[TriLUG] META - Red Hat Censorship?

[Mark Turner]

Matt Frye wrote:
> Dude, you're way off base. Consider the following:
> 4) Red Hat has no editorial control over our content.  Remember the
> Jeff Waugh meeting?
>
> MPF
>   
On the contrary, I consider a veto of a LUG speaker to be _quite a bit_ 
of editorial control. If, as you stated " it was Red Hat who refused to 
allow a Google speaker," that smacks to me as censorship, plain and 
simple. I may be in the minority here, and that's fine if so, but Red 
Hat's action just doesn't sit well with me. With all the talk about 
"childish behavior" on the list today, banning a speaker is the epitome 
of it. Did Matthew Szulik throw a chair across the room when he found out?

TriLUG needed space and Red Hat provided it. We are grateful for their 
generosity. That said, TriLUG isn't wedded (nor beholden) to Red Hat, 
nor should it be. Indeed, we may be outgrowing Red Hat's venue. Besides, 
maybe its just time to look around.

I would hope, though, that the venue sponsors would share TriLUG's 
values. I would hope TriLUG would choose a venue where freedom of speech 
and differing opinions are celebrated, not locked out.

I, for one, do not want a watered-down TriLUG.

I propose that TriLUG convene a committee to search for alternative 
venues. Perhaps we can vote on that.

Mark

Mark Turner
www.markturner.net