Even still, I don't agree that being "apolitical" in your definition is a unquestionable goodm I would like to ask *you* to question why you think being "apolitical" is a good thing. -- Margaret "Mae" Miller (she/her)
Nov 2, 2025, 14:52 by [email protected]: > > On Sun, 2 Nov 2025, Margaret Miller wrote: > >> >> No. I love KDE precisely because they're not falling for this "apolitical" >> nonsense that only ever is used to benefit the far right and push out >> marginalized people. >> > > Hmmm... > > With respect, I'd like to ask you to adjust how you assert stuff like that. > > You're not wrong, Margaret, in stating that there are many instances in > modern times, especially in the USA and parts of Western Europe (perhaps > elsewhere) that very partisan and political things are done in the name of > being "apolitical." However, someone else's improper use of our common > language shouldn't be a reason for us to redefine words and twist things. > That is, how you phrased your defense of the marginalized was itself falling > into a linguistic trap. I agree with "Slopsec" we all stay out of it. > > I believe "Slopsec's" articulation was the more accurate: We can and should > defend being apolitical in KDE and avoid it in ourselves when dealing with > unrelated subjects. And let us not try and redefine the word apolitical or > buy into other people's false definitions. Slopsec asked we keep politics out > of this venue and I agree, and defending those who need defending as you > propose isn't, in my view, political. > > Word-hijacking has long been, unfortunately, "a thing" in humanity and it's > both insidious and corrosive and is intended, most times, to either divide, > or convince one of false narratives. A simple but obvious example would be > the likes of Nancy Pelosi (among many others) who try and call themselves > "left" just because they're not where current Republicans are, when anyone of > my generation would call them out as 1980's style Republicans. It's an > attempt to redefine the word for their own political purposes and I say we > not buy into it. Apolitical means NOT political. And defending against > bullying as you propose isn't a political act, it's an act born of good > morals. > > In any event, ABSOLUTELY, Margaret, DEFEND those who need defending, like the > marginalized. Lets just try and not talk past one another, please. > > I hope I haven't just whacked a hornet's nest! > > Regards, > Richard > > P.S. You can read MY basic political affiliations in my signature line as it > articulates the who and what _I_ pledge allegiance to. RT > >> >> -- >> Margaret "Mae" Miller (she/her) >> >> Nov 2, 2025, 14:09 by [email protected]: >> >>> Hello everyone, >>> >>> Something concerning that was brought to my attention compelled me to >>> compose my thoughts. For the sake of maintaining a healthy community with a >>> diverse array of people from different backgrounds, I would like to implore >>> that you please keep KDE Plasma apolitical. It should not be used as a >>> platform for character assassination or the badjacketing of people and >>> organisations for political views which may differ from your own. There >>> could be about half a dozen of reasons why KDE Plasma may have wished to >>> abstain from interacting on X/Twitter and each of them likely to be valid >>> from a purely technical or utilitarian prospective. Instead, an employee of >>> KDE Plasma for promotion and communication asserted their own politics and >>> spoke on behalf of KDE Plasma as a whole in a statement when addressing why >>> KDE Plasma has stopped posting to X. >>> >>> I don't think this is something that should be tolerated in our community, >>> as the politicisation of projects and hobbies only serves to sow division >>> which leads to ostracism and exclusion rather than inclusion. Hobbies >>> should be politically neutral as to remain inclusive for all people from >>> different walks of life. The founding ethos of the free and open source >>> community ensured that nobody was excluded or marginalised for their >>> immutable traits or beliefs as they did not matter or would've otherwise >>> impacted a person's ability to participate. These very founding principles >>> are being threatened by those who that assert their politics into the >>> hobbies and projects where it has no business being. The free and open >>> source movement is political in nature, yes. However, there should be >>> absolutely no room for identity politics and culture wars which distract >>> from the very purpose of our hobby. Creating, maintaining and iterating on >>> software and public infrastructure that anyone may free >>> > ly use for the betterment of humanity. > >>> >>> I've left my thoughts here in good faith as a user of KDE Plasma and >>> welcome any discussion or feedback. >>> >>> Thank you all for your time and cheers for reading. >>> >>> —Slopsec >>> >>> -- >>> Sent with https://mailfence.com >>> Secure and private email >>> > > -- > Richard Troy, Chief Scientist > Science Tools Corporation > 510-717-6942 > [email protected], http://ScienceTools.com/ > > I pledge allegiance to We, The People, to mutual peace and harmony, and > to the natural Earth and biosphere upon which We, The People, depend. >
