In this thread, I see people raising the issues regarding the Egyptian government.  As we know, it's not a democracy and the Egyptian people did not choose the government.  The government there is more repressive, but not so much so (like Burma) that we can't have Wikimania there.  To penalize Egyptian Wikimedians (and those from Jordan and other nearby places), for what their government does is not cool with me.
<br><br>At the same time, I know plenty of people from Europe, Canada, the Middle East and elsewhere in the world...  I don&#39;t necessarily approve of things my government does, and it&#39;s important that they distinguish me (as an individual American), from what my government does (including providing enormous amounts of aid to the Egyptian government and other undemocratic regimes).&nbsp; 
<br><br><a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0412/p07s01-wome.html">http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0412/p07s01-wome.html</a><br>
<a href="http://www1.usaid.gov/our_work/features/egypt/">http://www1.usaid.gov/our_work/features/egypt/</a><br>
<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/12/AR2006061201286.html">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/12/AR2006061201286.html</a><br><br>Thinking about that, if you are not happy with repressive things the Egyptian government does, maybe it&#39;s time to write congress, ask questions of the 
U.S. presidential candidates, etc. about our policy of supporting such regimes.<br><br><a href="http://www.house.gov/writerep/">http://www.house.gov/writerep/</a><br><a href="http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm">
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm</a><br><br>-Aude<br>