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Open letter calling for the removal of the FSF board of directors over the reinstatement of RMS
(rms-open-letter.github.io)
this post was submitted on 23 Mar 2021
29 points (73.8% liked)
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Sigh that was really unnecessary and will make quite a few people sympathize with RMS even if they agree with the allegations against him.
First of all, the guy is a 68 year old ex-hippy boomer with likely some sort of mental health issues. Let him sit a few years more on the board of directors as a quiet founder and just let it be...
And aside from apparently unpleasant behavior against students (something shockingly common with professors... and anyways irrelevant to his FSF role), the main allegations expressed in their annex don't really hold up.
The first point about relativizing child abuse, is true (and was a very common view in hippy circles), but RMS has publicly stated even before all this that people convinced him to change his mind about it. Maybe that isn't fully true, but people deserve the benefit of doubt that they can change their mind.
The second point about down syndrome is a very common majority view-point in most of the world, and I wager even in the US it is secretly held by the majority. And it is also hypocritical, as in essence criticizing it, is questioning the right of a woman to have an abortion...
And the last point about gender pronouns... well come on... I 100% agree that we as society should start adapting our language to be more accommodating to trans persons, but this is a 68 year old boomer we are talking about. And his views on it aren't even especially transphobic, but just somewhat pedantic about "correct" language use.
I don't agree, it feels like you are excusing stalman for his behavior because other people also behave the way stalman does. That is not how that works ESPECIALLY when someone represents the figurehead for an entire movement/community. Is stalman significantly more toxic than many 68 year old white men? He definitely isn't alone in his behavior but the point is its one thing if its your retired uncle who behaves this way and its another if its someone who has a ton of responsibility to shape a community.
Stalman's time has far past.
Yes, but why this unnecessary commotion now? He was removed from all relevant positions years ago and this re-appointment to a back-seat on the board of directors of the FSF is basically just a minor nod to his important past role in the FSF. It's like putting up a picture of the founder on the wall... no real harm in doing so and he is the founder of the FSF after all.