Statement about Richard M. Stallman and the Free Software Foundation
Dear LibreOffice Community, Dear FOSS Community,
All of us at The Document Foundation are following the discussion in the global free software community about Richard M. Stallman’s return to the Free Software Foundation (FSF) board of directors. We do share your concerns, and we do take this situation very seriously.
Our worldwide community is strongly committed to have a safe, welcoming, harmonious and inclusive environment, based on dignity and support. We absolutely do not tolerate harassment of any kind. Working together in trust requires mutual respect and understanding. These standards are also part of our guiding statutes that we expect all our community members and affiliates to follow.
We have therefore reached out to the FSF’s representative in our advisory board, asking for details and for a statement which confirms their commitment to our core values. We are all perfectly aware of the consequences also for our project, given that the FSF is a member of our advisory board.
We clearly expect a strong evidence that the FSF found a proper solution to the severe impact their actions have had on the global free software community. We will suspend FSF‘s membership in our advisory board and cease any other activity with this organization and their representatives, until the situation is healed.
Thanks for your support.
Lothar Becker (TDF Board)
Thorsten Behrens (TDF Board)
Daniel Armando Rodriguez (TDF Board)
Cor Nouws (TDF Board)
Emiliano Vavassori (TDF Board)
Franklin Weng (TDF Board)
Paolo Vecchi (TDF Board Deputy)
Marina Latini (TDF Membership Committee)
Gustavo Buzzatti Pacheco (TDF Membership Committee)
Ahmad Haris (TDF Membership Committee)
Gabriele Ponzo (TDF Membership Committee)
Jona Azizaj (TDF Membership Committee Deputy)
Shinji Enoki (TDF Membership Committee Deputy)
Dennis Roczek (TDF Membership Committee Deputy)
Florian Effenberger (TDF Team)
Xisco Fauli (TDF Team)
Sophie Gautier (TDF Team)
Olivier Hallot (TDF Team)
Christian Lohmaier (TDF Team)
Guilhem Moulin (TDF Team)
Italo Vignoli (TDF Team)
I think we live in strange, hypercorrect life. I am happy I live in Czech Republic where we are not so much sensitive for some things. Somebody may tell we are like bushmen but I believe we keep common sense and we are able to have an overview. Hope western world will have these abilities too in future. It had them but it was damaged during last few decades.
I think there are lots of more serious problems than Richard Stallman. The fact we handle this topic means we live in carefree life, without problems. Our society erodes nonsense while important things escape it.
Hope we will get natural mind some day and we start to deal really important things…
PS: Richard Stallman is the victim of an annoying American-style campaign. He deserves admiration, recognition, not insults, humiliation and exclusion. The Foundation’s approach is a disappointment to me.
https://www.linuxexpres.cz/aktuality/richard-stallman-rezignoval-na-funkci-prezidenta-free
This is patented madness.
RMS is no saint, but this public shaming is beyond sanity.
“Struggle sessions were a form of public humiliation and torture used by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) at various times in the Mao era, particularly during the years immediately before and after the establishment of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and during the Cultural Revolution. The aim of struggle sessions was to shape public opinion, as well as to humiliate, persecute, or execute political rivals and those deemed class enemies.[1]”
yeah
it’s all pretty nuts
Completely agree, we are heading towards an authoritarian world were not even the things we own are truly ours. Now it is not the time to worry about some words that, under an objective eye, are not even controversial.
There are plenty of real problems in the US. These are just divisive distractions. The funniest part is that the people promoting this think they’re doing the world a service when all they’re doing is creating a toxic culture.
It is particularly toxic and unwelcoming for those of us that have difficulties with social interaction. We are not asking for carte blanche. No disorder is a valid excuse for hurting others. But some empathy and effort in trying to understand why we behave and communicate in the way that we do would be much more helpful than demonizing us for failing to grasp norms that simply, genuinely, quite often, donʼt make intuitive sense to us in the way that they do to neurotypical people. Help us be better instead of fighting against us, please. 🙂
I don’t think the people promoting it are sincere.
