[Imc-uk-features] hidden article 372 403

[planet-mail at aktivix.org]

Hiya, quick mail from germany.

people do care about what words are used, but in this case, don´t really give a
monkeys!

it would be fine for one of us who knows guy really really well to just change a
word in his post and then follow up checking with him (cos we know and trust
each other after yrs of working in silly situations like these riots), but
clearly it is not ok to just go and change the work of anyone else - agree that
would be a very bad thing indeed.

so i think it´s all very straighforward.

except, to say if it had been someone we don´t know who had put the riot pics up
and used the word retard, i would argue very strongly to keep the post online,
rather than hide it.

sure i agree best not to use such a word, but then if we apply like a hyper
strict rule sytem to posts on indy then i´m sure we could end up hiding much
much more content.

there´s a balance to be struck. if the post had just been a one liner about the
cops acting like retards then sure hide it. but a post like that has behind it
several hours of running around in a hail of rocks and batons, and then a few
hours processing and uploading the pictures in less than ideal circumstances.
Did guy intend to make fun or insult people with disabilities? (or which ever
name is currently correct, sorry no offence meant) No of course he didn´t.

guidelines not rules please!

anyway, there you go, and yes sure of course indy should be a place to challenge
language that people find offensive.

right, better get on with doing indymedia innit, as i write this, guy is off
covering another demo as i sit here drinking coffee ;)

cya,
dave