On November 3, 2021 9:27:08 PM UTC, Felix Lechner <felix.lechner@lease-up.com> wrote:
>Hi,
>
>I would like to rename the FTP Masters team—ideally via a General Resolution.
>
>Since the murder of George Floyd, the average fate of Black lives has
>received much attention. Even the tech sector picked up the
>"master/slave" topic over a year ago. [2][3][4]
>
>There should be little controversy. With a high pass rate, we could
>all come together as a group—for our shared love of Debian and free
>software!
>
>What do you think about the text below, please? Thanks for reading!
>
>Kind regards
>Felix Lechner
>
>[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_George_Floyd
>[2] https://www.wired.com/story/tech-confronts-use-labels-master-slave/
>[3] https://www.cnet.com/news/master-and-slave-tech-terms-face-scrutiny-amid-anti-racism-efforts/
>[4] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/13/technology/racist-computer-engineering-terms-ietf.html
>
>* * *
>
>PROPOSED TEXT
>
>In recognizance of the awful history of slavery, the Debian project
>will rename the "FTP Masters" team. For a long time, the word "master"
>has been associated with the grave injustices of slavery. [1]
>
>While there is a tradition in computing to label primary equipment as
>a "master" and replicated equipment as "slaves" [2] the use of the
>word "masters" for a group of people with special privileges [3]
>shocks the conscience.
>
>Within that context, the team's use of the title "wizard" [4] was also
>problematic. The Ku Klux Klan and its spinoffs used the title "wizard"
>to style high officials. [5] The team will likewise discontinue the
>use of the term "wizard" to designate any current or former members.
>
>Nothing in this resolution shall impair the continued use of the
>"master/slave" analogy for technical equipment.
>
> "Without a struggle, there can be no progress." (Frederick Douglass)
>
>[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_slavery
>[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master/slave_(technology)
>[3] "The FTP masters can do everything in the archive.",
>https://wiki.debian.org/Teams/FTPMaster
>[4] "The FTP Wizard role consists of former team members",
>https://ftp-master.debian.org/
>[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Wizard
>
I'd suggest if you want to change the name via GR, the text of the GR should give the new name. Otherwise, it could drag on for a very long time.
Regardless of how one might feel about changing the names, it should be done quickly if it's to be done.
Scott K