Tossing a snowball into hell and hoping it hits someone before it melts

To ask a question that needs asking, though the answer is generally known but not officially stated.

To ask a question that you know there’s a strong likelihood of getting the answer you don’t want on the off-chance you might get the answer you do want.

It’s a phrase I started using during the run-up to SL5B, the latter definition was applied when I felt obligated to ask for exhibitors to be given permission to use megaprims, even though we knew the answer would probably be “no”.