So far as I know, there hasn't been a single post suggesting that Tim's freedom of speech be curtailed. Nobody is running to mommy, or hiding under the bed. And in the context of this list I have no idea what "over-zealous pinko liberal" means.
I agree that a lot of comment on the subject has been from the point of view you outline above, but several anonymous posts have been of the ranting kind that suggests the poster is a quasi-libertarian who believes in "freedom of speech, almost". As for the quote, I think in the ranting context of the discussion a few pointless and out of context mild flames aren`t entirely out of place, and "over-zealous pinko liberal" was just the first one that sprang to mind after a few too many whiskeys.
Racist comments to me would be those that generalised the opinion to all Japanese, Tim insulted one particular person.
I don't base my assessment of Tim on that single incident -- it's based on a history of his comments going back some time. And I only bring it up now because others have.
If this is truly the case you have more justification for your comments (even though I happen to disagree with them) than most who have posted on this subject, who have reacted soley on this one isolated statement without any reference to Tims other posts.
If you are going to become oversensitive about such comments the cypherpunks list is probably the worst place to be.
I'm not oversensitive -- just stating the obvious to the oblivious.
Not so, making a distinction between different races is not the same as being racist, I could call you a yank, any of our 2 japanese posters a slant-eyed jap, and you could refer to me as a closeted limey, we both know the other has no serious intention to offend a whole ethnic group, even if the statement is intended to be offensive to its particular recipient. Someone over sensitive would however feel the comment was racist, ymmv, if it did, I would think your opinion wrong.
It is an unfortunate fact that a large percentage of the population is racist without even being aware of it, and, like you, vigorously deny it.
I do not consider myself racist, merely able to see past PC bullshit about not calling a violent drug addicted "person of colour" a "fucked up nigger". Datacomms Technologies data security Paul Bradley, Paul@fatmans.demon.co.uk Paul@crypto.uk.eu.org, Paul@cryptography.uk.eu.org Http://www.cryptography.home.ml.org/ Email for PGP public key, ID: FC76DA85 "Don`t forget to mount a scratch monkey"