There is a point which appears to be getting lost in the noise of the Stallman thing which I would like to highlight, in the hopes of helping some reply guys understand why they are receiving such a furious response to what they believe is a principled...
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There is a point which appears to be getting lost in the noise of the Stallman thing which I would like to highlight, in the hopes of helping some reply guys understand why they are receiving such a furious response to what they believe is a principled defense of freethinking and open debate:
The mailing lists where Stallman was making his objectionable posts were mailing lists *for free software projects*. That is to say, they are a *professional context*, for a specific activity.
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Subjects such as the appropriate criminal sanction for offenses such as statutory rape, necrophilia, zoophilia, sexual assault, are things that society needs to reckon with. That is true. But it is NEVER, EVER APPROPRIATE TO DISCUSS *ANY* OF THESE SUBJECTS IN A PROFESSIONAL CONTEXT. It does not matter if your perspective is complex, nuanced, or even objectively correct. *Bringing up* these subjects in an inappropriate context is itself part of creating a hostile work environment.
