Richard Stallman

Richard Stallman's Political Notes -

Home Depot "Mexicans" entrapped, CA - 2025-08-09T09:37:38+00:00

US border thugs set up a trap by pretending to seek day laborers and arresting whoever showed up. This violated a court order that US agents needed specific grounds about a person to arrest per for deportation.

National Guard domestic operations abuse - 2025-08-09T09:37:37+00:00

The persecutor has adopted a clever suggestion for how to strew confusion in the records about people in deportation prison: by having National Guard soldiers handle the processing of jailing them.

Since those soldiers have no experience in doing this, they are sure to make lots of random mistakes, which will prevent the prisoners from contacting their families, contacting their lawyers, or getting medical attention.

[This text was posted with the wrong link. We have deleted that note and posted it now with the correct link.]

Urgent: Boycott Avelo Air - 2025-08-09T08:39:15+00:00

US citizens: call on officials in some states to boycott Avelo Air, which runs deportation flights.

Even though some deportations are legitimate, we cannot expect that to be true most of the time, not with the persecutor in charge.

US resident Hernan Castro faces deportation - 2025-08-09T08:39:15+00:00

US permanent resident Hernan Castro faces deportation because he applied for citizenship and did not mention a decades-ago drug arrest.

It is reasonable to deport people for serious and dangerous crimes, but doing so for minor crimes long ago bespeaks a desire to cause suffering rather than a responsibility to protect the public.

Ghislaine Maxwell is not a victim - 2025-08-09T08:39:14+00:00

*Ghislaine Maxwell is not a victim. And if she is pardoned, it won't be for the sake of justice.*

When the corrupter is involved in events, the a priori probability of corruption in them is fairly high. I suspect he wants to pardon her so that she won't inculpate him somehow.

Two large US railroads want to merge - 2025-08-09T08:39:14+00:00

Two of the four large consolidated US railroads want to merge. Lina Khan would never have allowed this, but the wrecker sees them as a way to reward big business for its support.

Russian prison for political Ukrainian prisoners - 2025-08-09T08:39:13+00:00

[A Russian prison for political Ukrainian prisoners]: *beatings, electrocution and starvation at prison where Ukrainians were tortured.*

Jews in Scottish universities against IHRA criterion for antisemitism - 2025-08-09T08:39:13+00:00

Some Jews in Scottish universities are campaigning for them to reject the IHRA criterion for antisemitism.

That criterion lends itself to falsely construing condemnation of Israel's actions as antisemitism.

Nonfree software from UK companies - 2025-08-09T08:39:13+00:00

Watch out for nonfree software from companies that operate in the UK! It may contain a secret back door ordered by the UK government.

With a nonfree program, it is very difficult for the users to check the software for a back door.

US stands up globally for tyranny - 2025-08-09T08:39:12+00:00

The US stands up globally for tyranny by putting sanctions on the judge presiding over the trial of Bolsonaro for his coup in Brazil.

These are accompanies by heavy punitive tariffs.

Protesters arrested in UK for supporting banned protest group - 2025-08-09T08:39:12+00:00

Describing a few of the many protesters who have been arrested in the UK for allegedly supporting the protest group which was arbitrarily banned.

Countries are failing to act on UN climate pledge - 2025-08-09T08:39:12+00:00

*Countries [are generally] failing to act on UN climate pledge to triple [renewable electric generation], thinktank finds.*

It seems that various other real dangers (such as right-wing parties that attack poor and marginalized people and their human rights) and imaginary dangers (such as immigrants and queer people) have distracted public attention from the biggest danger of all, that of global heating disaster.

Lobbyists took advantage of this distracted state of mind to cancel the plans to save civilization.

Propaganda videos mandatory viewing for students in US colleges - 2025-08-09T08:39:12+00:00

Propaganda videos, made to teach that hostility to Israel implies antisemitism, are now mandatory viewing for students in various US colleges.

Some Jewish groups are campaigning against this. Good on them!

Deportation prisons denying congress right to inspect prisons - 2025-08-09T08:39:12+00:00

Deportation prisons continue denying members of Congress their legal right to inspect the prisons at any time.

Electric cables across private land in Victoria - 2025-08-09T08:39:12+00:00

The government of Victoria (an Australian state) is passing a law to give the government the authority to build electric cables across private land, paying a fee for the cables' presence. It seems to do no particular wrong, and more power cables are necessary for moving to renewable generation.

But there is a peculiarly strong opposition movement, I wonder why.

When the leader criticized the "push for renewables", that gave it away. This opposition movement is linked to the right-wing parties want to boost fossil fuel extraction. So I suspect that rich planet roasters are funding this protest campaign. The building of cables across rural land can't bother enough people to bring about strong opposition without some selfishly-motivated financial motive.

Meanwhile, those rich planet roasters continue to spread absurd claims with no shame.

Doctor vaccination recommendation in lieu of US recommendations - 2025-08-09T08:39:11+00:00

As medically ignorant US officials appointed by the saboteur in chief alter or delete official vaccination recommendations, professional organizations of doctors are drawing up their own lists of recommendations.

