RMS, Hosts Must Support Boycott?

[Marc Volovic]

Being significantly less conversant with US corporate law than e.g. Israeli corporate law, I'll take your comments at face value.

Is RMS, by agreeing to the conditions set by the financial contributors to his visit, in violation of US law? Mind - to the best of my understanding - he has not gone BDS publicly, only stated in private email conversations that he will adhere to the conditions set. Does that also contravene?

M

On Jun 12, 2011, at 9:45 AM, geoffrey mendelson wrote:

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> 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.
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> 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.
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> This is different than Israeli corporate law, where there is much less of a "corporate veil".
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> 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.
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> 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).
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> 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.
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> 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.
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> 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.
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> Geoff.
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> -- 
> Geoffrey S. Mendelson,  N3OWJ/4X1GM
> Making your enemy reliant on software you support is the best revenge.
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---MAV
Marc A Volovic <marcvolovic at me.com>                       +972-54-467-6764