X.org calls for the removal of the of the entire FSF BoD

[Harry Wentland]

On 2021-03-24 2:16 p.m., Roman Gilg wrote:
> On Wed, Mar 24, 2021 at 5:56 PM Lyude Paul <lyude at redhat.com> wrote:
>>
>> Hello. As many of you are already likely aware, yesterday Richard M. Stallman
>> rejoined the Board of Directors for the Free Software Foundation. This is an
>> incredibly disappointing decision, one which runs contrary to the values that
>> the X.org and freedesktop.org communities are built-upon.
>>
>> Richard M. Stallman, or RMS for short, has an infamously well documented history
>> of causing problems both for the FSF, it's associated projects, and open source
>> as a whole. On numerous occasions he's exhibited seriously inappropriate
>> behavior and views that are transphobic, ableist, and misogynist among many
>> other things that are wholly unacceptable and which have no place in the open
>> source community. In doing so he's set a dangerous and irresponsible precedence
>> for the open source community that has tarnished its reputation for ages.
>>
>> As well, the board for the Free Software Foundation must also be held
>> accountable for his actions and presence back on the board. While RMS himself is
>> a huge problem, he would not be able to hold a place on the FSF BoD without the
>> board being complacent with his behavior and allowing him to return. This is
>> also part of a long recurring pattern with the FSF board encouraging RMS's
>> behavior and refusing to hold him accountable. It is not enough for RMS to step
>> down again, the entire board of directors must step down.
>>
>> It is for these reasons that the X.org foundation's Board of Directors have
>> overwhelmingly voted to join in the call for the FSF's Board of Directors to
>> step down, and additionally for RMS to be removed from all leadership positions
>> including the GNU project. You can find our endorsement of this along with more
>> information here:
> 
> I assume you think it's righteous what you do. But cancelling oddballs
> like RMS for voicing unusual and sometimes disturbing opinions is not
> how you spur creative thinking and progress. On the opposite you will
> demolish any open platform for discourse and collaboration or if
> necessary honest critique. RMS reminds me of Sokrates who had to drink
> the hemlock cup for wrong-think and speak.
> 
> And with your absolutistic take on political correctness you ensure
> that it becomes even more difficult for people from lower social
> classes and non-western cultures to join established open source
> projects like X.Org, as they will most often feel alienated by it.
> 

Thanks for respectfully sharing your opinion.

In my humble opinion it is exactly for the reasons of inclusion that the 
large majority of the X.Org board supports the open letter to the FSF. 
I've personally not experienced that a larger proportion of people from 
lower social classes and non-western cultures express toxic behavior and 
views. Rather the opposite.

In an effort to encourage the largest pool of contributors to 
open-source, no matter the social class, place of origin, sexual 
orientation, or any of a myriad of other factors that people like to 
discriminate upon it is important we make everyone feel comfortable to 
participate. At times this includes the unpleasant task of calling out 
those that are doing the opposite.

Harry

> Of the candidates for this X.Org board election are there people who
> in the future will push back against the harmful SJW politics of Lyude
> and the other X.Org board members who have voted in support of this
> political witch-hunt?
> 
> Roman
> 
>> https://rms-open-letter.github.io/>>>
>> We encourage members of X.org, freedesktop.org, and the open source community as
>> a whole to endorse this letter and boycott involvement with the FSF and
>> associated projects.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>          Lyude Paul - X.org board member and Secretary
>>          On behalf of the X.org foundation
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> members at foundation.x.org: X.Org Foundation Members
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