I'd like to invite all parties to close this particular thread as it is
devolving into a flamewar. I think no Chinese user is happy about being
censored, and that is what matters for the case at hand. I apologize for
partially igniting this flamewar by calling the Chinese government
fascist. This is my personal belief, and it does not contribute usefully
to the discussion.
Given Jimbo's clear statement on the matter, I hope we can all agree on
the following two things:
1) The content on the Chinese Wikipedia will not be censored or edited in
violation of NPOV. All sides to any issue are to be presented fairly and
neutrally, with or without the threat of government censorship.
Wikipedia's policies are not subject to change as a result of
intimidation.
2) Editors of the Chinese Wikipedia will work with the responsible
institutions to get the ban lifted under these conditions, and *only*
under these conditions.
Now, if 2) fails, I hope we can talk about what other options we have.
Actively aiding Chinese users to circumvent such censorship is, at least
to me, not out of the question. But for the time being, I would suggest to
Chinese Wikipedians to form an action group specifically for the purpose
of dealing with the issue of government censorship cautiously.
Does such a group already exist? If not, perhaps we can help by setting up
a mailing list for the purpose - if such a list is accessed through
Hotmail etc., it should be available regardless of whether Wikipedia
itself is censored. Alternatively, it could be set up on a third party
server.
The important thing to remember is that we are all on the same side, that
we believe in creating a neutral encyclopedia, and that we oppose
censorship of our work. Let's take strength from our shared values instead
of wasting time and energy on our personal and political differences.
WikiLove,
Erik