> Why would you join a club that you don't enjoy the discourse within? I don't understand how people can't see that participation in all of this is 100% voluntary.

The topic under discussion is the OSI's policies and the application thereof. It seems pretty evident to me that the OSI sees that first part (people not enjoying the way they're spoken to or about) as the potential problem: they want people to voluntarily participate in a group, and feel like others in that group can be expected to treat them with dignity and respect even if they disagree.

Furthermore, to your "100% voluntary" part: OSI just revoked their voluntary association with ESR. It cuts both ways.

I don't think it's unreasonable for a large group that is open to the public to publish some pretty standard "don't be a rude and inconsiderate jerk" rules, and to enforce them. As you've pointed out, they can always go fork if they don't like it. Maybe ESR can go start the 'R(ude)OSI' if he thinks that's a productive use of his time, but I don't think most people in general want to have to deal with having textual abuse hurled at them just to participate.

Who knows, maybe I'm wrong and such an effort would be successful! I encourage someone who believes that to try; I'm not against the words, I'm against being rude to people who wish to come and contribute who are shunned or discouraged or driven away as a result of it. Many hands make light work. I'd like to see free software take over the world, and I truly believe that it won't be able to do that if many/most groups creating and promoting it give first-timers a terrible negative experience, which has been the status quo since I was a child.

I tend to favor the rude crowd on principle, but I agree with the logic supporting OSI. More than just "a large group", they're a corporate brand (and one of the most important ones in the open-source world) and as a brand they have to think about their image. ESR doesn't fit their image. OSI wants to present a softer image. That's their prerogative (and I agree, probably important for the open source community to grow with new people who mostly start young and stupid - that's a good thing).

That said, there is probably space for a ROSI: a group with similar benefits to OSI but which prioritizes software over feelings. Being tactful, even for those who can and want to, costs time and energy. Dispensing with that saves time.