Post · bonfire.cafe

I don’t think #Framework understands that they _are_ a political brand. They don’t have the best products, and they don’t have the cheapest products. They have products that appeal to _political positions_. By trying to keep “politics” out of their decisions, what they’re saying is that the **literal only selling point** of their machines is no longer valid.

It’s incredibly sad to see, because I was a fan of Framework until I saw this atrocious response.

https://community.frame.work/t/framework-supporting-far-right-racists/75986/2

Marika

@hermlon@yuustan.space replied · 3 weeks ago

@hperrin@port87.social that's a good way to put it. After the drama started I've already seen multiple posts on here of people complaining about their hardware failing often. It was the identification with the company's mission that made people not minding these issues, but once that sympathy is gone, there are no reasons left to buy overpriced hardware with bad QC. I'm still hoping they will reconsider and take a stance against right wing views.

Emelia 👸🏻

@thisismissem@hachyderm.io replied · 3 weeks ago

@hperrin @lisamelton or perhaps more specifically, @frameworkcomputer choosing to sponsor or gift products to people is an inherently political act.

Those who you choose to sponsor benefit from that sponsorship to further their activities, and if those activities involve spreading far-right ideologies, that sponsorship becomes a political act.

Who you give sponsorships to becomes an extension of your brand, if their brand is far-right memes and extremism, your brand will become known for that too. Who you sponsor represents you as an organization.

Frank

@fschaap@mastodon.social replied · 2 weeks ago

@thisismissem @hperrin Thanks for putting this angle into words so eloquently. I feel this ties into the belief that technology is inherently neutral/apolitical and therefore good or at least representing progress without further strings attached. How could a political act detract from something that is just naturally so? @lisamelton @frameworkcomputer

Emelia 👸🏻

@thisismissem@hachyderm.io replied · 2 weeks ago

@fschaap @hperrin @lisamelton @frameworkcomputer whilst one can argue that technology is inherently neutral/apolitical (I personally disagree with that statement, it's kinda like saying "my ML model isn't biased!"), the act of sponsorship isn't a neutral act.

One party gains something that they may not have had otherwise. Someone in that system benefits from free hardware (fwiw, DHH can almost certainly afford his own hardware, since he has an estimated net worth of $40 million).

So it is a political act to choose to sponsor someone you can reasonably know is political, especially in ways that oppose the company's core customer base.

Framework obviously thought that sponsoring DHH and these projects gained them *something*, otherwise they'd not spend the money. Maybe it was assumed free publicity? Well they're certainly getting that, but maybe it's not the positive publicity thry thought they'd get, and maybe in the future they should be more careful in vetting who they sponsor & why?

Frank

@fschaap@mastodon.social replied · 2 weeks ago

@thisismissem Just to be clear, my final sentence was a hypothetical question, so I think we are on the same level 😄 @hperrin @lisamelton

Sarvo

@sarvo@novoa.nagoya replied · 3 weeks ago

@hperrin@port87.social @lisamelton@mastodon.social @frameworkcomputer@fosstodon.org @thisismissem@hachyderm.io what do you truly want people? what is the endgame of this drama?

I have seen a lot of posts and every single ones just says it is problematic but you don't really say anything.

Hunter Perrin

@hperrin@port87.social replied · 3 weeks ago

@sarvo @thisismissem @frameworkcomputer @lisamelton I want Framework to do the following:

- Apologize for funding (giving free hardware to) DHH. He **is** bad, and probably irredeemable at this point.
- Either explain why they will continue supporting Hyprland or stop supporting it.
- Have some god damned standards for who and what they support.
- Understand that if you invite white supremacists to the table, everyone else will leave.

Hunter Perrin

@hperrin@port87.social replied · 3 weeks ago

@sarvo @thisismissem @frameworkcomputer @lisamelton If they did this, depending on their explanation of Hyprland, I’d support them again.

If they chose to continue supporting Hyprland because they truly believe that the dev is sorry for his transphobic actions and comments, and think the community will be better, then ok. But they also have to follow through. If the community exhibits bigotry, they would have to stop funding it.

Michael T Babcock

@mikebabcock@floss.social replied · 3 weeks ago

@hperrin agree to disagree. Politics is a huge term that encompasses a lot of things. I have a friend who's very into politics, but knows nothing about things going on in Africa or the Middle East. He's into *local* politics.
I think its permissible to be a product that cares about specific #politics ( #FLOSS in this case) and wishes to remain neutral in all other cases.
Its also permissible for you, the customer, to want them to not be neutral. They're not negating their value however.

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