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Richard Stallman's Political Notes

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Right-wing terrorist threat

mercredi 20 mars 2019 à 01:00

The main terrorist threat in the US comes from US citizens with right-wing views.

This threat is exacerbated by the right-wing bias of thugs in general. "The FBI is … a political police force that primarily targets the left."

After right-wing extremists stabbed antifascist protesters including supporters of BAMN, the FBI investigated the antifascists as a possible threat to the rights of the right-wing extremists (which the FBI identified as "KKK").

I can understand, given the right-wing bias of federal and state thugs, why antifascists would be tempted to reject the idea of respecting freedom of speech for right-wing extremists.

But that is a fundamental wrong. Freedom of speech covers all views, and we must not advocate denying it to views we abhor. Antifascists had better support freedom of speech for all views, or (as these events demonstrate) the antifascists will be the ones persecuted.

Indian garment workers

mercredi 20 mars 2019 à 01:00

Indian garment workers, working at home, get even less pay than Bangladeshi garment workers. And that's if they get paid at all.

This is the World Trade Organization in action, making all countries compete to attract business away from other countries. It's the same as when Amazon makes US cities bid to pay to host its new headquarters.

Trillion-dollar bailout for US banks

mercredi 20 mars 2019 à 01:00

US banks got a trillion-dollar bailout, ten years ago. Plutocratists say it wasn't one; here's why it was one.

Proprietary software

mercredi 20 mars 2019 à 01:00

Adobe calls for condemnation, along with other companies that dominate users and push them around.

The author sees the harm of monopoly power, but does not recognize the role of proprietary software in generating that power. At least he is starting to realize that there is a problem.

Money in US politics

mercredi 20 mars 2019 à 01:00

Beto O'Rourke raised a lot of money for his campaign, but he won't say whether they are many small donations or fewer large ones.