MIT Researcher Who Defended Sex With Children Resigns

Richard Stallman is out.

Stepping Back

Richard Stallman — the famous computer scientist who defended the idea of having sex with children and suggested that one of Jeffrey Epstein's victims was "entirely willing" — has resigned from his position at MIT.

Stallman announced his resignation on his website on Monday. Startlingly, he used the post to double down on his previous assertion that the backlash against him was "a series of misunderstandings and mischaracterizations."

Bad Look

The controversy flared up when Stallman inserted himself into the Epstein news cycle, defending late AI pioneer Marvin Minsky against allegations that he had sexually assaulted a minor who Epstein trafficked.

The comments drew attention to more unpleasant remarks, in 2003, when Stallman suggested that there was nothing inherently wrong with adults having sex with minors aged 14 and younger — a position he didn't reverse until this past Saturday.

Bad Apple

Stallman's work with the free software movement had made him a minor celebrity among many software developers.

He had a reputation for eccentricity — and, in some circles, poor hygiene. But his rapid ouster from MIT and the Free Software Foundation, where he also resigned as president last night, shows that the open source community is only willing to tolerate so much.

READ MORE: Computer Scientist Richard Stallman Resigns From MIT Over Epstein Comments [Motherboard]

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