Re: Concerns about Singapore

[Dhruv Dhody <[e-mail]>]

Hi Leif,

On Thu, Apr 7, 2016 at 4:12 PM, Leif Johansson <[e-mail]> wrote:

> On 2016-04-07 20:30, Dhruv Dhody wrote:
> > +1
> >
> > I am happy to see that LGBT inclusiveness taken seriously by the IETF.
> > But looking at the law on the books in black and white, would be doing a
> > disservice to a large region of the world (with a large number of
> > Internet users).
>
> I don't parse that actually.
>

​Sorry if I was not clear.
​

>
> How is reading the law of Singapore "doing disservice to a large region
> of the world?"
>

​No, I meant that IETF would be doing a disservice to a large part of the
world (that has on its books these laws). We need to have a nuanced
approach and this being another factor in a multitude of factors. Having a
blanket rule that the IETF will not go to any such place is something
I disagree with.


>
> I don't think "yes but many who live in Singapore are nice people"
> nor "yes but those laws are hardly ever applied" are useful arguments
> in this discussion but maybe thats just me...
>
> I am pretty sure that Ted (to pick a random example) would be able to
> travel to Singapore for an IETF and be /personally/ quite safe because
> as you say the laws of the land would be selectively applied.
>
> That is always the problem of selectively applied laws: they are used
> when it is convenient... and are often used to intimidate. That is why
> censorship is often self-administered in countries where there are
> censorship laws "on the books".
>

​I agree with you. I understand this well, as an openly gay person, living
in a country with such laws​ on the book.
I hope these laws go away but till then, having a blanket rule against
taking IETF to a big part of the world is something I find wrong.

Thanks!
Dhruv


>         Cheers Leif
>
>