Richard M Stallman, founder and former president of the Free Software Foundation (FSF), announced at the organisation's LibrePlanet virtual event that he has rejoined the board and does not intend to resign again.
Stallman spoke at the event yesterday on the subject of unjust computing – covering locked-down operating systems, non-free client software, user-restricting app stores, and more.
Before the talk he stated: "I have an announcement to make. I'm now on the Free Software Foundation Board of Directors once again. We were working on a video to announce this with, but that turned out to be difficult, we didn't have experience doing that sort of thing so it didn't get finished but here is the announcement. Some of you will be happy at this, and some might be disappointed, but who knows? In any case, that's how it is, and I'm not planning to resign a second time."
Ars Technica further notes:
Video of Stallman's announcement is available at It's FOSS News. Stallman gave a talk at LibrePlanet yesterday on "growing injustices in computing," including "locked-down operating systems; user-restricting app stores; [and] requiring nonfree client software, including Javascript."
Previously:
Richard M. Stallman Resigns
Richard Stallman Deserved to be Fired, Says Fired GNU Hurd Maintainer
Related Stories
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.]
Thomas Bushnell, former maintainer of GNU Hurd until his dismissal by Richard Stallman, has opined in a biased blog post that the forced resignation of Stallman from MIT and the Free Software Foundation is deserved.
https://medium.com/@thomas.bushnell/a-reflection-on-the-departure-of-rms-18e6a835fd84
So Richard Stallman has resigned from his guest position at MIT and as President of the Free Software Foundation. You can easily find out all you need to know about the background from a web search and some news articles. I recommend in particular Selam G's original articles on this topic for background, and for an excellent institutional version, the statement from the Software Freedom Conservancy.
But I'll give you a personal take. By my reckoning, I worked for RMS longer than any other programmer.
[...]4) RMS's loss of MIT privileges and leadership of the FSF are the appropriate responses to a pattern of decades of poor behavior. It does not matter if they are appropriate responses to a single email thread, because they are the right thing in the total situation.
5) I feel very sad for him. He's a tragic figure. He is one of the most brilliant people I've met, who I have always thought desperately craved friendship and camaraderie, and seems to have less and less of it all the time. This is all his doing; nobody does it to him. But it's still very sad. As far as I can tell, he believes his entire life's work is a failure.
6) The end result here, while sad for him, is correct.
The free software community needs to develop good leadership, and RMS has been a bad leader in many ways for a long time now. He has had plenty of people who have tried to help him, and he does not want help.
MIT needs to establish as best it can that paramount are the interests of women to have a safe and fair place to study and work. It must make clear that this is more important than the coddling of a whiny child who has never reached the emotional maturity to treat people decently.
Free software advocates seek removal of Richard Stallman and entire FSF board:
Richard Stallman's return to the Free Software Foundation's board of directors has drawn condemnation from many people in the free software community. An open letter signed by hundreds of people today called for Stallman to be removed again and for the FSF's entire board to resign.
The open letter said:
Richard M. Stallman, frequently known as RMS, has been a dangerous force in the free software community for a long time. He has shown himself to be misogynist, ableist, and transphobic, among other serious accusations of impropriety. These sorts of beliefs have no place in the free software, digital rights, and tech communities. With his recent reinstatement to the Board of Directors of the Free Software Foundation, we call for the entire Board of the FSF to step down and for RMS to be removed from all leadership positions.
Previously:
Richard Stallman Rejoins Free Software Foundation Board of Directors
Richard M. Stallman Resigns
Richard Stallman Deserved to be Fired, Says Fired GNU Hurd Maintainer
(Score: 0, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @03:30AM (41 children)
What's with RMS yakking about Epstein child trafficking?
Now, RMS knows a thing or two about software freedom and such, but why did he shoot his mouth off about child sex trafficking?
(Score: 4, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @03:38AM (1 child)
"The Donald," was the leader of the free world for 4 years. lol. There's your god damn context.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 24 2021, @01:09AM
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @03:58AM (35 children)
Oh, is Stallman living in some totalitarian state where he has no freedom of speech?
I didn't follow what he said about the Epstein stuff, but was it actually breaking some laws? If not why are you so concern about whether he "shoot" his mouth off or not?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @04:07AM (33 children)
I tell you why.
