Anti H1B, anti Indian Blog bans us
By Bala Shah

The US had set up the H-1B visa program to hire on a short term basis highly skilled workers not available in America.  The ground reality is that some tech firms have used every loophole in the H-1B system to bring in low cost workers.  The ongoing misuse of the visas is an open secret. Now an anti H1B and anti Indian site has banned Indians from posting comments.

The American Government’s H1B policy has its fair share of supporters and critics.  The critics have lobbied powerful politicians, launched public campaigns and even started a number of anonymous blogs.  Some of these anti-H1B blogs stick to facts and civilized opinions; others are viciously anti-H1B and anti-Indian. The American constitution protects such ‘free’ speech.

One of the most vocal anti-Indian sites is ITGrunt.  Itgrunt has built up such a high profile amongst anti-H1B campaigners that leading Business magazine Businessweek sought its views on the American working visa system. Its criticism of Indians became so personal and abusive that its California-based hosting company refused to host Itgrunt. Itgrunt refers to Indians as ‘slumdogs’ and much worse.

Itgrunt.com then moved its website to Panama. But its readership is mainly from America.

What Itgrunt dishes out, the Indian techies give it back in full measure.  Indians have sent in hate mail and even death threats. Till last week, Itgrunt allowed comments criticizing Itgrunt.

Last week, Itgrunt had enough.  It chose to only dish out anonymous criticism of Indians and all things India. Indians cannot retaliate. Itgrunt posted last week

“
Slumdogs Are Now Banned

Since I get nothing but death threats, Hinglish cursing, Hindu-supremacist rants, lies about the Nazi-like upper-caste culture, and retarded, delusional boasting, I am banning all slumdog comments.

Since the Indian scum have been trying to ban Americans in the American I.T. industry for years, I feel that it is time to give them a taste of their own medicine.

GET THE F*** OFF MY BLOG, M**** C***.
“

American commentators are still allowed.

(Techgoss had run the following story on July 6, 2009)

US Web host kicks out anti Indian site
By Bala Shah

The US had set up the H-1B visa program to hire on a short term basis highly skilled workers not available in America.  The ground reality is that some tech firms have used every loophole in the H-1B system to bring in low cost workers into USA.  The ongoing misuse of the visas is an open secret. Now an anti H1B and anti Indian website has been forced overseas.

The US Government allocates 85000 H1B visas every year, 20 thousand of which are reserved for foreign students who have done higher degrees in USA. Favouring such an H1B Visa system were the Bush Government backed by powerful tech companies like Microsoft, Oracle, Google and GE. 

Not surprisingly, many Americans dislike the huge H1B quotas.  American techies who have lost their jobs to highly skilled but relatively low cost Indian workers dislike such a system.  So do Unions which want to keep American jobs in America.

Till last year, big business and their pro H1B stand were winning.  Recession in America and a new Government has ensured that H1B quotas will not be increased in the near future.  Also, any misuse of the H1B Visas will result in investigation and prosecution. Congress has passed laws that any American company getting bail out funds should give preference to American tech workers.

One of the key figures in the anti H1B Visa movement is Norm Matloff, a computer science professor from the University of California, who feels that the current system exploits workers in America as well as India. Norm Matloff cannot be dismissed as a racist as his wife is from China.  A number of mainstream media like Businessweek have interviewed Norm Matloff.

As the American Constitution guarantees freedom of speech, a number of websites/blogs have been set up with the sole purpose of criticizing the H1B system and the Indian companies who misuse such Visas. One such blog on the fringes is Itgrunt.com.

Businessweek felt that Itgrunt.com was important enough to interview for an article on University of California lecturer Norm Matloff and his anti-H1B views.

ITGrunt is vicious to us Indians.  It calls us “slumdogs”.  The ITGrunt site abuses us next to its Logo by saying: “I refuse drink from your Clay Cup, M**** C***.”. (Techgoss had censored the abuse for obvious reasons).

When HCL boss, Vineet Nayar,  said that some American graduates were unemployable,  ITGrunt lashed out: “Jesus F******' Christ!!! Where is a nice Paki terrorist when you need one? How come some Paki psycho hasn’t killed this slumdog already?”

The Indian techies have sent in abuse and death threats to ITGrunt.  They have also complained to its hosting company California-based Discountasp.net (a certified Microsoft Gold Certified partner)

Hosting company DiscountASP’s Michael sent an email to ITGrunt’s Kevin asking him to tone down the anti Indian rants and death threats.  Or else,  ITGrunt would be ejected.

Kevin of ITGrunt was not happy and abused DiscountASP in the following blog post before ITGrunt was ejected.

“
Michael,

Instead of threatening me and lecturing me in a vulgar manner, you could have told me that I am in violation of the terms.

I don't need creepy emails from some sanctimonious punk who wants to "dialogue" with me and act as a my censor. This isn't Iran or India.

And your implied threats of revealing my identity (you know who I am, or at least who pays for the hosting) makes me want to contemplate taking legal action against your company. I have a family and don't need to have them put in jeopardy by some sys-admin who has been bribed or threatened by my enemies, or wants to act like DiscountASP is the Southern Poverty Law Center.

So here's deal, creep -- I am taking my business elsewhere. I don't like to live in fear that someone like you will get a hair up his ass and try portray me as some domestic terrorist and destroy my reputation and violate my privacy.

This whole exchange has been sordid and unpleasant. This is a free country, Michael, and you don't get to run around and demand that people "explain" things to you. If you don't like what they write, you are more than free to take action to terminate the business deal. BUT YOU DON'T GET TO TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK, THREATEN ME, AND LECTURE ME. EVER. I AM A PAYING CUSTOMER, NOT YOUR BITCH.

I've already made arrangements to move the domain offshore, and I'll do you a favor and not post this absurd "dialogue" on my blog and mention YOUR NAME. I'm just a blogger, but I know of other people in the insurgency who are a bit more militant. Trust me, you don't want to meet them.

Good riddance, you creep.
Kevin
“

Ironically,  ITGrunt will now be hosted offshore in Panama. In another irony,  ITGrunt was ejected on July 4.  But ITGrunt will be online in a few days. In the meantime ITGrunt.com is unavailable.