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GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the word 'retard'

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Re: GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the word 'retard'

#91

Post by crgt »

nightmiles wrote: post #59
aerovistae wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can't say I am. People should be free to use the language they wish. The words that were offensive 200 years ago are laughable today. It's just such a superficial thing, almost arbitrarily deciding which words are 'sensitive' and which ones aren't, I cannot stand behind efforts to censor the world. Once upon a time 'idiot' was the more common word for the mentally disabled. Has GitHub banned 'idiot,' too? Good long w…

Would it be alright, then, if it said, "WebM for Black People?" It isn't important to quibble over what words we consider offensive in the past, present, or future. The real problem is speaking about a classification of human being as being less than fully human or using those classifications as shortcuts for "inferior." A person with darker skin is no less human than one with lighter skin. Similarly, two people with…

How about the "Idiot's Guide To WebM" or "WebM for Dummies". Are those OK? I guess I'm not seeing the difference..

Re: GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the word 'retard'

#92

Post by ectoplasm »

CoryG89 wrote: post #40

For people who don't see what's wrong here. The issue is not about whether the word 'retard' is or is not offensive to anyone. You need to consider that GitHub currently hosts a large percentage of the web's open source repositories. This is censorship plain and simple, something that IMO has no place in open source. The issue is that there are plenty of things some people might find offensive on GitHub but you dont…

> It is the selective censorship of certain reasonable uses of free speech that is concerning here.

Free speech laws don't apply to corporate or private censorship.

> Who decides what is and is not appropriate?

The owners of the property. Can I come over to your place and say offensive things?

Re: GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the word 'retard'

#93

Post by mbillie1 »

CoryG89 wrote: post #40

For people who don't see what's wrong here. The issue is not about whether the word 'retard' is or is not offensive to anyone. You need to consider that GitHub currently hosts a large percentage of the web's open source repositories. This is censorship plain and simple, something that IMO has no place in open source. The issue is that there are plenty of things some people might find offensive on GitHub but you dont…

A private company choosing not to allow content for whatever reason is not censorship. People who choose to use the word "retard" are not a protected class, Github can ban this word as they see fit.

Re: GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the word 'retard'

#95

Post by eastbayjake »

mbillie1 wrote: post #93
CoryG89 wrote: post #40

For people who don't see what's wrong here. The issue is not about whether the word 'retard' is or is not offensive to anyone. You need to consider that GitHub currently hosts a large percentage of the web's open source repositories. This is censorship plain and simple, something that IMO has no place in open source. The issue is that there are plenty of things some people might find offensive on GitHub but you dont…

A private company choosing not to allow content for whatever reason is not censorship . People who choose to use the word "retard" are not a protected class, Github can ban this word as they see fit.

Exactly -- it's not censorship when you give someone something for free but ask them to abide by your rules. If you want the freedom to say whatever you want, pay someone to host your repo or host it yourself.

Re: GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the word 'retard'

#96

Post by JoshTriplett »

aerovistae wrote: post #55
rtpg wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>It's just such a superficial thing, almost arbitrarily deciding which words are 'sensitive' and which ones aren't This cannot be further from the truth. Words that are deemed offensive are deemed so because of the attitude and the meaning behind using these words The reason white people get yelled at for using n (don't know if I can post it on HN) is because it represents hundreds of years of oppression by white peo…

Have a nice look at this list and let me know if you'd like to ban all of these too. After all, they have context and actual loaded meanings, and in many cases represent hundreds of years of oppression. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ethnic_slurs_by_ethnic...

It's as if we as humans have some kind of context-sensitive language recognition capability, and can tell when a word is being used as a slur or if it has entirely unrelated meanings. We're slightly smarter than regular expressions. And yes, I'd fully expect Github to ban those too.

Re: GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the word 'retard'

#97

Post by Vozze »

That means Chromium could not be hosted on GitHub anymore. The source contains 42 instances of "retard". So do probably many massive codebases.

Example: predictor.h line 537: "The queue is a priority queue that will accelerate sub-resource speculation, and retard resolutions suggested by page scans."

https://code.google.com/p/chromium/codesearch#chromium/src/c...

Re: GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the word 'retard'

#98

Post by mirimir »

betteringred wrote: post #65

Time for GitHub follow their own rules and change their name to something that's not offensive.

> Git is a mild pejorative with origins in British English for a silly, incompetent, stupid, annoying, senile, elderly or childish person. It is usually an insult, more severe than twit or idiot but less severe than wanker, arsehole or twat.[0]

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Git_%28slang%29

Re: GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the word 'retard'

#99

Post by Retra »

aerovistae wrote: post #67
nightmiles wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would it be alright, then, if it said, "WebM for Black People?" It isn't important to quibble over what words we consider offensive in the past, present, or future. The real problem is speaking about a classification of human being as being less than fully human or using those classifications as shortcuts for "inferior." A person with darker skin is no less human than one with lighter skin. Similarly, two people with…

Normally, I don't argue with people on the internet. Tonight, I'm bored and I'm making an exception. That being said, this isn't an argument about how we should treat people. This is an argument over whether we should be allowed to say what we wish and let others react how they will. If people don't want to use this individual's code because of his questionable mentality, let that be their choice. Instead we're now p…

GitHub is not the center of the world. They are not establishing law. You can publish Mein Kampf if everyone else decides not to. You can edit the bible if you wish.

Or you can try to foster the development of a professional community by taking steps to prohibit needlessly offensive language.

You can publish whatever you like on your personal website and link to it from anywhere. I don't see how this is an over-reach of censorship.

Re: GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the word 'retard'

#100

Post by aerovistae »

ectoplasm wrote: post #92
CoryG89 wrote: post #40

For people who don't see what's wrong here. The issue is not about whether the word 'retard' is or is not offensive to anyone. You need to consider that GitHub currently hosts a large percentage of the web's open source repositories. This is censorship plain and simple, something that IMO has no place in open source. The issue is that there are plenty of things some people might find offensive on GitHub but you dont…

> It is the selective censorship of certain reasonable uses of free speech that is concerning here. Free speech laws don't apply to corporate or private censorship. > Who decides what is and is not appropriate? The owners of the property. Can I come over to your place and say offensive things?

Depends, is his place a known haven for sharing information, specifically designed to encourage and promote openness?
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