SETI@Home: Free Speech and SETI@home

Once again I need to explain our policies on free speech, as I've been getting lots of nastygrams both here and on twitter and facebook.

First, let me explain our relationship to the UC Berkeley administration. Despite the fact that I met with the Chancellor once for about 15 seconds, the UC administration neither knows nor cares that SETI@home exists. Threats of quitting SETI@home or withholding donations will be about as effective as kicking a stray dog because you don't like something the dog catcher did. They won't notice. They don't care. They get no direct benefit from SETI@home, so here will be no effect on them, or the on University. We could shut off our servers tomorrow, and nobody in Sproul Hall would notice a thing.

So here are our project commandments on free speech.

0. Thine speech is free as in freedom, not free as in beer.
1. Thou mayst speak thine mind.
2. Thou shalt do so in the appropriate forum.
3. Thou shalt recognize that speech has consequences to thine self and to others, some legal, some financial, some painful.
4. Thou shalt not force others to pay for the delivery of or the consequences of speech they may not agree with.
5. On public SETI@home forums, thou shalt use language a parent would not mind their 12 year old hearing.
6. Failure to obey the forum rules will result in moderator action. If thou dost not understand, see thou commandment 4.

In other words, if you want to be heard on the current controversy, try the Politics forum. Then use twitter, facebook, instagram and whatever social media you want. SETI@home in general and me in particular have no power to effect change of any sort.

It sounds like there's still going to be a riot in Berkeley tomorrow because a group of white supremacists and a group of left wing anarchists are ignoring commandments 2, 3, and 4. The people of Berkeley and the people of California will be picking up the tab for their "freedom of speech" whether they want to or not. And personally, I think that's what's been missing from the whole discussion.

More...

I strongly disagree with the portrayal that it is two equally crazy groups fighting each other to stop free speech. That's pure crap. It is only one side trying to do this. Well, not trying. Succeeding is more like it. That it is coming from the left this time is kinda ironic, especially at Bezerkeley. Are there crazy's and assholes on both sides? Yep. But it is only the left's Antifa and "By any means necessary" groups that are bringing masked and hooded thugs to these things, with the specific goal of violence and intimidation to shut down speech they don't agree with. Worst of all, the Mayor, School, and Police are all standing back and letting it happen because they agree with the thugs' politics. Disgusting dereliction of duty. Eventually the people on the right will see that the folks in charge aren't protecting their rights and lives, and will eventually bring their own thugs to do it for them. This will end in death.

Oh, please. The idea that right wing groups didn't escalate/incite violence or even come prepared for a fight is nonsense. Right wing & neo-nazi groups like Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, Identity Evropa, West Coast Patriots 3% were all there, dressed for a fight and agitating the situation-

http://i.imgur.com/5Pn8qsW.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/1Vwb7cD.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/K4R0JEW.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Oe9tCqK.jpg

Like I said, crazies on both sides.

But show me where the right crazies were trying to shut down free speech. Are they out there violently shutting down speeches from speakers on the left while the police sit back and watch? Of course not.

P.S. Those pictures look like a few wackadoos just standing around. Meh.

P.P.S. Of course they came "prepared for a fight", since the authorities have demonstrated several time now that they won't step in to prevent violence. Like I said.