Re: [Fsfe-uk] Stalls at Marxism 2003

[Timothy Baldwin]

Apoloiges for taking so ong to follow this up, I have been busy with exams and 
Nazis, and had an irrational fearof  reading your responses.

On Friday 16 May 2003 7:37 pm, Timothy Baldwin wrote:
> Marxism 2003 is an annual conference, of about 5000-6000 left wing
> political activists. It is held in and around the University of London, and
> this year runs from the afternoon Friday 4th June to the afternoon Friday
> 11th June. All parts of the political spectrum from the Labour left
> leftwards are represented.

Correction, 7pm Friday 4th July to 3pm Friday 11th July.

Somebody incorrectly stated that Labour leftwards (as oppseded to Labour left 
leftwards) would be present, you would, in fact, be unlikely to find the 
likes of Tony Blair and Arlene McCarthy there, you will however find Tony 
Benn (3:45pm Sunday, in the Logan Hall).

> I propose, to tackle the shocking ignorance within the left, that the AFFS
> should hold a stall at Marxism 2003.

Since disscussion on this list has been mostly agreeable, I'll go ahead. 
Presence at an event is not seen endorsment of it's organisers. 

General pattern is the stall holder's goals, and the event organisers goals 
have a common subset, and are compatable.

Association with marxists and the anti-globlistaion movement have not stopped 
bussiness campaigning against the Euro or opposing the war on Iraq. Now that 
bussiness know that Free Software is in there interests, a greater 
association with the left isn't going to stop them.

> This level of ignorance extend to many
> who work in IT, including at one time the SWP's system administrator, this
> is despite the fact support for Free Software can be deduced from basic
> principles of the far left parties (including the SWP).

It has been said on this mailing list that the sys admin was acting 
hypocrictially, he wasn't (AFAIK), but he was at the time evaluating 
OpenOffice (and didn't know about Free Software).

> Unfortunately out of the 200+ meetings, none of them cover computers in any
> way. 

Update: There is one meeting, "Censoring Cyberspace" by Martin Empson, Sunday 
11:45am in the Nunn Hall. Disscussion of Take-down clauses would be relevant 
here, I assume.

> Hopefully if we can raise awareness of Free Software, it would be
> possible to change this for next year. Additionally we could hold a fringe
> meeting.

From Saturday to Thursday the meeting times are:
10-11:15am, 11:45am-1pm, 2-3:15pm, 3:45-5pm, 7-8:30pm, and entertainments 
start at 9pm.

Therefore the most imporant time of day to hold our stall would be from 5pm to 
7pm, however there are people about all day, even during meeting times.

Will anybody willing to help please contact me by email (or reply to the 
list), stating when they are avaiable. I suugest we meet next to the (statue 
of a) budda to the west of the Institute of Education. I'll name a time when 
I know when people are avaible.

Materials we should have:

A paper petition against Software Patents (can anyone clarify what "business 
methods" are, and how broad the AFFS's anti-patent position is?)

A paper petition againist the nazi that has been trolling on uk.comp.os.linux 
and elsewhere, calling that he should be banned from using the Internet. This 
falls within the AFFS's goal because he is disrupting the free software 
comminity, if the nazis aren't stopped soon it is possible we could be facing 
physical violence from many nazis.

AFFS Membership Forms

Some books, I will bring my coppies of Free as in Freedom and Rebel Code for 
people to browse. Anyoue willing to lend a copy of Free Software, Free 
Society or anything else relevant?

Some documents for people to take away, on Free Software in general. I suggest 
"What is Free Software?", "Why Software Should Not Have Owners" and "Why 
Software Should Be Free" from the FSF.


-- 
Member AFFS, WYLUG, SWP (UK), ANL, Leeds SA, Leeds Anti-war coalition
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No to software patents!    No to DRM/EUCD - hands off our computers!

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