Re: [libreplanet-discuss] No, Stallman isn't "nuts" nor does he deserve less freedom of speech

[Adrienne G. Thompson]

On Sun, Sep 15, 2019 at 7:54 PM J.B. Nicholson <jbn@forestfield.org> wrote:

> Adrienne G. Thompson wrote:
> > The record on Richard Stallman underscores that he is driven by ethical
> > sensibilities. He's not about to approve of rape anytime soon. So let's
> > just tell rms to shut up about the Epstein matter, not to attempt to
> > defend his idols (some of which I, *personally*, know are not worth
> > defending) and to get a female FSF colleague to censor all his comments
> > pertaining to women before these comments go public.
>
> ... After all, for all you know he could select a woman who doesn't agree
> with your take
> and you'll have nowhere to go because he met your sexist and identity
> politics-driven request.
>

Just the act of getting a woman to vet his communications would
automatically insulate rms from some of the criticism. RMS is smart enough
to know that the person he would choose should have a track record of
acceptable advocacy on women's issues. Your reference below to rms' apology:

  > Through personal conversations in recent years ... I
> am grateful for the conversations that enabled me to understand why.

suggests that rms already knows he would benefit from discussions about
these issues with female colleagues.


> You could understand that he too gets freedom of speech to say things you
> don't agree with
>

Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences. Leaders have
certain responsibilities in respect of their constituencies.

Trump's references to Mexicans as rapists and white supremacists as "very
fine people", for example, only served to demean the office of the
Presidency of the United States.


> His comments across some posts to his personal blog make me think I'm
> getting a poorly-explained half story from others on this topic.
> Considering what he wrote in
>
> https://stallman.org/archives/2019-jul-oct.html#14_September_2019_(Statements_about_Epstein)
>
> > Headlines say that I defended Epstein. Nothing could be further from the
> > truth. I've called him a "serial rapist"



> > I'm sorry for that hurt. I wish I could have prevented the
> > misunderstanding.
>
> https://stallman.org/archives/2019-jul-oct.html#14_September_2019_(Sex_between_an_adult_and_a_child_is_wrong)
>


> > Through personal conversations in recent years ... I
> > am grateful for the conversations that enabled me to understand why.
>
>
> https://stallman.org/archives/2019-jul-oct.html#13_September_2019_(Epstein_donations)
>
>

> > Media Lab Director Joi Ito confessed that he had secretly accepted
> > donations from Epstein after MIT had decided not to do so.
> >
> > He also accepted funds for some personal activities of his own.
> >
> > That dishonesty, and conflict of interest, make his resignation
> > obligatory.
> >
>


> as well as other posts on that same webpage, I see a consistent objection
> to rape regardless of the age of the victim, and I see public contrition
> for changing a view he held which he now views as wrong.
>

I'm glad you reposted the latter comments from rms. Others on this list can
benefit from his correction of the record.



> Those who choose to conflate Stallman's views with those of the FSF or the
> GNU Project seem to me to be either making a mistake in that conflation or
> be opportunistic (possibly virtue signaling).
>

RMS is not only president of the FSF, he is leader of the Free Software
Movement. He has responsibilities. We should help him to recognise those
responsibilities and protect him from attack.

Adrienne
-- 
Freedom - no pane, all gaiGN!

GNU C-Graph - http://www.gnu.org/software/c-graph
Code Art Now - http://codeartnow.com
Abertheid Campaign - http://www.abertheid.info
Follow me on Twitter @AdrienneGT @GNUcgraph