The above response is how I feel about this. There is palpable fear right now that anyone who disagrees that these political types of discussion have a place in the professional world will be ostracized. I fear it even writing this short email. And that fear is more than warranted.
The laudable goals of inclusion in the python community, which I support, are not being served by bringing these politically motivated changes-- a perfect example of which is this latest claim that S&W,
an utterly inoffensive English language standard that itself has nothing to do with white supremacy, is a "relic of white supremacy" that has been place for two (or nearly two) decades in the core python founding PEPs, etc., and the absurd claim that it is hurtful in some way to non-white people, and these sorts of claims not only going unchallenged but even in some ways encouraged at the top of the leadership-- to the fore. It is divisive, and it makes me want to not want to be a part of the community because of 1. fear that I will pay dearly if I speak up (happily I'm not a developer although I've thought about a career change, but probably I can kiss that goodbye after this email) and 2. it is extremely unpleasant to have no realm of life-- not technical/professional, not sports, not even church-- in which the
American
politics that permeate all of life these days (and seems to be reaching its tendrils across the water into other countries) can be put to the side.
I'm tired. Please, please think about how we can make the focus of this community be technical considerations.