[WikiEN-l] on why I am changing my name

Mon Feb 17 08:03:58 UTC 2003

Tucci wrote:

>I am posting this to explain why I am changing my user
>name from Tokerboy to TUF-KAT.  
>
>I would be lying if I said I didn't choose this name
>partially out of a desire to ruffle certain feathers. 
>However unjust it is, such a name will be perceived as
>unprofessional by academics and reporters and other
>people whom Wikipedia should want to impress with its
>professionalism.  In my daily life, I do not hide the
>fact that I smoke weed on a daily basis because I
>regard it as my inalienable right that no law can
>supersede, and because without it I have no doubt that
>I would be either dead or homeless and alcoholic right
>now.  I have experienced discrimination as a result; I
>find this deplorable, but I am willing to accept it in
>order to make those of my tastes gradually fit into
>mainstream society.  I have the right to do this, to
>bring discrimination upon myself, but I do not have
>the right to force the same upon Ed Poor or Zoe or
>Ortolan or RK or Mav or the anonymous users that
>contribute to the Wikipedia, and by subjecting the
>project to unfair discrimination, I am doing just
>that. 
>
The association of the name with smoking pot has always been obvious, 
but there is absolutely nothing objectionable about it.  That being 
said, I don't see your usage of the name as forcing anything on anybody. 
 Certainly those who engaged in this discrimination without the courage 
to appear publicly should be reprimanded.  Score one for the dinosaurs.  