Re: [libreplanet-discuss] Is Stallman nuts?

[Michael Downey]

I have not read the commentary articles, nor do I intend to. I have, on the 
other hand, read the comments by the FSF President and Board member on the 
mailing list in question. They are entirely inappropriate comments for someone 
in his public position to be making.

I spend my day job trying to convince large governments and NGO's of the value 
of free software. Once again they see the FSF leader behaving inappropriately 
and I have to make excuses for him and the organization that continues to 
provide him safe harbor, and explain that they don't represent the values of 
the free software movement. 

I'm exhausted of doing that. The board has had many opportunities to remove him 
from his role yet each time back down. 

As a single individual associate member, I can't do much. But I can (and have) 
revoked my 15+ year membership and am removing all references to the FSF in 
materials from my day job. We just can't be associated with that kind of public 
behavior any more.

The letter I sent to the FSF follows. I'll be unsubscribing from this mailing 
list too, unfortunately, but encourage others to reconsider their support until 
the board acts in a way true to its public charter. For the sake of software 
freedom, I hope my absence is short-lived.

- Michael

FSF associate member #2352 (since 2004-05-20) here. I also accepted the Free 
Software Award for Projects of Social Benefit several years ago.

It’s unfortunate to hear yet another incident about the FSF President’s 
unacceptable behavior in the news again.

Despite all the good things this organization does, this continued behavior 
while holding the role makes it untenable for me to publicly support the FSF. 
And that’s a bad thing for software freedom.

Software freedom is an important human right, but if one has to publicly 
trample others’ human rights in order to get there, one undermines one’s own 
cause.

With his continued behavior over the years, Stallman has done damage to our 
movement that will take a very long time to repair. It’s time for him to step 
down and let the next generation lead this critical movement into the future.

Should he be unwilling to do so, I note that based upon my review of the FSF 
bylaws, the Board has the power to remove the person in office of President 
with or without cause upon vote of the board. (Article VI, Section 7.) 

Until that time, I must regrettably cancel my associate membership. 

/s/



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Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.