[Python-cuba] Going forwards

[kirby urner]

On Fri, Jun 26, 2015 at 11:59 PM, Josephine Garcia <aethraiam at gmail.com>
wrote:

> My anger got the best of me and things got out of hand.
>


Does that happen often?  Perhaps you need to step back and reassess your
strategies?

Replaying the tape up to here, I don't see what you expected to happen.
That we would simply cave to the demands of a stranger and change our
structure, having just been approved as a WG?

We're protective of our new status and don't want to wreck it.  Our
listowners are free to close the membership at this point.  There's nothing
in the charter to stop them.  You probably didn't read the charter first.
How much homework did you do?  Any?

I was what some might call "angry" as a psf-member subscriber, that so much
important stuff about our internals (e.g. voting infrastructure) was made
topical in a private list where we were to agree to confidentiality.

I became disagreeable to many readers of psf-members for my position.  But
I haven't posted there in weeks and the important stuff about elections
infrastructure I wanted to go public, did in a big way:  elections-wg
(which may not yet have full WG status I'm not sure).  So I'm now satisfied
the Python.org infrastructure is healthier i.e. the e-voter stuff is more
out in the open.  That's important because the general public stands to
gain from being able to study real world examples of e-voter systems like
ours.  And as a 501(c)(3), PSF is all about serving the public (not hard to
do given Python is a huge public service already).



> I hope you understand where I’m coming from and why your words were
> hurtful.
>



The thought that you would think of me as a beta male was hilarious as I'm
alpha cis white and used to vast privilege, which I exercise daily without
apology.

I'd love it if more of our species were as well positioned as my caste
(semi-Brahmin I guess you could say, if this were classical India).  I do
not believe we should have untouchables and I do not refuse to associate or
work with people who are not as privileged as I am.

I'm in no white's only clubs, nor male only, nor do I believe in the whole
concept of "race" which I believe is used by the mentally inferior as a
last resort, when wanting to be in the oppressor role.

I mostly work to build peoples privileges so we relate as equals.  I do not
believe in "superpowers" (either political or like in Marvel comics) so I
do not believe any of my privilege is owing to such concepts, which
diminish people and make them stupid inside, like most in the Lower48
(ignorant and complacent folk I can't always work with easily, but do my
best).

I hope you understand where I'm coming from.

As a cis white, I hurt others feelings with wild abandon (actually not, I'm
usually pretty diplomatic except with people I love and trust) and expect
the same from others.  However I draw the line at outward weapons.  I'm a
Quaker and think outward weapons are for sissies and cowards (or for the
mentally ill if we want to be more delicate about it).





> As a trans woman I'm used to being constantly harassed and excluded from
> software projects on the sole basis of my gender.
>



Remember when it comes to HR matters, we as individuals not always
privileged to have the first or last word, which has nothing to do with
gender.

If I'm fired from job X and I *say* it's because of Z or V, or even just Q,
that's not the final verdict, given others are involved and have a say.

People like to arrogate the powers of judge and jury to themselves, but as
a white male of vast privilege (plus a Visa card), I know that even I will
be challenged if I start telling the world what's what about why people
won't work with me.

I'll sound defensive and shrill maybe, but likely not veridical
(authoritative), if I go around telling everyone exactly why I was fired or
not hired in some situation.  I'm seen as too biased.  The language is
built that way, or at least English is (like Japanese, it's full of
inflection and nuance).

So don't take this personally though.  We're all taught from a young age
that our emotions and judgements may be second guessed by others.

Indeed, a hallmark of privilege is being able to give a version of what
happened, and have others agree to one's narrative.  That's what power is,
in a nutshell I'd say.

I just learned on BBC last night that viruses and other parasites will
change our mood and persona.  One virus that rats get makes them love the
smell of cats and they get eaten pronto, which is how the virus spreads to
cats.  Clever virus.


The Python community has made great advancements in how it treats
> minorities and the marginalized, but turns a blind eye when cis white males
> abuse women.
>
>

I find a lot of people looking to some "Python community" for social
justice, but it's more just a good measuring stick of the global climate.

We're scattered and somewhat above average in privilege, as coders /
developers in general tend to be.

Though I'd say medical doctors still get more automatic respect all other
things being equal (e.g. lets say they're both trans, but one's a code the
other a doctor, which do you think gets more respect based on the
Stanford-Guilford Respect Metric -- which I made up but you know what I
mean, some clever test).

I'm glad you think the Python community is making great strides.  I would
be careful with words like "minority" though as that's often relevant to a
specific culture.  North Americans tend to be extremely ethnocentric and
think the world revolves around them.  They have this pathetic tendency to
inflict their terminology an nomenclature on others expecting the world to
go along.  I find this pathetic and stupid.  Some would call me
"anti-American" but I'm really just 3rd Culture (expat) and like to posture
(it's true -- given my power and privilege, it's easy for me).




> I don't regret calling Roberto out. I believe that he should think before
> posting egregious messages
>


Now THAT cuts both ways.  So far he seems only to have defended himself
against defamatory chargers.  You are the aggressor and prosecutor in the
context of just this list.  You're making the case it's different in other
contexts, but in getting angry and losing your cool, you have botched your
campaign (my assessment).




> while identifying himself with a major project such as this one. Now, with
> a clearer mind, I will further pursue this on a more organized manner
> following the feedback received.
>
> I want to thank those who are supporting me and helping me compile the
> list of offenses to present to the PSF board shortly. I want to specially
> thank: Jacky Kazil, Jacky Alciné, Kurtis Rainbolt-Greene, Alexander
> Hitchins, Nexxy, Randi Harper, Gregory Smith, Julian Simioni, Strand
> McCutchen, Greg V and the super spectacular Jacob Kaplan-Moss for
> amplifying this and helping me reach others.
>
> We will continue, and bring forward a cleaner case that will serve as a
> template for future cases.
>
> J.
>
>
Run for the Board why not?

We have trans, we have whatever.

I think going after a specific individual and blaming the world's problems
on that individual looks like scapegoating or something.  How about you
come after me instead and give Roberto a break.

Want me to say something disparaging?  I probably already have in your
book, simply for being so out about my cis maleness and the privileges that
gets me.  What's wrong with privilege?  The goal is to give everyone more,
not for me to have less, right?

But then I think we should take our fight over to Diversity, where it more
belongs.  I've posted plenty for that archive and I think you might want to
do more homework before you make more mistakes.

Kirby
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