[erlang-questions] Coon - new tool for building Erlang packages, dependency management and deploying Erlang services

[Miguel Morales]

Erlang's dialect is in English. Therefore the context is in English
language, not your native language. Therefore the word is offensive to
Erlang's audience.


On Mon, Feb 12, 2018 at 5:15 PM, Fred Hebert <mononcqc@REDACTED> wrote:

> On 02/13, Sashan Govender wrote:
>
>> I think you just need to tolerate different cultures better. A word that
>> is
>> deemed racist in one culture isn't the same in another.
>>
>>
> This is wrong. This is a classical bad argument that is related to the
> *paradox of intolerance*. Unless I am simply unaware of it, there is no
> English-speaking culture for which the word 'coon' (and not just 'raccoon')
> is somehow a very important concept integral to their culture, such that
> not using it would be oppressive in some way.
>
> In any case, the paradox of intolerance goes like this:
>
> Unlimited tolerance must lead to the disappearance of tolerance. If we
>> extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not
>> prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the
>> intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them.
>>
>
> You can't just go and honestly try to make the argument that purposefully
> using a term that is deemed racist by most of the anglosphere is somehow
> cool and good because another unnamed culture probably sees no problem
> about it. How is that in any way reasonable?
>
>
> There are many other uses for coon.
>> Maine Coon is a type of cat.
>> Coon is type of cheese in Australia. Go on - tell all of Australia to stop
>> eating coon.
>>
>>
> The tool is called 'coon', not 'Maine coon', and it is not called 'coon
> (cheese)'. It's not called 'raccoon', and it does not have a single raccoon
> image. Instead you have commands like 'coon build', 'coon release', and a
> hosting site like 'coonhub'.
>
> And that some cheese brand uses the name does not mean it's any decent
> idea for a programming tool.  What the hell of a kind of logic leap is
> that?  Are you unable to see context as worthwhile or to imagine that
> someone might think "this is the racist term" more easily than "this is
> clearly a reference to cheese"
>
> This can't be anything but bad faith. This is not really the topic on
> which to argue as a sport.
>
> Next you'll be telling me to rethink the use of the work 'monkey' or
>> 'gorrilla' for a library. Where does it end?
>>
>>
> It ends with respectfully not trying to piss off entire segments of the
> human race with shitty naming strategies that have very obvious racist
> overtones, as soon as you learn what their meaning is. Everyone is allowed
> to make mistakes, but if you double- and triple-down on it, you deserve the
> shitstorm coming your way from public backlash. Hands down.
>
> I'm sorry that using racist terms is somehow integral to your appreciation
> of programming libraries, but *not* using racist terms is somehow integral
> to my appreciation of programming communities.
>
> It seems we're in a quandary here, so I'll refer to the conclusion to the
> paradox of intolerance that follows the earlier quote: "We should therefore
> claim, in the name of tolerance, the right not to tolerate the intolerant."
>
> so gently piss off.
>
>
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