Re: [Libreboot] libreboot is not GNU Libreboot anymore

[Bruno Dantas]

Wow, what a nightmare. It seems that Libreboot has turned into a political 
weapon. I'm sorry to see it, as I love free software but hate politics.

I have a hard time believing the accusations against the FSF. Besides, the laws 
of the USA are such that there would be no FSF if they had discriminatory 
practices. Presumption of innocence is also the law of the land--the FSF is 
innocent until proven guilty. The burden of proof is on the plaintiff.

Please de-politicize Libreboot. If there was discrimination, let the grieved 
party prove her case in a court of law so that the FSF can be brought to 
justice. Short of that, the FSF is innocent until proven guilty.

Cheers,
Bruno

 

On September 17, 2016 5:13:24 PM EDT, Tiberiu-Cezar Tehnoetic <address@hidden> 
wrote:
>On 17.09.2016 19:50, Leah Rowe wrote:
>>> The Free Software Foundation recently fired  a transgendered
>employee of
>>> the FSF, just for being trans, because some transphobic cissexist
>people
>>> wrote negativly about her. The FSF fired her because they thougdt
>she,
>>> rather than the assholes bullying her, was causing the FSF potential
>>> damage. As a result, she was fired from the FSF.
>> 
>> We've now issued our own public statement, on the libreboot website:
>> https://libreboot.org/gnu/
>
>Since this thread started, I feel like I'm in a nightmare and that this
>scandal can't be real.
>
>I'm bisexual and I'm no stranger to discrimination, but knowing FSF's
>inclusive policy towards minorities which are also stated in their job
>opening announcements and their conference LibrePlanet safe space
>policy, and RMS' strong opposition to prejudice, I don't believe these
>accusations.
>
>http://www.fsf.org/news/fsf-job-opportunity-operations-assistant-2016
>https://libreplanet.org/2016/safe-space-policy/
>
>Especially since no proof has been provided and the person making the
>accusations was not an eyewitness. A summary of the negative things
>that
>were written about the transgender former employee could shed some
>light
>on the true reasons she was fired. And in my opinion such a summary can
>be made skipping details which could have the potential to reveal her
>identity.
>
>To better understand the context, I've done some research and
>considering that FSF has a relatively small staff and that the staff is
>encouraged to work transparently, I could easily find public records
>showing that the transgender former employee and Stephen Mahood have
>worked together on tasks in the past and that she was happy about the
>experience. Also, it's hard to believe that an outreach and
>communication coordinator how have previously worked with radical
>social
>justice organizations can show prejudice towards trans colleagues at
>work. What I suspect is that there has been a fight/tension between
>colleagues and this sort of things happen. I don't believe it was a
>prejudice against trans.
>
>Now, about Libreboot leaving GNU soon after joining the project. I'm
>truly sorry the maintainer decided this, because this affects the image
>of all three projects (Libreboot, GNU and FSF). I hope she consulted
>with the Libreboot developers, checked what FSF has to say about these
>accusations and let GNU leadership know about her intention before
>taking publicly such a radical action.
>
>https://libreboot.org/contrib/
>
>Regarding some of the actions proposed. "Spread the word about this
>injustice". If I had more than one non-eyewitness' statement and had
>some proof to make me doubt FSF, I would believe that firing that
>employee was an injustice and that it needs to be made known. But how
>am
>I to convince other people if I don't have any facts to point to
>discrimination?
>
>"Other GNU projects should also leave GNU". GNU is the reason why we
>all
>are in the free software movement and why we are able to continue
>having
>freedom in computing. GNU is mostly run by volunteers, including its
>leader RMS. FSF is the organization that provides infrastructure and is
>the main fundraiser/sponsor for GNU, but GNU is older and much bigger
>than FSF and many other people and organizations contribute to GNU.
>
>Now, about refunding the donations made to FSF since 2015. I can't be
>the only person realizing that FSF has been one of the main reasons
>Libreboot was started and has been the biggest promoter of Libreboot
>ever since. Through their RYF certification, FSF has been instrumental
>to the success and financial stability of the Libreboot project and her
>lead developer. In my opinion those donations were well deserved.
>Moreover, donations to nonprofits are non-refundable.
>
>Last, but not least, I find it strange that while Libreboot lead
>developer has taken a series of actions to delimit herself and the
>project from FSF and GNU:
>* announcing that Libreboot is leaving GNU
>* requesting to have her FSF membership revoked
>* stopping donations and requesting a full refund
>* boycotting FSF and GNU,
>she hasn't requested the FSF's RYF certification of the Libreboot
>laptops be revoked.
>
>I wish this year's Software Freedom Day would have been happier, like
>in
>previous years. After all, SFD is celebrated in the same month GNU
>project was announced. In a positive note, I invite you to watch this
>RMS' small video released with the occasion:
>
>https://media.libreplanet.org/u/libreplanet/m/richard-stallman-explains-free-software-on-software-freedom-day-2016/
>
>Happy hacking,
>--
>Tiberiu
>
>https://tehnoetic.com
>https://ceata.org