Re: [libreplanet-discuss] LibrePlanet 2017 and the Trump Police State

[Georgia Young]

Hi Andres,

On 03/16/2017 03:46 PM, Andres Pacheco wrote:
> I really can't believe it and I'm disgusted. Libreplanet 2017 should be
> held OUTSIDE TRUMPLANDIA AND EUROJETSET.
> 
> Anything else would be treason in the ideals of a free society with free
> software 
> 

I appreciate your feelings about this, but as one of the lead organizers
for LibrePlanet, it is important to note that planning for LibrePlanet
2017 was well underway when Donald Trump was elected President of the
United States. This event is planned by the staff of the Free Software
Foundation (and for the past few years in partnership with the Student
Information Processing Board of MIT, where LibrePlanet has been located)
- most of whom work out of the FSF office in Boston, Massachusetts.

A bunch of people (including volunteers and speakers traveling from
outside the United States, or contributing while in other countries).
work very hard on this conference. We stream talks live so anybody can
watch online from anywhere in the world, and we post recordings of the
talks after, so people can watch at their convenience. Accusing any of
us -- who put so much time, energy, and heart into this event -- of
betraying the ideals of a free society is both inaccurate and unkind.

Please also note that FSF executive director John Sullivan replied to
this thread back in February as follows:

"It's not possible to change the location of LP 2017 at this late date.
We have had conversations about moving the conference around in the
future, or holding affiliated events in different places. Canada is high
on the list of possibilities. These conversations have been going on for
a while, because even before the recent changes, many free software
developers did not feel safe traveling to the US due to how their past
work might be viewed under the DMCA and US laws against reverse
engineering. It's a big logistical challenge for us to have it in other
places, but if we can attract sufficient financial support, I could
definitely see us doing it in the future.

We're very frustrated with the recent changes to immigration policy, and
have been discussing how they relate to the FSF's mission. One thing is
for sure; we're very troubled by how the changes are interfering with
our ability to bring free software movement members together. We again
have a high priority on recording and streaming talks, so I hope that
those who can't join us in person will still be able to participate to
some extent."

LibrePlanet's program this year includes lots of talks that offer ideas,
inspiration, strategy and solutions: https://libreplanet.org/2017/. I
hope you'll watch the livestream next weekend, or the archived videos
later. Let's build each other up, find solutions, and keep working
toward free software and a free society for all.

Best,

Georgia

> 
> Regards / Saludos / Grato,
> Andrés Leopoldo Pacheco Sanfuentes
> (817) 754-0431 <tel:(817)%20754-0431>
> <alps6085@yahoo.com>
> 
> On Thursday, March 16, 2017, 1:10 PM, Tiberiu <info@tehnoetic.com> wrote:
> 
>     I'm happy to report that at least for Romania and Bulgaria (East
>     European countries, both part of the European Union) visa is as easy to
>     get as it has been before, and it's not affected by the new US
>     administration. For now, at least.
> 
>     On 31.01.2017 09:33, Tiberiu wrote:
>     > Also, people from Eastern Europe (even from Romania and Bulgaria,
>     which
>     > are part of the European Union) are still required to get visa for
>     both
>     > USA and Canada. With the new conditions Trump is forcing on the visa
>     > programmes, it might be next to impossible for people from these parts
>     > of Europe to attend LibrePlanet.
>     >
>     > On 31.01.2017 06:45, Will Hill wrote:
>     >> Should LibrePlanet 2017 be moved to Canada or other country where
>     everyone can
>     >> attend and feel safe? 
>     >>
>     >> Donald Trump's Muslim ban has already made problems for people
>     traveling to
>     >> the US.
>     >>
>     >>
>     
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_Order_%22Protecting_the_Nation_from_Foreign_Terrorist_Entry_into_the_United_States%22
>     >>
>     >> Trump has also ordered federal agencies to violate the privacy of
>     foreigners.
>     >>
>     >>
>     
> https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20170126/11283536574/new-trump-executive-order-says-federal-agencies-should-exclude-foreigners-privacy-protections.shtml
>     >>
>     >>
>     >> I'm not sure I will brave travel under Trump no matter where
>     LibrePlanet is
>     >> held because I live in the US and can not avoid the policies of
>     this monster. 
>     >>
>     >> On Wednesday 25 January 2017, Vito Torleone wrote:
>     >>> MIT in Cambridge, MA:
>     >>> https://www.libreplanet.org/2017/
>     >>>
>     >>> On 01/25/2017 05:33 PM, Charles wrote:
>     >>>> Where will libreplanet be held (location)?
> 
> 
> 
>     _______________________________________________
>     libreplanet-discuss mailing list
>     libreplanet-discuss@libreplanet.org
>     <mailto:libreplanet-discuss@libreplanet.org>
>     https://lists.libreplanet.org/mailman/listinfo/libreplanet-discuss
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> libreplanet-discuss mailing list
> libreplanet-discuss@libreplanet.org
> https://lists.libreplanet.org/mailman/listinfo/libreplanet-discuss
> 

-- 
Georgia Young
Program Manager
Free Software Foundation