[Foundation-l] Concern for the safety of Wikimanians in Alexandria

[Marc Riddell]

on 3/6/08 10:58 AM, Mike Godwin at mgodwin at wikimedia.org wrote:

> 
> Marc Riddell writes:
> 
>> Thanks, Chad, for your clarification. I am frankly amazed by the
>> decision to
>> hold the event in Alexandria. Given what has been said about the
>> cultural
>> and social attitudes toward homosexuality; it would be like having a
>> sponsored gathering in 1950s Birmingham, Alabama, and telling the
>> African-Americans not to "flaunt their blackness". It is one of the
>> most
>> insensitive decisions I have heard an institution make in a long time.
> 
> I want to be clear about one point -- no one at the Foundation has
> urged anyone not to "flaunt" anything at Wikimania.
> 
> There is plenty of reason to believe that all sorts of expressions of
> affection between men or between women are acceptable public behavior
> in Alexandria (as in many other cultures).  As I've said, I'm
> consulting with a number of sources to obtain good guidelines for all
> of us to follow. I hope to have further useful information soon.
> 
> 
> --Mike
> 
Thank you for this, Mike. I still am, however, puzzled why the decision was
made to hold a major, sponsored event in a place where a sizable portion of
the guests are not welcome; and, in some cases, are treated with hostility.
Is this not condoning bigotry?

Marc