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Because you decide your political beliefs, and reactions to those decisions inform whether or not you continue to hold them. Unlike a protected class, which yo

Because you decide your political beliefs, and reactions to those decisions inform whether or not you continue to hold them. Unlike a protected class, which you cannot choose to be a member of. Being of a political party is not a protected class, nor should it be. The "most vulnerable people in our society" are the people who are discriminated on things they are, not things they do. Gab users are not the most vulnerable, because they choose to be who they're judged for. It's viscerally insulting to see that point misunderstood, because it belies a fundamental misunderstanding of large portions of how society functions in practice. Because of what you said, and people who believe what you've said, people suffer. That's hard to confront on HN, because you don't expect it.

xyzelement 6y ago
> you decide your political beliefs, and reactions to those decisions inform whether or not you continue to hold them That's a really odd take. Throughout history, many of people have been prosecuted for what in retrospect many would agree are correct beliefs (eg: abolitionists, suffragists, believes in evolution, etc.) Do you not feel sympathy for these people, who according to you could have just avoided all their troubles by changing their beliefs? Do you not understand how incredibly vulnerable AND critically important a minority belief could be?
- TameAntelope 6y ago
  I don't see how any of what you just wrote is at all related to what I wrote, unfortunately...
njharman 6y ago
First protected class is a legal construct that varies by jurisdiction and application. And a whole lot more than then handful enumerated deserve protection. Veteran, family status and religion are protected classes you can choose to be in.
- TameAntelope 6y ago
  So you don't believe there's a moral backing for the concept of a protected class? And do you think "political views" fall into that category? Additionally, do you think it's "political views" themselves that are under threat here? Has anyone been banned from any social media platform entirely for speaking about cutting/raising taxes or growing/shrinking government?

xyzelement 6y ago

> you decide your political beliefs, and reactions to those decisions inform whether or not you continue to hold them That's a really odd take. Throughout history, many of people have been prosecuted for what in retrospect many would agree are correct beliefs (eg: abolitionists, suffragists, believes in evolution, etc.) Do you not feel sympathy for these people, who according to you could have just avoided all their troubles by changing their beliefs? Do you not understand how incredibly vulnerable AND critically important a minority belief could be?

TameAntelope 6y ago
I don't see how any of what you just wrote is at all related to what I wrote, unfortunately...

njharman 6y ago

First protected class is a legal construct that varies by jurisdiction and application. And a whole lot more than then handful enumerated deserve protection. Veteran, family status and religion are protected classes you can choose to be in.

TameAntelope 6y ago
So you don't believe there's a moral backing for the concept of a protected class? And do you think "political views" fall into that category? Additionally, do you think it's "political views" themselves that are under threat here? Has anyone been banned from any social media platform entirely for speaking about cutting/raising taxes or growing/shrinking government?