RMS, Hosts Must Support Boycott?

[Uri Even-Chen]

On Sun, Jun 12, 2011 at 09:45, geoffrey mendelson <
geoffreymendelson at gmail.com> wrote:

>
> On Jun 10, 2011, at 9:38 PM, Marc Volovic wrote:
>
>> People, RMS (as well as any other person) is entitled to support, adhere,
>> acquiesce or abhor, deny, etc any and all BDS activities.
>>
>> The man is entitled to his opinion and choice. It is his right as a man
>> and as a public figure.
>>
>
>
> Marc, it has to do with US corporate law and practice. In the US, officers
> of a corporation are limited in liability for their actions as corporate
> officers. What they do as private citizens is different than what they do as
> officers of the corporation.
>
> This is different than Israeli corporate law, where there is much less of a
> "corporate veil".
>
> When they do something as an officer of the corporation, it takes on a
> whole new meaning. It is the stated policy of the corportation.
>
> If RMS as RMS states what he does, as a private citizen, it is free speech.
> He is entitled to his opionions and limited by US laws as to what he can say
> and where, but those limits are awfully wide (compared to Israeli ones for
> example).
>
> However, once he signs an email as an officer of the FSF, or states it
> publicly that he, as representing the FSF is going to support a boycott (or
> not) and so on, it is FSF policy. So like it or not, the FSF has now
> incorporated the BDS movement into their message. It's not just FREE
> Software, it's also support the Palestinians and boycott Israel.
>
> If RMS wants to vacation in Ramalah, or sun himself on the beaches of Gaza,
> he is welcome to. If he does not want to stay in, vist or even pass through
> Israel, (He could enter Gaza from Egypt, or the PA from Jordan), he is
> welcome to. However as the President of the FSF his perceived boycott of
> Israeli institutions is unacceptable, and dilutes the FSF and it's message.
>
> Depending upon exactly what he does and does not do, and who provides the
> money for his visit, he (and therefore the FSF as he spoke and speaks for
> them) may be in volation of US law, and therefore subject to investigation,
> tax audits, etc. Quite simply this will not end well for the FSF.
>
> Geoff.
>

I don't agree with you, Geoff. What Richard Stallman does as a private
person does not mean the FSF in involved. As a private person Richard
Stallman has the right to boycott Israeli institutions and universities. It
does not mean that the FSF is boycotting Israel.

Uri Even-Chen
Mobile Phone: +972-50-9007559
E-mail: uri at speedy.net
Website: http://www.speedy.net/
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