Re: elpa.git and `new-master`

[Stephen Leake]

Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org> writes:

> [[[ To any NSA and FBI agents reading my email: please consider    ]]]
> [[[ whether defending the US Constitution against all enemies,     ]]]
> [[[ foreign or domestic, requires you to follow Snowden's example. ]]]
>
>   > The problem is that words not only have meanings but also connotations. 
> And
>   > whether you like it or not, the word 'master' evokes the word 'slave' and
>   > everything associated with it.
>
> If you mean that as a general statement, I think it is incorrect.
> It appears to be true for some people, that they will think of
> that spurious association, but I think most programmers will not.

Only because currently most programmers are not decendents of former
slaves, or are not aware of these issues. But that is part of the
problem - it would benefit many projects to have programming teams that
are more diverse, and more aware of diversity issues. 

> Everyone has particular associations, which will usually be spurious
> to the issue at hand.  That's part of being human.  For some people,
> 'master' in git evokes "slavery".  For some people, the number 13
> evokes "unlucky".  For many people, the number 4 evokes "death".

Clearly, some of these are more significant than others; they affect
more people, or affect them more strongly. It is difficult to judge.

> We have to respond that that is not our problem.  

I disagree. Those of us who have benefited from previous slavery owe a
debt to the people who are still suffering the consequences.

> We do not undertake to declare a word taboo because it would evoke
> unpleasant thoughts in your mind. Being reminded of unpleasant
> memories is unavoidable in life, and you must not pressure people to
> contort themselves to spare you some of those reminders.
>
> We must not agree to treat words that might evoke bad things as if
> they _were_ the bad things.

There are taboo words in all societies. Usually they are not chosen by a
concious process; they are just inherited from the past. Here we have a
chance to decide what should be taboo. A relevant example is "the
N-word", which used to be in common use, but is now taboo.

-- 
-- Stephe