The only reason I can think of why RMS yapping about Epstein is because Epstein gave money to FSF/MIT/Harvard. I doubt he gave a shit about child sex trafficking one way or another - that's not the domain he knows/cares about.
As a computer nerd, I pay much respect to him. But stay the hell out of areas you have no fucking clue about.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @06:17AM (30 children)
"The only reason I can think of why RMS yapping about Epstein"
Actually he was yapping about Marvin Minsky, who was Epstein's guest at least twice. In regards to Minsky, nothing innapropriate seems to have happened there [wikipedia.org], but perhaps RMS imagined it could have happened. Maybe he was projecting [medium.com]
(Score: 5, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @08:25AM (29 children)
RMS didn't imagine that something happened, he was attempting to rebut a 'news' article claiming that something happened. Calling out yellow journalism is apparently a major sin these days.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday March 23 2021, @11:07AM (28 children)
He should have not, he could not factually know what happened there, all he could do was less than "he said she said"
Minsky's widow settled the matter the next day, telling publicly that she was with Marvin on both occasions and nothing happened - case closed.
Now, RMS has some skeletons in his closet (nothing at the size of Epstein, the trivial case of flower-power hippie professor trying to lay some students now and then, consensual but awkward and unpleasant) and would have been wise for him to keep his mouth shut - he wasn't the best defender Marvin could have, RMS's "defense" could have backfired badly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 5, Informative) by Pav on Tuesday March 23 2021, @11:23AM (27 children)
RMS said people shouldn't jump to conclusions. Basically Minsky was being considered guilty in the media, and because he was dead he couldn't defend himself. RMS thought this was dishonourable as the evidence didn't warrant that. He outlined why the testimony of the victim the media story had been based on could be completely true while Minsky could still be innocent (basically she had been ordered to sleep with Minsky... though she didn't say she had actually done so). Apparently this warranted RMS being cancelled, with the MIT media office (who were particularly well heeled beneficiaries of Epsteins largesse) pushing this narrative hard for some reason, perhaps to shift blame away from where it actually belonged(???)... and a bunch of students jumped onto social media to say RMS was always creepy and looked weird. BTW, this all happened on a private message board... with a member leaking the discussion to the press.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @11:33AM
An easy scapegoat. Throw toe jam man to the wolves while the jackal Swartz killers at MIT run free. Baaaaaa.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @12:37PM
There’s nothing private about the SAIL mailing list, same as there’s nothing private about the Linux kernel mailing list. And he was shooting his mouth off calling one of Epstein’s victims a liar, defending Epstein. We now know that the victims were telling the truth.
Basically he was sticking by his well-known (it’s on his personal website) stance that sec with minors is okay providing there’s consent. But what can you expect from a misogynist incel? If you want a laugh, go look at his personal ad from 15 years ago on his site. It’s fucking pitiful.
So he rejoined the FSF. Nothing of value was gained. They deserve each other.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by c0lo on Tuesday March 23 2021, @01:12PM (17 children)
Beautifying a bit the picture, aren't you?
Omitting the idiotic phase of RMS' arguing about the sexual assault based on hypotheticals [documentcloud.org].
That's social ineptitude and, while not a crime as such, it does have consequences IRL. Nobody is immune to the consequences of their speech and the right of free speech guarantees only the immunity from govt (as long as it's not illegal), but not from the civilian society.
In fact, there wasn't actually a base for any dispute, there was nothing sexual that Minsky did [time.com] while visiting Epstein. The entire brouhaha on the "private list" in regards with Epstein/Minsky was pure intellectual masturbation and RMS would have been so much wiser if he'd shut up.
Finally, don't get me wrong, I'm in agreement with almost all his... ummm... let's call them political positions [stallman.org] - to me they sound closer to common-sense rather than controversial. I just wish he was wise enough to admit he lacks not only standing but reliable information too in regards with Epstein and Minsky before engaging in whatever the "consensual age" and "sexual assault" may mean to him and should mean to others.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 5, Informative) by c0lo on Tuesday March 23 2021, @01:39PM
Better link for the nothingburger [nypost.com] that was "argued on an even-if basis" by RMS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @05:48PM (1 child)
and
Fit together nicely, don't you think?
