---
title: "Thoughts on LGM + RMS"
date: 2025-05-06
draft: false
summary: "I'm attending the Libre Graphics Meeting later this month, and what a way to influence my experience with the event - before it even starts."
tags:
- Open Source
- Libre Graphics Meeting
---

**Edit:** The organizers are [now cancelling the keynote](https://libregraphicsmeeting.strong-type.systems/2025/news/2025-05-07_0001-keynote-will-not-go-forward/) in response to everyone's collective discomfort.

I'm attending the [Libre Graphics Meeting](https://libregraphicsmeeting.org/) later this month, and it's also my first LGM! What a way to [influence my feelings about the event](https://libregraphicsmeeting.org/2025/news/2025-05-06_0002-keynote-announcement-richard-stallman/) before it even starts:

> On Wednesday, May 28th at 19:30, Dr. Richard Stallman will deliver a keynote on Free/Libre Software and Freedom in the Digital Society at Libre Graphics Meeting.

Regardless of your feelings about RMS (try to guess mine!) there are some things about the keynote announcement that troubles me. I felt like this was better done on my blog instead of a quippy Mastodon post.

* **RMS is controversial**, that much is agreed upon (and this is also pointed out by the organizer.) This guy has _two different websites_ claiming how "bad"/"good" he is, seriously?
* **RMS is not heavily involved in "Libre Graphics"**. This is _also_ pointed out by the organizer (they sort of toss away that point however.) Fine, it's your event and you can decide who gives a keynote.
* **His presence _is_ driving people away**. Some of my friends are deciding not to go/canceling because of his presence. (That alone should be pretty telling?!) If I didn't book everything already, I would reconsider going myself.
* **The organizer has admitted that they received "a pattern of concerning remarks"**, which somehow _isn't_ a red flag by itself?

It's certainly _A Choice™_ to have the context provided above, and still be like "yeah, this is who I *want* doing a keynote." Certainly there must be more interesting people to pick from in this space? You can bet I'm not going to be around for his keynote.