
VS Code is getting flak for removing Santa hat emoji - amingilani
https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/search
======
smt88
Misleading, clickbait title. It sound like they disabled its usage in the app
and there is now a backlash.

In reality, they had added a Santa hat to the UI in an update (see
screenshot[1]). There doesn't seem to be much of a backlash to the removal
anywhere except from a few dozen users.

It's totally reasonable to expect applications from international corporations
exclude religious symbols. I doubt this conversation would have the same tone
if it were Muslim symbols that they'd pushed to users instead of Santa.

One person's harmless, fun religious symbol is another person's reminder of
death or oppression. Regardless, it's not necessary or appropriate to inject
into an app that many people must use for work.

1\. [https://user-
images.githubusercontent.com/4748045/71110025-c...](https://user-
images.githubusercontent.com/4748045/71110025-c9bbf100-21c6-11ea-8531-666e20a812a1.jpg)

~~~
ensignavenger
What religion has ever used a Santa hat as a symbol in any meaningful way?
Maybe github should stop using stars which actually are used as religious
symbols?

------
amingilani
Original complaint which led to removal:
[https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/issues/87268](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/issues/87268)

~~~
mrburton
I hate to say it, but this is cancel culture. The question is what other
emojis are coming to get band because someone finds them offensive?

Listen, I'm not religious at all. This has lead to many intense conversations
with my mother as well. That being said, but I celebrate xmas. Why? for me,
it's about family.

Honestly, I'm very curious what's the next emoji to be banned?
Wine/beer/champagne emojis because they "encourage" drinking? The Crescent
moon () because some might feel it's "too islamic" lol

Can someone insert Michael Jackson eating popcorn or would that be offensive
because of his legal issues lol

Okay sorry. I just had to say it... well not really sorry because I said it so
saying sorry is bullshit on my behalf lol

Hopefully people learn to treat each other with respect and stop trying to
censor everything.. it's getting a bit silly.

~~~
smt88
> _I hate to say it, but this is cancel culture. The question is what other
> emojis are coming to get band because someone finds them offensive?_

They didn't ban an emoji. The title is misleading.

They injected a Christian icon into every installation of VS Code. A non-
Christian asked them to remove it.

Cancel culture is free markets and free speech at work. It's not censorship.
Microsoft did not have to remove the emoji if they didn't want to.

It may irritate you, but international corporations always bend over backwards
to avoid offending their massive variety of customers.

~~~
mrburton
> Christian icon

The Santa Claus hat isn't a Christian icon. Santa Claus isn't a Christian
figure. That being said, cancel culture is bullshit and not free markets. It's
bullying. Free market is "Don't like the Santa Hat? Don't use VSCode."

> It may irritate you, but international corporations always bend over
> backwards to avoid offending their massive variety of customers.

It doesn't offend me that they added/removed the Santa Claus hat; I don't
care. What's offensive is the last part of your statement.

> to avoid offending their massive variety of customers.

What about the people it offended because someone "didn't like the icon"?

Cancel Culture is trying to censor a comedian like David Chappelle because
they found his jokes offensive. Now if you can't see the issue with this,
that's fine and we won't agree on the subject. That being said - your post is
very offensive to people sharing opinions and I think we should take it down.
It's offending a variety of readers.. And take down my comment because it
offended a variety of readers.. better yet, let's take down hacker news
because there's so many offensive things on here lol

Free market - just don't use VS Code and use Atom.

