RE: [atlarge-discuss] icannatlarge.com

["Bruce Young" <bruce@barelyadequate.info>]

I'm finally back on line and wanted to respond to all the "noise" about this
subject, and to get some things straight in people's heads.

First, this was not a pleasant issue for any of us, particularly Joanna.
But we were faced with the publically-stated opinion of a knowledgeable
lawyer in an official ICANN forum that the ICANNATLARGE.ORG choice could
leave us open to a potential lawsuit, since we do not hold a license from
ICANN to use it.  This was by no means solely Joanna's call.  Walt and I
were both involved in the discussion (myself through my work e-mail address,
since I was out of town!  I hope they forgive me!), and we felt it was our
obligation as watchdogs to notify the panel and recommend a course of
action.

If the shorter fuses on the list would have noticed, the primary target of
our joint statement was *not* the membership, it was the Panel.  The discuss
list was CC'd for openness sake, but were not the direct addressee.  So why
is everyone jumping on Joanna for making "arbitrary" or "top-down"
decisions?  She, or more to the point *we*, made *no* decisions!  We only
addressed an issue we became aware of to the panel.  It is now up to the
panel to get together virtually, decide on a recommended course of action
and refer it to the membership.

In retrospect we may have been premature to recommend to the panel that they
modify the vote mid-stream.  A this point I agree that the vote  should
continue unabated to it's planned conclusion tomorrow, and the vote count
posted.  After we have a clear winner will be soon enough to discuss the
legality of whichever name wins.

In the mean time, everyone please be nice to Joanna.  She has been under
extraordinary pressure these last few months and has responded superbly to
the challenges the contentious members of this group, ICANN, and the world
in general have thrown at her.  And if you want to deflect some of your
hostility to me, have at it!  I was a party to creating the document in
question.


Bruce Young
Portland, Oregon USA
bruce@barelyadequate.info
http://www.barelyadequate.info
--------------------------------------------
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