Lichess should remain non-geopolitical

@boilingFrog said in #37:
> Wow ...
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> Have they gone too far ~

Thats amazing. I dont' think they've gone to far. I think going to far was the guy who threatened to end the world. I don't know how any organization can associate with or give a title to someone who supports that. What message would that send to the world?

@CooloutAC said in #35:
> If they were truly Russophobic they would have banned Russians from playing on this website. Which they clearly said they will never do. What they don't agree with is sentiments of players supporting their government and the invasion of another country unprovoked to suppress freedom and democracy.

I condemn the Russian government's invasion of the Ukrainian people. I pray for the dead and wounded. I wish for peace and for immediate diplomatic solutions. But I repeat: the players are not to blame for the actions of their governments. I do not think that the Russian population should be stigmatized and generalized as guilty. It seems to me that the objective of the different sports instances is to humiliate an athlete just for being Russian. Implement more economic sanctions, stop buying Russian gas, condemn Putin and his oligarchs, but not the Russian chess players. In Italy a Dostoevsky course was canceled just because he was a Russian writer. Those actions are illogical and absurd

@Nushpianni said in #42:
> Implement more economic sanctions, stop buying Russian gas, condemn Putin and his oligarchs, but not the Russian chess players. In Italy a Dostoevsky course was canceled just because he was a Russian writer. Those actions are illogical and absurd

Wouldn't stopping buying Russian gas affect those who produce, distribute, and sell gas? Sanctions are going to affect citizens, and it would be nice to peacefully deter WW3 by encouraging citizens to raise their voices.

@Nushpianni said in #42:
> I condemn the Russian government's invasion of the Ukrainian people. I pray for the dead and wounded. I wish for peace and for immediate diplomatic solutions. But I repeat: the players are not to blame for the actions of their governments. I do not think that the Russian population should be stigmatized and generalized as guilty. It seems to me that the objective of the different sports instances is to humiliate an athlete just for being Russian. Implement more economic sanctions, stop buying Russian gas, condemn Putin and his oligarchs, but not the Russian chess players. In Italy a Dostoevsky course was canceled just because he was a Russian writer. Those actions are illogical and absurd

What in the world makes you think Lichess is disparaging the Russian population? Are you being honest with your statement?
LIchess clearly said only those titled players who support the unprovoked invasion of a free and democratic society. And they are simply following FIDE's lead and precedent. And, imo, warranted since the leader theyse players publicly support just threatened to end the world, twice in the past week.

Also its not about humiliating anyone, its about trying to bring awareness to a population of people who are literally being left in the dark.

@Toadofsky said in #43:
> Wouldn't stopping buying Russian gas affect those who produce, distribute, and sell gas? Sanctions are going to affect citizens, and it would be nice to peacefully deter WW3 by encouraging citizens to raise their voices.

The problem is we are talking about a whole country left in the dark. We have to take extreme measures so they themselves take extreme measures to find the truth of why it is happening. Then we can only hope the momentum builds up to those in within positions of the military to stop Putin. The oligarches are against the war. The tehnocrats are in total shock it is happening. And Putin does not caare about the opinions of his people nor does he care about human life. Its probably only a foolish dream but its all we can do at the moment. This is a madman who has threatened nuclear war for literally no reason and he already knows its over for him. He is turning 70 years old and he has not fulfilled his legacy of rebuilding the soviet union again. And now he knows he has tarnished his legacy. We all have to pray he does not want take us all with him, and that his people get to him first.

If we have to sacrifice for this it is worth it. Might all be for nothing but again what else can we do?

This topic is somewhat interesting, however freedom of speech and financial freedom are two different things. Why shouldn't lichess have the ability to not hand out to prizes to people who they feel don't share their values? You have the ability to personally boycott any corporate business by not giving them your hard earned money. Freedom of speech was never actually something that applied to every single circumstance either. There are times when disinformation can be dangerous to the public, and individual businesses have always had the right to censor what their employees say by firing them so they can "represent" their business in the way they want.

I do think hitting people where it hurts is the best way when it comes to extreme situations like this. Withholding finances in this specific situation I think is probably one of the more moral stances they could take given what little power lichess has over world politics. Everyone has the right to just not do business with people they do not like. There is nothing wrong with that in the slightest. When I find out any business I have dealings that supports things I'm against, I cut them off and replace them with businesses more aligned with my own. I've got rid of specific insurance carriers, a cable company, and I don't do business with various restaurants who lobby for unethical things if I know about it. Why should lichess be any different? If you believe in something, you should always align your personal money to reflect those beliefs.

Though a business like lichess does run risks of alienating donors by such policies, but that is a very small price to pay if they really believe what they say.

Why should lichess remain apolitical? Who HAS remained apolitical here? There is an unjustified and unethical invasion of Ukraine going on here by Russia, with much (innocent) blood being shed, and lichess should not take sides? I feel like a statement here is more than justified, and is possibly even overdue. Does lichess's announcement CHANGE anything? Impact the war? No, but it makes lichess's intentions clear and tells us that it does NOT stand with Vladimir Putin, and I am happy to hear that. Neutrality in such times would come off as apathetic at best, and sinister at worst.

And one last note, lichess has staff and moderators (a team). It's not owned by the people (us). It has the ability to espouse it's (the team's) opinions on issues, like all organizations.

@torresjrjr said in #8:
> When I'm on Lichess, I don't care. Which is precisely why I don't want to hear about geopolitics here.
Solution == Kid mode
I think u can't go to forums then, so u wouldn't see it

@torresjrjr said in #13:
> Wars happen all the time.
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>
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> For certain indivuals, yes. For a organisation like Lichess, no.
> Speak out as much as you want. Exercise your *personal* free speech.
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> Lichess does not represent my geopolitical views.
Well, but ig tht meqns bad lick for ya, cuz not every1 can be happy, tht is the rule of world(and in case u are christian(like me) tht would mean not every1 can be happy since the adam and Eva thingy