Re: [atlarge-discuss] To RALO or not to RALO (was: Some Simple Facts...)

[DPF <david@farrar.com>]

On Wed, 15 Jan 2003 14:55:49 -0500, espresso@e-scape.net wrote:

>If we let ICANN can keep us inside the tent, we'll be part of
>ICANN and in no position to criticize since de facto we'll
>have agreed to its way of doing things.

I disagree with the reasoning and conclusion.  There are reasons not
to join the RALOs but this is not one of them IMO.  The main reason
not to join is whether by staying outside we remove credibility from
the structure set up by ICANN.  Frankly a group with 15 active members
is not going to be missed by anyone but we can debate that further.

The point I want to make is joining a RALO in no way means we can not
criticise ICANN and the at large structure.  Just as the cctlds were
part of the DNSO for several years but were very vocal in their
criticisms.

By joining the RALOs we get the chance to mingle with other at large
groups and persuade them to our point of view.

>If we're outside the tent, we can speak freely whenever we
>like and however we like, and (assuming we do form a viable
>organization with enough Internet users as members) we can
>probably achieve more than we could as an entity subservient
>to the ICANN Board and therefore subject to muzzling or
>summary elimination.

I ask for the factual basis for your assertion that joining the RALOs
makes us in any way subservient to the Board?  This is quite simply
not true.  The Board will have no power to do anything to us by
joining a RALO and if they tried to impose conditions of non criticism
then we would simply leave or not join in the first place (and the
Board would gain even more critics).

>In short, I don't think letting ourselves be co-opted as a
>"company union" would be either effective or fair to the
>constituency we claim we want to serve.

Sigh - a company union is controlled by the organisation.  Joining a
RALO does no such thing.  As far as I can tell all that happens is we
gain access to dialog with other at large groups and we gain some
votes to try and get people on the nominating committee who will vote
for board members who share our beliefs.

Again I ask if anyone can point to a singl;e provision that means
joining a RALO prevents from us continuing to be as critical as ICANN
as we want to be?

DPF
--
E-mail: david@farrar.com
ICQ:    29964527
MSN:    dpf666@hotmail.com

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