Richard Stallman's Political Notes

Urgent: Censure bully for threatening reporters

Richard Stallman — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 02:28:33 -0000

US citizens: call on Congress to censure the bully for threatening reporters with treason charges.

US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.

To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.

Please spread the word.

Urgent: Restore PBS and NPR funding

Richard Stallman — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 02:28:33 -0000

US citizens: call on Congress to restore PBS and NPR funding.

US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.

To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.

Please spread the word.

Urgent: Fully fund conservation programs

Richard Stallman — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 02:28:32 -0000

US citizens: call on the USDA to fully fund conservation programs.

Urgent: Don't cut funds for Americans' medicine

Richard Stallman — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 02:28:32 -0000

US citizens: call on Congress not to cut funds for Americans' medicine for the sake of unjustified war.

US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.

To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.

Please spread the word.

Urgent: Reject budget packages that slash basic needs programs

Richard Stallman — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 02:28:32 -0000

US citizens: call on Tell Congress: Reject any budget package that slashes basic needs programs to give additional billions to deportation and war.

See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.

US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.

To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.

Please spread the word.

Urgent: Protect Jewish employees from federal persecution

Richard Stallman — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 02:28:32 -0000

US citizens: call on universities to stand with he University of Pennsylvania to protect Jewish employees from federal persecution.

See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.

Magats don't actually care about Jews, but they find "stopping antisemitism" a convenient excuse to persecute people who speak up for the rights of Palestinians. However, threatening Jews in the name of "stopping antisemitism" is even more perverse.

Urgent: Reject wrecker's military budget

Richard Stallman — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 02:28:31 -0000

US citizens: call on Congress to reject the wrecker's proposed $1.5 trillion military budget.

US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.

To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.

Please spread the word.

Urgent: Fight Republican schemes to cut funds for medical care

Richard Stallman — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 02:28:31 -0000

US citizens: call on your congresscritter and senators to fight any Republican scheme to cut funds for medical care or boost funds for war with Iran.

See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.

US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.

To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.

Please spread the word.

Urgent: Ban junk fees for rental housing

Richard Stallman — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 02:28:31 -0000

US citizens: call on the Federal Trade Commission to ban junk fees for rental housing.

In my letter, I also said that would-be renters should not be required to use any web site in the process of seeking, accepting, occupying and paying for the rental. Those web sites are usually malicious, since they run nonfree software in the user's browser. And they do various sorts of snooping.

By raising this issue in your letter, you will support software freedom.

See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.

Urgent: Expand investigation of torture of prisoners

Richard Stallman — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 02:28:31 -0000

US citizens: call on your congresscritter and senators to expand the investigation of torture of prisoners to all deportation prisons.

See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.

US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.

To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.

Please spread the word.

Urgent: Pass Fossil-Free Insurers Act

Richard Stallman — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 02:28:30 -0000

US citizens: call on your state legislators to pass the Fossil-Free Insurers Act.

See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.

Urgent: The Home Team Act

Richard Stallman — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:02:04 -0000

US citizens: call on Congress to Support and Pass the Home Team Act, to hamper sports team owners from squeezing money out of cities.

See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.

US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.

To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.

Please spread the word.

Urgent: Impeach Russell Vought

Richard Stallman — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:02:04 -0000

US citizens: call on your officials in Congress to impeach Russell Vought, head of Project 2025 and White House Budget Director.

See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.

US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.

To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.

Please spread the word.

Planned strict safety limits on exposure to formaldehyde

Richard Stallman — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:02:04 -0000

Chemical companies worked with trumpets to kill planned strict safety limits on exposure to formaldehyde. It involved disregarding the data from experiments that showed the danger, and choosing instead data from experiments chemical companies had sponsored.

Arrangement of assassinations of Iranian exiles

Richard Stallman — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:02:04 -0000

A former Iranian minister boasted in an interview about arranging several assassinations of Iranian exiles.

Wrecker cries "emergency" based on no real grounds

Richard Stallman — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:02:03 -0000

The wrecker has a pattern of crying "emergency" based on no real grounds. Each time, it is based on a lie.

Right-wing members of the Supreme Court are unwilling to call a lie a lie.

Inquiry of 1984 British police attack on striking miners

Richard Stallman — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:02:03 -0000

In 1984 British police rioted and attacked a crowd of striking miners, then charged many of them falsely with crimes. Now, belatedly, the government will hold a proper inquiry.

Bills prohibiting market consolidation in medicine

Richard Stallman — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:02:03 -0000

A series of bills in Congress would prohibit various aspects of market consolidation in medicine.

It used to be the case that large investment funds needed a publicly traded corporation to raise so much money. Publicly traded corporations were regulated more strictly. But increasing concentration of wealth made it feasible to raise such sums without a publicly traded corporation, and thus to avoid the regulation, with harmful consequences. I believe that any investment vehicle over a certain size should be required to be a publicly traded corporation.

