Diplomatic activism [was Re: Is Stallman nuts?]

[Aaron Wolf <wolftune@riseup.net>]

The "thug" style of activists can be so extreme and closed-minded that
they lash out at fellow activists for merely *proposing* diplomacy. Most
don't recognize that their thuggishness is itself the most dangerous
liability, undermining solidarity and credibility. These days, it's
sometimes hard to tell the difference between a bad-faith thug / troll /
bot and a good-faith but thuggish activist.

I'll emphasize what I said before about the need for Restorative Justice
approaches and attitudes.

And a great resource for diplomatic activism:
http://loveandradio.org/2014/02/the-silver-dollar/
and follow up http://loveandradio.org/2017/02/how-to-argue/

Thanks for emphasizing the language of diplomacy. I find that useful and
will embrace that term going forward.

On 2019-09-18 5:28 p.m., Leah Rowe via libreplanet-discuss wrote:
> 
> there is a hidden 4th item on that bullet point list:
> * empathy. understanding what the other is thinking, and seeing where
> they are coming from. "know your enemy"
> 
> Many activists fail on this aspect. They fail to understand what
> they're opposing.
> 
> On Thu, 19 Sep 2019 01:25:16 +0100 Leah Rowe
> <info@minifree.org> wrote:
> 
>>
>> there are two types of equality activist:
>> * diplomat
>> * thug
>>
>> I'm of the diplomatic variety. The ones that you had a negative
>> experience with are the thug type.
>>
>> It's the diplomatic ones that make the real change. People like me,
>> who do real work rather than just shouting on twitter or on mailing
>> lists.
>>
>> Real work involves:
>> * befriending people, even if you despise them
>> * listening to people
>> * making them realize that you're not a threat
>>
>> This is what I mean by diplomacy. You simply make friends, and make
>> people see your point of view.
>>
>> A diplomat does their best to convince people and to make allies.
>>
>> By comparison, the thug type simply complains and alienates people.
>>
>> On Tue, 17 Sep 2019 23:35:00 -0500
>> quiliro@riseup.net wrote:
>>
>>> On Tue, September 17, 2019 7:59 pm, Leah Rowe wrote:
>>>>
>>>> meritocracy is silly in terms of advancing equality, because it
>>>> implies an equal playing field - nothing is further from the truth
>>>>
>>>> women (and LGBT people, and black people etc) are routinely
>>>> descriminated against, and less likely to get involved in tech.
>>>>
>>>> we need to spend more effort bringing such people into the
>>>> movement. since you know, they actually form at least half the
>>>> planet and have the same intelligence/potential.
>>>>
>>>> I say this as an LGBT person.
>>>>
>>>> If you have the choice between a more qualified male candidate and
>>>> less qualified female candidate, hire the female candidate - and
>>>> train/educate her. it's important.
>>>
>>> I do have a priority to support these groups. But I have decided to
>>> stop support for women. I have been attacked by them 3 times because
>>> I speak my mind out. (I know I should speak less.) The other groups
>>> have taken my opinions as such, not as personal attacks. A couple
>>> groups that defend women's rights have attacked me instead of
>>> exchanging ideas and accepting that I do not have to do as they wish
>>> unless they convince me. So I have decided to remove my support for
>>> women unless one of these groups proves they deserve my support
>>> again by being reciprocal in supporting my own values and the
>>> people in our group instead of attacking us.
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> libreplanet-discuss mailing list
>>> libreplanet-discuss@libreplanet.org
>>> https://lists.libreplanet.org/mailman/listinfo/libreplanet-discuss
>>
>> -- 
>> Leah Rowe <info@minifree.org>
>> Company Director & Libreboot developer
>> https://minifree.org/ https://libreboot.org/
>>
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>> and the right to learn. The right not to be spied on
>> and censored by the government.
>>
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>> Spread freedom. Tell everyone you know about it!
>> https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html
>>
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> 
> 
> 
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