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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'

#561

Post by KirinDave »

sklogic wrote: post #557
KirinDave wrote: post #547

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hi. I've lived my life with a closeted gender because of words spoken by my parents, friends, and incredulous members of the LGBT community. It lead to depression, frustration, and many wasted opportunities. Now that I am no longer concealing this I still receive regular discouragement that is extremely frustrating. The idea that "words do not cause harm" is so ludicrous. What if I started a rumor that cost you your…

Of course semantics can hurt, obviously. But the choice of synonyms does not, and anyone claiming otherwise must try really hart to prove such an outrageous claim.

"idiot" is not a synonym for the word in question here. This is similar to saying that "t*ny" and "transsexual" are synonyms. They're not.

Let me give you an example of how referring to you in an insulting way can change your attitudes and discourage conversation.

1. Words have a lesser impact on you because you've [a lucky person] who doesn't live a life were they have been used to deny you opportunity and basic humanity constantly.

2. Words have a lesser impact on you because you're [a white male] who doesn't live a life where they have been used to deny you opportunity and basic humanity constantly.

Looking around the internet, #2 certainly seems more contentious. But let's be honest here, the overlap of case 1 and case 2 is much more likely in most of the western world than other ethnicity and gender and sexual orientation we could put in there.

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

#562

Post by babygoat »

Karunamon wrote: post #533
madeofpalk wrote: post #501

Earlier quoted context omitted.

...sure, but freedom of 'using whatever source code hosting provider' is a different (legal) concept as 'freedom of speech'.

When people say "freedom of speech" and they're not talking about a government entity, it's a pretty safe bet that they're talking about the principle enshrined in the first amendment, not the first amendment itself. Considering that The Internet as a whole is basically amounts to a whole lot of interconnected, other people's (back yards/restaurants/other poor analogies for physical spaces), saying "but the first doe…

> saying "but the first doesn't apply" is both willfully obtuse and missing the point.

It's almost always a response to a person who seems to think that freedom of speech means they shouldn't have to face any consequences for the horrible things they say.

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

#563

Post by bsimpson »

fiatmoney wrote: post #81

Not only did they ask them to change the name / verbiage; in a particularly Stalinist twist they asked them to delete it from the entire history.

Isn't "never alter the history of a shared codebase" the first rule of Git?

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

#564

Post by th0waway »

thedz wrote: post #116
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…

1. This isn't censorship of the type that is illegal or not allowed. It is a private company deciding a word was inappropriate. 2. It seems like most in this comment thread agree that this action, as a singular act, is a good thing. The word was offensive. Github asked the repo to change it. They did. The end. 3. As for the larger context, the problem with the frequent use of slippery slope arguments and cries of "ce…

Sooo, what you're saying is that it's OK for any company to ignore any rights of yours that they don't agree with? Interesting. Of course, it isn't illegal, but does that still mean they should do it?

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

#565

Post by andylei »

th0waway wrote: post #564
thedz wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1. This isn't censorship of the type that is illegal or not allowed. It is a private company deciding a word was inappropriate. 2. It seems like most in this comment thread agree that this action, as a singular act, is a good thing. The word was offensive. Github asked the repo to change it. They did. The end. 3. As for the larger context, the problem with the frequent use of slippery slope arguments and cries of "ce…

Sooo, what you're saying is that it's OK for any company to ignore any rights of yours that they don't agree with? Interesting. Of course, it isn't illegal, but does that still mean they should do it?

rights? you have a right to save your content onto their servers?

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

#566

Post by overpaidgoogler »

DanBC wrote: post #559
kefka wrote: post #535

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I think of someone who is "offended", I think the following: "Announcing "I'm offended" is basically telling the world you can't control your emotions, so everyone else should do it for you."

When I see someone who doesn't care about language I think the following: "I'm too stupid and lazy to use language creatively so I'll fall back on my stupid and lazy language. I can say what I like, and I'm going to try to deny you the same right. Some bollocks about SJWs and Leftists goes here".

When I see someone who doesn't care about language I think the following: "I'm too stupid..."

The ironing.

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

#567

Post by smrtinsert »

cmiles74 wrote: post #551

I don't understand how censoring something because "it's offensive to someone" came to be acceptable in the first place. Nearly everything is offensive to someone, it's simply too low a bar. I'm certainly not campaigning for more use of the terms "retard" and "retarded". On the other hand, I've experienced first hand the very common, reflexive and thoughtless use of these words. Whenever it's used in my presence I ma…

I think that's not giving Github enough credit. They are clearly thinking very deeply about professionalism in a social coding frame, and I really doubt they will begin addressing every single complaint they receive.

If they do, again, there are existing alternatives or the people are free to build their own.

The alarmism over this "incident" is mind boggling. That people don't simple let Github conduct their business is incomprehensible to me. If I owned a Chipotle and someone came in yelling "retard" or any term I found offensive I would feel fine kicking them out. If the Chipotle down the street thought that was fine, they might get my business, but there is always choice.

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

#568

Post by hhandoko »

hhandoko wrote: post #344
seivan wrote: post #268

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This repository doesn't belong to you. For all intents and purposes this is a private conversation in public. Not to mention going out of their way and report it to the Githapo to have them take it down. This is insane. I'm I the only one who sees the insanity of grown adults shitting their pants over vulgarity?!

It is a false analogy though. If it's just a commit message, then I can see why you would think this construes as a `private` conversation (i.e. message between committers). But, it's also in the README which, by default, the first thing you see when you open up the repository. The better analogy perhaps, is the author is standing with a signboard containing some offensive language in some corner of a public space.

Some explanation for the downvotes would be appreciated.

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

#569

Post by hhandoko »

seivan wrote: post #268
hhandoko wrote: post #204

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We're not discussing about private conversation between two friends. I would be offended if a stranger said that to me. Wouldn't you? Of course, I can see that this is done for laughs, but not everyone sees that.

This repository doesn't belong to you. For all intents and purposes this is a private conversation in public. Not to mention going out of their way and report it to the Githapo to have them take it down. This is insane. I'm I the only one who sees the insanity of grown adults shitting their pants over vulgarity?!

I'm genuinely curious, why do you take the view that this is a private conversation in public?

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

#570

Post by sabarn01 »

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…

That is yet another argument for why one company should not become a virtual library of Alexandria for oss.
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