It is insane how ArsTechnica still spins this story as if that girl is somehow victim of Stallman, a person she's never even heard of.
For my taste, the language of Stallman's and FSF's statements is far too apologetic. Such lies should be met with firm and decisive resolve.
https://twitter.com/VRSVirginia/status/1174108999039406080
And yes, it's absolutely appalling that RMS is doing cover-up for Epstein's child sex trafficking ring. That his friend Minsky got busted is NOT an FOSS issue, yet RMS has made that and arguing for a lowered age of consent his call signs.
These lies do not become truths if you and your friends repeat it 1000 times.
All that Stallman did was being himself: diligently getting to the bottom of the issue and using very precise terms to describe what had happened. But none of that matters to you, of course.
Ah, no, it was not elaborate at all. Although it may look like that to an ars technica writer. Or reader.
But then, it is their country, their laws, so I'm fine. I'd never live in the US, though. Very punitive society. I read that people has been charged with child abuse for sending, while being underage, images to another underage which is absolutely insane. And then, I heard, when they move to a new place, even if they finish their sentence, they have to notify everyone they were a "child abuser" in the past. Which is very very very spiteful. Oh, and if they had been in jail in the past they have to notify their employer!!! It is so common, it is a key part of the plot of Ant-Man. It is so, so sad... Feels like a fascist dystopia.
> All that Stallman did was being himself: diligently getting to the bottom of the issue and using very precise terms to describe what had happened. But none of that matters to you, of course.
Why would it matter to anyone? RMS has a friend who participated in a child sex trafficking ring. That has nothing to do with FOSS. All it does is taint the movement.
As Andrew_nenakhov said, you can repeat this all you want. Specifically this is the most ridiculous accusation which has been debunked to death. You might want to try going over the actual facts again.
> All it does is taint the movement.
If the perception of a "taint" is based on lies spread by a bunch of idiots on Twitter and some "journalists", this is not Stallman's fault. As for "the movement" itself, Stallman is a thought leader and an uncompromising idealist who left MIT to pursue it. He is the kind of person people like Eben Moglen [1] considered a giant. Stallman's statement speaks volumes about his character.
Unless the damage and the harm inflicted upon him by the mob and the lies is fully repaired, I do not care about whatever actually valid reason someone might have to get him to step down.
Stallman only harms any movement he's involved in. He's best left a footnote in history. He's not someone to build a movement behind.