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0 points5trokerac36y ago0 comments

I'm normally 100% on board with condemning this Malthusian environment that has sprung up in the last couple years, but I don't believe that Richard Stallman is a complete victim in this scenario.

He has a long history of using forums meant for technology discussion to promote borderline (and that's generous) social opinions, and of being openly hostile to people who don't tow his line. In this instance he ridiculously downplayed the most egregious instances of sex trafficking of minors, by a horridly evil individual... who happened to donate almost a million dollars to him!

His previous comments about minors on his personal blog, which I don't even want to dignify with a description (you can do your own search), leads me to wonder what other connections than money he had with Epstein.

For all of us that don't worship Stallman - I consider him a net negative to the FOSS movement - this has been a long time coming. It would have been a deserved resignation in a normal social environment.

0 comments

kstenerud6y ago

"His previous comments about minors on his personal blog, which I don't even want to dignify with a description (you can do your own search), leads me to wonder what other connections than money he had with Epstein."

Speculation, which would not be allowed in a court of law, is unfortunately a perfectly acceptable character assassination methodology.

And this kind of tar-and-feathering is precisely why we need official processes for this sort of thing. Official reprimands leading to termination if unfixed, like all civilized peoples do. This ensures that it's made crystal clear what's acceptable and what's not, with time to mend one's ways. The alternative is arbitrary terminations, which makes everyone insecure.

kilo_bravo_36y ago

>Speculation, which would not be allowed in a court of law, is unfortunately a perfectly acceptable character assassination methodology.

Why are so many people obsessed with applying the same standards used in a court to real life?

If someone is a jerk, I don't have to maintain a chain-of-custody for the evidence I use to determine that person is a jerk, and I don't have to have sworn testimony from reliable witnesses to apply the jerk label, and I certainly don't need the opinions of a jury of said jerk's peers.

Here's a job-keeping pro-tip, free of charge, for everyone: Especially if you are a public figure, don't talk about child sex trafficking unless it is to criticize it or else you may be fired.

AnIdiotOnTheNet6y ago

Because mobs are horrific and that's what you get when people base punishments on speculation.

> Especially if you are a public figure, don't talk about child sex trafficking unless it is to criticize it or else you may be fired.

Great. That's the kind of society I want to live in, one where I can't say anything for fear of a mob lynching me.

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atypicaluser6y ago

Feel free to believe anyone you meet, or merely hear about, is a jerk.

The question is--should being a jerk be a fireable offense?

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lliamander6y ago

Here's another pro-tip: If you make dishonest or negligent accusations about another person, such that said person suffers materially you can probably* sued for defamation.

*IANAL

lostjohnny6y ago

> Why are so many people obsessed with applying the same standards used in a court to real life?

Because IRL there's no attorney of defense.

You can just throw accusation in the air and somebody else get hurt.

DanBC6y ago

> Speculation, which would not be allowed in a court of law,

Prosecution: "We think he knew this person was subject to coercion and we say this because X, Y, Z".

Defence: "We think he did not know this person was subject to coercion and we say this because we interpret X, Y, and Z differently."

These involve speculation about the mental state of the accused.

dangerface6y ago

> who happened to donate almost a million dollars to him!

Is there any evidence of this? There is a big difference between the place he works at taking money and him taking money.

I don't think its right to hold an employee responsible for their employers actions.

SkyBelow6y ago

>He has a long history of using forums meant for technology discussion to promote borderline (and that's generous) social opinions,

How often does he bring it up and how often is it in response to someone else saying something that is technically wrong?

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