[Date Prev][Date Next] [Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Re: Amendment to GR on RMS rejoining FSF



Hello,

On Sat 27 Mar 2021 at 12:17AM +0530, Sruthi Chandran wrote:

>> ==== Begin text ====
>>
>> Under section 4.1.5 of the constitution, the Developers make the
>> following statement:
>>
>> *Debian’s statement on Richard Stallman rejoining the FSF board*
>>
>> We at Debian are profoundly disappointed to hear of the re-election of
>> Richard Stallman to a leadership position at the Free Software
>> Foundation, after a series of serious accusations of misconduct led to
>> his resignation as president and board member of the FSF in 2019.
>>
>> One crucial factor in making our community more inclusive is to
>> recognise and reflect when other people are harmed by our
>> own actions and consider this feedback in future actions. The way
>> Richard Stallman announced his return to the board unfortunately lacks
>> any acknowledgement of this kind of thought process. We are deeply
>> disappointed that the FSF board elected him a board member again despite
>> no discernible steps were taken
>> by him to be accountable for, much less make amends for, his past
>> actions or those who have been harmed by them. Finally, we are also
>> disturbed by the secretive process of his re-election, and how it was
>> belately conveyed [0] to FSF’s staff and supporters.
>>
>>
>> We believe this step and how it was communicated sends wrong and hurtful
>> message and harms the future of the Free Software movement. The goal of
>> the software freedom movement is to empower all people to control
>> technology and thereby create a better society for everyone. Free
>> Software is meant to serve everyone regardless of their age, ability or
>> disability, gender identity, sex, ethnicity, nationality, religion or
>> sexual orientation. This requires an inclusive and diverse environment
>> that welcomes all contributors equally. Debian realises that we
>> ourselves and the Free Software movement still have to work hard to be
>> in that place where everyone feels safe and respected to participate in
>> it in order to fulfil the movement's mission.
>>
>>
>> That is why, we call for his resignation from all FSF bodies. The FSF
>> needs to seriously reflect on this decision as well as their
>> decision-making process to prevent similar issues from happening again.
>> Therefore, in the current situation we see ourselves unable to
>> collaborate both with the FSF and any other organisation in which
>> Richard Stallman has a leading position. Instead, we will continue to
>> work with groups and individuals who foster diversity and equality in
>> the Free Software movement in order to achieve our joint goal of
>> empowering all users to control technology.

Seconded.

-- 
Sean Whitton

Attachment: signature.asc
Description: PGP signature


Reply to: