MESSAGE
| DATE | 2012-08-07 |
| FROM | Ruben Safir
|
| SUBJECT | Subject: [NYLXS - HANGOUT] No more Linix Mint
|
http://abriefhistory.org/?p=774
Support Israel’s Government? Linux Mint Developer Says Go Away
Note: Updated with original post retrieved from Google cache, I’ve
amended my lede to reflect the statement that support from Israel, as
well as those who support the Israeli government, is being rejected.
By Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R.
Clement Lefebvre, the lead developer of Linux Mint, a variant of Ubuntu,
doesn’t want support from Israel or of those who back the Israeli
government.
Lefebvre said so on the official blog of Linux Mint this weekend. That
message was removed, but I found it in Google cache (emphasis mine):
This is not the place to talk about this but I am deeply touched by what
is happening over there. I feel disgust and guilt with us passively
witnessing it and our money and weapons supporting it. I don’t want
to use my name or this project to push my own ideas about this but I
spend a lot of time working and giving away, sharing and receiving to
and from a lot of people.
I’m only going to ask for one thing here. If you do not agree I
kindly ask you not to use Linux Mint and not to donate money to it.
I hope for these people to be able to live decently in the future and
for me not to have anything to do with the misery they’re in at the
moment.
I promise not to talk about this anymore. I don’t want any money or
help coming from Israel or people who support the action of their
current government.
Thank you for your understanding. This is very important to me.
He later moved the message to his personal blog,:
“I don’t want any money or help coming from people who support
the actions of the Israeli government.â€
Well, I support the actions of the Israeli government; if anything it
hasn’t been strong enough against the terrorists who want to destroy
Israel. But silly me, I never thought of Linux Mint as having anything
to do with Israel or Palestine, except perhaps that Israelis and
Palestinians might work together on the project, bridging the divide.
Not so. If you support Palestine, including Hamas, welcome. Lefebvre
wants your support for Linux Mint. But if you support Israel’s
defense against Hamas and other Palestinian terrorists, Lefebvre
doesn’t want you.
One commenter on his personal blog asked:
“Do you still not want support for Mint from supporters of
Israel’s government?â€
Lefebvre’s reply:
“If I supported terrorists would you accept me to help you, to
finance you and to interact with you?â€
Lefebvre does admit to the existence of Palestinian terrorism, but
doesn’t reject the support of pro-Palestinians, because “one is
significantly more empowered to reach a solution to the problem than the
other one.â€
Lefebvre sees Israelis as the problem.
“It’s a moral stand point. You see a lot of people all over the
globe complain about China, Russia, and take individual actions to
dissociate themselves from them. I don’t agree with what Israel is
doing and although they’re forced to take action and defend
themselves I don’t believe they have their back against the wall
without any other possible alternative.â€
Yes, the Israelis could just lay down and die.
“So people when joining shoulder to shoulder with other people in
making this operating system better and better you suddenly realise some
of them are actively supporting this, you need to let them know how you
feel.â€
This is not a personal view. Lefebvre is talking about Linux Mint.
He’s telling those who support Israel’s actions in self-defense
to go away and not to help him with the project.
I’m honoring Lefebvre’s wishes and will no longer use Linux
Mint, which I had come to admire.
Too bad.
(DISCLAIMER: As with everything I write here, this is purely my own
opinion, and not that of my employer, the North County Times.)
Tags: technology
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