Re: Support RMS

[Deb Nicholson <deb@eximiousproductions.com>]

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I can't comment on the censored email that no one saw.

> It actually serves the opponents of free software quite well to have
> > someone who pushes people away and facilitates a hostile
> > environment, be in charge of the FSF.
>
> Quite opposite is true, RMS was never facilitating hostile
> environment. FSF is not public, but privately founded non-profit,
> founded by RMS, it is equal as his own, and legally he could, if he
> would want, keep it totally under his control, but he did not, it is
> gift to mankind.
>

The FSF is a public charity. It is bound by it's US tax status to serve the
public good, not a personal goal although of course there is sometimes
overlap.

As for a hostile environment, I have witnessed repeated hostility
(bullying, ad hominem attacks, dog-piling, etc.) on the GNU mailing lists.
I have seen RMS shout at people at least a dozen times in public. He
inspires others to also interrupt and shout at people in the middle of
their public presentations. Those are hostile acts. You may say they are
justified, but they are undeniably hostile.

That you come here with this perversion of truth without any facts or

> evidences is disgrace.
>

I'm not "coming here." I've always been here. I'm a former FSF staff person
who built LibrePlanet into a multi-day event and helped set up the
LibrePlanet wiki and this list. You calling me a liar is a perfect example
of the hostility that I'm telling you pervades the FSF and GNU communities.


> > Also, RMS is not the free software movement.
>
> RMS is the core and heart of the free software movement.
>
> > It's dangerous to conflate an individual with a movement. To say
> > that the "free software movement is being attacked" when what's
> > actually happening is that a bunch of individuals are calling for
> > one person to take responsibility for their behavior is a sloppy
> > generalization.
>
> This is just trolling. But censor will like your trolling, as that is
> why your message pass through.
>

More ad hominem. Ok.

>
> > It's disappointing that so many people have chosen to disbelieve
> > former FSF employees, hundreds of women who have encountered RMS at
> > conferences or MIT and many, many free software creators. The vast
> > majority of the people who signed the letter asking for RMS to step
> > down, care deeply about free software. I wish more of you would try
> > to consider that.
>
> I am also researcher Deb, and I say, if he did something illegal, let
> those people handle that with him. I have not found anything related
> to RMS that justifies that type of cyber-bullying online harassment
> public shaming.
>
> Buf if he did not do anything illegal, and somebody complains on his
> behavior, don't mix that with his capability to lead FSF or speak for
> free software, it is not related.
>

If free software is a public good and the goal is for more people to use
free software, then having a leader who drives people away is at odds with
that goal. It's not illegal to poorly mismanage a public charity, but it
does break the trust that donors and volunteers have places in the
organization and they have a right to speak up about it.
Best,
Deb


> Jean
>
> Take action in Free Software Foundation campaigns:
> https://www.fsf.org/campaigns
>
> Sign an open letter in support of Richard M. Stallman
> https://stallmansupport.org/
> https://rms-support-letter.github.io/
>
>

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   I can't comment on the censored email that no one saw.

     > It actually serves the opponents of free software quite well to
     have
     > someone who pushes people away and facilitates a hostile
     > environment, be in charge of the FSF.
     Quite opposite is true, RMS was never facilitating hostile
     environment. FSF is not public, but privately founded non-profit,
     founded by RMS, it is equal as his own, and legally he could, if he
     would want, keep it totally under his control, but he did not, it is
     gift to mankind.

   The FSF is a public charity. It is bound by it's US tax status to serve
   the public good, not a personal goal although of course there is
   sometimes overlap.
   As for a hostile environment, I have witnessed repeated hostility
   (bullying, ad hominem attacks, dog-piling, etc.) on the GNU mailing
   lists. I have seen RMS shout at people at least a dozen times in
   public. He inspires others to also interrupt and shout at people in the
   middle of their public presentations. Those are hostile acts. You may
   say they are justified, but they are undeniably hostile.
   That you come here with this perversion of truth without any facts or

     evidences is disgrace.

   I'm not "coming here." I've always been here. I'm a former FSF staff
   person who built LibrePlanet into a multi-day event and helped set up
   the LibrePlanet wiki and this list. You calling me a liar is a perfect
   example of the hostility that I'm telling you pervades the FSF and GNU
   communities.

     > Also, RMS is not the free software movement.
     RMS is the core and heart of the free software movement.
     > It's dangerous to conflate an individual with a movement. To say
     > that the "free software movement is being attacked" when what's
     > actually happening is that a bunch of individuals are calling for
     > one person to take responsibility for their behavior is a sloppy
     > generalization.
     This is just trolling. But censor will like your trolling, as that
     is
     why your message pass through.

   More ad hominem. Ok.

     > It's disappointing that so many people have chosen to disbelieve
     > former FSF employees, hundreds of women who have encountered RMS
     at
     > conferences or MIT and many, many free software creators. The vast
     > majority of the people who signed the letter asking for RMS to
     step
     > down, care deeply about free software. I wish more of you would
     try
     > to consider that.
     I am also researcher Deb, and I say, if he did something illegal,
     let
     those people handle that with him. I have not found anything related
     to RMS that justifies that type of cyber-bullying online harassment
     public shaming.
     Buf if he did not do anything illegal, and somebody complains on his
     behavior, don't mix that with his capability to lead FSF or speak
     for
     free software, it is not related.

   If free software is a public good and the goal is for more people to
   use free software, then having a leader who drives people away is at
   odds with that goal. It's not illegal to poorly mismanage a public
   charity, but it does break the trust that donors and volunteers have
   places in the organization and they have a right to speak up about it.
   Best,
   Deb

     Jean
     Take action in Free Software Foundation campaigns:
     [1]https://www.fsf.org/campaigns
     Sign an open letter in support of Richard M. Stallman
     [2]https://stallmansupport.org/
     [3]https://rms-support-letter.github.io/

References

   1. https://www.fsf.org/campaigns
   2. https://stallmansupport.org/
   3. https://rms-support-letter.github.io/

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