> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://itsfoss.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Stallman Apologizes! - URL: https://itsfoss.com/news/stallman-apologizes/ - Published: 2021-04-13T10:39:39.000Z - Updated: 2021-04-13T12:39:54.000Z - Author: Abhishek Prakash - Tags: Featured, Open Source, News, #Import 2025-11-08 21:15 It’s been weeks since the FOSS world erupted in a controversy over [Richard Stallman’s surprise return to FSF board](https://news.itsfoss.com/richard-stallman-is-back-at-fsf/?ref=itsfoss.com). Calls were made to [ostracize not only Stallman but the entire Free Software Foundation](https://news.itsfoss.com/stallman-return-revolt/?ref=itsfoss.com). Big open source companies like SUSE and Red Hat decided to stop funding FSF but individual developers rallied behind Stallman. Despite all the condemnation and opposition, it seemed that FSF was not going to back out under pressure and they did not despite the [resignation of its Executive Director and other management team members](https://www.fsf.org/blogs/executive-director/management-team-members-resigning?ref=itsfoss.com). ## Richard Stallman’s apology In his [message](https://www.fsf.org/news/rms-addresses-the-free-software-community?ref=itsfoss.com) published on FSF blog, Stallman apologizes to people who were hurt by his ‘lack of social skills’. > … I discovered that some people had negative reactions to my behavior, which I did not even know about. Tending to be direct and honest with my thoughts, I sometimes made others uncomfortable or even offended them — especially women. This was not a choice: I didn’t understand the problem enough to know which choices there were. > > Sometimes I lost my temper because I didn’t have the social skills to avoid it. Some people could cope with this; others were hurt. I apologize to each of them. Stallman also asked people to direct the criticism to him, not at the Free Software Foundation. He also went over the episode of Professor Minsky (that cost him his job at MIT and his position as the President of FSF in 2019) and tried to clarify the incident. > I defended Professor Minsky on an M.I.T. mailing list after someone leaped to the conclusion that he was just guilty as Jeffrey Epstein. To my surprise, some thought my message defended Epstein. As I had stated previously, Epstein is a serial rapist, and rapists should be punished. I wish for his victims and those harmed by him to receive justice. > > False accusations — real or imaginary, against me or against others — especially anger me. I knew Minsky only distantly, but seeing him unjustly accused made me spring to his defense. I would have done it for anyone. Police brutality makes me angry, but when the cops lie about their victims afterwards, that false accusation is the ultimate outrage for me. I condemn racism and sexism, including their systemic forms, so when people say I don’t, that hurts too. Stallman defends his support for Minsky but with some introspection: > It was right for me to talk about the injustice to Minsky, but it was tone-deaf that I didn’t acknowledge as context the injustice that Epstein did to women or the pain that caused. He hopes that this episode will help him to be kind to other people in the future. > I’ve learned something from this about how to be kind to people who have been hurt. In the future, that will help me be kind to people in other situations, which is what I hope to do. ## Not everyone is going to accept his apology His apology is not going to soothe people who have already found him guilty and announced his banishment from the society. > 10:24am, from RMS: "I apologise unreservedly, I do not know what I'm doing but I'm learning" > > 10:25am: from FSF: "Look, RMS has apologised!" > > An apology written through coercion is not an apology. Morals are much more than just fear of consequence, especially in retrospect. > > — Jake Arkinstall, PhD 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@JakeArkinstall) [April 12, 2021](https://twitter.com/JakeArkinstall/status/1381649436556804097?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=itsfoss.com) Despite Stallman specifically mentioning that he didn’t defend Epstein, some still read what they want to read: > "Personal style" which includes defending Epstein contributions because of his perspective on consent [pic.twitter.com/6Dyq1q8W1Y](https://t.co/6Dyq1q8W1Y?ref=itsfoss.com) > > — GRAV ☪️ (@GRAVCAST) [April 12, 2021](https://twitter.com/GRAVCAST/status/1381644733743824902?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=itsfoss.com) For some, lack of social skills is not a justification of prolonged ill behavior: > I need people to know we're not criticizing RMS for missing social cues or being socially awkward. many of us are, and we manage not to \*repeatedly over many years\* come across as abusive and hostile to others. > > — evil maid (@lenazun) [April 12, 2021](https://twitter.com/lenazun/status/1381685339442450433?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=itsfoss.com) But there are a few who are happy to see that FSF standing firm behind Stallman: > Thank you, [@fsf](https://twitter.com/fsf?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=itsfoss.com) > > Ignore the haters. You've done the right thing. I'm very happy that you're now publicly defending Richard Stallman, and I can rest easy knowing that his position is safe. > > I sincerely hope all of us can move past the bitter, hateful politics of recent weeks. > > — Leah Rowe (@n4of7) [April 12, 2021](https://twitter.com/n4of7/status/1381655773592293378?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=itsfoss.com) And I found a quite witty and sarcastic comment on this otherwise serious matter: > I’d just like to interject for a moment. What you’re refering to as FSF, is in fact, RMS/FSF, or as I’ve recently taken to calling it, RMS plus FSF. FSF is not an independent actor unto itself, but rather another component of a fully functioning RMS promotion system… > > — stoey (@\_stoey) [April 12, 2021](https://twitter.com/%5Fstoey/status/1381712926445338633?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=itsfoss.com) Personally, I think Stallman’s apology does not matter. People who support him, don’t need any apologies from him. People who are against him are not going to accept his apologies anyway. Your comments on this topic are welcome but please be civilized while expressing your opinion.