Personal ‘words’ can also get you into trouble…
Sent from my iPhone > On 17 Mar 2025, at 12:40, Harry Powell > <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hi folks > > At this time, I am reminded of Martin Niemöller’s poem… > > Harry > >> On 16 Mar 2025, at 10:32, Navdeep Sidhu <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Dear Colleagues, >> >> >> What can one say beyond "Shameless sexism, racism and ableism"? Perhaps this: >> >> >> "To omit or to minimize [the] voices of resistance is to create the idea >> that power only rests with those who have the guns, who possess the wealth, >> who own the newspapers and the television stations. I want to point out that >> people who seem to have no power, whether working people, people of color, >> or women—once they organize and protest and create movements—have a voice no >> government can suppress.” >> -- Howard Zinn, from the Introduction to "Voices of a People’s History of >> the United States" >> <https://www.zinnedproject.org/materials/voices-of-a-peoples-history-of-the-united-states/> >> >> >> And this: >> >> "Don't mourn. Organize." >> -- Wobbly songwriter Joe Hill >> >> >> By the way, George Orwell's own introduction to "1984" was successfully >> suppressed for decades because in it he'd lamented self-censorship in >> Britain. The Kommissar lives within us too. >> >> But there are cultures in which this wasn't so, including aboriginal >> cultures in North America, who understood the idea of "freedom" better. It's >> thought they were likely behind the ideas of the European Enlightenment. >> >> >> Diversely, with best wishes, >> Navdeep >> Germany >> >> >> --- >>> On 13.03.25 19:24, David J. Schuller wrote: >>> https://gizmodo.com/we-are-witnessing-a-new-brain-drain-as-scientists-flee-america-for-france-2000575654 >>> >>> <https://gizmodo.com/we-are-witnessing-a-new-brain-drain-as-scientists-flee-america-for-france-2000575654> >>> *‘We Are Witnessing a New Brain Drain’ as Scientists Flee America for >>> France* >>> ======================================================================= >>> All Things Serve the Beam >>> ======================================================================= >>> David J. Schuller >>> modern man in a post-modern world >>> MacCHESS, Cornell University >>> [email protected] >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >>> *From:* CCP4 bulletin board <[email protected]> on behalf of V. >>> Nagarajan <[email protected]> >>> *Sent:* Thursday, March 13, 2025 09:43 >>> *To:* [email protected] <[email protected]> >>> *Subject:* Re: [ccp4bb] Words to avoid >>> Here’s an article from ProPublica, explaining how they used AI to search >>> through some 3,400 research grants called “woke” by Texas senator Ted Cruz: >>> GettyImages-1097249104.jpg >>> link.propublica.net >>> <https://link.propublica.net/view/652e85710205761260069218n7d7l.31ll/c6f60ac7> >>> <https://link.propublica.net/view/652e85710205761260069218n7d7l.31ll/c6f60ac7> >>> From the article: ‘Among them: a $470,000 grant to study the evolution of >>> mint plants and how they spread across continents. As best Philip and Song >>> could tell, the project was flagged because of two specific words used in >>> its application to the NSF: “diversify,” referring to the biodiversity of >>> plants, and “female,” where the application noted how the project would >>> support a young female scientist on the research team. >>> Another involved developing a device that could treat severe bleeding. It >>> included the words “victims” — as in gunshot victims — and “trauma.”‘ >>> V. Nagarajan >>>> On Mar 13, 2025, at 5:13 AM, ΕΜΜΑΝΟΥΗΛ ΣΑΡΕΙΔΑΚΗΣ >>>> <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> The problem is not to ensure confidentiality of what one writes. It is to >>>> ensure that one can write publicly (within some limits, see below) without >>>> fear. >>>> >>>> To go back to the original conversation, I think we have here an example >>>> of a “pendulum effect”. The onslaught on what cannot be said started on >>>> the “progressist”, “woke”, “politically correct” side, as explained in the >>>> article forwarded yesterday on this thread by Bryan Lepore. These people >>>> were well-meant, on a high moral ground and earnestly dedicated to >>>> rectifying earlier iniquities. Nevertheless, as often happens with >>>> well-meant actions, these initiatives quickly degenerated, in