Scholars of genocide demand end to Israel's atrocities - 2025-08-09T08:39:11+00:00

Taner Akçam, Marianne Hirsch and Michael Rothberg: *As scholars of genocide, we demand an end to Israel’s atrocities.*

Venezuelans recall 125 days in El Salvador prison - 2025-08-09T08:39:11+00:00

*‘Cemetery of the living dead’: Venezuelans recall 125 days in notorious El Salvador prison.*

There are two ways for the reasoning to proceed from here. One leads to the conclusion that the president of El Salvador is a sadist and a monster. The other leads to the conclusion that the president of the US is a sadist and a monster.

Suarez, the musician prisoner, says he has forgiven the bullies who boasted of making life hell. I think it is a mistake to forgive them until they learn how horrible were the crimes they have committed.

Age of bullies tears social fabric - 2025-08-09T08:39:11+00:00

Robert Reich: The age of bullies tears the social fabric.

Media companies caving to the dangerous despot - 2025-08-09T08:39:11+00:00

Robert Reich: *From the Washington Post to CBS, [media] companies are caving to [the dangerous despot]. This is how democracy dies.*

"The dangerous despot" is Reich's words, but I copied them to that sentence.

Earthly bacteria have evolved to live in outer space - 2025-08-09T08:39:10+00:00

Earthly bacteria have evolved to live in outer space. They were found on the outside of China's space station.

Cartel of billionaires and conglomerates dominates U.S. media - 2025-08-09T08:39:10+00:00

*A small cartel of billionaires and conglomerates dominates the U.S. media landscape. Through a history of mergers and acquisitions, they’ve concentrated their control over much of what Americans see, read and hear. Free Press rates the independence of each of these giants and analyzes their ability to defend democracy at a time of domestic and international authoritarianism.*

UK government agency trying to discourage unprivatizing water - 2025-08-09T08:39:10+00:00

One UK government agency is trying to discourage unprivatizing water companies by proposing that this would require enormous expenses.

Why even consider "temporary" nationalization? Water companies should not have been privatized and the British government should permanently reverse that mistake.

Canadian fires - 2025-08-08T14:39:08+00:00

Smoke from forest fires up north, caused by global heating, is making hazy air in much of the US.

This is dangerous to the people who breathe the smoke, even when it is diluted so it is just a haze. But the worst thing about it is that the burning trees are releasing more CO2, threatening a runaway heating that could kill most of humanity and much of nature.

Israeli citizenry feeling the shame - 2025-08-06T08:39:09+00:00

Israel's citizenry: punish our nation! *We, Israelis dedicated to a peaceful future for our country and our Palestinian neighbours, write this with grave shame, in rage and in agony. Our country is starving the people of Gaza to death and contemplating the forced removal of millions of Palestinians from the Strip. The international community must impose crippling sanctions on Israel until it ends this brutal campaign and implements a permanent ceasefire.*

The signatories are prominent and admired Israelis; each one's claim to fame is listed.

Here is more about the letter.

I admire their courage and support their call.

It should be noted that Israelis carry out sadistic oppression in the West Bank too

• seizing village land, historical land and water,
• destruction of herds and orchards,
• killing civilians of all persuasions,
• and cruelty,

all of it steeped in blaming the Palestinians.

An Israeli expat explains why sanctions can overcome Netanyahu's political power.

*Advocates of a two-state solution realize time to act is now.* Israel is setting out on to expel Palestinians and colonize, in Gaza and the West Bank. If this isn't stopped now, it will be too late.

Airdrops in Gaza - 2025-08-06T08:39:08+00:00

Why airdropping food in Gaza causes casualties on the ground and will not function as a way to keep the people supplied with food.

It would be easy to bring in enough food by truck, if only Israel did not block the trucks.

Israel's warnings - 2025-08-06T08:39:08+00:00

*In Act of "Brutal Sadism," Israel Bans Gazans From Entering Sea Under Pain of Death.*

In the past, though Israel did not forbid people in Gaza from going into the sea or on a boat, sometimes it killed the people who did.

Trump AI action plan - 2025-08-06T08:39:08+00:00

The saboteur in chief wants LLMs to draw a blank when they encounter "woke" concepts such as transgender and systemic racism.

This would finally give validity to the acronym "AI", standing for "Artificial Ignorance".

ICE detention expansion - 2025-08-06T08:39:08+00:00

The persecutor is reopening various old prisons.

Some were known for illegal cruelty towards the prisoners.

Many of them would be operated by private prison profiteers, make more money if they give prisoners inadequate food and clothing, and cut them off from families.

IAG expansion warning - 2025-08-06T08:39:07+00:00

It is useless to try to "boost the economy" by expanding an airport unless you arrange for lots more flights to result.

Since lots more flights will advance global disaster, perhaps that amounts to another reason not to expand the airport. The last ones a government should listen to about this question are the airline companies.

Forced Labor Suit - 2025-08-05T08:38:57+00:00

Indonesian fishermen are suing Bumble Bee for buying tuna from boats whose crews are forced workers, effectively enslaved.

Oil slicks from ships - 2025-08-05T08:38:57+00:00

Satellite examination found 90,000 oil slicks from ships over the 5-year period, 2014 to 2019. Only around 500 were reported to authorities.

