Walt, Thanks for your comment. I especially appreciate that quote; I'll be adding it to my files.
I'm basically in complete agreement with you. I am disappointed by what I think were mistakes by Mozilla's board and a few of its employees. But at the same time, I think it's important to try to lead the way forward by example, by being forgiving and uniting in our common causes. Perhaps an analogy to the Reconstruction would be a stretch, but I think we can learn some lessons from it and apply them here. Mozilla suffered a blow and misstepped in this battle, but it's not down. As far as I can tell, Mozilla is the closest we have to a user-focused browser developer--that is, one that focuses on serving its users, rather than on exploiting them. If we abandon it, what do we have? Under whose banner do we unite? We need Mozilla to lead the fight in these wars and the wars to come--and there will be many. I think the best way forward is for us to avoid the vindictive mindset that led to this situation and stand together on our common ground. Adam On Monday, April 7, 2014 12:08:12 PM UTC-5, [email protected] wrote: > Adam, > > > > For the moment, I am reserving judgement on whether or not to remain with > Mozilla and Firefox, which I have used since it's first release, after the > demise of Netscape. I will remain for the time being, but Mozilla's board is > decidedly on probation. > > > > Mozilla's board could have made a solid declaration that internet bullying, > whether it be by a government, a political party or an activist web site has > no place in its governance and is contrary to its principles of a free and > open internet. It did not. Instead, Mr. Eich resigned, and that resignation > was accepted by the Board. It should have publicly rejected that resignation > and made it clear why it was rejecting it. > > > > Personal opinion and actions to support that opinion have come under assault > in this country from time to time, in our history, yet we have not learned > from that history. In an earlier post you quoted, appropriately, Alexis de > Tocqueville. > > > > I think Senator Margaret Chase Smith, in her 1950 Declaration of Conscience > has something pertinent to add, > > "Those of us who shout the loudest about Americanism in making character > assassinations are all too frequently those who, by our own words and acts, > ignore some of the basic principles of Americanism- > > The right to criticize. The right to hold unpopular beliefs. > > The right to protest. > > The right of independent thought. > > The exercise of these rights should not cost one single American citizen his > reputation or his right to a livelihood nor should he be in danger of losing > his reputation or livelihood merely because he happens to know someone who > holds unpopular beliefs. Who of us does not? Otherwise none of us could call > our souls our own. Otherwise thought control would have set in." > > > > Walt _______________________________________________ governance mailing list [email protected] https://lists.mozilla.org/listinfo/governance
