Re: Support RMS

[Paul Sutton]

On 13/04/2021 06:57, Jean Louis wrote:
> > Can you easily sue people who are backed by multi billion dollar
> > companies, or more to the point sue and win.
>
> Of course it is possible. And need not cost much.
>
> But it is not about large companies, there are just few individual
> accusers. Additionally when there are criminal elements, it does not
> cost much to report it to authorities who then act on behalf of the
> state and spend their own money in following criminals.
>
> In my opinion FSF should use part of funds to legally defend its
> members from nonsense defamations. That is what foundations and
> non-profits do.
>
> > The Free software community is, after all , a community of people who care
> > about the cause,  that potentially makes us more powerful as we have a 
voice
> > and we can, if we try come together in a show of strength.
>
> FSF is not equal to free software community and personal attacks like
> those brought against RMS are not at all relevant to free software or
> free software community, not even relevant to FSF. Mixing those issues
> is the source of the problem. Keeping relations separate and making
> conclusions separately for each relation is reasonable approach.
>
> When you mention free software community, there is common purpose, and
> we do not agree on everything but on common purpose, but when it comes
> to personal attacks, crimes, libel, defamation, that is where each
> individual has legal rights to defend.
>
> > Let big companies waste money suing each other,  lets spend what funds 
we
> > have on promoting the cause, see legal action as a last resort,   Our
> > collective actions can counter defamation easily by posting and spreading
> > the truth.
>
> I would not say that helps, as agony endures for long time. Would RMS
> hire an attorney to send a letter to accuser, it would or could long
> ago be handled. Exactly for the reason that RMS is weak in defense,
> that is why some of people have chosen to keep defaming and harassing.
>
> It is even easier to defame public figures.
> https://www.dmlp.org/legal-guide/proving-fault-actual-malice-and-negligence
>
> In some countries it is illegal to defame others even if statements
> are true, that is irrelevant. In United States, defamation must be
> untrue to win in court.
>
> Public accusation is serious act that influences legally, and
> politically and financially the work of FSF and RMS, it influences
> community negatively.
>
> Any such defamation, public harassment, cyber-bullying acts should be
> legally defended and court judgments published.
>
> That is what FSF and RMS do not do currently, I would not know why.
>
> Jean

Hi Jean, thank you for this.

I agree on the points you have made here. +1 to defending RMS as 
thinking about it, others are being attacked just for supporting RMS.

Paul



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Paul Sutton, Cert Cont Sci (Open)
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