And let's be clear: RMS did not violate any law, he just made the wrong decision to intellectually challenge people who are fully guided by their own moral superiority.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by c0lo on Wednesday March 24 2021, @01:50AM
Well, that "nicely" depends on the sense of aesthetics in the eye of beholder.
My "nicely" when it comes to things that have a touch on legal (especially criminal code) says: "the things are sensible enough by consequences, so I'm happy some of my taxes go to support judges. You know? Those persons that dedicate a massive amount of their life to avoid as much as possible that innocents are punished".
In translation: the fact you are the greatest free software advocate doesn't make you a criminal law person, so STFU in regards with something that may impact on other persons life in a way you can't even comprehend much less control. Fail to do that and I'll keep adhering to the/your ideas/ideals that I can relate with and stay as far as possible from you, the man. It's too dangerous to be around an amateur who can FUBAR my life just because he cannot abstain from Dunning-Krugering in other areas.
I certainly cannot blame MIT or FSF doing the same.
Maybe true or maybe not, but certainly irrelevant. RMS was not convicted under any court of law, not jailed, not even fined.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @08:20PM
of course colo, the bolsheviks' best ho would be a RMS canceller.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @10:39PM (7 children)
Apparently "social ineptitude" is when you say that we shouldn't leap to conclusions and presume guilt, and present a plausible hypothetical situation about how the accused in question might not have done what was alleged. However, it's not "social ineptitude" to instantly presume guilt and assume that the worst possible case happened. Truly amazing!
Okay, but there's still the question of whether ousting someone based on such nonsense is a good idea for the movement. The fascist right hardly needs to do anything, because the left devours its own over purity tests and vapid nonsense.
I'm glad he's back, and I hope he stays.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @11:59PM
Of course. Questioning the echo chamber that drives cancel culture is social suicide, as RMS found out the hard way. He's incredibly lucky to get his job back. On the other hand joining in and attacking "those /other/ people" is Great Justice™.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by PartTimeZombie on Wednesday March 24 2021, @12:00AM (5 children)
"Social ineptitude" is when you say stupid things like "colo, the bolsheviks' best ho" for example.
And of course the IRL consequences are that when you act like an arsehole people don't want to associate with you.
Accusing the "left" of having purity tests and devouring its own is hilarious when we live in a world where the right talks about RINOS and attacks its own for explaining how the recent election was not "stolen".
I have no strong feelings about that because it really doesn't affect me one way or the other, but I'm glad I don't have to deal with him on a day to day basis.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 24 2021, @12:19AM (4 children)
That is true, but I'm not convinced RMS acted like an arsehole in this instance. The corporate media smearing RMS about what he said in that conversation seem like the arseholes to me.
Well, I guess "the left" isn't the only one engaging in toxic purity tests; you're right. Same with cancel culture. Plenty on the right try to cancel people who, for example, kneel during the anthem.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday March 24 2021, @01:58AM
And so? The way to hell is paved with good intentions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 3, Informative) by PartTimeZombie on Wednesday March 24 2021, @02:17AM (1 child)
This was written by someone who knows him very well. [medium.com]
He sounds like the sort of person people learn to avoid frankly.
There comes a time when patience runs out with even the cleverest of people.
(Score: 1, Flamebait) by Pav on Wednesday March 24 2021, @01:16PM
Sometimes people want things to be about them and not you. There should be no middle ground - you should acceed to their understanding and framing of the issues at stake, and abandon your own. RMS was wrong with "free software"... "open source" is much better... none of RMS's ethical framing... only that of the more important entities in society. Computing and data can therefore reside with these important entities where it belongs (ie. with the likes of Google, Facebook, Amazon etc...). Likewise RMS should abandon his concern for the legacy of his friend, and elevate concerns of others who are always more important... ESPECIALLY if they complain loudly and in the media - they obviously have superior connections to power through the MIT media centre **cough** well funded by Epstein among others **cough**. This elevates these complainers as inherently more trustworthy and "on the ball" regarding this entire issue.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 24 2021, @09:51PM
"Plenty on the right try to cancel people who, for example, kneel during the anthem."
