[Foundation-l] [Wikimania-l] Wikimania 2008 will happen in Alexandria, Egypt

Fri Oct 12 13:58:36 UTC 2007

On 10/12/07, Sue Reed <sreed1234 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> I have a question that in the myriad of emails I've read so far I'm not sure I've seen an answer. Were the questions about Egypt's perceived or real lack of tolerance brought up during the public meeting and jury process?
>
> If they were, and the jury chose Alexandria anyway, then you just have to move on and decide whether or not you're going to go based on that decision.
>
> If they weren't, then you should make sure to bring it up for the 2009 selection process.
>
> Either way, is there any point discussing it any further? The decision has been made. There doesn't seem to be anything coming from the jury or the WMF that they are even considering reopening the decision process.
>
> Sue Anne
> sreed1234 at yahoo.com
>

As far as I can tell, not really.  There's really little to no chance
the jury will reconsider the outcome.  The safety of gays, lesbiens,
transsexuals et al. is not a priority of wikimania this year.  Whether
that can be made a priority of the jury next year, I don't know, but
that's where the efforts of those who care about the ability of GLBT
community to attend might focus their efforts.  Or on more local
events, which are those of us who're poor might be able to attend
where Egypt is impossible for us.

Should it be a priority of the jury?  Depends on whether it's a
priority of the community.  I would hope the jury next year will give
two shits about GLBTs, but if only a tiny minority of Wikipedians,
Wikimedians et al. share that opinion, then they probably won't.

Incidentally, we should probably stop responding to posters who keep
disingeniously suggesting that Egypt is completely safe, or that as
both Alexandria and Atlanta (and Cape Town) have nonzero risks that
this somehow makes them equivilent.

Cheers
WilyD