Toni
Contributor
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2011
- Messages
- 14,729
- Basic Beliefs
- Peace on Earth, goodwill towards all
I really think that it depends on the person. Ideally, someone saying grossly intolerant things would be called out in no uncertain terms and unfollowed/whatever that platform does. For those in forward facing positions, public figures, etc. need to be made to understand that making public statements promoting racist, sexist, intolerant views is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Depending on the person and offense, that could be enough or it could mean actual suspension/loss of position, public apologies, lots of things.
As with most medications, the smallest effective dose is preferred.
Let's say someone on this forum was repeatedly using racial slurs, intended in a demeaning, condescending manner. What the should the consequences be for this person?
That would be up to the team of moderators. And also, in a different way, and to a different extent, to the other posters. One could be shunned or others could retaliate or some could even try to convince the offender that their use of such terms is wrong and/or not in their best interests, or in the best interests of the discussion. For some serious breaches, I would imagine that the mods would ban. But I'm not a mod and I haven't read the TOUs for a while.
This forum is not the real world. In the real world, using dehumanizing or negative words to describe other groups of people or even a person ultimately can and does lead to treating that person badly.
When women ae allowed to be called girls and are expected to dress provocatively or to accept being stared at or touched by coworkers or bosses, it is not difficult to see how it becomes more acceptable for the women to be overlooked for promotion, underpaid, even sexually assaulted. These are all things I have seen and some of which I have experienced.
When we are allowed to refer to people of other races or religions or nationalities or genders or sexes or sexual preferences by stereotypical or ugly names, it dehumanizes them, and makes it much easier to create an atmosphere where other, worse, treatment is acceptable---being passed over for promotion, being paid less, being given worse shifts, and so on. And worse than that, it becomes much more acceptable to treat anyone in the out group as though they simply do not count as much as those in the in group. Why shouldn't everything be structured in order to best accommodate the 'in' group? Everything from where you can sit in a cafeteria to where you can work to when and where you can vote, go to church or school gets seen through a different lens.
What people can and do think in their private life is different than how we expect them to behave in public. Tweets and posts are public.