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from the resign:-to-sign-and-sign-again? dept.
Richard M. Stallman Resigns as FSF President and from its Board of Directors
https://www.fsf.org/news/richard-m-stallman-resigns (emphasis from original retained):
On September 16, 2019, Richard M. Stallman, founder and president of
the Free Software Foundation, resigned as president and from its board
of directors.The board will be conducting a search for a new president, beginning
immediately. Further details of the search will be published on
fsf.org.For questions, contact FSF executive director John Sullivan at
johns@fsf.org.Copyright © 2004-2019 Free Software Foundation, Inc. Privacy Policy.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 license (or later version) — Why this license?
Computer Scientist Richard Stallman Resigns from MIT Over Epstein Comments
Computer Scientist Richard Stallman Resigns From MIT Over Epstein Comments
Famed free software advocate and computer scientist Richard Stallman has resigned from MIT, according to an email he published online. The resignation comes after Stallman made comments about victims of child trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, including that the victims went along with the abuse willingly.
"I am resigning effective immediately from my position in CSAIL at MIT," Stallman wrote in the email, referring to MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. "I am doing this due to pressure on MIT and me over a series of misunderstandings and mischaracterizations."
[...] Last week, Motherboard published the full email thread in which Stallman wrote that the "most plausible scenario" is that Epstein's underage victims in his campaign of trafficking were "entirely willing." Stallman also argued about the definition of "rape" and whether the term applies to the victims.
[Ed.'s note - just because Vice say things in the above blockquote does not mean that SoylentNews or its editors consider it a demonstrably provable representation of reality. We're just reporting that they are reporting, nothing more. At least this Ed. finds out-of-context quoting of short inflamatory phrases to be particularly disingenuous, and perhaps even a warning sign that manipulation of a quote has taking place. -- FP.]
(Score: 5, Insightful) by The Mighty Buzzard on Tuesday September 17 2019, @03:46PM (4 children)
This is why he needs to hire me as a press agent.
Apologizing to these offense merchants for things you said in the past isn't very smart. Apologizing for shit you didn't even say is career and social suicide. You'll have far more folks backing you by telling them to fuck off than you will by trying in vain to placate them; that only causes them to double down on their attacks.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 17 2019, @09:30PM
I hate to say it, and I even more hate that it's true. However, this is absolutely correct.
If there is anything that President Trump has shown, that if you repeat the same line over and over, never budge, never show weakness, and never show any inkling of doubt, you can weather any storm. Stallman should have just pulled out his sharpie, and kept a brave front. After 2 weeks, it would have all blown over.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 17 2019, @10:32PM (2 children)
> This is why he needs to hire me as a press agent.
As much as I agree with you, I can't see rms using a press agent under any possible combination of events, or even in alternate timelines. He's just not that kind of person. And that is why his resignation is a shame, because he's done wonderful things by saying exactly what he thinks. Yes, this means putting his foot in it from time to time, that is part of the whole rms package, you get it all.
Separate comment--what is surprising to me is that no one else (that I've seen) has risen to defend Marvin's honor (except the one claimed eyewitness who said that Marvin declined the offered sex). He was mentor to generations of students that admired him greatly. Where are they all now? Not long ago a group of them came together to celebrate the (posthumous) publication of his essays on computers in education, https://www.media.mit.edu/events/mltalks-inventive-minds/ [mit.edu] The presentation is wonderfully warm and human, as are the comments from the audience.
Disclaimer: I knew some of the early grad students at Media Lab and even worked briefly on a contracted project there, long ago. Everyone knew Marvin and valued his comments. If I could have any wish at this juncture, it would be that this so-called scandal will not erase or demean Marvin's lifetime of contributions.
(Score: 3, Informative) by The Mighty Buzzard on Tuesday September 17 2019, @11:25PM (1 child)
Which is why I highly advocate everyone maintain at least one asshole friend who is completely and utterly unconcerned with how the world views them. If you lack the mental circuitry to make your own argument why you should not try to play nice in a situation, you need to be able to outsource it.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 18 2019, @12:28AM
> ...maintain at least one asshole friend
And if you don't have a friend like that, then save up your money because lawyers can do the same job (but they aren't cheap).