this case >>>> into rather indiscriminate censorship, nonsensical grammar (ungrammatical >>>> pronouns and the like) and sometimes worse. >>>> >>>> Then, the pendulum swung, and the “progressist” bigots were replaced by >>>> the real ones, who are not on a moral high ground, but are feeding on the >>>> mistrust and outrage generated by the previous status quo. The real bigots >>>> are of course many times worse than the ones that became so by excessive >>>> enthusiasm, and this is what we are seeing now (mostly in the US for the >>>> moment, but it’s spreading). >>>> >>>> So, I think the questions to ask are: is any form of censorship acceptable >>>> and, if yes, to what extent? My answer to the first question is yes: any >>>> bigot Right and Left should not be allowed to go around spreading lies and >>>> victimising people. The US has been in many cases an example of too little >>>> censorship: it is one of the most tolerant places in the West for those >>>> who are openly Neonazi for example. The answer to the second question must >>>> be: censorship should be tolerated to the least possible extent, it must >>>> be well-vetted, well-justified and liable to questioning, challenge and >>>> rational revision at all times. Ideally, it should also have some rapport >>>> with a somewhat objective notion of truth. Given the strained relationship >>>> of the present US Government with all the above concepts, I have little >>>> hope. >>>> >>>> Emmanuel >>>> >>>> Dr. Emmanuel Saridakis >>>> Institute of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology >>>> National Centre for Scientific Research "DEMOKRITOS" >>>> Athens 15341, Greece. >>>> >>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >>>> *From: *David <[email protected]> >>>> *To: *CCP4BB <[email protected]> >>>> *Date: *Thursday, 13 March 2025 12:10 PM EET >>>> *Subject: *Re: [ccp4bb] Words to avoid >>>> >>>> I guess I should remind subscribers that the CCP4BB has a public >>>> archive, at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=ccp4bb >>>> <https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=ccp4bb>. >>>> On a personal note, I always appreciate the courage of those who >>>> call out the bullshit in the world, and I've enjoyed the eloquent >>>> messages in this thread (though the content is depressing). >>>> Best wishes, >>>> David >>>> >>>> On Wed, 12 Mar 2025, 21:04 Katherine Sippel, >>>> <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>> My response was more of a suggestion to make sure these >>>> types of conversations are held via a personal email where >>>> "The Man" would require sufficient probable cause for a judge >>>> to issue a warrant rather than an institutional email that >>>> does not have such a barrier. That being said, I have had more >>>> than one work email recently where I asked myself "would you >>>> want to have to defend this in front of a McCarthy-esque >>>> congressional inquest" and made a phone call instead. So, >>>> you're completely right. Thank you for the gut check. >>>> Cheers, >>>> Kat >>>> >>>> On Wed, Mar 12, 2025 at 2:31 PM Artem Evdokimov >>>> <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>> The first thing that happens as freedom of speech dies is >>>> that diligent self censorship becomes the norm. People >>>> acquire a Komissar inside their heads. >>>> >>>> When I was a kid, my parents had to remind me daily not to >>>> share with school kids the jokes told at home because >>>> 'mommy does not want to go to Gulag'. >>>> >>>> Word to the wise. >>>> >>>> Artem >>>> >>>> >>>> On Wed, Mar 12, 2025, 15:21 Katherine Sippel >>>> <[email protected] >>>> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >>>> >>>> I love this conversation. It is an important one right >>>> now that addresses the intersection between the >>>> precise language needed to communicate science and the >>>> greater zeitgeist around politicization of vocabulary. >>>> It will be interesting to see how the etymology of >>>> scientific language migrates in response to this >>>> selective pressure. >>>> However, if you will allow me to put on my tinfoil hat >>>> for a moment, I feel compelled to remind the faculty >>>> from publicly funded universities in the US that your >>>> institutional emails may be subject to Freedom of >>>> Information Act requests. I was at the University of >>>> Florida when the Organic