[Bassetlug mailing] Fairtrade in Bassetlaw

[MJ.Wells]

Mark says that:

"as a minimum need to commit to serve only fairtrade tea and coffee at our
meeting"

I have read the details on the two relevant websites. It appears that the
commitment may only be to have available Fairtrade products, rather than to
exclusively use them. Retail outlets are only required to offer two products
to qualify, and major supermarkets are on the list who will sell competing
non-Fairtrade products alongside Fairtrade offerings. It is rather grey, and
potentially more restrictive, for 'community organisations' where the phrase
is 'use Fairtrade products whenever possible', as it leaves open the bounds
of the definition of 'possible' and whether exculsivity is imposed.

We can continue to make available (and even exclusively*) Fairtrade items at
the bassetLUG meetings, however to put the group's name down on any list of
a political organisation would be to violate the independence of the group.
It comes down to whether we believe that it is right to act in support of a
principle as an end in itself, or whether we need to aid a political
organisation in its aims by actively adding our name to their supporters
list in order to outwork our principles? I believe the latter to be a
contradiction of the principles built into the open-source/free software
movement, and also forms a dangerous precident to future requests by other
organisations with whose views we may not be so clearly in sympathy.

Currently Catherine and I freely provide refreshments at the additional
meeting. Should anyone wish to make available other products than we 'stock'
then we would welcome this.

I believe that as a LUG we should confine our actions and allegiances to
those activities and bodies that are associated with Linux computing and not
stray outside that remit.

Martin


* However, we need to be aware that all positive discrimination has negative
and potentially harmful ramifications. The class of things that are
positively discriminated against suffer owing to the action of
discrimination. An argument that I often hear is that all the money spent on
CERN/NASA etc could be put to better use in (insert here your choice of
beneficiary).  This argument does not take into account the many people who
have jobs precisely because of the money spent in those areas and who would
be out of work if the money was not spent on products in their industries.

NB: To clarify my position with regards to the Bassetlaw Council and other
political bodies - I do not support any political organisation of any
flavour. My neutrality is a deliberate and conscientious action.