[Foundation-l] Non-free content on Commons

[Birgitte SB]

--- On Wed, 4/1/09, Marcus Buck <me at marcusbuck.org> wrote:

> From: Marcus Buck <me at marcusbuck.org>
> Subject: Re: [Foundation-l] Non-free content on Commons
> To: "Wikimedia Foundation Mailing List" <foundation-l at lists.wikimedia.org>
> Date: Wednesday, April 1, 2009, 10:16 AM
> Birgitte SB hett schreven:
> > Right, it obviously "the pompous English majority"
> conspiring here because you received a prank from every
> English speaker on the list.
> >
> > If the list were in Spanish so every immature youth in
> Latin America with too much time on their hands could access
> it without scholarship, you would be unable to spare the
> rest of us on Dec 28.  Follow David's example and
> ignore those who actually choose to waste your time and
> spare the rest of us your stereotyped rant.
> >
> > Birgitte SB 
> >   
> Cultural imperialism is not confined to societies. It can
> be done by 
> individuals too. And Pedro's critical remarks are aimed at
> individuals. 
> No need to feel offended as a member of the English
> majority (except you 
> support imposing your own cultural sillynesses on other
> people, in that 
> case, feel offended).
> 
> The main problem with "just ignore them" is: If you don't
> know the 
> custom of April's Fool day, you won't know that it's a
> joke. And even if 
> you know the custom you can still fall for the jokes.
> 
> I am fully aware, that there will always be idiots, who
> don't know how 
> to behave in an intercultural environment, but only if we
> tell them that 
> they are idiots, awareness can arise for the idioticy of
> this behaviour.
> 


If you hadn't snipped it would be clear the rant was not directed at any individuals. The foundation list and it's English majority were all that was given not idiotic pranksters.  While one need not feel offended about it, neither does one need to feel annoyed with April Fools pranks. But such an attitude is offensive to me and I don't think it belongs here any more than the annoying pranks do.  

I am afraid you misunderstood my suggestion as well as misquoted me.. I have no issue with singling out people, and didn't mean to suggest they must be ignored without comment.  More like placed on the "ignore emails from X" function of your Inbox.  So that they won't bother him in the future..  I suggested following David's example, which was singling a prankster out and publicly announcing that he was ignoring him.  So I never intended to suggest that he "just ignore [the pranks]".

Birgitte SB