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Red Hat Pulls Free Software Foundation Funding Over Richard Stallman's Return

posted by Fnord666 on Sunday March 28 2021, @05:23AM   Printer-friendly

upstart writes in with an IRC submission:

Red Hat pulls Free Software Foundation funding over Richard Stallman's return:

The chorus of disapproval over Richard M Stallman, founder and former president of the Free Software Foundation (FSF), rejoining the organisation has intensified as Linux giant Red Hat confirmed it was pulling funding.

Stallman announced he had returned to the FSF's Board of Directors last weekend – news that has not gone down well with all in the community and Red Hat is the latest to register its dismay.

CTO Chris Wright tweeted overnight: "I am really outraged by FSF's decision to reinstate RMS. At a moment in time where diversity and inclusion awareness is growing, this is a step backwards."

Describing itself as "appalled" at the return of Stallman to the FSF board of directors "considering the circumstances of Richard Stallman's original resignation in 2019," Red Hat said it decided to act.

"We are immediately suspending all Red Hat funding of the FSF and any FSF-hosted events. In addition, many Red Hat contributors have told us they no longer plan to participate in FSF-led or backed events, and we stand behind them," said Red Hat.

[...] Red Hat's step marks an escalation in the war of words over Stallman's return. As both a long-time donor and contributor of code, the IBM-owned company's action might well give the FSF pause for thought in a way that thousands of outraged tweets might not.

FSF president Geoffrey Knauth stated his intention yesterday "to resign as an FSF officer, director, and voting member as soon as there is a clear path for new leadership."

Red Hat statement about Richard Stallman's return to the Free Software Foundation board

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 30 2021, @07:39AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 30 2021, @07:39AM (#1131107)
    I know this is late and probably won't be seen by anyone, but it needs to be said: The most recent thing Stallman has done was that he spoke the truth in defence of someone falsely and maliciously smeared by a tabloid journalist, who could not speak for themselves, and he did so in the face of an angry mob. Even if he never does anything else with his life, that is worthy of respect, and that adherence to the truth especially when it is unpopular is why the FSF and the Libre Software Movement need him.