[Fsuk-manchester] Fwd: [FSF] Free Software Action Alert!

[Dave Page]

This could do with propogating - the Euro elections are very close! This is a 
campaign started by Manchester Free Software, discussed at our admin 
meetings, and taken up by the FSF - which is a great victory for Manchester 
Free Software! Why not come along to our admin meetings and get involved?

http://groups.fsf.org/wiki?title=Euro_Elections_2009&oldid=5155 is my version 
of the sample letter, with explicit references to software patents and the 
Stephen Fry free software video.

Please propogate this link far and wide - the elections are not far away (and 
indeed the postal votes have already gone), but we can at least raise more 
awareness of free software among the new MEPs.

Dave

----------  Forwarded Message  ----------
Subject: [FSF] Free Software Action Alert!
From: Peter Brown <address@hidden>

Dear Free Software Supporter,

The upcoming European parliament elections give the free software
movement an opportunity to educate the candidates to the importance of
protecting free software from bad legislation involving software
patents, interoperability and net neutrality.  The French free software
association April has organized the Free Software Pact initiative, but
they need your help. In particular, candidates in the UK need to be
contacted immediately.

Mark Taylor, the coordinator for the Free Software Pact in the UK, said,
"The current UK Government is embarrassingly behind the rest of Europe
in formulating public policy on the use of free software. Across the
rest of the continent we see significant adoption and political support
for free software. The Free software Pact is therefore an ideal way to
draw attention to the reform the UK public sector needs and the enormous
cost savings yet to be realized. For too long the UK has been dependent
on the relationship with proprietary software companies like Microsoft,
who are hell-bent on keeping our politicians confused on this matter. If
you care about this situation, and the resulting cost to our economy,
society and political culture, please contact the MEP candidates in your
region and ask them to sign the Free Software Pact."

Help the campaign now by visiting: 
http://groups.fsf.org/wiki/Euro_Elections_2009 .

-- 
Peter T. Brown
Executive Director
Free Software Foundation
www.fsf.org www.gnu.org 
-------------------------------------------------------

-- 
Dave Page <address@hidden>
Jabber: address@hidden