[FOSDEM] more problems with visa letters

[Daniel Pocock]

On 21 January 2016 11:40:51 CET, Ludovic Brenta <ludovic at ludovic-brenta.org> wrote:
>Daniel Pocock wrote:
>> On 21/01/16 00:36, Ludovic Brenta wrote:
>>> Daniel Pocock <daniel at pocock.pro> writes:
>>>>> That would void the point of the whole "invitation letter" system,
>>>>> and could put the legal entity behind FOSDEM at risk.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I'm not sure what you mean by that
>>>>
>>>> As far as I understand it, FOSDEM is a free event where everybody 
>>>> is
>>>> welcome,
>>>
>>> But Belgium and the Schengen area are *not* free countries where
>>> everybody is welcome.  At least, that's what the law says and that 
>>> is
>>> the reason why the law mandates invitation letters.  Sending 
>>> invitation
>>> letters to "everybody" would defeat the purpose of Belgian law.
>>>
>>
>> I feel (or at least, I hope) that [...]
>
>Your feelings and hopes have nothing to do with the law.  Belgium is 
>not
>exactly a dictatorship.  I would not want the FOSDEM organizers to put
>themselves at odds with the laws of their host country just because of
>your feelings.

That message wasn't asking them to do such a thing, it was only written out of respect for those contributors to our community who either can't attend or have to waste a significant amount of time and energy on such things in order to do so.