[Foundation-l] A question for American Wikimedians

[Keegan Peterzell]

I would not wish that world upon anyone, Fred.  African Americans are
underrepresented for the same reason that Native Americans and about 300
ethnic groups are: lack of internet access and, with access emerging,
learning how to engage in the internet.  It's not because any specific group
does not have a desire to volunteer, as you asserted, it's because our (not
black, white, North American, South American, African, Asian, Australian,
European or sitting in a small hut at a weather station in Antarctica) ones
and zeros are finally reaching populations.  You cannot expect any group to
embrace things like Wikimedia all at once, nor can we assume we're all white
guys.  There is no hope for focus our outreach if we begin with that
approach, whether it is merited or not.  To promote free knowledge, we must
assume that everyone is just someone and the bridge is built from there.

On Thu, Nov 18, 2010 at 12:21 AM, Fred Bauder <fredbaud at fairpoint.net>wrote:
>
> I wish I could live in the world you wish, where poverty and oppression
> of a people did not damage it. The question was not whether there are a
> few who edit, but why there is not mass participation, and trouble when
> it does emerge.
>
> Fred Bauder
>
>
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-- 
~Keegan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Keegan