There are few things which break the analogy.
1. Israeli academic institutions are now at war against forces which try
to promote academic boycott on Israel. The nearest analogy is an
international attempt to cut peering agreements with Orange just because
they are orange-ginger and "we are Europeans who abhor
gingerism"
(http://www.zak.co.il/tddpirate/2007/06/07/it-must-be-a-monty-python-skit/).
2. We do not know how many lectures and workshops is Stallman supposed
to deliver in Palestine. Probably much more than three and possibly
longer. So Stallman's visit to Israel might be just a short diversion.
If the Palestinians are so cash strapped (due to their support of
families of suicide bombers) they can't cover 20% of the cost
corresponding to the 20% of time that Stallman planned to spend in
Israel, then Stallman could ask his Israeli hosts to find a monetary
solution to the problem.
3. The companies in the example are competitors, not enemies. This is
not the situation between Israel and Palestine.
The following does not break the analogy but puts things in perspective.
4. This kind of side tours is usually reciprocal. Some people come to
lecture in Israel and hop over to visit Palestine, just as other people
come to Palestine and visit Israel briefly. No side should begrudge
such short visits. That is if both sides have peaceful intentions. If
today Cellcom invites Stallman, then tomorrow Orange might invite Linus.
And both visitors should be welcome to visit also the other company at
this opportunity.
In summary: Stallman may not be evil, but he is under suspicion because
there is no evidence that he explored all possible options before
cancelling his lectures in Israel, and given the context and timing of
cancellation (after Bibi Netanyahu exposed the real agenda of the
Palestinians).
--- Omer
On Sun, 2011-05-29 at 16:49 +0300, Nadav Har'El wrote:
> On Sun, May 29, 2011, Gabor Szabo wrote about "Re: FW: I have to cancel the
> speeches at universities":
> > But again, I doubt that the real reason the Palestinians wanted him to
> > skip Israel
> > is the money.
>
> Obviously, I don't think the reason why the *Palestinians* wanted him to skip
> Israel was the money - the reason is that they, believe it or not, don't like
> us. But I do think, however, that the reason why *Stallman* is skipping Israel
> *is* the money, not that he doesn't like us.
>
> Perhaps the problem can be made clear by a similar (and completely
> hypothetical) situation, but without all the heated patriotism of both sides:
>
> Imagine that Cellcom and Orange are two Israeli companies in bitter
> competition. One day Cellcom invites Richard Stallman for giving a talk in
> Cellcom's HQ, paying for his flight, hotel, and other expenses. Orange hear
> this, and smell an oportunity: They can invite Stallman for free (or almost
> free), because his flight is already paid for, and Orange's HQ is just a few
> miles from Cellcom's! So Orange does invite Stallman, and Stallman accepts.
>
> A while later, Cellcom discovers that Stallman will also visit Orange, and are
> furious: Stallman is flying on their invitation, on their expense, and their
> bitter enemy Orange will benefit from his presence? No way, Jose! Cellcom
> quickly write Stallman a demand: If do don't cancel your plans to also visit
> Orange, you are no longer welcome to visit us. And of course, we won't pay
> for the trip.
>
> Stallman doesn't like the situation, but doesn't have many options: He
> understands why Cellcom doesn't want to benefit Orange (although he has no
> personal grudge against either Cellcom or Orange), and he *did* promise
> Cellcom first to visit them. Moreover, Orange never offered to finance his
> trip, so if he doesn't take the money from Cellcom, he won't be able to visit
> neither of them.
>
> I think when you use the words "Cellcom" and "Orange", it becomes clearer that
> Stallman isn't evil here, and didn't make any unreasonable decision. He
> found himself wedged between two bitter enemies, between a proverbial rock
> and a hard place. Finding himself in this situation doesn't make him evil,
> any more than it makes him a saint.
>
> And even if Stallman were this evil, Israel-hating radical like other people
> quickly judged him to be, it certainly doesn't reflect anything on the free
> software movement as a whole - any more than quirks in Albert Einstein's
> personality or personal life reflect on the importance or success of his
> theory, or physics as a whole.
--
We will only have peace with the Arabs when they love their children
more than they hate us.
Golda Meir (Israeli Prime Minister between 1969-1974)
My own blog is at http://www.zak.co.il/tddpirate/
My opinions, as expressed in this E-mail message, are mine alone.
They do not represent the official policy of any organization with which
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