mo@messy.bellcore.com (Michael O'Dell) (06/08/90)
Several folks have asked that someone from the Board post something to provide a bit of context for the recent South Africa discussions here. The following tries to do that without a complete recitation of either the entire history or all the varied opinions. I strongly suspect this will be an animated topic for the Open Board Meeting at Anaheim. ------------------------------------------------------ To briefly provide a bit of missing context about the Anaheim USENIX Board Meeting agenda item which Peter Salus commented upon: On several occasions the Association has been approached by the University of Capetown about their desire to become an institutional member of the Association. This question is clearly a matter for the Board, and it is rather complex for a number of reasons, not the least of which has to do with US Federal statutes, findings by the US Department of Commerce about whether the University of Capetown is an Apartheid-enforcing agency, the rights and legal obligations of the Board w.r.t. membership rules, as well as the larger meta-question of the mixing of political matters with what is essentially a technical society. As you can imagine, there are varied and quite strongly-held opinions on all these matters. The Board Meeting agenda item addresses the nature, if any, of action we might wish to take on this matter. ------------------------------------------------------ Your Obedient Director-at-Large, -Mike O'Dell
cal@pyrtech (Craig Alan Levin) (06/08/90)
First of all let me state that I have not formulated my opinion on this issue, since I do not know all the facts. (ie. laws, requests, parties involved). In article <24003@bellcore.bellcore.com> mo@usenix.org (Michael O'Dell) writes: >... as well as the larger meta-question of >the mixing of political matters with what is essentially >a technical society. It was my understanding that Soviet scientists have shared information through technical conferences here in the U.S. and elsewhere, for many years. Long before Peristroika (sp?). Pure scientists have always tried to keep politics separate from the search for knowledge. >and quite strongly-held opinions on all these matters. > >The Board Meeting agenda item addresses the nature, if any, >of action we might wish to take on this matter. > >------------------------------------------------------ > > Your Obedient Director-at-Large, > -Mike O'Dell