Re: [atlarge-discuss] The ship is sinking

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

The hard truths... comments below

----- Original Message -----
From: <DannyYounger@cs.com>
To: <atlarge-discuss@lists.fitug.de>
Sent: Saturday, September 14, 2002 3:22 AM
Subject: [atlarge-discuss] The ship is sinking


> What happens when a group loses the ability to mobilize its membership?
It
> becomes effectively useless.  This group can't even mobilize ten
supporters
> to endorse their own Panelists' attempt to secure a seat on the ICANN
Board.
> Pretty pathetic, wouldn't you say?

Not pathetic, because a small number of people have made very sincere and
very idealistic efforts.

But hugely disappointing, yes.

I took the tiny number of endorsements as a very bad sign.

It suggests that there is probably a group of 10 to 20 individuals who are
really engaged in the project, not 1000.

The prolonged inability to even establish a name has been a disaster.

The vitriolic exchanges and personal attacks in public have injured us too.

At this point in time, the Chair is unable to get even the most basic tasks
done.

It is possible that this will be a noble but stillborn project. Meanwhile it
looks like the DoC will endorse ICANN's reforms and sustain the status quo.

So yes, for lack of forward momentum, one kind of ship is probably sinking,
if I'm honest.

It may be necessary to regroup and embrace new approaches : I suggest that
if we fail to mobilise our membership, then - like Britain at the time of
the collapse of the Roman Empire - we "look to our own defences".

Maybe we just need to "go local" and build up local enclaves (like the
LatinAmerican enclave) and become a confederation of independent local
communities.

This would be a surrender and a defeat in political terms in our struggle
with ICANN - but it would be an act of integrity along the Jefsey model.

At this moment in time, Danny's brutal analysis is partly right.

However, by developing national groups ... me here in the UK .... Judyth in
Canada ... Bruce in ther Pacific North West ... Joey in Florida... Vittorio
in Italia ... Vivek and Satya in India ... we do at least sustain a
principle and the possibility of a movement in the future ...

Meanwhile other, alternative, initiatives may develop.

But at the moment, as Danny says, we cannot even muster a dozen people to
endorse our chosen candidates... we cannot even send out a vote for what to
call ourselves...

Sorry to say the hard but honest truths:

This organisation is in crisis.

Richard



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