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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'

#811
post #809

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Words aren't legos fella, and they have more than one meaning. "Sexism" is a good example. It can mean any discrimination by gender or sex. It also refers to a socio-political structure under which it is impossible for a woman to effectively discriminate or oppress a man. Which meaning you choose to wield says a lot about your biases. You will accept that a large chunk of modern history saw women deprived of basic ri…

Bla bla bla justification of sexism for females bla bla I have an unsympathetic viewpoint because the Internet's public venues are being turned into a feminist hug box. Even better yet, a feminist calls my viewpoint "not relevant" look at the visibility of this. Sure looks relevent to me. And I don't care what feminism means to a single person. I look at what's happening using "feminism" and its abhorrent.

No, my point is that the rest of the world doesn't care what feminism "means to a single person": you.

You sit around and trash the work of thousands of committed people cuz "waah my fave internet site did something i didn't like". Go back to brogramming shitty ruby apps.

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

#812
post #681

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did I get it right that you support the shitstorm against Eich and Card? In my book, SJWs are by far much more evil and destructive than anyone from my list.

One good instance of disingenuity deserves another: wait a second, I thought you said words couldn't cause harm!! It can't be harmful if I call you/Eich/Card a homophobe. He'll/They'll just have to get over it and deal with the repercussions themselves! How can you call the "just words" of what happened to Eich and Card a "shitstorm", but fail to see how "just words" can have a real, tangible impact on other people w…

For your point to make sense you'd have to believe that people ganged up on Eich because of the epithet "homophobe" and not because of the actions that led to that epithet being applied to him in the first place.

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

#813
post #773
post #770

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Just because a movement/ideology is focused on advancing particular issues, doesn't mean they support discrimination against others groups, which is what sexism/racism/etc actually is. White-pride groups that sing the praises of white people while not mentioning POC at all would be totally fine in your book, since they aren't supporting discrimination of POC? I think you're in the minority opinion here... Don't get…

> Don't get me wrong - I think that sexism/racism is about malevolent actions intended to harm or belittle or otherwise negatively discriminate against another group. But I'm of the minority opinion. Benevolent actions are considered sexist/racist nowadays, chivalry is extremely sexist. Always opening the door for women - but not always for men - is sexist. Same here. There are actions that one can take that are over…

>There's also the class of subtle insults like "I didnt know you could program". They're harder to correct, but with some self discipline, they aren't that hard.

No. Just. No.

Context matters extremely for this - and the assumption that they thought you couldn't program because of you gender is on you not them. That's why it's called an "assumption".

It's about perception. People who want to see negativity in it will and others won't. What if they're just genuinely surprised you can program because you've never talked about programming or shown you can program and it shocked them you were capable of it? How is genuine surprise an insult?

To illustrate my point:

"Your life is like a blank book."

1) You're free to write about whatever you want, to create your own decisions, and to decide what your book is going to be about. You have the ability to be anything you want to be - nobody has already written your book for you. It's yours to decide. (The common, positive perspective when this saying is used.)

2) You've done absolutely nothing in your life such that you've written nothing in the book. You're completely worthless and have accomplished nothing. If you had managed to ever accomplish anything in your life, your book wouldn't be empty. (Unnecessarily negative perspective that assumes an ill-intent where none was.)

You're assuming #2.

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

#814
post #809

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bla bla bla justification of sexism for females bla bla I have an unsympathetic viewpoint because the Internet's public venues are being turned into a feminist hug box. Even better yet, a feminist calls my viewpoint "not relevant" look at the visibility of this. Sure looks relevent to me. And I don't care what feminism means to a single person. I look at what's happening using "feminism" and its abhorrent.

No, my point is that the rest of the world doesn't care what feminism "means to a single person": you. You sit around and trash the work of thousands of committed people cuz "waah my fave internet site did something i didn't like". Go back to brogramming shitty ruby apps.

Insults aside, there is a glimpse of sunlight in one thing you say:

I look at what's happening using "feminism" and its abhorrent.

If you say you are objecting to censorship in the name of feminism, this can actually be articulated from a pro- (or at least neutral-to--) feminist viewpoint. There is nothing about feminism that implies or demands censorship. Someone clamoring for censorship in the name of feminism can be reasonably opposed on the grounds of defending free speech, etc.

Now: companies are allowed to prohibit whatever speech they want on their site. If they think it will make their customers or shareholders happy, or solve whatever bullshit internal politics are at play, nothing can stop them. Risk-aversion leading to all sorts of ridiculous bureaucracy is rampant in corporate america and it ain't just about PC, it's also why corporate music sucks, etc.

The problem with you is your incessant trolling of feminism itself. It's ignorant and insulting, especially rolling out the repulsive "SJW" slur. People are going to fight for their rights, you can stand in the way and get run over, or you can seek to achieve a higher understanding.

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

#816
post #163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Martin Niemöller's quote[1] is an important one, possibly even more so today than when he first said it. We're so caught up in our own selfish bubbles, we're failing to consider those around us. There are many variations of the saying - several from himself, but the best known version goes: First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionis…

Ah yes, the famous quote about Nazi Germany. So, do people use the same quote about how the German government banned Nazi symbols in the aftermath of that? Oh wait, no they don't. I wonder why that might be.

I'm Jewish, but I think banning Nazi symbols at this point in time is counterproductive and unnecessary. All speech, no matter how odious, should be allowed.

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

#817
post #752
post #647

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, it is not fine to use what you described. The difference is that you are picking on a particular nationality, while "retarded" is a generic term meaning "mentally under-developed" which, while certainly not a term of endearment, may apply to any human.

I don't understand your point. Why is it not okay to use the word Jew as an insult against non-Jews, while it's fine to use the word retard as an insult against non-retards?

In the first case, you imply that Jews are stingy. In the second case, you don't imply anything about retards other than the normal definition of the word.

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

#818
post #784

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They also gladly index and help you find brainfuck repos. I can't say fuck on TV, but it's ok on Github. I can't say retard on Github, but it's ok on TV. I'm glad we've accomplished something here.

> I can't say fuck on TV, but it's ok on Github. 'Fuck' is frequently used on TV.

No it's not. It's one of the "seven dirty words": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_dirty_words

You can get fined a lot of money if you say it over the air. The FCC doesn't regulate cable, however. But those companies set their own standards, as do advertisers, and do limit or ban cuss words.

Typically cuss words will be bleeped if it is used: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleep_censor . However people are so used to bleeps that their mind often fills in the cuss word.

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

#819
post #784

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I can't say fuck on TV, but it's ok on Github. 'Fuck' is frequently used on TV.

No it's not. It's one of the "seven dirty words": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_dirty_words You can get fined a lot of money if you say it over the air. The FCC doesn't regulate cable, however. But those companies set their own standards, as do advertisers, and do limit or ban cuss words. Typically cuss words will be bleeped if it is used: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleep_censor . However people are so used…

> No it's not.

It may be frequent by some standard (e.g., some threshold of average number of total number uses per unit wall clock time), but only on a very small percentage of TV outlets (particularly, premium cable outlets that don't have to deal with either advertisers or broadcast regulation.)

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

#820
post #798
post #777

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your words caused harm to me, could you delete your comment? I am very offended.

Sure. Show me where words I use have been used by, for example, Nazis when testing their mass killing mechanisms before moving onto Jews and homosexuals. Or where my words have been used to deny people medical treatment; sometime causing the death of those people. Or where my words have been used in hate crime or hate incidents. (Hate incidents based on disability are more common than anti-Semitism in the UK, and ant…

You just don't understand, because you're privileged. It's a waste of my time to explain something so obvious to a shitlord like you. Apologize for what you did!
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