The letter with a critic of RMS is a lie.
“Our society erodes nonsense while important things escape it.”
Look at software patents. Once the UPC court will be running in the EU, the battle over software patenting will be lost.
If the amount of energy spent on this “RMS in the board of FSF” would be redirected to the real important issues, we would have made progress.
We absolutely do not tolerate harassment of any kind
Except if is against Stallman?
To the signatories, I hope you are true believers, that you think you are making the world a better place in this show of (financial) force. If so, I can let it slide, though I think you wrong. The alternative, that this is a shallow, reactive act of throwing RMS under the bus to insulate yourselves from criticism is too dark a thought to process.
In the long term, perhaps it is best for everyone.
Totally disagree with this position, OSI / TDF found an opportunity to get rid of the FSF with ridiculous motives on the words, not facts, of RMS. Censorship does you no credit.
Cancel culture at its finest. Nobody cares about facts anymore. RMS has been taken out of context and misinterpreted. That is why he is getting canceled.
https://sterling-archermedes.github.io/index.html
https://www.wetheweb.org/post/cancel-we-the-web
There is also a support letter for RMS: https://rms-support-letter.github.io/
Nobody cares about facts now in the cancel culture, sure, think freely is illegal now, surrender to Red Hat, IBM and MAFIAA
“We do share your concerns”
Really? All this witch-hunting concerns me big time. I don’t think it is less harmful than (what we know about) RMS’s behavior or that it contributes to a “safe, welcoming, harmonious and inclusive environment, based on dignity and support”.
“We will suspend FSF‘s membership in our advisory board and cease any other activity with this organization and their representatives”.
Good! I hope you – in your hypocrisy – will stay away. For good…
“We clearly expect a strong evidence that the FSF found a proper solution to the severe impact their actions have had on the global free software community.”
Doesn’t that require some strong evidence against the FSF and Mr. Stallman ? What exactly is he being accused of ? And why ?
I for one will use my blog, which has a high impact on the Hispanic community, not to donate a single cent to LibreOffice.
I am raising an army against the anti-Stallman in response to the Nazi attack of the fascist rebels.
Is being accused of think freely and defend Liberty, nowadays with SJW and LGBTIQABCDPLUS this is a Death-deserving crime for them
I seem to be out-of-the-loop here. What’s the problem with RMS?
A group of harassers is vilifying him over things he has said a long time ago (mostly about sex, mostly taken out of context) in a targeted campaign to get him (and the people that support him) out.
They want to destroy Free software throught a new BSD-MIT-Like GPL with no Copyleft
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Stallman#Resignation_from_MIT_and_FSF
this statement nothing shows from the entry what stallman did
A group of harassers is vilifying him over things he has said a long time ago (mostly about sex, mostly taken out of context) in a targeted campaign to get him (and the people that support him) out.
The statement at the top of this page is very vague and mealymouthed. It would be helpful if it were updated to list the specific objections to rms being involved with the FSF, rather than vague statements such as “severe impact” and “proper solutions”.
What is the specific “severe impact” you (we?) are concerned with?
I should have never donated to libreoffice;/
FSF deserve what it got. It’s member in TDF is so soft that he can’t stand with community against the LibreOffice Enterprise thing.
so, what stallam does wrong?
The world is pretty nuts, all those who doesn’t support RMS are supporting megacorporation which doesn’t matter people, only money, Licence everything with MIT and destroy GPL and FSF, use Systemd promoting Red Hat(Therefore IBM/Microsoft eternal friendship to destroy FOSS).
Even you are starting using Times New Roman in the comment section, I don’t want crapware from crap people who unique desire is destroy FOSS.
This places The Document Foundation in the unfortunate position of taking a political stance, in explicit violation of German NGO rules. I wouldn’t be surprised if they lost their tax sheltered status
Cowards.
