Richard Stallman

Richard Stallman's Political Notes -

Reproach of US government for killing people in boat - 2025-09-18T08:37:29+00:00

Various former officials reproach the US government for choosing killing the people in a boat in the Caribbean, in disregard of US law, rather than arresting them and perhaps charging them with crimes (supposing there was evidence they were committing any crimes).

Bully's tariffs cause inflation to rise - 2025-09-18T08:37:29+00:00

The bully's tariffs caused inflation to rise in August.

I am not a supporter of the free-trade ideology, that gives capital the power to bully and dominate countries that don't bow down and obey. Tariffs can help a country build up its domestic industry, provided they are used in a well-designed plan.

Of course, that is not what the bully did. His goal was to make other countries' governments submit to him.

Suggestion to make crime for not labeling LLM output - 2025-09-18T08:37:28+00:00

A suggestion to make it a crime to publish output from an LLM without explicitly labeling it as such.

This could be a good idea, provided it avoids the marketing campaign of calling LLMs "intelligence" and referring to the output as "content" as if that were a sort of commodity.

Bolsonaro and officials convicted of coup - 2025-09-18T08:37:28+00:00

Bolsonaro and seven of his highest officials have been convicted of trying to launch a coup.

The plan included assassinating the just-reelected former president Lula, and others too. It failed because the army and air force commanders refused to join it.

Bolsonaro's followers are pleasing for the government to pardon him in the name of "peace", but the right-wing supporters of racist nationalism and absolutism never make peace — they never stop scheming and lying to take power,

Some senators said US complicit in ethnic cleansing of Gaza - 2025-09-18T08:37:27+00:00

*Some US senators said that the US is complicit in Israel's ethnic cleansing of Gaza.*

This is clearly true. Ethnic cleansing is the clearest term I know of to describe what Israel is doing to Gaza.

(satire) Ordinary gunman on school campus - 2025-09-18T08:37:27+00:00

(satire) *Witnesses Assumed Charlie Kirk Shooter Was Just Ordinary Gunman On School Campus.*

Democratic party must not only condemn Trumpism - 2025-09-18T08:37:27+00:00

Robert Reich: *If it's to have a future, the Democratic Party must not only condemn Trumpism but explain why so many Americans are struggling and provide a credible way for most people to share in the nation's prosperity.*

Wave of antisemitism accusations - 2025-09-18T08:37:27+00:00

There is a wave of antisemitism accusations against professors who criticize Israel's injustice toward Palestinians.

The same rules against atrocities that apply to other countries apply to Israel as well, and talking about those atrocities is not antisemitic at all.

Britain's situation allows it to resist being bullied into surrender - 2025-09-18T08:37:27+00:00

Arguing that Britain's situation allows it to resist being bullied into surrender to rich lenders.

The article also argues that the Euro and its rules are responsible for France's current mass poverty.

How super-rich avoid paying their fair share - 2025-09-18T08:37:26+00:00

*It’s not about [accused politicians] Rayner or Farage: the real tax story is how the super-rich avoid paying their share.*

Bully's war on Harvard proposed decades earlier - 2025-09-18T08:37:26+00:00

The bully's war on Harvard was proposed decades earlier by a right-wing congresscritter.

Bullshitter hates wind turbines - 2025-09-18T08:37:26+00:00

The bullshitter hates wind turbines, and promotes a wide range of imaginary reasons to get rid of them. This article checks the facts of them. Some are based on partial truth, but it isn't enough truth to justify rejecting wind power.

He might have some rational reason — rational for him, that is: his fossil-fool backers will make more money if we fail to make and use enough wind power.

The article leaves me wondering whether Britain is painting its wind farm blades black to protect birds, and also whether it is upgrading its electrical grid and battery storage so that it can utilize all the electric energy that its wind farms can generate.

IDF soldiers deliberately wounding children in Gaza - 2025-09-18T08:37:26+00:00

*IDF soldiers deliberately wounding children in Gaza "like a game", says British doctor.* The doctor reached this conclusion in Gaza based on treating many wounded children and noting the day-to-day variation in what kind of wounds were being made that day.

He also reported that many of the patients he operated on later died because they did not get enough food to recover properly.

