[GTALUG] Surveillance Capitalism [was another thread]

[Russell Reiter]

On Fri, Apr 2, 2021 at 11:07 PM Karen Lewellen <klewellen at shellworld.net>
wrote:

> folks,
> Keeping with the in context  process.
>
> You are correct, context is important.

>
> On Fri, 2 Apr 2021, Dhaval Giani via talk wrote:
>
> >>>
> >>> Again, I say this again. RMS as a contributor, yes. RMS as a leader,
> no.
> >>>
> >>> I am not going to step into your Godwin's law discussion
> >>> (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_law ). It is irrelevant to
> >>> the issue at hand.
> >>
> >>
> >> That wasn't my discussion. I'm talking about Surveillance capitalism,
> which grows
> >> more important to me day by day. I just think there is a lot of
> shooting the messenger
> >> with RMS.
> >>
> >
> > Then this thread should prove to you exactly why RMS cannot be your
> > messenger. You could be 100% factual, but it is what the other side
> > receives is of greater importance. Your cause is lost, when your
> > messenger causes your message to be lost.
>
> This is absolutely correct.
> I  had no idea who rms was until the current discussion.
> Within ten minutes I came across an open letter demanding that the free
> software foundation's entire board step down and that rms be removed.
> This letter linked to gathered details about rms, not hearsay, but direct
> posts with links from his own website, where he suggests that a women get
> an abortion should she learn her child will have downs syndrome.
>

In Canada and elsewhere abortion is legal. This was the result of feminist
activisim and the doctors who agreed that in some cases it is best to
terminate a pregnancy. However abortinon is now universally available here,
no questions asked, if a woman wants one.


> And that  laws against under age sex  are wrong if the child is willing.
>

In Canada the age of consent is 16, absent positions of trust and even lower
if both are in the 13 to 16 age group. I won't restate the rules for you,
I'll just
link to them.

https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/other-autre/clp/faq.html

Here is what Stallman actually said.

"I think it is morally absurd to define 'rape' in a way that depends on
minor details such as which country it was in or whether the victim was 18
years old or 17," Stallman wrote.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/09/richard-stallman-leaves-mit-after-controversial-remarks-on-rape/


Certainly, there were comments about the ways associates have enabled rms,
> working around his stance and behavior.  but that paled  when his own
> words called into question why I, as an outsider to he subject, should
> give any  weight to his opinion...about anything.
> I will take your word that he is a talented coder, contributing much to
> the free software movement.
> Such does not make him a suitable leader, if  one cannot stop wondering
> how he can make such statements about  human beings, and their right to be
> born.
>

We are all entitled to our own opinion, however it's hard to formulate an
honest
opinion if the facts are dishonest.

Just my take,
Karen

>
> --
Russell
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