Replacing unnecessary uses of the word "slave" in corporate codebase probably has less dire consequences.
Our problems with race are systemic and deeply rooted in many aspects of our culture. There isn't going to be a small number if things that will fix racism. The journey of a thousand miles starts with one step. Unfortunately we also have a history of taking a few steps and declaring that we traveled a thousand miles, but I dont think the fix for that is to stand still.
I do my best software engineering when I'm undistracted. If I've recently been treated unfairly, that's a distraction. Anything that reminds me of the unfair incident is a distraction. If I were Black and experienced a racial incident where the words "master" or "slave" were involved, I can imagine those words reminding me of the incident and making it hard for me to work. Maybe I'd be able to compartmentalize by context; maybe I wouldn't.
I think this is analogous to bug chains leading to vulnerabilities. A bug by itself might not be a vulnerability, but it's worth fixing because it might be combined with other bugs in a way that's a vulnerability. Similarly, small issues can combine to become bigger issues.
Also, this isn't a "New" issue/ BLM issue, while it's been sped up by BLM, companies have been moving this way for some time. Python dropped Master/ Slave 2 years ago, before it was trendy.
Those ideas, police & prison reform, housing reform, water & infrastructure, education, for black individuals is what I want to see. Systemic change that will actually have a real effect.
I was out for the past 3-4 weeks protesting against police brutality and BLM and it just seems like such a waste when syrup labels and github parent branches are the only change I really see occurring.
This isn't drowning out anything, nor does it alleviate the need for real change in the places where it's needed most.
If a company does the right thing for the wrong reasons, that doesn't make it wrong.
Edit:
> What does stuff like this actually do except give them some good PR?
Source linked in OP article:
> The request -- which has some suppliers furious and others busy re-labeling components -- came after an unidentified worker spotted a videotape machine carrying devices labeled "master" and "slave" and filed a discrimination complaint with the county's Office of Affirmative Action Compliance.
Are efforts to clean up terminology worthwhile? For who?
My 2c, based on my personal feelings and hope... no evidence. This is low hanging fruit. Get people involved and thinking about current issues. Their employees, customers, and stakeholders might grumble or question the value of this work, but it does start conversations (like this one) and that seems good.
We think and speak in the words we know and see. This individual change is not going to end racism across the world but I believe in aggregate, enough small changes over a long enough timeline, these things can matter.
I think instead of criticizing changes like this we should appreciate that they are doing something. I mean, it is capitalism and at the end of the day they are making a choice that this is a better 'look' than to do nothing. A choice more and more capitalist enterprises have made in recent months. To me, this speaks to the continued change in our culture.
On the other hand it does seem to bring about a strong reaction from some counter culture (? idk what to call it). Maybe this sort of thing makes folks dig in their heels more than it helps?
Idk. I think it helps. But maybe not today.
I think people who can actually do the work and enact that change are hoping it will just blow over with the next news cycle, because it's hard.
I have hope though. I don't like living with our current justice system.