Andy Mabbett wrote: >On 3 February 2017 at 00:00, MZMcBride <z...@mzmcbride.com> wrote: >> I guess this is referring to >> <https://blog.wikimedia.org/2017/01/30/knowledge-knows-no-boundaries/>. > >There were speakers and delegates at Wikimania 2012, in Washington DC, >who would not have been able to attend under the current ban. > >I therefore have no problem with the WMF speaking out against such a >ban; indeed I applaud them for doing so.
Wikimania has taken place in many countries. In 2011 it was held in Israel, in 2008 it was held in Egypt, etc. That doesn't make it appropriate for the Wikimedia Foundation to issue statements about various national policies. That isn't its role or responsibility. Simply because tenuous connections can be made doesn't suddenly make them legitimate reasons for political action on behalf of the Wikimedia Foundation or the Wikimedia movement. An unwanted pregnancy is a burden and may reduce the ability of some women to edit Wikipedia. But that (quite obviously, to me, anyway) does not mean that the Wikimedia Foundation should be taking a position on abortion rights and access to contraception. In my opinion, the risk of such political action is pretty clear: it has a very real possibility to fracture and divide the Wikimedia community over issues that are unrelated to Wikimedia's mission. Robert Fernandez wrote: >That is an obvious false equivalence. The issue isn't people rooting >for the WMF to take political stances that mirror their own. The >issue is whether or not that the WMF should recognize that its mission >can intersect with or conflict with political stances and then act >appropriately. You somewhat conveniently avoided addressing Nathan's point. If the Wikimedia Foundation issued a political statement with a view that you found deeply offensive and strongly disagreed with, how would you respond? Todd Allen wrote: >I don't think anyone is disputing the facts. I'm certainly not. And I am >gravely concerned by what's being done, and I entirely oppose it. > >However, that doesn't mean I want to see WMF used as a political >mouthpiece, even when what's being said happens to be things I fully agree >with. Agreed. MZMcBride _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe>
