[atlarge-discuss] Re: [ga] Who speaks for the ALAC?

["Richard Henderson" <richardhenderson@ntlworld.com>]

Vittorio

I like you as an individual (the impression I've formed from our shared
interest in User participation). I regard you as sane and reasonable.
However, I believe you are sincerely mistaken, and being 'used'. ALAC is an
exercise in appeasement. It is an attempt by ICANN to 'legitimise' its
expulsion of elected At Large representatives from the Board. The bottom
line is that ALAC is a top-down instrument created by ICANN, which the At
Large never voted for, never asked for, never endorsed. Its representatives
were appointed not elected. It represents an 'organisation' within the
ICANN's agenda. What it wholly fails to do is represent a genuine At Large
of individual members.

I understand that you hope to achieve things from 'inside' ICANN's
structures.

However, ICANN has shown itself SO resistant to the democratic
representation of individual users in positions of power, that a true and
independent and critical structure *has* to develop outside of ICANN, and
out of the reach and constraints of the ICANN Board.

It cannot escape the notice of even a casual observer, that ICANN is held in
wide disdain, is unresponsive, and accountable in no way to ordinary
individual users. ALAC exists to give ICANN the semblance of user
involvement, but none of its power.

What is striking at present is the absence of lively dialogue in the ALAC
mechanisms. Even in the unfunded Icannatlarge there are thousands of posts
each month, lively debate, independent voices. In ALAC, the opportunity for
public participation attracted about 8 posts in a month. The whole ALAC
thing is dead in the water, because the constituency it feigns to represent
is not interested in it.

Simply, ALAC does not represent the Individual Users community, it
represents ICANN.

Kind regards and my best wishes

Richard Henderson

----- Original Message -----
From: Vittorio Bertola <vb@bertola.eu.org>
To: Richard Henderson <richardhenderson@ntlworld.com>
Cc: <ga@dnso.org>
Sent: Friday, May 30, 2003 11:50 AM
Subject: Re: [ga] Who speaks for the ALAC?


On Thu, 29 May 2003 10:42:33 +0100, you wrote:

>At present ALAC is not defending Users. It is acquiescing.

I don't think that the ALAC is "acquiescing" to anything - especially
if you have a look at some of the things we said in the last weeks. We
try to do our best to keep up with all policy proceedings and at the
same time go on building the regional representation mechanism (and
still have a job, a life and so on); and we want to be constructive,
so we usually try to focus our comments on current issues and specific
points. But we are not afraid to speak when we think it's necessary.
--
vb.                  [Vittorio Bertola - vb [at] bertola.eu.org]<---
-------------------> http://bertola.eu.org/ <-----------------------



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