FSF Stallman And What To Do Now?

I know that this post is very late. I just assumed everything was fine at the FSF. I never imagined that what happened would happen. So, please forgive me that I didn't see all of this back in September.

At this point, I am heartbroken over how Stallman was treated. I have looked to him for inspiration sense my college does. I had just discovered back then the history of Stallman, why the OS should be called GNU + Linux, and why the Free Software Foundation is better than "open source."

Linus made that clear a little while back with his 'suck on Stallman' quote in his message basically declaring it a programmer's sacred right what license he/she releases software under.

This message itself illustrates the point perfectly on what the difference is between Free Software and open source, between Stallman and Linus; and why users should never look toward open source for freedom.

Stallman knew that the point of Free Software was to secure liberty for ALL the users of the software. That liberty wasn't only meant to survive the compiler; but was something that also shouldn't be at the discretion of either a corporation or a programmer. That as users; we shouldn't have to beg bended knee for liberty from others. Rather, that the spirit of liberty as an ethical duty to others for the sake of a moral society should be cultivated, cherished, and spread as a way of life for the common good of all.

When the FSF lost Stallman, they lost their soul. I am no longer donating to them; and I had in the past. I donated in the past because I believed in what Stallman stood for in Free Software. And, not being a programmer, but being someone who loves computing, I felt that it was my way of participating and helping make the world a better place for others who also loved computing and wanted liberty with their computing.

I've let my membership lapse so as to not donate to the FSF anymore. I've peeled off the FSF stickers from my computers and threw away the FSF enamel pins I used to wear at work. I feel betrayed by all of this. Sad.

On one hand I feel horrible for how the media treated Stallman for all of this. On the other hand I feel horrible for how the FSF and MIT did nothing to help the man. I feel horrible for how others working around him took it as an opportunity to stab him in the back by calling for his removal. And I feel horrible that a great man with strong conviction allowed his legacy to be tarnished by bowing out due to these atrocities.

I feel bad to feel that way about Stallman himself. I can also understand it, in a way. If everyone was calling for me to leave; I would to in most situations. But, I always thought Free Software was about more than just himself. I don't know what I would have done if I was is Stallman's shoes. But, I feel betrayed by him as well insofar as he didn't weather this controversy the same way he weathered the ones that came before.

So, my question is; what do I do now? I'm done with the FSF. I'm done with Stallman. Do I just be done with Free Software too? I can't program. So, I can't participate directly in helping the movement. I refuse to donate to or promote the FSF anymore because of what happened.

This was my cause. This was the one charity that I actually donated to and cared about because I really did feel that it helped make the world a better place. Because I actually believed in its mission.

But when the organization turns on its founder and the founder bows out; what's left to support?

I could donate on a project by project bases. But, if I did that, I'd also like a good list of all the projects who stabbed Stallman in the back so that I know to never donate to them.

Even then, it feels like the entire movement just had a sledge hammer taken to its ankles. Donating to small projects I care about without donating to a central hub seems like trying to salvage a few survivors after a disaster. Helpful, but the proverbial ship is still sinking anyway.

Maybe this is why movements shouldn't have faces. Shouldn't have central leaders. Maybe this is why movements shouldn't have central charity hubs. Because after decades of service to the cause it can all be upended pointlessly in about a week. Yet, I also question how far a movement can get without a faces, central leaders, and a charity hubs.

Where do I go from here with Free Software? What have others done? I've read several articles about this on Techrights and it seems to be about the only place left that actually has people speaking out who care. Is there anywhere else to get good information about Free Software and what happens now after the fallout of Stallman's removal? Does Free Software even have a future anymore? A real future with people who actually care about what it really means? Or, is all we're left with is a spineless FSF and a leaderless movement to forever live in the shadow of 'open source' who cares nothing about freedom for the users?

The Free Software movement just seems done to me now. Is there any hope in saving it? Is there anything left to save? Any point in trying? If anyone has anything helpful or genuinely hopeful to add; please do. Because, I'm just not seeing hope for this movement anymore.