[Advocacy Advisors] Advocacy Advisor list (imo)

[Amgine]

I noticed there have been a number of new joins to this list. I don't know if everyone has a good grasp of why this list exists. So here is my opinion of what this list is for:

The advocacy advisory list was constituted to advise - on request - the WMF regarding topics of advocacy when the WMF has been asked to advocate on behalf of the community. For example, if a free-speech coalition asked WMF to sign onto a letter opposing a specific legislation, the WMF might ask this list to explain how the legislation affected the WMF principles, and how some members of the community feel about the issues.

While this makes the list a discussion group, it is not a channel for advocating.

If it is used as a channel for petitioning the WMF it becomes less-useful. The WMF will ignore the channel in general, and use it to request advice less often, and likely will value that advice less as well. The discussions, because they will not be receiving responses from the WMF itself, will tend to highlight divisions within the community rather than the more fundamental agreements of purpose and practice. So, please don't do that.

Amgine
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