[ELECTRON] Is the Electron Club Becoming Too Political?

[ben dembroski]

Hello list.

I know that I've not the most active member lately, but I felt obliged
to chime in here.

I think there is a fine line between groups of particular political
affiliation using the EC for "EC type activities" and using the EC for
political campaigning.

If I recall correctly, when we first got together and drafted the
guidelines for what the EC should and should not be used for, this
subject came up.

Personally, I feel there are plenty of aspects of technology that are
political, but not necessarily overtly so.   FLOSS has a political
position in regards to copyright, patents, monopolistic practices of
corporations, etc...  Even Obama's inauguration speech mentioned "the
makers of things".   On a slightly more esoteric level, there is
plenty of overlap of between social, political and technical hacking.
So much so that I personally welcome the interactions and discussions
that can occur when different "hacker groups" occupy the same space,
even if some of it is a little confrontational (in a respectful
manner, of course).

One of my favorite aspects of the EC is that no person or group is in
charge, and by in large all it's affiliations, political or otherwise,
are directly proportional to the constitution of it's membership.
Since the days it's opened it's doors, the EC's focus has continuously
shifted from one area to another, and it may well be that it's now
entering a "political" phase. It's completely reasonable that some
members will welcome this, and others will find it less desirable.
It's happened before when new groups have come in and rocked the boat
a little.   I'm sure a new equilibrium will surface soon. Even though
I'm not terribly politically active myself,  I don't see this as
necessarily a bad thing, as long as it doesn't get out of hand.   I
would agree that it's easy to overlook activity that might be too
political if the activity is sympathetic to your personal views.
Equally so, it's easy to have a problem with activities which are
contrary to a personal position.

In the meantime, it might be a good idea to at least republish the
guidelines from the original site.  It might help clear up what kind
of activity is appropriate and what's not.

As for the issue of Digital Deperados' policies; was the groups
activities in the EC restrictive, or is the quote provided from a more
general statement describing who the group is for?

Pardon my ignorance.  Like I said, I've been pretty much off the radar
the past few months.

My 2p,
Ben D.







2009/5/13 Marion Hersh <m.hersh at elec.gla.ac.uk>:
> Why should right wing and apolitical people have the monopoly of technology?
>  I am a chartered electrical engineer, a long way from being a teenager
> (though they should also be welcome) and a socialist.
> Marion
>
> Gordon JC Pearce wrote:
>>
>> On Wed, 2009-05-13 at 18:21 +0100, Marion Hersh wrote:
>>
>>
>>>
>>> long discussion of this.  However, I am surprised that people in EC
>>> reject claim that technology is political.
>>>
>>
>> If this is going to be yet another good organisation ruined by teenage
>> Red Clydesiders, then I want nothing further to do with Electron Club.
>>
>> Gordon
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> members mailing list
>> members at electronclub.org
>> http://lists.electronclub.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/members
>>
>> Instructions for changing your mailing list settings:
>> http://lists.electronclub.org/emailhowto.html
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> members mailing list
> members at electronclub.org
> http://lists.electronclub.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/members
>
> Instructions for changing your mailing list settings:
> http://lists.electronclub.org/emailhowto.html
>