Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Richard Stallman Collapses At Barcelona Conference

publico.es

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 237 posts

Re: Richard Stallman Collapses At Barcelona Conference

#41

Post by alwillis »

me_myselft wrote: post #17
planetguy wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow, if only he were in the United States where you don't have to rely on the Government for medical care...

Yes, but in US you have to have a lot of money for receiving a very basic and fundamental human right: medical care...

As I mentioned here (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3955537), living in Boston, Massachusetts, we have the best of both worlds when it comes to access to health care at some of the best healthcare organizations in the world.

I should also add that even if you don't have money, you still have access. I was seen at a clinic at Mass General (http://www.massgeneral.org) recently by making an optional $2 donation.

Re: Richard Stallman Collapses At Barcelona Conference

#42

Post by gyardley »

raganwald wrote: post #32

Social/Moral question: Is it acceptable to wish Mr. Stallman well in light of allegations that he has advocated for truly awful practices? e.g. Dutch pedophiles have formed a political party to campaign for legalization. I am skeptical of the claim that voluntarily pedophilia harms children. http://stallman.org/archives/2006-may-aug.html

Wow, I had no idea.

That's repugnant. Why do people still invite him to conferences? Surely there's less-objectionable representatives of his views on software.

Re: Richard Stallman Collapses At Barcelona Conference

#44

Post by raganwald »

jsprinkles wrote: post #39
raganwald wrote: post #32

Social/Moral question: Is it acceptable to wish Mr. Stallman well in light of allegations that he has advocated for truly awful practices? e.g. Dutch pedophiles have formed a political party to campaign for legalization. I am skeptical of the claim that voluntarily pedophilia harms children. http://stallman.org/archives/2006-may-aug.html

Bold comment. Privately, I was disappointed that he was fine after reading the news; I suspect that you're not alone in your views based on that and I had a similar moral debate internally. I'm proud of you for lending your username on HN to remind everybody how truly awful of a person he can be, but I fear that even your clout cannot save this comment from people that love him.

Actually, my comment on the situation was "My thoughts are with RMS, an important voice and pioneer:”

https://twitter.com/#!/raganwald/status/200664134960939008

I got an earful about him from other people both publicly and privately, and I also recall a thread right here on HN a while back where there were allegations of (and spirited discussion about) his interest in getting young men into his hotel room at conferences.

I’m definitely not criticizing anyone who wishes him well, wishes poorly of him, or just wishes he would step out of the limelight (there seem to be more than a few people who consider him an liability to the open source movement at the moment regardless of past contributions). I was just trying to stick my finger in the wind and ask other people how they feel, not suggest how people are supposed to feel.

Re: Richard Stallman Collapses At Barcelona Conference

#45

Post by malkia »

ryanhuff wrote: post #31
me_myselft wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, but in US you have to have a lot of money for receiving a very basic and fundamental human right: medical care...

Inflammatory statement, and not true. I happen to know doctors in the US who do not refuse care for those who cannot pay.

I happen to know doctors in the US who would refuse to take care for those who cannot pay.

Re: Richard Stallman Collapses At Barcelona Conference

#46

Post by padolsey »

jsprinkles wrote: post #39
raganwald wrote: post #32

Social/Moral question: Is it acceptable to wish Mr. Stallman well in light of allegations that he has advocated for truly awful practices? e.g. Dutch pedophiles have formed a political party to campaign for legalization. I am skeptical of the claim that voluntarily pedophilia harms children. http://stallman.org/archives/2006-may-aug.html

Bold comment. Privately, I was disappointed that he was fine after reading the news; I suspect that you're not alone in your views based on that and I had a similar moral debate internally. I'm proud of you for lending your username on HN to remind everybody how truly awful of a person he can be, but I fear that even your clout cannot save this comment from people that love him.

Silencing dialogue, no matter how repulsive it may seem to you, is never the answer, especially in a "free" and "open" society.

Re: Richard Stallman Collapses At Barcelona Conference

#47

Post by jasonlotito »

raganwald wrote: post #32

Social/Moral question: Is it acceptable to wish Mr. Stallman well in light of allegations that he has advocated for truly awful practices? e.g. Dutch pedophiles have formed a political party to campaign for legalization. I am skeptical of the claim that voluntarily pedophilia harms children. http://stallman.org/archives/2006-may-aug.html

Stating a fact, and being skeptical of the claims is not the same as advocating for.

If advocating for better understanding of something and simply not buying into the "think of the children" argument can be called advocating for something, well no. That's dishonest and disheartening, and reeks of a vendetta, or at the very least, a petty mind.

It's one thing to support something. It's another thing to be skeptical.

You'd have to have something more than just conjecture from RMS. Nothing I've read or found suggests he is an advocate.

And yes, I realize you are just asking this question.

Re: Richard Stallman Collapses At Barcelona Conference

#48

Post by Nrsolis »

andos wrote: post #18
tree_of_item wrote: post #2

Shit. I hope he's okay, it's difficult to tell what happened through the lens of Google Translate. Anyone have more information?

My Spanish is rusty, but the article says that: - Stallman felt ill halfway through a lecture he was offering in Barcelona, probably due to a blood pressure spike; - he asked the staff for medical assistance; - meanwhile, he continued the lecture with some difficulty, but in a good mood; - the lecture was suspended when the ambulance arrived, and was eventually cancelled; - after being attended by the medical staff,…

Of course, the big question is whether the firmware in the EKG machine was open or not.

Re: Richard Stallman Collapses At Barcelona Conference

#49

Post by brudgers »

jdminhbg wrote: post #34
me_myselft wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, but in US you have to have a lot of money for receiving a very basic and fundamental human right: medical care...

I wasn't going to respond to this to avoid prolonging this burgeoning off-topic health care flamewar, but I figured that in the name of cross-cultural understanding, I'd correct you: Hospitals in the US are obligated to treat any emergency patient regardless of whether they can pay.

They then charge those people least able to pay a higher rate, add interest, and turn it over to a collection agency.

http://www.democracynow.org/2012/2/15/new_york_hospitals_sad...

http://www.democracynow.org/2004/1/7/state_secret_why_are_un...

[somehow Democracy Now seems appropriate for a Stallman discussion]

Re: Richard Stallman Collapses At Barcelona Conference

#50

Post by jsprinkles »

raganwald wrote: post #44
jsprinkles wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bold comment. Privately, I was disappointed that he was fine after reading the news; I suspect that you're not alone in your views based on that and I had a similar moral debate internally. I'm proud of you for lending your username on HN to remind everybody how truly awful of a person he can be, but I fear that even your clout cannot save this comment from people that love him.

Actually, my comment on the situation was "My thoughts are with RMS, an important voice and pioneer:” https://twitter.com/#!/raganwald/status/200664134960939008 I got an earful about him from other people both publicly and privately, and I also recall a thread right here on HN a while back where there were allegations of (and spirited discussion about) his interest in getting young men into his hotel room at conferen…

True enough. I have less of a problem with him than I do those who consider him infallible. They're already at work in this thread; your comment was gray when I replied to it, and the same fate is befalling those who reply to you.
Post reply on HN