Re: [PLUG] Off-Topic: Unpopular Opinions

["Paul L. Snyder" <paul@pataprogramming.com>]

This is indeed off-topic for a Linux discussion list. This us likely only
to result in elevated tempers, flame wars, and very low chances of
changed opinions on any front.

Those who wish to pursue these non-FOSS-related political discussions
should pursue follow-ups via private email.

Paul

On Sat, 05 Apr 2014, Casey Bralla wrote:

> Unfortunately, the history of the world has been that unpopular opinions, when 
> publicly stated, get you in trouble.  Jesus was crucified for "basically saying 
> that people should be nice to each other"; Galileo was put under house arrest 
> for suggesting something could orbit a body other than the earth.  Alan Turing 
> was forced to take hormones for the crime of being homosexual.  
> 
> It may be my age showing, but I think we used to celebrate our diversity of 
> opinion a lot more than we do now.  The hippies used to urge you to "do your 
> own thing"; the ACLU used to fight for the right of the KKK to march in Skokie, 
> IL;  Voltaire's phrase "I disagree with what you say, but I will fight to the 
> death for your right to say it" was the pinnacle of liberal thought.
> 
> Now, if you question global warming, you should be prosecuted for "harming 
> mankind"; if your religion teaches that homosexuality is wrong, you're a 
> "homophobe"; if you make even the slightest criticism of Islam, your life is 
> in danger.
> 
> It's always been crummy to be in the minority.  Try being the only man at the 
> League of Women Voters, or a fundamentalist Christian at Mozilla, or a 
> Republican at the NY Times.
> 
> The worst thing, IMHO, is that we don't even recognize it in ourselves when we 
> try to stifle unpopular expressions.
> 
> 
> On Saturday 2014-04-05 3:58:38 PM Ed Ackerman wrote:
> > On Sat, 5 Apr 2014, plug-request@lists.phillylinux.org wrote:
> > > The specific issue was not around CEO Brendan Eich's beliefs, but the fact
> > > that he took specific and concrete actions to keep same-sex couples from
> > > marrying, by way of making a $1,000 to Proposition 8 in California.  If he
> > > had simply not been a fan of gays or gays marrying, I don't think would
> > 
> > The better issue should be -- was that action mozilla the corporation or
> > his personal action? This happened six plus years ago and beliefs change.
> > When I was growing up it was OK to have separate but equal facilities,
> > schools, what have you. Looking back we can see that it was wrong, but at
> > that time, in that place it was not right.
> > 
> > Six years ago this issue was not even a blip on most peoples radar.
> > However, with education, protests, and legal challenges we now know
> > about same-sex marrage and for most people our collective idea of has
> > shifted.
> > 
> > Blaming the corporation over what an individual employee, and Brendon Eich
> > _was_ an employee, did seems like tossing the baby out with the bath
> > water. Would we get this upset over average Joe Coder doing the same
> > exact thing?
> > 
> 
> 
> -- 
> 
> Casey Bralla
> 
> Chief Nerd in Residence
> The NerdWorld Organisation
> 
> www.NerdWorld.org
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