5 ms·

RMS never harassed women? Have you spent any time around MIT or other RMS haunts? Dude was well established as a serial harasser. When I was a grad student in 2

RMS never harassed women? Have you spent any time around MIT or other RMS haunts? Dude was well established as a serial harasser. When I was a grad student in 2002 it was common knowledge that he was afraid of spider plants and many women at LCS had spider plants in their offices to keep him away.

ianai 6y ago
Is there any easy catalog of these harassments somewhere? Preferably outside of social media-I can’t view the stuff.
- properdine 6y ago
  I would say this is a pretty good run-down - https://selamjie.medium.com/remove-richard-stallman-appendix-a-a7e41e784f88 https://selamjie.medium.com/remove-richard-stallman-appendix... .
radmuzom 6y ago
As someone who is fat and socially awkward, I am generally greeted with scorn if I smile at an attractive woman. But that does not mean I want to harass or assault them. It does not also mean I don’t have the right to smile - if you are uncomfortable with my smile, the problem is with you, not me.
- ianai 6y ago
  I couldn’t agree more! If we’re not careful we could have anyone unattractive being chronically labeled a harasser for innocuous social behavior. I’ve experienced it myself. I don’t want to live in a world where simply being unattractive makes someone less than human. That’s clearly a form of violent prejudice.
- sudosysgen 6y ago
  The allegations aren't smiling, it was asking women to have sex (including parading a bed in his office) repeatedly, in an academic environment. That's a bit more. Then there was the email sent to the CSAIL mailing list that talked about how one shouldn't assume a minor (that was provided by epstein) wasn't willing to have sex.
  - radmuzom 6y ago
    > Asking women to have sex Not one women including the "evidence" gathered in the original Medium posts mention that. Actual examples they do mention are quite common for socially inept individuals. > Parading a bed For a long time, Stallman lived in his office. I have known other academics who preferred to do the same. Again, not one person has come forward and said that Stallman ever invited them to that bed. > how one shouldn't assume a minor (that was provided by epstein) wasn't willing to have sex He did not say that at all. Re-read the emails again. Hint, he uses the word "presented" which completely changes the meaning of the sentence. For someone precise like Stallman, every word matters. Anyway, I have read the emails multiple times now and his only message was to reconsider all the facts first given the serious allegation of "sexual assault" on Minsky. Just because the media has twisted it does not make them true.
    - __blockcipher__ 6y ago
      > Just because the media has twisted it does not make them true. And you may already be aware of this, but for any third parties reading this, please be aware that these types of things are not a one-off innocent mistake. When you start actually looking you realize that literally everything the corporate press outputs is all part of a carefully crafted narrative, and at no point does actual capital-T Truth come into play. See also: Gell-Mann Amnesia effect (except more malicious)
      - sudosysgen 6y ago
        I have literally never read a corporate press article on this subject, all the data I have comes from independent allegations made by people who did contribute to free software.
        __blockcipher__ 6y ago
        I wasn’t replying to you to be clear, it was a general statement. However your characterization of his comments wrt Minksy does make me question your credibility. If you couldn’t honestly characterize them, it is more likely that you could be equally disingenuous in recounting “independent allegations”.
taylodl 6y ago
> Dude was well established as a serial harasser You've made the claim, now back it up - otherwise you're spreading hearsay.
account42 6y ago
> When I was a grad student in 2002 it was common knowledge You should always question what is "common knowledge" especially when it comes to emotional issues where prejudice is rampant.
craigsmansion 6y ago
> it was common knowledge that he was afraid of spider plants "p.s.: In the closet-sized "office" Bushnell, McGrath, and I shared for a time we did have some spider plants as part of a running silly joke. They did not actually scare RMS away OF COURSE" -- Thomas Lord. Please note the capitalised "OF COURSE" and reflect on the veracity of your "common knowledge".
DreamScatter 6y ago
Sounds like nasty gossip, did anyone actually verify any of this?

ianai 6y ago

Is there any easy catalog of these harassments somewhere? Preferably outside of social media-I can’t view the stuff.

properdine 6y ago
I would say this is a pretty good run-down - https://selamjie.medium.com/remove-richard-stallman-appendix-a-a7e41e784f88 https://selamjie.medium.com/remove-richard-stallman-appendix... .

radmuzom 6y ago

As someone who is fat and socially awkward, I am generally greeted with scorn if I smile at an attractive woman. But that does not mean I want to harass or assault them. It does not also mean I don’t have the right to smile - if you are uncomfortable with my smile, the problem is with you, not me.

ianai 6y ago
I couldn’t agree more! If we’re not careful we could have anyone unattractive being chronically labeled a harasser for innocuous social behavior. I’ve experienced it myself. I don’t want to live in a world where simply being unattractive makes someone less than human. That’s clearly a form of violent prejudice.
sudosysgen 6y ago
The allegations aren't smiling, it was asking women to have sex (including parading a bed in his office) repeatedly, in an academic environment. That's a bit more. Then there was the email sent to the CSAIL mailing list that talked about how one shouldn't assume a minor (that was provided by epstein) wasn't willing to have sex.
- radmuzom 6y ago
  > Asking women to have sex Not one women including the "evidence" gathered in the original Medium posts mention that. Actual examples they do mention are quite common for socially inept individuals. > Parading a bed For a long time, Stallman lived in his office. I have known other academics who preferred to do the same. Again, not one person has come forward and said that Stallman ever invited them to that bed. > how one shouldn't assume a minor (that was provided by epstein) wasn't willing to have sex He did not say that at all. Re-read the emails again. Hint, he uses the word "presented" which completely changes the meaning of the sentence. For someone precise like Stallman, every word matters. Anyway, I have read the emails multiple times now and his only message was to reconsider all the facts first given the serious allegation of "sexual assault" on Minsky. Just because the media has twisted it does not make them true.
  - __blockcipher__ 6y ago
    > Just because the media has twisted it does not make them true. And you may already be aware of this, but for any third parties reading this, please be aware that these types of things are not a one-off innocent mistake. When you start actually looking you realize that literally everything the corporate press outputs is all part of a carefully crafted narrative, and at no point does actual capital-T Truth come into play. See also: Gell-Mann Amnesia effect (except more malicious)
    - sudosysgen 6y ago
      I have literally never read a corporate press article on this subject, all the data I have comes from independent allegations made by people who did contribute to free software.
      - __blockcipher__ 6y ago
        I wasn’t replying to you to be clear, it was a general statement. However your characterization of his comments wrt Minksy does make me question your credibility. If you couldn’t honestly characterize them, it is more likely that you could be equally disingenuous in recounting “independent allegations”.

taylodl 6y ago

> Dude was well established as a serial harasser You've made the claim, now back it up - otherwise you're spreading hearsay.

account42 6y ago

> When I was a grad student in 2002 it was common knowledge You should always question what is "common knowledge" especially when it comes to emotional issues where prejudice is rampant.

craigsmansion 6y ago

> it was common knowledge that he was afraid of spider plants "p.s.: In the closet-sized "office" Bushnell, McGrath, and I shared for a time we did have some spider plants as part of a running silly joke. They did not actually scare RMS away OF COURSE" -- Thomas Lord. Please note the capitalised "OF COURSE" and reflect on the veracity of your "common knowledge".

DreamScatter 6y ago

Sounds like nasty gossip, did anyone actually verify any of this?