Perverse cruelty to win Republican votes in primary elections - 2025-09-18T08:37:26+00:00

Would-be Republican candidates demonstrate perverse cruelty to win Republican votes in primary elections.

Censorship by payment platforms in Australia - 2025-09-18T08:37:25+00:00

*Payment platforms [in Australia] [including credit card companies] demand services remove NSFW [games] after open letter from Australian anti-porn group Collective Shout, triggering accusations of censorship

This censorship is one added injustice in an aspect of life that is unjust through and through.

The platforms that were forced to remove some games make users identify themselves and run nonfree software to get games, and track what each person does. They are unjust.

Likewise for the payment platforms — using them to pay online requires running nonfree software, except on a few sites such as fsf.org where we avoid that for moral reasons.

The games themselves are also unjust nonfree software. That applies to all the games there, those that were removed, and those that have not been removed.

They have DRM, too, to prevent forbidden sharing; DRM is unjust.

change.org partakes of the same injustice — one needs to run nonfree software to sign any of its petitions. I've seen petitions there that I agreed with, but I won't sign them that way.

I do not tolerate any of these injustices — I "just say no." As a result, I will never have any of the games from those platforms on my computer.

But even though this new censorship will never affect me directly. I am concerned about it. When censorship is accepted in any area of life, it tends to spread. Some day it may spread to activities which are not inherently unjust. And it illustrates the danger of the design of digital payment system, and of nonfree software that users can't just share with each other.

By the way, where in Australia is NSFW? Has it anything to do with NSW? ;-}.

Putin attacked Poland with drones - 2025-09-18T02:37:25+00:00

Putin attacked Poland with drones launched from Belarus.

*Russia is brazenly provoking the west. Putin must be left in no doubt of the consequences.*

I can't see what Putin hopes to achieve by that. The natural result would be that Polish and NATO forces prepare for war, and that will not be convenient for whatever Putin wants to do. NATO troops might to to Poland to help.

Nothing requires them to be limited to air defense forces. Since Belarus has attacked Poland, it would be legitimate to respond by counterattacking Belarus. Is that a good idea? Do Belarusian troops feel like fighting to maintain the tyrant Lukashenko's rule, or would they eagerly surrender to get rid of him? I don't know.

Ex-FBI officials sue Kash Patel - 2025-09-18T02:37:25+00:00

*Ex-FBI officials sue Kash Patel over claims they were fired for investigating Trump.*

Speakers with controversial viewpoints on college campuses - 2025-09-18T02:37:25+00:00

*A new survey of nearly 70,000 college students across the United States has found that a majority oppose allowing speakers with controversial viewpoints, whether liberal or conservative, to speak on their campuses.*

Anti-Islamic biker gang members hired to run security at Gaza aid sites - 2025-09-18T02:37:25+00:00

*Anti-Islamic biker gang members hired to run security at controversial Gaza aid sites More than 10 Infidels MC members deployed to sites run by US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.*

Israel makes no effort to disguise the massacres that are part of the plan for these "humanitarian" activities. It only repeats, in the teeth of the evidence, the claim that they are not. Why would it not hire these gang members?

Political activists against drone boat strike - 2025-09-18T02:37:24+00:00

Various political activists are joined by one Republican senator in condemning the deadly US drone attack on a boat allegedly carrying addictive drugs, calling it "an extrajudicial execution."

This shows what the trance demands — the power to kill at will.

Estimated worldwide deaths from Canada's 2023 wildfires - 2025-09-18T02:37:24+00:00

Estimating that Canada's 2023 wildfires killed [around] 82,000 people around the world, including 22,000 in Europe.

It is not easy to determine who was probably killed in by the smoke from those fires. The identification of them is not as direct as determining whether a person was killed by a gunshot. The estimate could easily be off by some percent. Perhaps a more correct statement would be 80,000 plus or minus 5,000. or even plus or minus 10,000.

That wouldn't alter the implications of the result.

Massive emissions from 14 biggest fossil fuel companies - 2025-09-18T02:37:24+00:00

Each of the 14 biggest fossil fuel companies has generated enough emissions that it by itself would have caused some fatal heat waves.

