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The author is essentially saying that being asked to use respectful language makes her university administrator Joseph Stalin. Cherry-picking a few examples, s

by wffurr 5y ago

The author is essentially saying that being asked to use respectful language makes her university administrator Joseph Stalin. Cherry-picking a few examples, stating "I am not personally offended by these so obviously no one could be", and using that to claim "Social Justice (note the capitals) has gone TOO FAR", does not a good argument make. It's a bit beyond "similar triangles". First they ask us to stop saying "master/slave architecture". Next it's FORCED FARM LABOR. It's a non-sequitur.

etangent 5y ago
The next step isn't "forced farm labor," that would indeed be a non-sequitur. A most likely next step is putting someone in jail over a tweet (already happening in the United Kingdom). It takes three or four more steps to get to forced farm labor.
- KittenInABox 5y ago
  Seriously asking: How can putting someone in jail over a tweet be closer to forced farm labor when the united states already has forced farm labor (see below for link)? How can we simultaneously be approaching something and also already there? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prison_farm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prison_farm
  - exporectomy 5y ago
    Because the farm labor isn't for a tweet.
- thephyber 5y ago
  People have been put in jail in the US for the equivalent of a tweet, but it doesn’t prove your point. The freedom of speech does not guarantee an individual freedom from the consequences of that speech. There is established jurisprudence to allow such prosecutions. And no, being jailed for anything you can name does not mean we are on a path to following the USSR (or any similar trajectory). The problem with allegations of “slippery slope” is that it discounts that the US and UK have legal tools to challenge bad prosecutions and bad legislation. The courts have the ability to check the prosecution and juries have the ability to reject bad prosecutions (used infrequently, but importantly when the US government went after Dan Ellsberg)
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - etangent 5y ago
    > And no, being jailed for anything you can name does not mean we are on a path to following the USSR (or any similar trajectory) Ex-USSR person here. It absolutely does mean that.
- dane-pgp 5y ago
  > It takes three or four more steps to get to forced farm labor. Make that "one or two more steps": > Prisoners to plug worker shortage in meat industry https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58303679 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58303679
mturmon 5y ago
Strong agree. Similarly, the OP’s jocular use of the word “canceled” when referring to Soviet assassinations during the Stalin years. No, Stalinist political execution is not comparable to losing your job because you have groped women at work.

by wffurr 5y ago

etangent 5y ago

The next step isn't "forced farm labor," that would indeed be a non-sequitur. A most likely next step is putting someone in jail over a tweet (already happening in the United Kingdom). It takes three or four more steps to get to forced farm labor.

KittenInABox 5y ago
Seriously asking: How can putting someone in jail over a tweet be closer to forced farm labor when the united states already has forced farm labor (see below for link)? How can we simultaneously be approaching something and also already there? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prison_farm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prison_farm
- exporectomy 5y ago
  Because the farm labor isn't for a tweet.
thephyber 5y ago
People have been put in jail in the US for the equivalent of a tweet, but it doesn’t prove your point. The freedom of speech does not guarantee an individual freedom from the consequences of that speech. There is established jurisprudence to allow such prosecutions. And no, being jailed for anything you can name does not mean we are on a path to following the USSR (or any similar trajectory). The problem with allegations of “slippery slope” is that it discounts that the US and UK have legal tools to challenge bad prosecutions and bad legislation. The courts have the ability to check the prosecution and juries have the ability to reject bad prosecutions (used infrequently, but importantly when the US government went after Dan Ellsberg)
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- etangent 5y ago
  > And no, being jailed for anything you can name does not mean we are on a path to following the USSR (or any similar trajectory) Ex-USSR person here. It absolutely does mean that.
dane-pgp 5y ago
> It takes three or four more steps to get to forced farm labor. Make that "one or two more steps": > Prisoners to plug worker shortage in meat industry https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58303679 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58303679

mturmon 5y ago

Strong agree. Similarly, the OP’s jocular use of the word “canceled” when referring to Soviet assassinations during the Stalin years. No, Stalinist political execution is not comparable to losing your job because you have groped women at work.