Re: Missing the point?

[John Eikenberry <jae>]

I'd like to prepend this note in saying that it is not meant to start a
flame war. Please think of it more as if we were sitting around a coffee
shop argueing these points... as this is my stance, and I mean no personal
offence. But I felt a responce was necessary.

On Mon, May 01, 2000 at 10:07:50PM -0700, Gary Preckshot wrote:
> > I think you are missing the point here, what I "think" the guy is
> > trying to say is that he would like to write a HOWTO that will help
> > people, specifically Technical/OpenSource people understand the basics
> > of how to be effective with political advocacy.

I don't really see the difference between this and the Linux Advocacy
mini-HOWTO. One seeks to teach Linux people out to be political about
promoting Linux, the other seeks to teach people how to be political about
promoting freedoms. And IMHO... the second is much more important.

> I don't think I am. I think the guy is looking for a pulpit, and I don't
> think LDP is a pulpit. Furthermore, I think the reason LDP and Linux are

Well... then I guess you wouldn't mind giving up your free access to the
source code. Without policital mindedness, it is more than likely this is
the situation you would find yourself in. To separate the code from the
moral stance that made it possible is irresponsible.

> effective is that they're two of the few bright lights of excellence
> awash in a sea of mediocre political activists. Linus Torvalds isn't
> politically correct. Politically, he's maladroit. But he has humongous
> respect from the masses. Why? Because he doesn't advocate anything but
> excellence. My kind of idol.

IMO, Linus is the epitome of politically correct. He is the poster child of
the OSS movement, ie. the politicaly correct version of the free software
movement. Not that I have anything personally against Linus, he's a great
leader and a decent human being. And, as he's said himself, not politically
minded. But I don't think that we need to ignore the politically minded, as
they are as big a part of the community as those who aren't. 

> Don't feel you need anything but a track record and self confidence. Only
> the insecure are evangelists.

Or the socially responsible.

-- 

John Eikenberry
[jae@zhar.net - http://zhar.net]
______________________________________________________________
"A society that will trade a little liberty for a little order
 will deserve neither and lose both."
                                          --B. Franklin


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