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I think many people are trying to make a distinction that is different from "this opinion is a political view, this opinion makes you part of a witch hunt". Th
by philh 12y ago
I think many people are trying to make a distinction that is different from "this opinion is a political view, this opinion makes you part of a witch hunt".
The distinction being made isn't between the different views, but between the ways people express those views. Brendan Eich holds a political view, and what he did about it was to donate money to an organization in support of it. Other people hold a different political view, and what they did about it was to try to punish someone who had expressed the first political view.
And the argument goes that donating money to organizations is a form of political speech that should be protected, not just from the government but from citizens, because the effects of "people not being able to express their political views for fear of legal or social consequences" are kind of bad. So when people try to punish people for expressing political views, we should say to them, "no, this isn't how the game should be played".
This is a complicated issue, and my own opinions on it aren't fully fleshed out (though I lean towards defending Eich). But I think it's important that both sides understand what the other side is upset about.
- cdcarter 12y ago> Other people hold a different political view, and what they did about it was to try to punish someone who had expressed the first political view. No, no, see. Other people hold a different political view, and what they did about it was lobby to have a major organization run by someone who doesn't express that first political view. I know of NOBODY who wanted to "punish" Eich for his actions. I know of PLENTY who wanted to have someone tolerant running the volunteer driven organization.
- Excavator 12y ago> I know of NOBODY who wanted to "punish" Eich for his actions. I know of PLENTY who wanted to have someone tolerant running the volunteer driven organization. Well it was certainly felt by Mozilla employees: >¹ Several calls to boycotts, several petitions asking for the resignation of our CEO, demonstrations, insults, death threats, ... >² Death threats against Mozilla employees and contributors don't count as attacks on Mozilla in your book? 1: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7588527 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7588527 2: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7588460 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7588460