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The below isn't necessarily targeted at the parent post, but just at anybody who's resorting to name-calling, or claiming only their viewpoint is correct. <ran

The below isn't necessarily targeted at the parent post, but just at anybody who's resorting to name-calling, or claiming only their viewpoint is correct. <rant> You claim that "punishing jerks feels good". I'm sorry, but this just comes across as silly internet power-tripping. And who are you to claim somebody is a "jerk". Brendan Eichs has personal beliefs, which I presume you don't agree with. Whoop-de-do. Somebody is on the internet who you don't agree with. Cry me a river. In the olden days, gentleman would simply say, we agree to disagree, and leave it at that. Now, in this age of entitlement, every little boy in his mum's basement just has to get everybody to agree with him, because other peopel ARE WRONG (according to me). You're free to write blog posts saying you disagree with him. Or if you think he's wrong, you can even talk to him directly - in fact, he made a offer that he's happy to speak to anybody in private about it. If anything, he comes across as the bigger person. However, to go around saying, "BRENDAN IS A JERK" - sure, you're "free" to do it - free speech and all, but seriously, it comes across as immature and childish... </rant> However, I agree with the rest of your post - Mozilla does good work. I don't use their browser, but they do a lot for the open-source movement.

HeyImAlex 13y ago
These are areas of grey; on one end you probably would say that a white supremacist campaigning for the reinstatement of slavery is kind of a jerk, and on the other you probably wouldn't bat an eye if a guy told you he prefers orange juice to apple. There is no magic in the word "opinion" that gives immunity to criticism. It is then up to us to define where that line lies.
- victorhooi 13y ago
  Well, to be honest, I wouldn't call a white supremacist a "jerk". And racism is most definitely not equitable to arguing over what's a marriage, and what's not. If this imaginary white supremacist was just some weirdo who genuinely thinks white people are superior, I would probably just label him a strange, somewhat deluded man - I wouldn't hate him though. However, I probably wouldn't invite him over for dinner, either. If, on the other hand, he was going around calling for lynching blacks, that's an entirely different matter - that's illegal (hate crimes). Brandon Eichs hasn't expressed any homophobia, or that he "hates" gays, which is what people seem to be trying to drum up publicity for. He simply has, in his private time, given him support for maintaining the status quo on marriage. You might disagree with that, and think that marriage should be redefined, and that's your right (just as it's his right). But if you descend to the level of name-calling, and saying "Your view is like, so wrong! I'm right!", then we've already lost.

HeyImAlex 13y ago

These are areas of grey; on one end you probably would say that a white supremacist campaigning for the reinstatement of slavery is kind of a jerk, and on the other you probably wouldn't bat an eye if a guy told you he prefers orange juice to apple. There is no magic in the word "opinion" that gives immunity to criticism. It is then up to us to define where that line lies.

victorhooi 13y ago
Well, to be honest, I wouldn't call a white supremacist a "jerk". And racism is most definitely not equitable to arguing over what's a marriage, and what's not. If this imaginary white supremacist was just some weirdo who genuinely thinks white people are superior, I would probably just label him a strange, somewhat deluded man - I wouldn't hate him though. However, I probably wouldn't invite him over for dinner, either. If, on the other hand, he was going around calling for lynching blacks, that's an entirely different matter - that's illegal (hate crimes). Brandon Eichs hasn't expressed any homophobia, or that he "hates" gays, which is what people seem to be trying to drum up publicity for. He simply has, in his private time, given him support for maintaining the status quo on marriage. You might disagree with that, and think that marriage should be redefined, and that's your right (just as it's his right). But if you descend to the level of name-calling, and saying "Your view is like, so wrong! I'm right!", then we've already lost.