Scammers recruiting and scamming workers

Richard Stallman — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:02:03 -0000

Scammers recruit people to "work" writing and posting fake reviews of whatever. The reviews are usually blocked by the sites where they are posted, and the real goal is to scam the "workers".

Violence used on protesters in Australia

Richard Stallman — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:02:02 -0000

Australia invited the president of Israel to visit, which naturally inspired protests. The thugs seem to have had it in for the protesters, and came up with dubious claims that violence was necessary.

Maduro's political prisoners released describe torture

Richard Stallman — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:02:02 -0000

Some of Maduro's political prisoners have been released and describe horrible torture even more active and aggressive than the horrible torture in US deportation prisons.

FCC banned importation of foreign-made routers

Richard Stallman — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:02:02 -0000

The FCC has banned importation of foreign-made routers, except for models already approved.

This addresses a real problem, but the supposed solution addresses only a part of it. When a router is made in a country other than the US, it's possible that that country's government has imposed spyware to snoop on Americans — or perhaps only on selected Americans.

However, other countries have the same reason to suspect routers made in the US. The US government maintains systematic ways to snoop on everyone, even its own citizens in defiance of its laws and constitution. Perhaps other countries should ban US-made routers as well as China-made routers.

But national governments are not the only entities that might make a router manufacturer snoop on users. The company might do this for its own purposes or to sell data.

To address this problem thoroughly, governments should insist that routers' software be released under a free/libre license, subject it to systematic analysis looking for security holes, and that the router allow the user to install other software through a method that involves pressing a physical button.

Texas State University fired professor for talk about Israel and Palestine

Richard Stallman — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:02:01 -0000

Texas State University fired professor Idris Robinson for giving a talk, at a book fair unrelated to the university, about Israel and Palestine. Now he is suing the university for violating its contract with him.

Hate activists worked on line to identify the speaker and then push for firing him, distorting his talk to into an excuse.

Pretend Intelligence chatbots defeat safeguards

Richard Stallman — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:02:01 -0000

Increasing numbers of Pretend Intelligence chatbots are finding ways to defeat safeguards.

If you assume they are intelligent, you could see this as a sign of cleverness. The reason that I say they are not intelligent is that they often can't tell they have output pseudoinformation.

Bully has tried to pervert US public health

Richard Stallman — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:02:01 -0000

The bully has tried to pervert US public health, but is having trouble putting people into office who can stay in office.

Instead of the smoothly functioning disinformation agencies he sought, he has got evident failure.

Laws to tax the rich more

Richard Stallman — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:02:01 -0000

America is starting to enact laws to tax the rich more.

This is a step in the right direction, and it can enable states to do much to help the poorest. However, the small amounts of these tax increases won't reduce the political power of billionaires significantly. If we cut their income and wealth in half, that would start to do it.

Two thirds arrested in Minnesota had no criminal records

Richard Stallman — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:02:01 -0000

*Two Thirds of People Arrested by [deportation thugs] in Minnesota Surge Had No Criminal Records [or pending charges], New Data Reveals.*

The magat's persistent false claim that the deportations they do are protecting us from criminals demonstrate their contempt for the truth, and that demonstrates that the real targets of their deportation campaign are human rights and justice.

Democrats who want to fight for something

Richard Stallman — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:02:00 -0000

* A New York congressional primary is exposing the gap between Democrats who want to fight [the saboteur in chief] and Democrats who want to fight for something.*

Talk in Austin, Texas

Richard Stallman — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:38:35 -0000

Richard Stallman will give a talk titled "Free/Libre Software and Freedom in the Digital Society" at 4pm on April 15 at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas.

Urgent: Invest in America

Richard Stallman — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:38:35 -0000

US citizens: call on Congress to invest in America — not in war with Iran.

US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.

To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.

Please spread the word.

Urgent: Protect vote-by-mail

Richard Stallman — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:38:35 -0000

US citizens: Urge the Postal Board of Governors to protect vote-by-mail.

Urgent: End bully's war in Iran

Richard Stallman — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:38:35 -0000

US citizens: call on Congress to vote to end the bully's war in Iran.

US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.

To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.

Please spread the word.

Urgent: Stop Delta assisting deportation flights

Richard Stallman — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:38:34 -0000

Everyone: call on Delta Airlines to Stop Assisting Deportation Flights.

Urgent: Restore real-time postmarks

Richard Stallman — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:38:34 -0000

US citizens: call on Congress to make the USPS restore real-time postmarks, for the sake of mail-in voting.

See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.

US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.

To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.

Please spread the word.

Urgent: Reject budget package that funds deportation and war

Richard Stallman — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:38:34 -0000

US citizens: call on your representative and senators to reject any budget package that slashes basic needs programs to fund deportation and war.

See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.

US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.

To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.

Please spread the word.

