RE: [atlarge-discuss] Last Man Standing

[<bruce@barelyadequate.info>]

Danny Younger wrote:

| As you go into this nomination cycle, ask yourself if you
| would ever elect
| anyone that hasn't bothered to participate on this discussion list...

As ususual, Danny, you continue to advocate from outside.  It would be nice
to finally see your name on our membership list.  Or is it that you
subscribe to Mark Twain's idea that you would never belong to a group that
would have yourself as a member?!  :)

| Which of these
| members have ever discussed DNS-related issues and have bothered to
| communicate their views to the decision-makers within ICANN?

I agree that proactive actions are importatnt.  But not exclusively contacts
with ICANN.  We have had some bad experiences with Panel members who
communicated with ICANN a little *too* well!

But regardless of who gets elected, we need to have a body of *members*
willing to step up, join working groups, and produce. We've had many
meembers willing to criticize the ideas of others to the level of minutia,
without presenting positive ideas of their own, or volunteer to perform any
positive actions on this organization's behalf.  As they say, "talk is
cheap."  And so far that seems to all we are doing.  Once we have a new
Panel elected, members who are willing to make a difference by actually
producing something should stand up and be counted.  Those who aren't
willing to do anything other than denegrate others' ideas without providing
substantive alternatives, or feel the need to get in off-topic personal
attack sessions with other members, should consider moving to another
playground!  The adults here have real work to do!

I for one, regardless of any future position I may hold with this
organization, will focus on geting a set of bylaws out, and getting us
incorporated legally.  Our basic failings to date can generally be traced to
a lack of "operating instructions" that everyone has agreed to abide by, and
when the rules are unclear, there is room for people to step in and propmote
their own agendas.  We need the membership to ratify a basic set of rules,
which we can always expand on later, that set the responsibilities and
authority limits of our Panel members, working groups, and representatives
to other groups.  That will be my primary focus.

The other reason for getting organizing behind us is that(and Danny has
touch on this theme repeatedly!) we need to get on with what should be the
primary purpose of this organization: advocating for a user voice in
decisions made regarding the DNS!  Remember that mission, folks?  The reason
ICANN and the At Large exist in the first place?  While we continue to
flounder around, decisions are being made without our input, and *that* my
friends is not acceptable to me.  If it's not acceptable to you either, then
join me in my efforts to get us on proper legal footing.  Then we can move
on to our next challenge: outreach!


Bruce Young
Portland, Oregon
bruce@barelyadequate.info
http://www.barelyadequate.info
--------------------------------------------
Support democratic control of the Internet!
Go to http://www.icannatlarge.org and Join ICANN At Large!













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