On 3/28/06, michael_irwin(a)verizon.net <michael_irwin(a)verizon.net> wrote:
Personally I have no intentions of traveling to China anytime soon but
other peoples who participate in our online communities may have
different plans for the near or far future. It would be extremely
disruptive to have a Wikimania conducted in Beijing impacted by the
highly televised arrest and show trial of vocal care free Wikimanians
not protected by the armed forces of the United States of America.
That's just an argument for not having Wikimania in Beijing, then. In
any case, if the Chinese authorities become upset enough with
Wikimedia to risk the PR backlash that would come from arresting
tourists, it presumably won't be because of mildly-worded warnings on
the site.
Kirill Lokshin