This may make it possible so win lawsuits against them for the various forms of damage done by those heat waves — including wrongful death

Two-thirds voters want to end gerrymandering - 2025-09-18T02:37:24+00:00

2/3 of US voters want Congress to put an end to gerrymandering.

Alas, Congress did this once already, in the 1960s, with the Voting Rights Act. The right-wing takeover of the Supreme Court overrode that law, and put the US into the vulnerable state where it is now.

Gaza aid flotilla reports second drone strike - 2025-09-18T02:37:24+00:00

*Gaza aid flotilla carrying Greta Thunberg reports second drone attack in 24 hours.* This time, the drone attacked with an incendiary bomb that started a fire on the deck.

Russia brainwashing Ukrainian with pre-military "education" - 2025-09-18T02:37:23+00:00

Russia is brainwashing Ukrainian with pre-military "education" which is likely to lead to conscription to fight for Putin.

(Reportedly suicide missions are the usual method of attack against Ukraine; I doubt these conscripted prisoners would be treated better than Russian conscripts.)

Fossil-fuel firms' US subsidies - 2025-09-18T02:37:23+00:00

*Fossil-fuel firms receive US subsidies worth $31bn each year, study finds.

Figure calculated by Oil Change International has more than doubled since 2017 but is likely a vast understatement.*

Labour promised not to raise taxes on workers - 2025-09-18T02:37:23+00:00

Labour promised not to raise taxes on workers and not to raise taxes on the wealthy. An organization of businesses calls for raising taxes on workers.

There's nothing surprising about that — what else would an organization of plutocrats want? What disappoints me is that Labour's leaders don't laugh in their faces.

Those killed in US boat strike were not Tren de Aragua members - 2025-09-18T02:37:23+00:00

*Venezuela says none of 11 killed in US boat strike were Tren de Aragua members.*

I would not take those Venezuelan officials' word that they were not criminals, any more than I would take the wrecker's word and his henchmen's word that the were criminals. When we can be sure of is that it was wrong to kill them summarily.

If the US government had evidence that they were smuggling dangerous, addictive drugs, it should have arrested them and given them a fair trial — something it could surely have done.

Scramble to evacuate Gaza artifacts - 2025-09-18T02:37:22+00:00

*Archaeologists scramble to evacuate Gaza artifacts threatened by Israeli [attack].*

Obstacles that block Americans from getting Covid-19 vaccine - 2025-09-18T02:37:22+00:00

RFK Jr's restrictions have created several new obstacles that block many Americans from getting a Covid-19 vaccine shot.

His idea that the vaccine is dangerous is based on imaginary dangers.

Israeli sniper admitted to shooting and killing - 2025-09-17T08:37:25+00:00

Israeli sniper Daniel Raab admitted that he shot and killed Palestinian Salem Doghmosh for no legitimate military justification.

Doghmosh was not fighting and did not seem to have a weapon. He was a noncombatant. The sniper aimed specifically at him and shot to kill. As I understand it, that is a war crime, and it is murder. Morally, no more needs to be said.

There is a peculiar wrinkle. Doghmosh was desperately trying to retrieve his brother's corpse. He and various relatives tried to do this, and were shot one by one because they had crossed a notional line. The line was, in effect, an excuse to kill.

Israel's latest way of hindering negotiations with HAMAS - 2025-09-17T08:37:25+00:00

Israel's latest way of hindering negotiations with HAMAS is by terrorist attack against HAMAS officials in Qatar where the negotiations take place.

(satire) [DOPE] Employees Dig Up Arlington National Cemetery - 2025-09-17T08:37:25+00:00

(satire) *[DOPE] Employees Dig Up Arlington National Cemetery* to collect fees from all those freeloading corpses.

Fossil-fuel firms receive US subsidies worth $31bn each year - 2025-09-17T08:37:25+00:00

*Fossil-fuel firms receive US subsidies worth $31bn each year, study finds.*

WHO accepting donations from businesses - 2025-09-17T08:37:25+00:00

WHO is accepting donations from businesses, some of which are anonymous. This will give businesses corrupt influence over world-wide medical policies.