Consumers Association decided >>>> to go after Kevin Folta via US Right to Know, and it >>>> was nasty. I would not put it past the administration >>>> to weaponize FOIA requests in the future to root out >>>> dissent among US academics. Just something to consider >>>> when engaging in these types of conversations. >>>> Cheers, >>>> Kat Sippel, PhD, ELS >>>> >>>> On Wed, Mar 12, 2025 at 1:41 PM Harry Powell >>>> <[email protected] >>>> <mailto:[email protected]>> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>> "_golf_ of America” particularly apt with current >>>> POTUS… >>>> >>>> Harry >>>> >>>>> On 12 Mar 2025, at 17:49, Oganesyan, Vaheh >>>> <[email protected] >>>> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> You never know what is on their minds >>>> (Musk&Don). Would you guess anything related to >>>> Greenland before hearing it, or golf of America? >>>>> >>>>> Vaheh >>>>> >>>>> From: CCP4 bulletin board <[email protected] >>>> <mailto:[email protected]>> On Behalf Of Harry >>>> Powell >>>>> Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2025 1:30 PM >>>>> To: [email protected] >>>> <mailto:[email protected]> >>>>> Subject: Re: [ccp4bb] Words to avoid >>>>> >>>>> I don’t thnk that’s why it’s been banned... >>>>> >>>>>> On 12 Mar 2025, at 17:09, Ian Tickle >>>> <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> --------- Forwarded message --------- >>>>>> From: Ian Tickle <[email protected] >>>> <mailto:[email protected]>> >>>>>> Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2025, 14:08 >>>>>> Subject: Re: [ccp4bb] Words to avoid >>>>>> To: Herbert J. Bernstein <[email protected] >>>> <mailto:[email protected]>> >>>>>> >>>>>> I spell it 'polarisation' anyway (from Late >>>> Latin 'Stella Polaris' = 'Pole Star'). >>>>>> >>>>>> Cheers >>>>>> >>>>>> -- Ian >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Tue, 11 Mar 2025, 20:00 Herbert J. >>>> Bernstein, <[email protected] >>>> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >>>>>> Dear Colleagues, >>>>>> When I got home today, Frances presented me >>>> with an article from the >>>>>> NY Times which contained the attached list of >>>> words and the explanation, >>>>>> "As President Trump seeks to purge the federal >>>> government of "woke" initiatives, agencies have >>>> flagged hundreds of words to limit or avoid, >>>>>> according to a compilation of government >>>> documents." >>>>>> For this audience in particular, please note >>>> that "Mx", "polarization", "orientation", >>>> "status", "systemic". "discrimination", >>>> "equality", "expression", "barriers", and "bias" >>>> are among the words to avoid. Care should be >>>>>> taken in writing proposals and reports since >>>> AIs may be used for screening >>>>>> and they are' likely to miss explanatory context. >>>>>> Regard, >>>>>> Herbert >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> To unsubscribe from the CCP4BB list, click the >>>> following link: >>>>>> >>>> >>>> https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=CCP4BB&A=1 >>>> <https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=CCP4BB&A=1> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> To unsubscribe from the CCP4BB list, click the >>>> following link: >>>>>> >>>> >>>> https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=CCP4BB&A=1 >>>> <https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=CCP4BB&A=1> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> ######################################################################## >>>>> >>>>> To unsubscribe from the CCP4BB list, click the >>>> following link: >>>>> >>>> >>>> https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=CCP4BB&A=1 >>>> <https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=CCP4BB&A=1> >>>>> >>>>> This message was issued to members of >>>> www.jiscmail.ac.uk/CCP4BB >>>> <http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/CCP4BB>, a mailing list >>>> hosted by www.jiscmail.ac.uk >>>> <http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/>, terms & conditions >>>> are available at >>>> https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/ >>>> <https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/> >>>>> >>>>> Confidentiality Notice: This message is private >>>> and may contain confidential and proprietary >>>> information. 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