It's an old org with a lot of cruft. Stallman isn't stupid, and absolutely cares about the cause of free software, more than any of us could ever possibly care.

What's happening isn't 100% the fault of Stallman, but a continuation of the long-running chasm between the free software and open source communities. Though it certainly didn't help that Stallman chose to reclaim his board seat. There's just a lot of antipathy between the two camps. There always has been.

> keeping the FSF closely associated with the Epstein scandal

So orgs should pander to misinformation?

The he said/she said of RMS and Epstein scandal “misinformation” doesn’t need to be clarified. RMS said some questionable things (to some people). The corrected version is still questionable (to some smaller subset of people). This Epstein thing is not the only questionable thing he’s done/said. He’s a liability regardless of the truth, because the truth does not exonerate him.

The FSF is an advocacy org and you can’t advocate well for a moral position (free software) if your main advocate is ensnared in scandal over morally questionable behavior, regardless of the truth.

The FSF first now has to advocate for the morality of RMS to clear his name enough that he can advocate for the morality something else and have enough people listen. Frankly, his track record beyond the Epstein mess was already dubious, so it’s a losing battle.

You mentioned Epstein specifically so that's what I'm responding too.

What does it mean to be "questionable"? controversial? wrong? That the earth is round is questionable (to some smaller subset of people) - that doesn't change the fact that the RMS was misrepresented (without scare-quotes) - the truth of his actual comments wrt Minsky do 100% exonerate him - that a subset of people don't agree is irrelevant.

Questionable is that some significant group of people might not be ready to support or condone the views. The fact that its still in discussion means that even with his "exoneration" he's still not viewed positively.

He's viewed so negatively that this Epstein thing (which he is not exonerated entirely imo) is not the only reason to distance from him.

Sure, because of misinformation. A significant number of people may hold an insignificant view; a significant number of people don't wear facemasks either.

So what only Captain America can be an advocate now?

I really don't think it is just that. It is not just Minsky/Epstein scandal, those are just something people who disliked how much more low key much less impactful "uncomfortable" behaviors were enabled.

And it has zero to do with open source to wining over FSF. Like, nothing at all, popular organization survive sex-abuse scandals just fine. Partly it is business friendliness, yes. But also, personally I remember finding culture around FSF off-putting years ago, for reasons that have nothing to do with Minsky/Epstein kind of issues.

I found that off-putting because of hollier then tho, we are geniuses everyone else is looser and if you don't agree with us is bad programmer attitudes. And the massive thread wars over everything that kind of pretend to be rational, but are actually massively emotional.