post, Bobb apologized to a group of Jewish employees of Google.

“What I wrote crudely characterized the entire jewish community. what was intended as a critique of particular military action fed into antisemitic tropes and prejudice,” he wrote, foregoing capitalization. “i think we can all agree, there is no easy solution to this situation. but that’s beside the point. the way I expressed my views on that conflict were hurtful…None of this changes or excuses the words i wrote – but i am deeply sorry for them.”

___

smarcus@hamodia.com

To Read The Full Story

Are you already a subscriber?
Click to log in!