This article was originally published -- on a different site -- on May 24, 2023. It is being republished now, on The Lunduke Journal, for historical preservation and reference. Note: This content is highly political and many will find the topics and quotes, from Linux project founders and leaders, to be extremely disturbing and devisive. Reader discression is advised.
Yesterday, elementary OS announced that it would be leaving Twitter. The reason? Because, according to the announcement, Twitter "promotes far-right authoritarian politics".
The founder of elementary OS, Dan Fore, then took to his Mastodon account to expand upon his reasoning -- stating that the deciding factor was that Twitter was allowing Florida Governor DeSantis to announce his Presidential candidacy on Twitter.
"With the latest news of Elon promoting Ron DeSantis' presidential run, I'm done," stated the elementary founder. "It's become a far-right social network no diferent from Parlor or Truth Social and I won't be a part of it."
He then continued by saying: "An attack on trans rights is an attack on desktop Linux."
Mr Fore has also posted, reshared, liked and amplified a wide array of statements that appear to be designed to incite hatred, fear, and violence against any people who do not fully support the Trans fetish.
Such as the following:
"Media should stop asking "how will DeSantis fare in the 2024 election?" and start asking "who will die if DeSantis is elected in 2024? Who will be purged from their job? Have their children taken away?""
And:
"t's a genocide. Don't call it a "culture war." Or an "ideological difference."
The goal of eradication isn't even whispered anymore. It is regularly stated, loudly and proudly, by powerful mainstream conservatives."
It's a lot of hate. A lot of fear-mongering. And, importantly, it's a lot of false statements (there is no "Trans Genocide" happening) with the purpose of vilifying and demonizing others.
It's not just one Linux Distribution...
If elementary OS was the only example of this type of vile bigotry, we could write it off as an anomally.
Unfortunately there appears to be a number of examples of exactly this sort of messaging occuring throughout the computer industry -- and the Linux and Open Source worlds in particular.
Alyssa Rosenzweig, most well known as a developer who has (rather impressively) helped get Linux running on modern Macs (M1 and M2 Apple Silicon based), has recently issued the following declaration in a blog post:
"I’m on the board overseeing Linux graphics. Half of us are trans. If all you care about is Linux, resist the attacks on trans people.
If you have any decency, fight back."
"Half of us are trans," he says. Accompanied by a call to "fight back" against an imagined "genocide", assumedly perpetrated by those who do not fully buy into his particular sexual fetish.
Likewise, the lead of Asahi Linux, Hector Martin, has removed Asahi Linux from Twitter... and has issued the following declaration:
"I'm going to be really blunt here: if you don't care about trans people, if you even remotely think there's the slightest hint of merit to the blatant genocidal actions that are going on in the US right now, you can [CENSORED] right off from my projects, spaces, and communities.
I don't give a [CENSORED] about "tech shouldn't be political" garbage takes. Tech is made by people and right-wing legislators in the US are trying to *kill* my colleagues right now. There is no tech without people."
Of course nobody is trying to kill Hector's colleagues.
And the vast majority of major corporations -- not to mention the President of the country -- are continually coming out in support of the Trans fetish. So declaring that there is a genocide occuring is beyond ridiculous.
Just the same, Asahi Linux has declared that people who do not actively support a specific sexual kink cannot be allowed in their project.
The Future
Do Asahi and Elementary truly not want any users, customers, or contributors who are "Right Wing" (or even Centrist)? It appears as such.
There are multiple Software and Computer organizations which have declared their support for the Trans fetish over the last few years... my guess is some of them will take things even further, by making similar statements to those we've seen from elementary OS and Asahi Linux. By spreading hate, fear, and bigotry... all in the name of supporting a sexual fetish.
