A Call to Boycott Ubuntu? An Important Discussion Thread

[Chris Rees]

2009/9/25 David Gerard <dgerard at gmail.com>:
> 2009/9/25 Michael Haney <thezorch at gmail.com>:
>
>> Share with us your thoughts because this is an important topic.
>> The blog about the proposed boycott...
>> http://www.tuxmachines.org/node/39826
>> About Mark Shuttlewoth's comments:
>> http://geekfeminism.org/2009/09/23/open-letter-to-mark-shuttleworth/
>
>
> My thoughts? I ended up on this list because of the most prominent
> previous incident where the Code of Conduct proved purely decorative
> when it came to Canonical and sexism.
>
> While Mark Shuttleworth is undoubtedly a fine fellow, this is an
> example of the fish rotting from the head down.
>
> Boycotting Ubuntu is unlikely, but this shit still rankles.
>
>
> - d.
>

Trouble is, people don't understand how harmful jokes about
inflammatory subjects are. Making light of an unfortunate situation is
usually inappropriate, and even less appropriate when it's a very real
current situation.

Women are the subject of slanging everywhere, whether it's down to
assertive ("arrogant") characters, laid-back ("lazy") women, strict
("bitch") bosses, or understanding ("pushover") bosses. The former
labels are generally applied to men in the workplace, and the latter
generally applied to women. People who complain about "bad women
drivers" anger me just as much as the adverts from Diamond insurance
smugly saying women's only insurers don't have to pay out for "all
those boy racers".

Why don't we get upset by these unpleasant comments? They're not funny
by their own merits, nor are they conductive to a society of
acceptance and tolerance, and just increasingly isolate people and
groups, so they don't have to listen to more people saying hurtful
comments about and passing judgement over them, however "jovial" they
may try to make it.

Anyone disagree and want to call me stuck up?

Chris

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