[Wikipedia-l] China conclusions

[Erik Moeller]

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