Israel orders Palestinians in Gaza City to leave or be killed - 2025-09-17T08:37:25+00:00

Israel has ordered all the million Palestinians in Gaza City to leave or be killed.

For many, this will be a death march, an enormous atrocity.

Freedom of speech in UK limited - 2025-09-17T08:37:25+00:00

Freedom of speech in the UK is rather limited, in ways that an American (or someone getting accustomed to US standards) can find shocking.

I've noticed the same thing, and not only about the UK. In many other European countries, the idea of freedom of speech is narrow. You can state a range of political opinions, but insulting a person can be a crime. President Sarkozi (recently convicted of corruption) had several people prosecuted for insulting him.

Call for sanctions and partial trade suspension against Israel - 2025-09-17T08:37:24+00:00

*The president of the European Commission called for sanctions and a partial trade suspension against Israel.

Heavy fee for renting digital textbooks - 2025-09-17T08:37:24+00:00

Today's US college students are trapped in a system which automatically forces each student to pay a heavy fee for renting digital textbooks.

These can only be read with nonfree software, which makes them fundamentally unjust. And the rental expires in a year.

I would resent being compelled to pay so much, but the big injustice would lie in running those nonfree programs. A student could perhaps avoid that injustice by photographing all the pages of someone else's copy off a screen.

Incendiary bomb dropped on humanitarian aid boat - 2025-09-17T08:37:24+00:00

A drone dropped an incendiary bomb on one of the boats trying to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Reuters censoring its news events - 2025-09-17T02:37:20+00:00

Reuters has un-published several important news stories in response to pressure from governments. Just recently it deleted a video of a conversation in which Putin and Xi discussed the idea of living 150 years by repeated transplants of various organs.

If your genes are compatible with your country's dictator, better get out before they are wanted.

Israel not giving Palestinian prisoners enough food - 2025-09-17T02:37:20+00:00

*Israel's top court says government is not giving Palestinian prisoners enough food.*

If the court sticks to this demand, and protection of other human rights of prisoners, it can reduce the injustice in those prisons. But the most basic an crucial right in connection with prisons is the right to a fair trial, and Israel has explicitly denied that fundamental right.

Protesters arrested in UK charged with "supporting Palestine Action" - 2025-09-17T02:37:19+00:00

857 more protesters were arrested in the UK and charged with "supporting Palestine Action".

One supposes that this repressive government will eventually be daunted by the prospect of trying, and then perhaps imprisoning, so many people for a calm, nonviolent protest that most Britons consider normal civic discourse.

Weakening religious repression and replacing religious fervor - 2025-09-17T02:37:19+00:00

Israel's attacks against Iran this year killed 1000 people, but had the beneficial effect of weakening religious repression and replacing religious fervor with a more secular kind of patriotism.

That seems like a change for the better in Iran.

A few months ago, the state was taking out its resentment on the Iranian relatives of staff of the BBC Persian Service. Is it still doing that?

Making students recite prayers - 2025-09-17T02:37:19+00:00

Many right-wing US Christians want to make all students recite the prayers of their version of Christianity, but interfere with any other religion's prayers.

Any system to permit "prayers" in school would be unfair to Secular Humanists and other kinds of Atheists.

Bully ordered removal of vigil for peace and disarmament - 2025-09-17T02:37:19+00:00

The bully ordered removal of a vigil for peace and disarmament that has been kept going since 1981 near the White House.

What would you expect from someone who just announced he would "go to war" against an American city?

Science is under siege from weaponised disinformation - 2025-09-17T02:37:19+00:00

Michael Mann and Peter Hotez: *Science is under siege from weaponised disinformation – posing a threat to human civilization.*

Scotland bans arms companies that supply IDF - 2025-09-17T02:37:19+00:00

*Scotland bans arms companies that supply IDF from receiving financial aid.*

This is a small start, but it is a real start: putting practical pressure on some arms companies not to sell to Israel. It may inspire various countries to take bigger steps.

Comparing LLMs to lead poisoning - 2025-09-17T02:37:19+00:00

Comparing LLMs to lead poisoning.

Child poverty rare in Slovenia - 2025-09-17T02:37:18+00:00

How Slovenia makes child poverty quite rare.