On Fri, Oct 11, 2019 at 08:54:54PM +1100, Zenaan Harkness wrote:
https://lwn.net/Articles/802059/
Richard Stallman and the GNU project
Posted Oct 11, 2019 9:51 UTC (Fri) by zenaan (subscriber, #3778) [Link]
So exactly WHY is it appropriate for the mob to metaphorically crucify someone for a list that doesn't exist,
Because all of this list is just social norms for people of my age group
"I feel he broke my $CURRENT_YEAR social norm, so yes, he should be crucified as a result; bring on the witch hunt mob thank you very much."
Sorry, I cannot possibly agree with your implicit/explicit position. It's only when you're on the "mob" side of the fence that you can even put such a position with a straight face!
Find some dignity and courage and communicate directly with those who have actually conducted themselves in ways you want to see them change (and for a hope of success, I suggest being specific and fact based in all such communications), rather than sanction a public mob based witch hunt to metaphorically crucify anyone --outside-- of due process!
Perhaps folks just can't understand until/unless they themselves experience being the target of the mob... <shakes head>
People did communicate this to RMS; he chose to ignore it ...
... At some point, when 20 years of telling him that he's out of line ...
... This is not out of the blue for RMS ...
EVERY allegation YOU have made is hearsay - both legally, and morally.
Put up your actual examples, or S, T, F, U.
Without even ONE actual example (that RMS could reply to) you are avoiding due process, claiming "the higher ground" with nothing but the mob for your backing, and a snowflake who is virtue signalling your virtue to other beta males and/or millenial females.
Seriously - why do you have the right to accuse anyone without putting up a fact, without providing something which the accused can even respond to coherently?
That is the very definition of a witch hunt.
Is this the world you wish to create? You want fact-less mob rule witch hunts and endless irrefutable allegations in the public conversation? Is that what you'd want for yourself?
Richard Stallman and the GNU project
How can their words cause any harm to [RMS]?
Is this a serious question?
Yes. You draw a distinction between words and "sticks and stones", presumably because there's a meaningful difference between them. If both can cause harm, what's the difference you're highlighting?
To be ethical in the process of airing an accusation, any accusation, the accusation must provide an actual fact, and a clearly stated position in relation to that fact. This foundation provides an opportunity to the accused to respond (in whatever forum the accuser chose). Without both the fact in issue, and the position held by the accuser in relation to that fact, the accused is provided no opportunity to properly respond, possibly no opportunity to meaningfully respond at all. I have not yet seen any fact by anyone posting here at lwn.net or elsewhere (yourself included), which substantiates the "hollering" and "justification opinions" for RMS to resign (to have already resigned) from the FSF. All I have seen are opinions, innuendo, and hearsay. The claim that opinions, innuendo and/or hearsay are sufficient "evidence" or "cause" to "metaphorically crucify" an individual in the public (or any other) sphere of human interaction, is a call not founded in ethics but instead is founded in evil - is opposed to our lives. Such a call is a call for mob rule, a "witch hunt" abdicating due process and abdicating our responsibility to one another as human beings. Those who understand (let alone value) justice and righteousness, understand these very basic principles. Taking justice a step further, an accuser, per Matthew 18, is advised to go speak with the accused ("your brother") in the first instance, that he might hear you, and if he does not hear you, go with some number of witnesses, that the accused's response may be witnessed by a number of others. Such processes as are (very) summarised above under the banner "due process", provide for the opportunity (still yet no certainty) for the accused and the accuser to come to an understanding and possible resolution. The mob witch hunt provides almost no such opportunity, just a forum for heedens heeding the rumours of those who rumour mongor without facts, to join in their force of numbers and crucify a probably good man in the name of any flippant emotional weakness in some rando snowflake accuser.