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Richard Stallman's Political Notes

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Influence of the rich in elections

jeudi 23 mars 2017 à 01:00

Supreme Court rulings allowed rich people to exert tremendous influence in congressional elections.

Gorsuch is likely to push this even further.

Inconsistent US laws

jeudi 23 mars 2017 à 01:00

US laws about sex with minors, and sexual images of minors, are inconsistent and make no sense. The purported justifications for them are absurd exaggerations.

Killer prison thugs unpunished

jeudi 23 mars 2017 à 01:00

The Miami prison thugs who cooked Darren Rainey to death across two hours in a shower will not be punished. The prosecutor decided not to charge them.

Most prosecutors systematically let thugs get away with murder. Shame on the thugs and the prosecutors!

Satire about troll's budget

jeudi 23 mars 2017 à 01:00

This satire about the troll's budget was recommended seriously by the White House.

Repression increasing

jeudi 23 mars 2017 à 01:00

The fanatical colonists of Ariel, in Palestine, tried to launch a prosecution of Gush Shalom for informing international scholars that Ariel is not in Israel. But no prosecution occurred because, it seems, Israel has no law against informing people of this fact.

As repression increases around the world, I accumulate a list of countries I choose not to visit. In some cases, it is just a matter of comfort — they tend to be hotter than I like, and since I have no particular reason to go there, staying away is the cheap and easy method to avoid the heat.

In some countries, I fear repression. Pakistan might persecute me for blasphemy; Turkey might persecute me for condemning would-be tyrant Erdoğan; Thailand might persecute me for recounting an episode in the life of the former king. Egypt's repression forces might imprison anyone, based on a whim or a confusion; they don't need a rational reason. I recommend everyone stay away from Egypt.

Then there are the countries that I would be happy to visit if I could do so without having my fingerprints taken.

But the only country I have reason to expect would refuse to let me in is Israel. I support the boycott of products made in Israel's colonies in Palestinian territory, the boycott that Gush Shalom led until Israeli law was changed to reduce to penury anyone advocating that boycott. I would not be allowed entry.

I have visited Israel three times, but now I know there will not be a fourth visit unless Israeli policies change.

I hope that Israel will agree to end the occupation/siege of Palestine, and cease to maintain colonies on its territory. Then the reason for the boycott would no longer exist, so I would no longer support it. Perhaps then I could visit Israel again.