Re: Joint statement on the GNU Project

[Jean Louis]

* Dmitry Alexandrov <address@hidden> [2019-10-12 21:26]:
> address@hidden (Alfred M. Szmidt) wrote:
> Taylan Kammer <address@hidden> wrote:
> >> The GNU project should publish a list of ideologies that are officially 
> >> banned from its channels so people know what they're in for.  All other 
> >> topics should be treated neutrally so long as nobody is using slurs or a 
> >> bullying attitude.  Codes of conduct should clarify whether a rule such as 
> >> no homophobia simply means no homophobic slurs/bullying, or whether it 
> >> means that certain ideologies are banned and others favored.
> >
> > Can everyone move this discussion elsewhere?
> 
> Where?
> 
> > Seeing that this is not related to the GNU system or Guix.
> 
> Institution of ideological censorship in GNU project is pretty
> heavily related to the future of GNU system.

We shall follow the principle to avoid any politics in FSF or GNU. or
FSF owned pages for reasons that FSF when allowing such activity is
prone to lose the tax-free status.

References:
https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/frequently-asked-questions-about-the-ban-on-political-campaign-intervention-by-501c3-organizations

GNU.ORG domain belongs to FSF. FSF is not policing their own pages,
like GUIX.GNU.ORG

Page and subdomain Guix.gnu.org belong to FSF.

It does not matter that several people said "GNU is different", that
is gibberish for the law maker.

Please refer to this statement of the USA tax office IRS:
https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/frequently-asked-questions-about-the-ban-on-political-campaign-intervention-by-501c3-organizations-website-postings-and-links

A website is a form of communication.  If an organization posts
something on its website that favors or opposes a candidate for public
office, it is prohibited political campaign activity.  Posting
information on its website is the same as if the organization
distributed printed material or made oral statements or broadcasts
that favored or opposed a candidate.

If an organization establishes a link to another website, it is
responsible for the consequences of establishing and maintaining that
link, even if the organization does not have control over the content
of the linked site.  Because the linked content may change, the
organization should monitor the linked content and adjust or remove
any links that could result in prohibited political campaign activity.

The Thoughtpolice Squad[1] did not chose to mention any candidate for
public office, but they have taken a political stance dangerous enough
that they could as well do such action without FSF knowing what is
going on, and it would harm the tax-free status of teh FSF.

The non-profit organization such as FSF is supposed to remain
non-partisan.

These facts are valid for gnu-system-discuss mailing list as well.

GNU shall remain apolitical for the same reasons that emergency room
in hospitals is apolitical. It is for the same reasons as freedom
zero. It is for the same reasons as Red Cross activity and numerous
other organizations that are helping people without asking members
what stance they take in the feminism politics.

It would be good if it really becomes so.

Jean Louis

Footnotes:
[1]  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thought_Police