3 ms·

It's pretty incredible that after years and years of searching, all what cancel-activists[0] could find against Stallman was: - Stallman reminding folks of the

It's pretty incredible that after years and years of searching, all what cancel-activists[0] could find against Stallman was: - Stallman reminding folks of the lack of key evidence in the allegations against Minsky. - A graffiti on his door at MIT - The fact he had a mattress in his office - Some awkward social interactions he allegedly had (it's all anonymous, there's no way to know) All from a blog-post. [0] https://selamjie.medium.com/remove-richard-stallman-appendix-a-a7e41e784f88 https://selamjie.medium.com/remove-richard-stallman-appendix...

jhanschoo 6y ago
The page links to just that blog post, but the post links to other reports, and an earlier open letter had many links (https://rms-open-letter.github.io/appendix https://rms-open-letter.github.io/appendix) to RMS's own blog; to substantiate their claim that RMS holds views objectionable to them.
- tablespoon 6y ago
  > The page links to just that blog post, but the post links to other reports, and an earlier open letter had many links (https://rms-open-letter.github.io/appendix https://rms-open-letter.github.io/appendix) to RMS's own blog; to substantiate their claim that RMS holds views objectionable to them. But it seems like he's disavowed those comments (and did so prior to that website being compiled): https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2021/03/richard-stallman-returns-to-fsf-18-months-after-controversial-rape-comments/ https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2021/03/richard-stallman... > "Many years ago I posted that I could not see anything wrong about sex between an adult and a child, if the child accepted it," Stallman wrote. "Through personal conversations in recent years, I've learned to understand how sex with a child can harm per [sic] psychologically. This changed my mind about the matter: I think adults should not do that. I am grateful for the conversations that enabled me to understand why."
  - jhanschoo 6y ago
    > Note: RMS apologized for this comment on 14 September, 2019.Citation. Edit made: 24 March, 2021 - 08:50 EDT. But this issue isn't all that his detractors have found objectionable.
jasonpeacock 6y ago
Many, many people have come forward, especially women, relating horrible experiences with RMS covering the last 30 years - which you are promptly disregarding as "alleged". If you do more research, you'll find many more non-anonymous stories from people about RMS's behavior. For example, the FSF employees formed a union specifically to defend themselves against his behavior.[1][2] This is how abusers continue their abuse - hiding behind others who keep excusing their behavior. RMS's behavior, regardless of cause, is not acceptable. It's not "Cancel Culture", it's accountability. [1] https://twitter.com/paulnivin/status/1374499598853545986 https://twitter.com/paulnivin/status/1374499598853545986 [2] https://twitter.com/_msw_/status/1374541822693761025 https://twitter.com/_msw_/status/1374541822693761025
- enriquto 6y ago
  > Many, many people have come forward, especially women, relating horrible experiences with RMS covering the last 30 years - which you are promptly disregarding as "alleged". If you do more research, you'll find many more non-anonymous stories from people about RMS's behavior. I couldn't care less about RMS stupid ideas on his personal website. But if he abused people, that is really worrying. Thus, I have read all the anonymous and non-anonymous stories about him that I could find by following these links. I assume that all of these stories are true. But there's really nothing to it. All of such stories of "abuse" are variations of the following four: 1. he asked me out very awkwardly and I had to say no 2. he's a really bad flatmate 3. he spoke loudly over me at a conference 4. I have read his opinions and that made me uncomfortable Really? Does any of this even merit a call for "accountability"? It seems very childish to me. As if he systematically farted in elevators. Of course, that's not nice, but does it really merit all this kerfuffle? Let people be weird!
- drcongo 6y ago
  No first-hand experience is enough any more, RMS has become the figurehead for that sector of tech that actually believes "cancel culture" exists because they're worried it's coming for their own abhorrent views next.
- gnubet 6y ago
  Even those Twitter posts are vague. What exactly did he do?
b215826 6y ago
> A graffiti on his door at MIT This was a joke that someone played on him [1] and he removed it as soon as he found it. [1] https://whoisylvia.medium.com/richard-stallman-has-been-vilified-by-those-who-dont-know-him-a3907b25b4c7 https://whoisylvia.medium.com/richard-stallman-has-been-vili...
seizethegdgap 6y ago
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20994216 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20994216

