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An Open Letter to the Python Software Foundation

pythonafrica.blogspot.com

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Re: An Open Letter to the Python Software Foundation

#51

Post by blackbear_ »

mmtml wrote: post #22
ayhanfuat wrote: post #5

> What counts as “safety”? Which places in the world are truly safe for LGBTQIA+ community? How much of a city, or state, or country needs to be LGBTQIA+ hostile for the whole of it to be declared unworthy of PSF support? What a cheap shot. You don't need a safetyometer or something to determine that a country where same sex relationship is punishable by life imprisonment is unsafe for homosexuals or bisexuals.

I think the point was not properly made on their behalf. That said, do the organizers of the conference have any saying on the politics on their country and actually deserve to be punished because of them? I don't really think so.

I am not sure if denying funding can be thought of as a punishment: could they have chosen another country?

But going along with it, allowing the conference to happen should then be considered a punishment against the people who are by law prevented from attending. And now it's not so simple anymore since no matter what the PSF does they have to "punish" somebody.

Re: An Open Letter to the Python Software Foundation

#53

Post by darkerside »

ayhanfuat wrote: post #5

> What counts as “safety”? Which places in the world are truly safe for LGBTQIA+ community? How much of a city, or state, or country needs to be LGBTQIA+ hostile for the whole of it to be declared unworthy of PSF support? What a cheap shot. You don't need a safetyometer or something to determine that a country where same sex relationship is punishable by life imprisonment is unsafe for homosexuals or bisexuals.

Some people might be shocked that you can be incarcerated in the US for putting substances in your own body.

Re: An Open Letter to the Python Software Foundation

#54

Post by culebron21 »

Xeamek wrote: post #29
anonylizard wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

You don't need LGBT hunt squads. All you need is the fact that a gay couple holding hands or kissing publicly is unsafe. "Then just don't kiss publicly". Sure, hiding one's sexuality isn't that hard, especially for a short period of time. But that's the whole problem: they shouldn't have to hide it in the first place. Home people might know you, but in home country you are against only bigoted individuals, not the en…

Western countries should then stop giving their "perks" (grants, subsidies, volunteers traveling) to the entire Africa, because it's not up to any standards of culture or human rights. ...And proudly wait till Africa meets them.

As the joke says: "they promised to fill the pool as soon as we learn to swim."

Re: An Open Letter to the Python Software Foundation

#55

Post by Xeamek »

anticodon wrote: post #46
Xeamek wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's literally how any 'anti-state' action works, ever. Does an individual Russian have a say in what Putin does in Ukraine? Probably not. But countries are a collection of its citizens. The only way to 'punish' a country is to punish its citizens. Sometimes it's more direct, other times less. But at the end of the day, any and all actions will trickle down to punishing individuals, because that's simply how action…

[flagged]

How is that weird?

Re: An Open Letter to the Python Software Foundation

#57

Post by jsmeaton »

bruce343434 wrote: post #32
gwd wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then say "no" quickly so that they can look for other funding. [EDIT] And be honest about the fact that Africans (or more charitably, countries that have particular laws or a particular pattern of enforcement) Need Not Apply.

>And be honest about the fact that Africans Need Not Apply I have the hunch that that is what it came down to, a matter of public perception. Shunt africa, or shunt lgbt? Both "important minority identities" in the current zeitgeist of the western world. Probably no one wanted to touch that decision with a 10 ft pole.

The open letter states it was a single individual that was able to stonewall the process. It wasn’t about the PSF group as a whole that didn’t want to touch the decision. One person. I think the letter has a fairly good point that processes are broken if this is possible.

Re: An Open Letter to the Python Software Foundation

#58

Post by A4ET8a8uTh0 »

Xeamek wrote: post #29
anonylizard wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

You don't need LGBT hunt squads. All you need is the fact that a gay couple holding hands or kissing publicly is unsafe. "Then just don't kiss publicly". Sure, hiding one's sexuality isn't that hard, especially for a short period of time. But that's the whole problem: they shouldn't have to hide it in the first place. Home people might know you, but in home country you are against only bigoted individuals, not the en…

Hey now, just the other people day people on HN argued that forcing a person to adopt some norms is not censorship, because:

1. It is not the government doing it 2. It is not actually speech

You can't say you are free to express yourself in one sentence and forbid expression in the next. Either we all have to hide or we can all be free to express ourselves as we see fit.

Re: An Open Letter to the Python Software Foundation

#60

Post by rainonmoon »

DeathArrow wrote: post #30
ayhanfuat wrote: post #5

> What counts as “safety”? Which places in the world are truly safe for LGBTQIA+ community? How much of a city, or state, or country needs to be LGBTQIA+ hostile for the whole of it to be declared unworthy of PSF support? What a cheap shot. You don't need a safetyometer or something to determine that a country where same sex relationship is punishable by life imprisonment is unsafe for homosexuals or bisexuals.

At the same time, software should not be tied to politics. People should be able to hold different political views while taking part in software conferences.

Software is intrinsically tied to politics. It is made to solve problems the priorities of which are arranged by political and ideological frameworks. It or its supporting infrastructure is often funded by political entities. It's written by people whose identities and freedoms are defined by their political context. You can't separate it from politics except in the case where your degree of privilege allows you to ignore it.
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