Shalom / Assalam from Jerusalem, On Thu, Aug 11, 2011 at 11:50 AM, Harel Cain <[email protected]> wrote: > We at Wikimedia Israel are not ignoring the stories told on this thread, > actually we're taking them very much to heart. > > We are now considering a strong letter of complaint to various government > agencies and a demand for formal written apology. Details will follow once > we have decided on our course of action.
It's very much thoughtful and kind of you. I hope also the other still around may not have such troubles mentioned. > > > Harel Cain > Secretary, Wikimedia Israel > > > On Thu, Aug 11, 2011 at 11:07, James Hare <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> On Aug 11, 2011, at 9:49 AM, "church.of.emacs.ml" >> <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> > On 08/10/2011 06:05 PM, Sumana Harihareswara wrote: >> >> >> >> […] >> >> >> >> In both cases I was traveling alone. And in both cases I was myself, a >> >> US citizen whose parents and name and skin color came from South Asia. >> >> I can't pass as anything else. >> > >> > This is simply racism and harassment. There can be no excuse for that >> > kind of treatment. >> > If this is the way even a citizen of the western world is treated, I can >> > understand very well why there were (almost?) no members of the Arab >> > world in Israel. >> > >> > I find it regrettable that next Wikimania is going to be in Washington >> > D.C. Airport harassment might not be as severe as in Israel, but perhaps >> > severe enough so that Arab Wikimedians are prevented or discouraged from >> > attending. >> > >> > Don't get me wrong, Wikimania in Israel was fantastic and D.C. will >> > probably be, too, but we have to focus more on accessibility for *all* >> > Wikimedians. >> > >> > Regards, >> > Tobias >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Wikimania-l mailing list >> > [email protected] >> > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >> >> While no one has the power to exempt anyone from security checks (in fact, >> whenever former Secretary of State Colin Powell travels, he gets the full >> check to show that everyone has to follow the rules), we can coordinate with >> TSA, tell them about our conference (including how tech-oriented some of the >> attendees are), and ask them for advice to make the security check process >> as simple as possible. My impression, though, is that while Israeli security >> focuses on you as a person, TSA mostly focuses on your stuff. Follow all >> their rules (take out laptop for separate x-ray scan, only small bottles of >> liquid, etc.) and I think you will be fine, but unfortunately I only have >> the perspective of a white US citizen. >> >> I actually think the bigger obstacle will be obtaining a visa, for those >> who don't live in visa exempt countries. As mentioned earlier, we will do >> everything in our power to make the process easier; we will even be looking >> into visa scholarships. It helps that the US State Department knows what >> Wikipedia is and that they have sent people to two Wikimanias, 2006 and >> 2011. >> >> James >> _______________________________________________ >> Wikimania-l mailing list >> [email protected] >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l > > > > -- > Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur. > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimania-l mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l > > -- KIZU Naoko / 木津尚子 member of Wikimedians in Kansai / 関西ウィキメディアユーザ会 http://kansai.wikimedia.jp _______________________________________________ Wikimania-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l
