Alexandre Oliva Fights for Your Freedom of Speech, Not Just Your Software Freedom
THE week started with Alexandre Oliva (FSF, its Latin American offshoot, Linux-libre etc.) hesitantly - out of fear of reprisal - publishing his thoughts on "including underrepresented democraphics". It's a long and very good essay. My wife and an associate of ours praised what he wrote there. They agreed on many things.
I too read his essay (spotted some typos along the way, but did not correct them as it would alter the original). I strongly recommend everyone does the same.
In short, Oliva cautions about corporate "colonisation" or "colonialism", wherein very different groups of people are forced into cohesion in a shotgun wedding-type fashion.
The reality is, we in this site do not always agree with the FSF and that is perfectly fine. It's important to openly and freely discuss ideas. Let the best arguments win without resorting to 'cancel' culture or "wrongthink" policing.
I've always sensed the sincerity in Oliva's essays and talks, even when he was on Red Hat's payroll. He still has his share of criticism of Red Hat, especially under IBM. There's a good reason for his departure from the 'new' Red Hat, which imposed all sorts of proprietary tools on workers and I can relate because my last employer did the same in recent years.
Fighting for free speech is not easy; you constantly get bullied, get compared to a "nazi", and have family members constantly vilified.
I must say that I've witnessed Oliva targeted by the same mob that targets Dr. Stallman, Prof. Moglen, and some of the long-timers of Techrights. We intend to write about the methods and even crimes of these mobbing people until (at least!) next summer, usually every Monday so as to free up time for on-topic articles.
And if you see any more ad hominem attacks on Mr. Oliva, be sceptical of them. It's possible that it's coordinated by the same people who run a smear campaign calling Stallman a "pedophile" (usually behind the scenes to avoid detection), comparing Moglen to a wife murderer, and even make up a totally fictional family for me. █