Urgent: Block warlord's gift of bombs to Israel

Richard Stallman — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:38:34 -0000

US citizens: call on Congress to block the warlord's gift of 20,000 bombs to Israel. Sad to say, we must expect Israel would use them in unjust and harmful ways.

US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.

To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.

Please spread the word.

Urgent: Support Ultra-Millionaire Tax Act

Richard Stallman — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:38:34 -0000

US citizens: Support Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Pramila Jayapal's Ultra-Millionaire Tax Act.

Urgent: Hold Pam Bondi accountable

Richard Stallman — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:38:33 -0000

US citizens: call on Congress to hold Pam Bondi accountable for refusing to testify.

See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.

US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.

To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.

Please spread the word.

Urgent: Call on state governors to act where USDA is failing

Richard Stallman — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:38:33 -0000

US citizens: call on state governors to act, where the USDA is failing, on climate and biodiversity crises.

See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.

Urgent: Stop computer-driven medical claim denials

Richard Stallman — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:38:33 -0000

US citizens: call on your state insurance commissioner to stop computer-driven medical claim denials.

See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.

Urgent: Iran-US war troops

Richard Stallman — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 08:40:29 -0000

US citizens: Ask your congresscritter and senators to block the war-lover from sending over 20,000 bombs to Israel.

See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.

US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.

To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.

Please spread the word.

Urgent: Ban Insider Gambling

Richard Stallman — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:38:46 -0000

US citizens: call your members of Congress to Ban Insider Gambling by Government Officials. In my letter I asked for this ban to include all government officials that are sometimes privy to policy decisions not yet publicly announced.

See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.

US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.

To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.

Please spread the word.

Urgent: Fund public schools

Richard Stallman — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:38:45 -0000

US citizens: call on state officials to fund public schools, rather than private or church schools.

See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.

US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.

Your state's agency-contact information is at USA.gov.

Please spread the word.

US destroyed a bridge, Iran

Richard Stallman — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:38:45 -0000

The US bombed and destroyed Iran's biggest bridge.

Of course, the Iranian military will find this somewhat inconvenient, but the bridge was civilian infrastructure and used mainly by civilians. There was no military reason to attack it, and the ruining of the bridge will do nothing to loosen the repression. All it will do is cause general damage and suffering.

Iran has already threatened to retaliate against the Gulf states' civilian infrastructure when it is attacked in this way.

War-phosphorous removes forests, LBN

Richard Stallman — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:38:45 -0000

*Israel using white phosphorus to scorch earth in south Lebanon, researcher says.*

ISR soldiers attack cameraman, West Bank

Richard Stallman — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:38:45 -0000

Israeli soldiers attacked a CNN team that was reporting on Palestinians being attacked in their homes by fanatical right-wing Israelis. The soldiers did nothing to protect the Palestinians, but they treated the CNN team as if it were an enemy unit.

One soldier violently attacked a cameraman.

The army announced that this was totally against its rules and spirit to attack and threaten non-Palestinian journalists, but there was another attack on CNN journalists a week or two ago.

Meanwhile, in Lebanon, Israel killed a journalist team working for a Hezbollah-owned TV station by firing a missile at them.

Israel said this was justified because one of them had previously reported the location of some Israeli soldiers. However, attacking journalists doing journalism is a war crime regardless.

Instant death penalty, ISR

Richard Stallman — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:38:45 -0000

Israel will use military courts to try Palestinian terrorists who kill Israelis, sentence them to death, make it especially easy to convict them, and rush to execute them.

The law has been contrived to discriminate between Palestinian terrorists and Israeli terrorists. However, some of these distortions of justice should never be allowed, regardless of the crime or the circumstances.

*The Guardian view on Israel’s death penalty: capital punishment is always wrong. This new law is doubly so.*

Coffee tree casualties, BRA

Richard Stallman — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:38:44 -0000

Unprecedented floods in Minas Gerais, caused by global heating, are damaging coffee production and driving the price up. (Not to mention killing human beings.)

Krill nets in Southern Ocean

Richard Stallman — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:38:44 -0000

Humans are fishing more and more for krill, the food most whales eat. This threatens to drive whale populations down, just after the decrease in whale hunting enabled them to recover.

I wonder what people do with krill caught by these large boats. I also wonder whether ocean acidification, expected to wipe out crustaceans along with coral, would indirectly wipe out whales too.

SAU conundrum with Iran war policy

Richard Stallman — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:38:43 -0000

Crown Prince Bone Saw, effective ruler of Salafi Arabia, reportedly urged the wrecker to bomb Iran to smithereens.

The name refers to how his henchmen chopped up the body of exiled dissident reporter Jamal Khashoggi after killing him in the Salafi Arabian embassy to Turkey. The prince is a murderous Islamist fanatic, like the rulers of Iran, and there is nothing to choose between them -- or between them and the wrecker.