They need to be sniped for being the race traitor whores they are.
(Score: 2) by Pav on Wednesday March 24 2021, @10:19AM (4 children)
Bullsh*t. if academia is no longer a place where people can speak in hypotheticals (particularly if/when they're emotionally uncomfortable) then those hallowed halls no longer deserve that title. If truth no longer holds as much power as the emotional resonance members of ones audience supposedly feel then enjoy your simp-o-garchy.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday March 24 2021, @11:24AM (3 children)
Bullshit. I know virtually nobody in academia claiming strongly that s/he's prepared to provide legal advice without having studies in law.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by Pav on Wednesday March 24 2021, @12:52PM (2 children)
He wasn't giving legal advice you moron (just pointing out what was said and what wasn't, and the implications). He engaged in some hyperbole about how even if he HAD had sex with the girl (which he believed Minsky would never have done) she was not actually below the age of consent in the juristiction the act was alleged to have happpened. I could see myself going to the same place if idiots were trying to suggest Minsky was undeniably implicated despite the actual transcript.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday March 24 2021, @02:10PM (1 child)
Now, now, Mr Pav, I put it to you that you have a weak control over your verbiage.
Really? Care to demonstrate that was a hyperbole and his [medium.com]
made in relation with an unsealed deposition, was... what?... a literary flourish, an exaggerated claims not meant to be taken literally?
And that
doesn't sound at all as an excursion into criminal law territory?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Pav on Wednesday March 24 2021, @08:12PM
Ahhh... but he said elsewhere that he didn't believe Minsky would do such a thing.
When this started I do remember my suspecting the accusations could be at least partly right (as one might imagine for someone as famously abrasive socially awkward), and being very angry when I saw the "offending" quotes contextualised from people who were actually on the list. The rabbithole I feel down may have actually started here, though I confess I don't remember. It's 6am here and personally I can't be f*cked going through the exercise again... Google just gives me one side (as it did for a while with eg. Julian Assange) though I'm sure if someones reading this with questions they can spend a few hours following through if they're truly interested and have the time. I think there's an archived list online somewhere where one can take the time to go through the thread message by message from the very beginning, though there were also very helpful online discussions from the time that more quickly link through to the particular messages giving context.
But yeah, it's certainly NOT the fashion to weaponise empathy in power plays for the last few years. Jeremy Corbyn is an actual antisemite, Bernie Sanders is a misogynist, and the US government isn't gaslighting their constituents every day for their broken promises using similar weaponised empathy. Kyrsten Sinema voting against $15 minimum wage? It's sexist to talk about her cutsie femanine thumbs-down. You must also be against civil norms and guardrails re: the Parlimentarian. Complaining about no covid $2000 relief checks? Need one be reminded... Biden is an empathetic catholic who understands personal tragedy and hardship.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday March 24 2021, @01:53AM (6 children)
And he would have been a wise man if he'd stop at this or continue on the line "let the judges sort out, that's a criminal case, they are the experts, we are not"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by Pav on Wednesday March 24 2021, @10:50AM (5 children)
I'd say RMS, despite his faults, is a better judge of ethics than many a so-called professional - that's what always pisses off the higher ranked Amazonians, Googlerians etc.... and why a generation ago they elevated "open source" above "free software" - all of that uncomfortable RMS ethical ranting gutted out of it. Computing and data should be controlled by them and not you, "software freedoms" be damned. Regarding his discussions about court testimony... sure, the law is not ethical necessarily, but he was speaking out of an ethical responsibility to a dead friend. I daresay his ethical (vs legal) reasoning is superior to many a judge. His entire lifes work has been bourne out of ethical responsibility, so it would hardly be a surprise. I guess it's the same in domains outside software - what RMS feels to be ethically important isn't what is important to certain others, and they're angry as hell he doesn't always hold their concerns and priorities highest.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday March 24 2021, @11:30AM (3 children)
While I respect your right to have it, I will say yeah, well...you know, that's... just like... your opinion, man [youtube.com].
