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I agree. It's one thing to stop selling actual Confederate flags, it's another to try and scrub any mention of a historical event or depiction of a certain symb

I agree. It's one thing to stop selling actual Confederate flags, it's another to try and scrub any mention of a historical event or depiction of a certain symbol in context. Apple is certainly within their rights to do this, but I think it's silly and impulsive.

melling 11y ago
No, it's wrong to stop selling the Confederate flag too. We don't seem to value freedom of speech and expression like we should. We are basically going on modern witch hunts against people who disagree with anything that's not politically correct.
- __z 11y ago
  If you want a Confederate battle flag there are lots of places you can buy one. If you feel they aren't available enough to your liking you are free to make one or even start selling them yourself. Walmart making a business decision to stop selling something that is racist has nothing to do with freedom of speech. It would also be a poor business decision to start selling ISIS flags, Nazi symbolism, those racist figurines that were once popular, a holocaust reenactment video game, KKK robes, or any other merchandise that divides their customer base. So what? Part of freedom is the freedom to choose what you do and don't sell.
  - melling 11y ago
    Why would Amazon refuse to sell the Confederate flag but not Nazi merchandise? http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/25/us-usa-shooting-south-carolina-internet-idUSKBN0P42V620150625 http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/25/us-usa-shooting-so...
    - __z 11y ago
      Where does it say Nazi merchandise is allowed on Amazon? >EBay specifically bans their sale while Amazon bans the sale of "products that promote or glorify hatred, violence, racial, sexual or religious intolerance or promote organizations with such views." Seems to me they both [generally] ban Nazi merchandise but have problems enforcing the ban. Anyways, its irrelevant. Amazon can sell what it wants. That's a business choice they make. I don't care what they choose to sell, that is their choice.
- calbear81 11y ago
  Just as people should have the right to freedom of expression, businesses should have the right to sell what they want (there's exceptions here in cases of medical care for example when we want to make sure people have access to contraception or medication regardless of moral or religious belief). I'm okay with private businesses choosing not to stock the Confederate battle flag as long as we don't cross the line into not allowing the flag to be displayed or to even be made.
- joshuapants 11y ago
  I didn't say it's morally right to stop selling the Confederate flag, just that I understand a business wouldn't want to be associated with them and may decide to stop being a venue for their sale. I think Apple went far beyond that with this, and I would hope that even the most ardent anti-Confederate-flaggers can agree how silly it is. edit: de-ambiguified some terms
sneak 11y ago
As long as Apple prevents me from using someone else's store on my phone, they are not within their rights to censor any apps based on content.
- cwyers 11y ago
  They are. If you don't like this, buy someone else's phone.
  - sneak 11y ago
    That's not how competition works. Choice is good for consumers. I'm an AAPL shareholder too but that doesn't mean you should be an apologist. Someone else's phone won't access the huge amounts of data I have in iCloud. Or are you actually advocating for vendor lock-in as a force for good? I don't understand.
    - cwyers 11y ago
      You signed a contract with Apple governing what they can and can do, and what you can and can't do. Your complaints on Hacker News after the fact are not binding on Apple.

melling 11y ago

No, it's wrong to stop selling the Confederate flag too. We don't seem to value freedom of speech and expression like we should. We are basically going on modern witch hunts against people who disagree with anything that's not politically correct.

__z 11y ago
If you want a Confederate battle flag there are lots of places you can buy one. If you feel they aren't available enough to your liking you are free to make one or even start selling them yourself. Walmart making a business decision to stop selling something that is racist has nothing to do with freedom of speech. It would also be a poor business decision to start selling ISIS flags, Nazi symbolism, those racist figurines that were once popular, a holocaust reenactment video game, KKK robes, or any other merchandise that divides their customer base. So what? Part of freedom is the freedom to choose what you do and don't sell.
- melling 11y ago
  Why would Amazon refuse to sell the Confederate flag but not Nazi merchandise? http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/25/us-usa-shooting-south-carolina-internet-idUSKBN0P42V620150625 http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/25/us-usa-shooting-so...
  - __z 11y ago
    Where does it say Nazi merchandise is allowed on Amazon? >EBay specifically bans their sale while Amazon bans the sale of "products that promote or glorify hatred, violence, racial, sexual or religious intolerance or promote organizations with such views." Seems to me they both [generally] ban Nazi merchandise but have problems enforcing the ban. Anyways, its irrelevant. Amazon can sell what it wants. That's a business choice they make. I don't care what they choose to sell, that is their choice.
calbear81 11y ago
Just as people should have the right to freedom of expression, businesses should have the right to sell what they want (there's exceptions here in cases of medical care for example when we want to make sure people have access to contraception or medication regardless of moral or religious belief). I'm okay with private businesses choosing not to stock the Confederate battle flag as long as we don't cross the line into not allowing the flag to be displayed or to even be made.
joshuapants 11y ago
I didn't say it's morally right to stop selling the Confederate flag, just that I understand a business wouldn't want to be associated with them and may decide to stop being a venue for their sale. I think Apple went far beyond that with this, and I would hope that even the most ardent anti-Confederate-flaggers can agree how silly it is. edit: de-ambiguified some terms

sneak 11y ago

As long as Apple prevents me from using someone else's store on my phone, they are not within their rights to censor any apps based on content.

cwyers 11y ago
They are. If you don't like this, buy someone else's phone.
- sneak 11y ago
  That's not how competition works. Choice is good for consumers. I'm an AAPL shareholder too but that doesn't mean you should be an apologist. Someone else's phone won't access the huge amounts of data I have in iCloud. Or are you actually advocating for vendor lock-in as a force for good? I don't understand.
  - cwyers 11y ago
    You signed a contract with Apple governing what they can and can do, and what you can and can't do. Your complaints on Hacker News after the fact are not binding on Apple.