[Foundation-l] Wikimania and the Muhammad pix

[Oldak Quill]

On 24/02/2008, Mathias Schindler <mathias.schindler at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sun, Feb 24, 2008 at 4:31 AM,  <daniwo59 at aol.com> wrote:
>
>  >  Rather, the
>  >  question is whether the WMF is prepared to show implicit support for  a
>  >  regime that discriminates against homosexuals, members of religious  minorities,
>  >  bloggers, women, and political adversaries. For a movement motivated  by "Free
>  >  as in Freedom," it seems to be an ironic choice.
>
>
> When Wikimania 2006 was held in Boston, WMF did not show implicit
>  support (or implicit opposition) to Diebold voting computers, Gitmo,
>  Waterboarding, tax cuts, NASCAR, wiretapping, US-VISIT, Dixie Chicks
>  or "the neutrality of this book is disputed"-stickers on biology
>  textbooks.

Danny's point that holding an event in a particular country shows
implicit support (or rather, implicit acceptance) of the government,
is quite different to supporting particular aspects of the country
you're in. Every country has flaws and operating within the country
doesn't give implicit support for each of those flaws. Those countries
whose flaws are institution, law and government, are a different
matter.

Example: holding a conference in a country which uses Diebold isn't
express support for corruption; holding a conference in a country
where homosexuality is illegal, and telling homosexual Wikimedians to
'not be obvious', is implicit acceptance of those laws and that
regime.

-- 
Oldak Quill (oldakquill at gmail.com)