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From: fyl@ssc.UUCP (Phil Hughes)
Newsgroups: comp.org.usenix
Subject: Re: USENIX and South Africa
Message-ID: <811@ssc.UUCP>
Date: 6 Jun 90 19:47:49 GMT
References: <1990Jun4.141811.1075@world.std.com> <13051@smoke.BRL.MIL> <13055@smoke.BRL.MIL>
Organization: SSC, Inc., Seattle, WA
Lines: 31

In article <13055@smoke.BRL.MIL>, gwyn@smoke.BRL.MIL (Doug Gwyn) writes:
> In article <1239@mtxinu.UUCP> shore@mtxinu.com (Melinda Shore) writes:
> >In article <13051@smoke.BRL.MIL> gwyn@smoke.BRL.MIL (Doug Gwyn) writes:
> >>I wasn't aware that USENIX membership elected officers to do their
> >>political, social, or religious thinking and value judgment for them.
> >How do you make your voting decisions?
> 
> For USENIX officers, I try to pick those that I think are most likely
> to enhance the UNIX community's experience as such.  It is a terrible
> design-level mistake to have ALL organizations addressing the SAME
> issues.  USENIX's business is UNIX, not apartheid.  Surely you can
> see the distinction.

This is unfortunately happening.  Back in the "old days" when we bought
groceries from the corner store, run by someone who lived in the
neighborhood, we could, for example, request that they buy locally made
products whenever possible.  As we have attempted to divorce ourselves
more and more from the real world we lose touch with such issues.

If we attempt to think of our jobs and/or interests in computing as being
only computing and not having any effect on the outside world we are
living in a vacuum.  My decision to buy a particular computer is partly
based on how such a purchase effects the standard of living of myself,
members of my community and fellow residents of the planet.  Taking all
this into consideration is a lot of work.  I, for one, appreciate that
USENIX is willing to look at an issue for me and give me some information.
If other organizations were also willing to "stick their neck out" things
like the repressive situation in South Africa would not exist.
-- 
Phil Hughes, SSC, Inc. P.O. Box 55549, Seattle, WA 98155  (206)FOR-UNIX
     uunet!pilchuck!ssc!fyl or attmail!ssc!fyl            (206)527-3385