Re: Support RMS

[Jean Louis]

> Can you easily sue people who are backed by multi billion dollar
> companies, or more to the point sue and win.

Of course it is possible. And need not cost much.

But it is not about large companies, there are just few individual
accusers. Additionally when there are criminal elements, it does not
cost much to report it to authorities who then act on behalf of the
state and spend their own money in following criminals.

In my opinion FSF should use part of funds to legally defend its
members from nonsense defamations. That is what foundations and
non-profits do.

> The Free software community is, after all , a community of people who care
> about the cause,  that potentially makes us more powerful as we have a voice
> and we can, if we try come together in a show of strength.

FSF is not equal to free software community and personal attacks like
those brought against RMS are not at all relevant to free software or
free software community, not even relevant to FSF. Mixing those issues
is the source of the problem. Keeping relations separate and making
conclusions separately for each relation is reasonable approach.

When you mention free software community, there is common purpose, and
we do not agree on everything but on common purpose, but when it comes
to personal attacks, crimes, libel, defamation, that is where each
individual has legal rights to defend.

> Let big companies waste money suing each other,  lets spend what funds we
> have on promoting the cause, see legal action as a last resort,   Our
> collective actions can counter defamation easily by posting and spreading
> the truth.

I would not say that helps, as agony endures for long time. Would RMS
hire an attorney to send a letter to accuser, it would or could long
ago be handled. Exactly for the reason that RMS is weak in defense,
that is why some of people have chosen to keep defaming and harassing.

It is even easier to defame public figures.
https://www.dmlp.org/legal-guide/proving-fault-actual-malice-and-negligence

In some countries it is illegal to defame others even if statements
are true, that is irrelevant. In United States, defamation must be
untrue to win in court.

Public accusation is serious act that influences legally, and
politically and financially the work of FSF and RMS, it influences
community negatively.

Any such defamation, public harassment, cyber-bullying acts should be
legally defended and court judgments published.

That is what FSF and RMS do not do currently, I would not know why.

Jean