Last year, there was a lot of discussion within the Drupal community about a code of conduct. Many people expressed the hope that a clearly stated code of conduct would prevent misunderstandings and enforce good behavior within the Drupal community. While I support this effort, I think it’s important to keep our expectations realistic. Some kinds of participation should be governed by a code of conduct, some require people to govern them directly, and others cannot be governed by the community at all.
Conditional right to participate
When someone purchases a ticket to a Drupal event or a membership in the Drupal Association, they have a right to participate as long as they adhere to the terms of the purchase. Having a single community code of conduct prevents misunderstandings and enforces good behavior.
Revokable right to participate
When someone is invited to speak at an event or serve as a leader of a Drupal group, they have a right to participate as long as the organizers of the group or event agree to their participation. The organizers may require adherence to a code of conduct, but they should be able to revoke their invitation without having to appeal to a code of conduct to justify their decision.
Absolute right to participate
The Drupal community in its broadest sense comprises the people who develop and use Drupal and those who support them. The community cannot govern this kind of participation because the terms of the Drupal license guarantee everyone the right to participate.