The Imperative of Addressing Behavioral Issues for the Sake of Diversity and Inclusiveness

Dear Jeff,

Thank you for your email and for sharing your thoughts on the matter at
hand.

> "I'd like to ask that discussions about personal interactions be kept
between individuals or in front of a Code of Conduct Committee or other
mediator as needed."

While I understand your point about keeping personal issues separate from
the public discourse, I respectfully disagree. I would like to emphasize
that the issues being raised here are not merely personal; they speak to an
endemic problem that threatens the diversity and inclusiveness of our
community. This is, therefore, very much a matter of public interest.

> "Personal issues only cloud the issues that Michiel and Emelia address"

On the contrary, I believe that failing to address these 'personal issues'
in a public forum could have a chilling effect on the community,
particularly among those who are already marginalized. Let's recall the
testimonies that initiated this discussion:

Emelia stated:
> "The people in the wrong here have repeatedly acted like this towards
many many community members, even driving some away, or at least
contributing to an unhealthy environment which drove them away."

Michiel mentioned:
> "After years in the Solid community I and others have gotten used to the
bullying, but that doesn’t make it OK."

The offending remarks were:
> "You are the stereotype of an attention-addicted narcissist, which is why
[we] need to protect [our] employees from wasting our precious time."
> "Go steal other people’s time, you will get more applause and spotlights
there. But not from us. Jamais."

These accounts indicate a pattern of behavior that is hostile and
exclusionary. Such actions can dissuade new contributors from joining and
prompt existing members to leave, thereby undermining the diversity and
inclusiveness that should be the cornerstone of any community-driven
project.

Ignoring or silencing these discussions could reinforce the status quo and
send a dangerous message that the community is willing to tolerate toxicity
for the sake of technical or organizational expediency.

I hope we can agree that diversity and inclusiveness are not just
buzzwords; they are essential to the long-term health and success of our
community. Therefore, it is in the public interest to address these issues
openly and transparently.

Best regards,
Melvin Carvalho