jhanschoo 6y ago

The page links to just that blog post, but the post links to other reports, and an earlier open letter had many links (https://rms-open-letter.github.io/appendix https://rms-open-letter.github.io/appendix) to RMS's own blog; to substantiate their claim that RMS holds views objectionable to them.

tablespoon 6y ago
> The page links to just that blog post, but the post links to other reports, and an earlier open letter had many links (https://rms-open-letter.github.io/appendix https://rms-open-letter.github.io/appendix) to RMS's own blog; to substantiate their claim that RMS holds views objectionable to them. But it seems like he's disavowed those comments (and did so prior to that website being compiled): https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2021/03/richard-stallman-returns-to-fsf-18-months-after-controversial-rape-comments/ https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2021/03/richard-stallman... > "Many years ago I posted that I could not see anything wrong about sex between an adult and a child, if the child accepted it," Stallman wrote. "Through personal conversations in recent years, I've learned to understand how sex with a child can harm per [sic] psychologically. This changed my mind about the matter: I think adults should not do that. I am grateful for the conversations that enabled me to understand why."
- jhanschoo 6y ago
  > Note: RMS apologized for this comment on 14 September, 2019.Citation. Edit made: 24 March, 2021 - 08:50 EDT. But this issue isn't all that his detractors have found objectionable.

jasonpeacock 6y ago

Many, many people have come forward, especially women, relating horrible experiences with RMS covering the last 30 years - which you are promptly disregarding as "alleged". If you do more research, you'll find many more non-anonymous stories from people about RMS's behavior. For example, the FSF employees formed a union specifically to defend themselves against his behavior.[1][2] This is how abusers continue their abuse - hiding behind others who keep excusing their behavior. RMS's behavior, regardless of cause, is not acceptable. It's not "Cancel Culture", it's accountability. [1] https://twitter.com/paulnivin/status/1374499598853545986 https://twitter.com/paulnivin/status/1374499598853545986 [2] https://twitter.com/_msw_/status/1374541822693761025 https://twitter.com/_msw_/status/1374541822693761025

enriquto 6y ago
> Many, many people have come forward, especially women, relating horrible experiences with RMS covering the last 30 years - which you are promptly disregarding as "alleged". If you do more research, you'll find many more non-anonymous stories from people about RMS's behavior. I couldn't care less about RMS stupid ideas on his personal website. But if he abused people, that is really worrying. Thus, I have read all the anonymous and non-anonymous stories about him that I could find by following these links. I assume that all of these stories are true. But there's really nothing to it. All of such stories of "abuse" are variations of the following four: 1. he asked me out very awkwardly and I had to say no 2. he's a really bad flatmate 3. he spoke loudly over me at a conference 4. I have read his opinions and that made me uncomfortable Really? Does any of this even merit a call for "accountability"? It seems very childish to me. As if he systematically farted in elevators. Of course, that's not nice, but does it really merit all this kerfuffle? Let people be weird!
drcongo 6y ago
No first-hand experience is enough any more, RMS has become the figurehead for that sector of tech that actually believes "cancel culture" exists because they're worried it's coming for their own abhorrent views next.
gnubet 6y ago
Even those Twitter posts are vague. What exactly did he do?

b215826 6y ago

> A graffiti on his door at MIT This was a joke that someone played on him [1] and he removed it as soon as he found it. [1] https://whoisylvia.medium.com/richard-stallman-has-been-vilified-by-those-who-dont-know-him-a3907b25b4c7 https://whoisylvia.medium.com/richard-stallman-has-been-vili...

seizethegdgap 6y ago

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20994216 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20994216