Re: Support RMS (adjacent)

[Jean Louis]

* Jim <jimgarrett@posteo.net> [2021-03-27 18:20]:
> (Not including this in the existing thread because it's not really a
> response to anyone in particular.)
> 
> I just want to point out that additional changes are afoot in case you
> haven't noticed:
> 
> https://www.fsf.org/news/preliminary-board-statement-on-fsf-governance

Quote from there:

"We will adopt a transparent, formal process for identifying
candidates and appointing new board members who are wise, capable, and
committed to the FSF's mission. We will establish ways for our
supporters to contribute to the discussion."

Side note: FSF is a non-profit with RMS as founder, in that sense, it
is authorized to do legally whatever was legally envisioned at
creation of foundation. This may not be initially well reviewed as
future could not be predicted back then. It is private foundation, not
public and nothing legally obligate the FSF to publish their activites
on any website, neither to have a website or to be transparent.

By its positive social nature and good people in FSF, they now wish to
make it transparent as they feel it is right thing for the public and
I greet that decision.

Yet it alone does not grant any rights to anybody to interfer and
defame whoever and however they want. Please think twice, as whoever
contributes to cyber-bullying, may commit criminal acts. We want this
mailing list to be friendly and not people getting involved in dirty
life changing events.

Let me reiterate what FSF said publicly:

"We will establish ways for our supporters to contribute to the
discussion."

That again shows that this mailing list is not right place for that
discussion, the right place will be established.

I would beg participants to review Libreplanet's Mission Statement:
https://libreplanet.org/wiki/LibrePlanet:About/Mission_Statement

Mission Statement

The mission of LibrePlanet is to empower a global network of local and
academic groups, project teams, interest-based work-groups, and
individuals all working together to advance free software and free
culture as a movement for social justice.

and Goals:

 Goals

- Unite: Bridge connections between hackers, activists, and
  participants in the free software and free culture movement.
  
- Educate: Produce and distribute informational resources on free
  software and free culture.
  
- Empower: Provide support and guidance for people using and
  contributing to free software.
  
- Connect: Form alliances with related organizations and build
  coalitions with other groups working against oppression.
  
- Advance: Promote the development of free software and free cultural
  works.

FSF's decisions may be supported or not support, I would not say that
is off-topic to this mailing list. But allegations, accusations,
rumour mongering, cyber-bullying, mental health labeling -- those
things do not belong here.
> 
> https://www.fsf.org/news/update-on-work-to-improve-governance-at-the-fsf

Good, that is exactly proper place for people to give proposals on how
to write new By-laws -- and they ask for opinions from qualified
consultants.

In my opinion, if somebody now wish to contribute their proposal, they
shall write there if they feel qualified, and people may also contact
other qualified consultant and send their proposals to FSF.

> It appears that the FSF is revamping how board members are selected, and
> this will include a mechanism for members to have a voice (a vote?), and
> also to give staff members a seat. Therefore: polish your arguments, because
> at some point we will have a discussion in some forum which will directly
> impact on the FSF's direction.

Legally, I do not see it necessarily so. For now, it says that members
could participate in the discussion. Those issues are handled in legal
documents of a non-profit. It seem that there is reason why some
members are called associate members, they may not necessarily have
voting rights.

> This addresses a lurking question:  how are board members determined
> anyway?  We wake up one morning and RMS is out.  Hm? (Okay, technically he
> resigned, but really....)  Another morning we wake up and RMS is in.  Hm? 
> How does this work anyway?

Board members election for nonprofits in Massachusetts is governed by
the law, memorandum and by-laws. All of them may be changed when there
are agreements. If RMS wants, being founder, he may change Articles of
Incorporation with agreement of founding members, regardless if on
board or not. He is the founder.

> Another comment:  until his departure in 2019, RMS essentially
> embodied the FSF.  "Le FSF, c'est moi."

He was President, but not in the sense how you describe it, obviously
he delegated so much to other people that FSF could work without him. 

> With transparent governance and accountable leaders, there would be
> a place for RMS at the FSF without returning to that situation. For
> full disclosure, I'll state my opinion that RMS has given a lifetime
> of public-spirited and generous service, yet at this particular
> moment I think it would not advance the movement to have him as the
> public face and spokesperson for the FSF, or to be unaccountable
> within the organization.

Not given, rather created. He is founder, he created FSF.

During the time he was not on board, he was contributing to FSF
activities and urged people to support FSF at all times. He made
anyway public statements in writing including speeches -- we have been
analyzing the largest ever number of free software in 2020 -- so in
that sense nothing changed. Projects have been moved forward, new
releases made, many participants contribute. Sadly only one speech is
in 2020: https://audio-video.gnu.org/video/#2020 Majority of
initiations of FSF activities, its campaigns, its organization,
delegation, speeches are done by RMS. Well delegated organization
lives itself.
 
The number of RMS speeches declining in 2020 I directly attribute to
hate mongering and cyber-byllying. There are true enemies of free
software, they enjoy watching us here argue between each other.

Please judge people by their merits, not by rumors.

Jean

P.S. Propose a speech in your community, let us do it. I am ready over
here where I am located to propose in university.