Debian-vote: GRs, discussion and voting periods - a plea for calm

["Andrew M.A. Cater" <amacater@einval.com>]

Everyone:

There are currently two GRs (the DPL vote and the RMS statement) which have 
proved contentious and created large amounts of discussion, stifling some of 
the discussion we might normally have had. 
        
The vote period on both GRs has now started: please, everyone, stop posting 
mail to -vote trying to persuade people to one viewpoint or another. The 
discussion period has formally finished. We've had large numbers of mails to 
debian-vote. It is time to pause discussion.
        
Can we please leave folks to make their choices as they think appropriate - 
however good or bad you may think those choices are, they are somebody else's 
choices to make in their own right - and go back to focusing on other Debian 
activities?  
        
The community team has had various emails: this mail is being sent by me, Andy 
Cater, to forestall further appeals to community if possible.
       
Please also respect the integrity and independence of the Debian Project 
secretary and the mechanics of the voting, tallying and results process: this 
is the time to participate in voting and respect the integrity of Debian's 
normal processes.

Thanks

Andy Cater

[amacater@debian.org]