Most of these oil slicks were released intentionally, not caused by damage to the ship.

American nurse - 2025-08-05T08:38:56+00:00

A visiting American nurse tried to save Awdah Hathaleen's life after he was shot by one of the Israelis carrying out a pogrom. Once he was in an ambulance she worked on helping an unconscious Palestinian. This was her duty as a medic.

The Israeli government considered her practice of medicine on Palestinians so vicious that it arrested her, and soon after deported her.

While in jail, she says, she saw other jailed Palestinian prisoners bound and blindfolded, while Yinon Levi (suspected of killing Awdah) was walking almost freely and the prison guards were joking with him.

Blocking medical workers from reaching wounded Palestinians is a frequent murder tactic in Palestinian territories.

Susie Wiles - 2025-08-05T08:38:56+00:00

*[The corrupter's] Chief of Staff Susie Wiles was a Corporate Lobbyist. Now, Her Former Clients are Lobbying the White House.*

Social media ban enforced - 2025-08-05T08:38:56+00:00

Australia's surveillance system for age verification is as oppressive as Britain's. Every option enables the state to identify the user.

This includes the option of asking a bank to verify your age, giving the platform some sort of account number known to the bank. The bank might refuse to tell the platform your name and your state ID, but it will be forced to tell the state.

Monarch butterflies - 2025-08-05T08:38:56+00:00

*Monarch butterflies’ mass die off in 2024 caused by pesticide exposure — study.*

Presidential term limits - 2025-08-05T08:38:56+00:00

Bukele is preparing to be president-for-life of El Salvador.

I have a feeling that associating with the would-be dictator of the US encouraged Bukele to push for this, and maybe explicitly urged him to.

Climate misinformation - 2025-08-05T08:38:56+00:00

Scientists slam [the magats'] climate report as a ‘farce’ full of misinformation.

Genocide in Gaza - 2025-08-05T08:38:55+00:00

*Israeli author David Grossman says his country is committing genocide in Gaza.*

Museum history scrubbed - 2025-08-05T08:38:55+00:00

The truth-hater made the National Museum of American History delete mention of the times he was impeached.

Urgent: Don't rig voting maps - 2025-08-05T08:38:55+00:00

US citizens: Tell Governors not to rig our voting maps.

Urgent: Say NO to deportation raids in community spaces - 2025-08-05T08:38:55+00:00

US citizens: Say NO to deportation raids in community spaces.

Urgent: Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act - 2025-08-05T08:38:55+00:00

US citizens: call on Congress to pass the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act.

If you phone, please spread the word! Main Switchboard: +1-202-224-3121

Fema director defends Texas flood response - 2025-08-05T08:38:54+00:00

*Fema director defends Texas flood response as "model" for disasters.*

I think he means that FEMA should adopt an inadequate response as its model.

Ukrainians protested law ending independence of anticorruption institutions - 2025-08-05T08:38:54+00:00

Ukrainians protested the law that ended the independence of the anticorruption institutions.

I wonder if that move was something that the corrupter demanded of Ukraine. Could it be that this is about prosecuting Hunter Biden?

Significance of global heating presented in qualitative changes - 2025-08-05T08:38:54+00:00

People comprehend better the significance of global heating when the facts are presented in terms of qualitative changes, X happens but previously it didn't, rather than gradual increase in temperatures.

All nations must rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions - 2025-08-05T08:38:54+00:00

The International Court of Justice ruled that all nations must rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions so as to keep global heating under 1.5°C. Those that don't may be ordered by the court to pay damages to countries harmed by global heating. In the near future, those sums may be small enough that it is possible to pay them, which would make it harder to laugh them off.

Paying them would be fair, and would pressure to reduce emissions. But the saboteur in chief will spit in the court's face, with all the big fossil fuel companies burying the decision under a chorus of contempt. Can anything defeat them?

An Australian court prohibited the extension of a coal mine, because of the harm to be expected from the greenhouse emissions from burning the coal.

This decisions may block all such expansions in New South Wales, because they would only be approved if judged based on incorrect criteria.

When will the Australian government choose survival rather than destruction?

Meanwhile, reality deniers in the US are planning to officially cancel official recognition that greenhouse gases threaten public health.

New tactic to stop mailing of abortion pills - 2025-08-05T08:38:54+00:00

Antiabortionists have a new tactic to stop the mailing of abortion pills: by suing doctors that mail them to extremely strict states such as Texas.

Hong Kong arrest warrants for freedom defenders - 2025-08-05T08:38:53+00:00

Hong Kong put out arrest warrants for 19 freedom defenders living in exile. That shows how the Hong Kong branch of Chinese repression thinks about democracy and protests.

The British government's condemnation of this repression would resonate more strongly if that same government were not punishing dissidents as as "terrorists". Both of these governments are doing wrong, in similar ways. Each of them must stop.

Countries which aspire to be what the US aspired to be - 2025-08-05T08:38:53+00:00

*I don't identify with my country's values anymore.* Some Americans are looking to move to a country which still aspires to be what the US aspired to be.

I share their feeling but I don't see that there is one.