Humhum
I would completely and unequivocally agree with good Dave999.
Except for 2 things..

1st. -
Truly National / Cultural "Political" dialogue should not be here at all...slipped into conversation even.
Whether it is past or present issues or wrongs done.
It is disruptive.
And does not reflect the individuals...the members here who are at the mercy of either political "side" ....
Though it not be their faults... Still... it draws people in and polarizes.
And we most certainly do not need that here.
Regardless of truth, omission or falsehood of said polarizing statements.

2nd -
And here is the rub...
Just about everyone here has been politic when it comes to their vocal opinions on any given corporations methods and implementation...our forum is rife with it.
Nothing inherently wrong with that.
Until that is...corporations and Nations collide.
When such momentous events as what are happening in the world at large currently...
I think a very specific exemption from that 1st rule should be seriously looked at by our community as a whole...and with all gravity I do believe we should have this dialogue and present a united front as a steadfast and unanimous community on this topic...

Where the "Powers that Be" whether corporate or politic collide WITH technology and influence the direction of said technology ...especially to limit , stifle, or kill basic freedoms of conversation, collaboration, the ability to even use free or open source anything being under attack...or to tear down our ability to even have harmless personal conversations because they are monitored by Nation states or corps ...or BOTH even ...then I do believe that the conversation needs to happen....Badly needs to happen.
And not just to post the latest horribly transgressing innovative development from the "verve" or "endgadget" on how spying is being done or encrypted what-have-you is at risk.

To take it a step further...we could use the power of our combined voices as a community to be a real positive force.
It is a very aggressive and proactive approach...but I think as various organizations state they are against something ..
we as a community could too..
we think our community is a miniscule bunch in the greater scheme of things...but there are alot of people who are members.
And I think regardless of device or platform here we ALL agree to basic tech freedoms for manufacturers, developers, and end users.
And I think that should we take a stand in the greater world if not to make it better than at least to hold our own...those freedoms should be what we voice....
that should be our "this-is-our-line-in-the-sand" .

So yea...not tryin to get all maemo-patriotic and all....
I don't think we shouldn't talk about such important matters...I just think we need not focus on the "real" political mire (because we will drown in that) ...but rather the "particulars"... and as a group ...
I dunno..Issue media statement condemning said nefarious doings and at least alert the general public to the fact their freedoms are being stripped from them. People may take us seriously.
My posture for such an idea to activism is that this community is an intelligent brain-trust of truly non-political geniuses. I don't think I exaggerate this. And I don't think I'm inflating ego's nor down-playing the fact.
I think we can be trusted by the public... Hell I think the public would see that we don't have a hidden nefarious agenda and that alone is powerful

Anywho...perhaps the last bit there is my idealistic stretching for better....
but I do think we need to have a serious conversation about what a tangle politics and technology have become and determine at least some kinda rules of engagement here at "talk" on the topic...
just my 5 cents (gotta use a nickle ...can't use 2 cents anymore...since Canada discontinued the penny )