It is heartbreaking that a foundation decided to distort its values, to follow the culture cancel fashion. Radical measures lead to radical actions. I’m uninstalling LibreOffice, luckily, there are other options for office needs for users who don’t identify with the hypocritical stance The Document Foundation has taken.
To those who want to support RMS: https://rms-support-letter.github.io/
Additionally to the other comments: So, free speech is a right, but only as long as it fits one’s agenda? Otherwise it’s not “safe, welcoming, harmonious and inclusive” and is forbidden? And were his statements private or in the name of the FSF?
It is an interesting development that the TDF has decided to assume the role of a law enforcement agency.
I didn’t check what he said, neither do I personally care or have even noticed, probably because I live in a different bubble. If he did something unlawful, he should be changed. Otherwise he should be left alone, unless convicted. And whether he forms part of the FSF is their own decision, in my opinion.
– Why are so many people idolising a man called Richard Stallman? People seem to be willing to turn a blind eye to anything he does so long as he is useful to them.
All I see is fanatical worshippers rallying around their leader. It’s the same way the Catholic church has gotten away with child sexual abuse – people pretending it’s not happening because it’s inconvenient to their worldview and sense of personal identity.
I take no position on what job he should or shouldn’t have, but I certainly don’t support him or attempt to justify and rationalise his words and actions (or take his opinions on morals and ethics as absolute*). He is nobody special.
* This article posts links to Stallman’s blog: https://www.thedailybeast.com/famed-mit-computer-scientist-richard-stallman-defends-epstein-victims-were-entirely-willing
You are misinformed.
https://sterling-archermedes.github.io/
Did not expect you to become part of the witch hunting mob. Very disappointing. As someone who lived in a formerly communistic state and knows what cancelling someones live is like, I’m disgusted.
Disgraceful meddling. I will suspend LibreOffice’s use in my domain and cease any other activity with this organization, until the despicable harassment of RMS is repealed.
“We absolutely do not tolerate harassment of any kind.” <- Which is why you're joining in a hate mob based on a libelous smear campaign to harass someone out of their job? Or are you seriously attempting to argue that Stallman and the FSF are in any way involved in harassment?
As a LibreOffice user for over a decade, this is incredibly upsetting that you've chosen to taint your project over this. Shame on you.
It’s very dissapointing to see The Document Foundation pick up its torch and join a Witch Hunt. You can consider my donations and support revoked until you research what’s actually going on and publicly apologise for your attack on a good man’s freedom of expression.
I disagree with the position of the document foundation.
There should be a difference between statements of a person (in this case of Mr Stallmann) and an official position of the Free Software Foundation. In case Mr Stallmann is indeed guilty of a misconduct it is the responsibility of the Free Software Foundation to handle that. In case his actions are indeed incompatible with the official positions of the Free Software Foundation in a way that the organisation is incredible then your actions may be justfied, but you have not argued in that respect.
There is an important concept in western democracies that is the presumption of innocence and the exhaustion of all other options before you finally and in public shame a person (due process) to the point that you discontinue all contacts with people dealing with that person.
There is no problem reaching such a conclusion after a due process has taken place but not before this due process has taken place. At least you should specifically name what statements of Mr. Stallmann has led you to these grave consequences and whether Mr Stallmann has distanced himself from these or not.
I am disappointed by these premature statements of the document foundation.
Kind regards
Franz Gotsis
It looks like the community has spoken and they are not happy with the ODF’s unilateral top down determination. If the community that uses your software does not feel hurt by RMS’s remarks — not official statements or actions but remarks — then how has RMS caused grave harm? You have an international community of Libre Office users coming to your page telling you your statement is wrong. Without the community what is the point of your continued existence?
I was going to donate, but based on your unclear statements about what you require the FSF to do, I consider TDF unworthy. Instead, I just donated to the FSF.
I totally agree. I too have withdrawn my support from TDF and donated to FSF