This makes for a pretty strong message...
From: Alan Cox <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Resignation from ALS, Skylarov affair...
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 12:31:02 +0100 (BST)
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED]
I hereby tender my resignation to the Usenix ALS committee.
With the arrest of Dimitry Sklyarov it has become apparent that it is
not safe for non US software engineers to visit the United States.
While he was undoubtedly chosen for political reasons as a Russian is
a good example for the US public the risk extends arbitarily further.
Usenix by its choice of a US location is encouraging other
programmers, many from eastern european states hated by the US
government to take the same risks. That is something I cannot morally
be part of. Who will be the next conference speaker slammed into a US
jail for years for committing no crime? Are usenix prepared to take
the chance it will be their speakers ?
Until the DMCA mess is resolved I would urge all non US citizens to
boycott conferences in the USA and all US conference bodies to hold
their conferences elsehere.
I appreciate that this problem is not of Usenix making, but it must be
addressed
Alan Cox
