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77 lines
2.9 KiB
77 lines
2.9 KiB
1 year ago
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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
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<html newsdate="2021-03-24">
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<version>1</version>
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<head>
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<title>Statement on Richard Stallman rejoining the FSF board</title>
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</head>
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<body>
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<h1>Statement on Richard Stallman rejoining the FSF board</h1>
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<p>
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We learnt through a public announcement that Richard Stallman is
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again part of the board of directors of the Free Software Foundation,
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one of our independent sister organisations. We disapprove of this
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step that came without any message of remorse or willingness to
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change.
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</p>
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<p>
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In 2019, Richard Stallman resigned as president and board member of
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the Free Software Foundation. On 21 March 2021 Stallman announced he
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is member of the board again. The FSFE only learnt about that fact
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through his public announcement.
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</p>
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<p>
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We believe this step and how it was communicated harms the future of
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the Free Software movement. The goal of the software freedom movement
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is to empower all people to control technology and thereby create a
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better society for everyone. Free Software is meant to serve everyone
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regardless of their age, ability or disability, gender identity, sex,
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ethnicity, nationality, religion or sexual orientation. This requires
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an inclusive and diverse environment that welcomes all contributors
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equally. The FSFE realises that we ourselves and the Free Software
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movement still have to work hard to be that place where everyone
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feels safe and respected to participate in it in order to fulfill the
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movement's mission.
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</p>
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<p>
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One crucial factor in making our community more inclusive is to
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recognise and reflect when other people are offended or harmed by our
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own actions and consider this feedback in future actions. The way
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Richard Stallman announced his return to the board unfortunately
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lacks any acknowledgement of this kind of thought process, and we are
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deeply disappointed that the FSF board did not address these concerns
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before electing him a board member again. Overall, we feel the
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current step sends the wrong signal to existing and future community
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members.
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</p>
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<p>
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That is why, as a legally and financially independent organisation,
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in which Richard Stallman has not had any decision-making powers, we
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call for his resignation from all FSF bodies. The FSF needs to
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seriously reflect on this decision as well as their decision-making
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process to prevent similar issues from happening again. Therefore, in
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the current situation we see ourselves unable to collaborate both
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with the FSF and any other organisation in which Richard Stallman has
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a leading position. Instead, we will continue to work with groups and
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individuals who foster diversity and equality in the Free Software
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movement in order to achieve our joint goal of empowering all users
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to control technology.
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</p>
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</body>
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<tags>
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<tag key="front-page"/>
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</tags>
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<image url="https://pics.fsfe.org/uploads/medium/736a16997c086b8995b79b14378d06b2.png"/>
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</html>
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