Besides, we're not in a case of theoretical ethics, but a criminal case, with clear legal definition of what "consensual sex", "age of consent" and whatnot mean.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by Pav on Wednesday March 24 2021, @01:01PM (2 children)
Are you the aspie here? He was clearly infuriated by what people didn't want to understand about what the testimony did and didn't say... so he engaged in some hyperbole about something he never believed Minsky would have done to start with. Though suddenly according to you you're taking it completely context free... although even an aspie would struggle to suggest he's actually giving legal advice. Perhaps someone who actuallly wants to be offended...
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday March 24 2021, @01:35PM (1 child)
No. Are you?
Look, mate, I'm younger than RMS, yet I learned that my (or anyone else's) "infuriation" contribute with nothing good to the bottom line, understandable as a human reaction as it may be.
It is wise to keep it in check, no matter how frustrating this is.
You know or can imagine that the consequences of being involved in a criminal law inquiry aren't gonna be pleasant, right?
And if that comes, is it or is it not a hyperbole will be a matter that will drag forever in courts.
So, [explicit citation needed] that he meant it as a hyperbole or FSF nd MIT were absolutely right in distancing from a man that cannot keep he's mouth under control.
Feel free to provide citations establishing the context. I did it [soylentnews.org], your turn.
What? Are you infuriated too?
I can understand you, but I can't say I approve.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by Pav on Wednesday March 24 2021, @06:54PM
MIT... most particularly the media centre... neck deep with the pedo for decades... deflecting blame to the aspie... for trying to stop them deflecting blame to his dead friend. And I'm the one ignoring context. Enabler.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 24 2021, @09:55PM
Yes, and this is why you see all these "staunch FOSS supporters" on the list on github all have twitter and linkedIn accounts.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @06:59AM (1 child)
Lol make me. You seem to have a habit to tell other people to shut up, first you want Stallman to stfu and now you want anon random internet people to stfu - you must live in a world where you're a fucking dictator, what a sad life.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @07:16AM
Oh, shut up, you blaring idiot, you're a total waste of 3D space. Dictatorship has nothing to do with it, it's your moronity
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @06:10AM
Because of incompetence on the part of the 45th former president [duckduckgo.com], no.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @06:06AM
"why did he shoot his mouth off about child sex trafficking?"
Because that's what young men of the '70-ies were doing and continue to do long after, i.e. sleeping with their students https://selamjie.medium.com/remove-richard-stallman-appendix-a-a7e41e784f88 [medium.com]
(Score: 5, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @08:21AM
Context: One of the accused Johns was an old friend and colleague of Stallman. The publicly known testimony from the girl is ambiguous about what or even if anything actually happened, the man in question is dead so he can't answer the charges, and the media took this as permission to speculate in the worst tabloid fashion. Being a card carrying Aspie, RMS made some tone deaf remarks attempting to defend his friend and caught some major backlash for it. RMS is now out of the doghouse but apparently still on probation.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @08:17PM
shut the fuck up, dumbass!
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @03:35AM
Glad to see you back.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @04:55AM (8 children)
I trust that wokelentnews.org will be upset by this development.
(Score: 3, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @05:12AM (1 child)
Pfft. You should read the Ars Technica comments.
(Score: 2, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 24 2021, @11:13PM
You would think Hitler himself had arisen from the grave to sodomize Jesus.
Sadly this has less to do with RMS, and more to do with people making damned sure some future HR peon can't find anything "incriminating" on them during a future search.
This is McChartyism, weaponized by Wall Street.
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @05:32AM (2 children)
Look at what they did to Julian Assange. I'm surprised they haven't accused Edward Snowden of some kind of sex crime.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @02:28PM
It would fit, I suppose. All three have over inflated egos and suffer delusions of grandeur.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @03:35PM
The US government thinks he is a virgin...
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @12:45PM
Are you kidding? RMS and the FSF deserve each other. Both continue to strive for attention in a world that no longer cares about either. The FSF keeps making pronouncements, but doesn’t do anything. Wanted Windows 7 released as free software ((because free software sucks for most users). Makes a list of the top 10 things that need working on - but doesn’t actually fix anything. Etc. Etc. Etc. They just want to raise money to keep on being able to sit around and put out press releases to raise money.
And RMS? Who cares? He made himself irrelevant. The first thing he got right in a while - and now he’s even fucked that up.
