Re: Remove RMS from the GCC Steering Committee

[Christopher Dimech <dimech@gmx.com>]

The methods used to put a leash on Torvalds and Assange and the methods used
to put one on Stallman are too similar to ignore.

It hasn’t stopped there either, it is now being wielded as a way to yoke all
developers of mainstream software (whether mainstream and non-free, or mainstream
and under a free license) into indentured servants of projects that have been
taken over by corporate donors who then force even original authors to do things
the way the monopoly wanted, or get out.


---------------------
Christopher Dimech
General Administrator - Naiad Informatics - GNU Project (Geocomputation)
- Geophysical Simulation
- Geological Subsurface Mapping
- Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation
- Natural Resource Exploration and Production
- Free Software Advocacy


> Sent: Monday, March 29, 2021 at 12:47 AM
> From: "Mark Wielaard" <mark@klomp.org>
> To: "GCC Development" <gcc@gcc.gnu.org>
> Cc: "Nathan Sidwell" <nathan@acm.org>
> Subject: Re: Remove RMS from the GCC Steering Committee
>
> Alexandre,
> 
> Making our community more welcoming is indeed a process. And some
> steps will just be symbolic. But I don't believe removing RMS from
> (perceived) leadership positions in the GNU project and from the FSF
> is just symbolic. And even for a symbolic step it is a powerful
> one. It shows we don't tolerate harassment in our project. And I do
> hope it doesn't end with that step. We also have to decide whether we
> still want to be associated with the FSF. Hopefully the FSF takes
> their responsibility and replaces the whole board to show we can start
> with a clean slate.
> 
> One issue is that as long as GCC is associated with RMS and the FSF
> others who could help us won't because the FSF is that toxic now:
> https://www.outreachy.org/blog/2021-03-23/fsf-participation-barred/
> And they are far from the only Free Software project who has said
> something similar.
> 
> We are not talking about some single recent incident, but about
> decades of problematic behavior. At the last face-to-face GNU Tools
> Cauldron, everybody I talked to about it had some story about being
> harassed by RMS, had witnessed such harassment or heard from or knew
> someone who had been.
> 
> For years people have tried to help him see how his actions and words
> might hurt others, even if they are completely logically correct to
> himself. And obviously that is sometimes hard, nobody is perfect, but
> hopefully we get a little better every time. But this never happened.
> And it really needs to stop.
> 
> RMS actively undermines those who try to make our community a little
> bit more welcoming. Violating anti-harassment policies of
> conferences. Even those from the FSF by claiming to be above those
> policies because of his leadership position or using his position to
> tell staff they cannot enforce such policies against others. Because
> he is against enforcing any anti-harassment policy some GNU
> mailinglist is currently being used to organize a doxing campaign
> (publishing photos, address and calls to report to the local police
> station to get her house raided and arrested) for simply saying the
> same things we are discussing here now.
> 
> I witnessed something similar recently when we had setup the
> mailinglist to discuss improving governance of the GNU project. When a
> female GNU (GCC) volunteer spoke up she got attacked and harassed. We
> told the harassers that was totally unacceptable and blocked them from
> sending more emails to the list. RMS arranged for those people to get
> unblocked to continue their hate campaign on the public GNU list so
> they could "defend him and the GNU project". That was followed by a
> torrent of hate to the list making any discussion impossible and
> making women feel like they were specifically targeted. He still
> hasn't learned that his words and actions are dog whistles for
> misogynists, transphobics and racists. This really has to stop.
> 
> You link to a parody of a request of tens of Free Software foundation
> projects and thousands of Free Software hackers who are calling for
> the removal of the entire Board of the Free Software Foundation and
> for Richard M. Stallman to be removed from all leadership positions,
> including the GNU Project. For similar reasons that people here are
> now calling for RMS to be removed from the GCC steering committee.
> 
> The real letter is here: https://rms-open-letter.github.io/
> 
> Sometimes satire is a way to deal with difficult problems, but I don't
> think that is appropriate here and I hope people take these issues
> seriously, because I think they are.
> 
> Mark
>