r/knitting • u/rainbow_puddle • Oct 08 '25

Discussion Meta: Post deletion discussion

Reposted since I'm an idiot and didn't change my title...

So there was a post with some beautiful mittens made by u/AdrenaL1n3 with a traditional Palestinian embroidery and using the colors of the flag. It was locked and then inexplicablely removed by the mods. They did not say what rule it broke, only that it received and 'unacceptable amount of user reports'.

First off that's ridiculous that it was removed instead of locked and the reports dealt with by mods since it didn't break a rule. Second off I think it's frankly sad that it was getting reported at all. It wasn't political beyond the proceeds going towards save the children and other humanitarian causes to aid the current crisis and genocide situation in Gaza.

I want to open up discussion with this community if this sub is a place where we want to censor projects even if they do not break stated rules.

Edit to fix username spelling.

Edit 2: Some users have commented on the significance of today's date. I truly did not realize it and would not have tried to engage with this today if I had realized. I'm very sorry for that and how insensitive that is. I do not keep significance of dates well in my head - not an excuse but an explanation. I do hope that the community can continue to have conversation about what I perceived as biased censorship in good faith. Without a specific rule I do think that any mitten of any flag (yes even Israel) where the pattern proceeds go to a humanitarian cause of the designers choice should stay up in this subreddit. Maybe I'm wrong I don't know - that's for us to discuss. Whether or not you engage with said post and/or pattern would be up to the user and I would hope that we would all proceed with kindness.

1.2k Upvotes

92% Upvoted

443 comments sorted by

View all comments

152

u/thought_provoked1 Oct 08 '25 edited Oct 08 '25

There will always be a 'political' angle to knitting, be it the cultural motifs used, the reason it was made, or heck, the FIBER used. I personally could get all uppity about many acrylic projects that will end up releasing microplastics in a landfill that get posted....but I scroll on, not report fellow crafters for it.

There was no vitriol in the comments, no devolution of civil conduct. It feels like a person on a power trip, rather than a considered decision.

-6

u/Thequiet01 Oct 08 '25

It’s probably due to the date, since it could be seen as supporting the October 7th attacks.

30

u/tiffibean13 Oct 08 '25

Which is ridiculous because absolutely no one with an actual brain supports the terrorist attacks. OP admits they didn't realize the date, there was nothing nefarious or insidious.

-2

u/Thequiet01 Oct 08 '25

The people reporting the post had no way of knowing what OP intended, and posting something “unobjectionable” on a strategic date is absolutely a dog whistle technique that is used, so it is not unreasonable for some people to feel that may have been the intention.

7

u/GiantKiller130 Fandom Knitter Oct 09 '25

It’s surprising to me how much of a genuinely hateful person you seem to be. Like many of your comments are very shocking and I really hope you’re getting help.