(Score: 2) by cmdrklarg on Tuesday March 23 2021, @04:42PM (1 child)
SN is many things, but I wouldn't say this place is "woke". Maybe a few members are, but they would be a tiny minority.
The world is full of kings and queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @08:54PM
When those "few" members include the editors who pick the articles that makes a difference.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Mojibake Tengu on Tuesday March 23 2021, @05:46AM (3 children)
https://stallman.org/#politics [stallman.org]
Necessary Changes in Society (March 2021):
https://stallman.org/articles/necessary-changes.html [stallman.org]
He lost me at "replace plutocracy..."
Something like this will never happen. Not because it's just his utopia, but because of you, people. You all keep it running.
Respect Authorities. Know your social status. Woke responsibly.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by c0lo on Tuesday March 23 2021, @07:27AM (1 child)
Doesn't mean one should stop trying.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 3, Insightful) by bzipitidoo on Tuesday March 23 2021, @09:09PM
"Put not your faith in princes". But people do. This desire for superheroes, for Men In Charge, is a major reason why so many people want to elevate a chosen few to the status of The Man for whom they all willingly slave. When they succeed in that, lots of bad consequences often follow.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by PiMuNu on Tuesday March 23 2021, @03:40PM
> Something like this will never happen.
I don't know about the US, but it did happen and continues to happen in Europe. Maybe if US has a dip it will be forced to reflect (as happened to UK in 1920s, for example).
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @06:42AM (1 child)
He must have showered with some of that bug soap, rumor has it fellow board members got tired of being grossed out when he would pull a flea out of his beard, crack it between his long filthy finger nails, and pop it into his mouth.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @11:18AM
Not tired enough.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @08:29PM (10 children)
https://rms-open-letter.github.io/ [github.io]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @08:51PM (9 children)
Their "proof" is pretty laughable.
It's basically a semantics debate over whether the term "statutory rape" should include the word "rape" and his resistance to compelled speech vis a vis pronouns.
The collapse of the West can't happen soon enough.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 23 2021, @10:47PM (7 children)
Not even that:
So they're accusing him of being transphobic because he supports the general use of gender-neutral terms. If you bother to read the guidelines, the notion that they're transphobic is simply laughable. This is actually one of the reasons they gave for why RMS should resign, and the entire board of the FSF should resign with him...
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 24 2021, @01:14AM
You expect the clinically insane to have a grasp on rational argumentation?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 24 2021, @01:31AM (4 children)
Firstly, “they” has always been used for the singular in various contexts.
Secondly, refusing to use a person’s chosen//legally recognized pronouns is to cancel them. He only wants this for trans women, because he’s a misogynist. So he wants his followers to practice cancel culture against transfolk. Hypocrite that he is, he whines when he’s cancelled instead.
And let’s be honest - the FSF has no influence any more. Look at their annual list of projects that need some loving. Nil effect. Because they’re not going to put up any money. Nope - their “product” is advocacy. So much easier than actually producing something people want.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 24 2021, @02:20AM (1 child)
Who's refusing? You can use gender neutral pronouns, and also use someone's preferred pronouns when you come to know what they are.
(Score: 4, Informative) by Reziac on Wednesday March 24 2021, @02:55AM
When I speak to someone, the pronoun I typically use is "You".
However, when speaking to me, you may use the pronoun, "Your Majesty".
And there is no Alkibiades to come back and save us from ourselves.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 24 2021, @10:02PM
"Secondly, refusing to use a person’s chosen//legally recognized pronouns is to cancel them."
No, my refusal to be brow beaten into using Newspeak is not cancelling anyone. Your feelings are not my responsibility. I will use whatever words i want, you Neo-bolshevik rat. You communist fucks think the US will roll over like in the Bolshevik Revolution, but we are not unarmed farmers in the early 20th century. We will cleanse the nation of your vile carcasses.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 24 2021, @11:24PM
I was reading that, expecting to see a /s at some point.
Nope, Poe strikes again...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 24 2021, @11:17PM
You are supposed to check their social media profile for the proper pronouns before addressing them, you fascist incel!!! /S
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 24 2021, @01:11AM
The west has collapsed centuries ago. You're living in the aftermath.