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[atlarge-discuss] Re: [atlarge-panel] Resignation



There is an agreed process for dealing with these resignations, and that is
to replace resigning panel members with the candidates who scored next
highest in the election.

At the same time, what matters most of all is that we respond to the wishes
and desires of our membership.

Some people have called for fresh elections.

With the launch of the Polling Booth we are equipped to find out the opinion
of our grassroots.

I am clear that this is a vital tool to help define clearly what our
membership actually wants on a number of issues.

I endorse Joop's message to the whole membership, calling on people to vote
on issues or propose issues, for the following reasons:

(a) Why should we be afraid of the membership telling the panel what it
wants?

(b) The process of trying to move forward through a "panel" has not really
been successful - this may be because the panel didn't really know what this
org was for... it may be the result of some deliberate delay to give the
fake RALOs time to evolve... it may be because the "balance of power" for
decision making should not rest with the (sometimes hidden) agenda of a few
panellists.

(c) We need to decide on new elections immediately, and it's the membership
as a whole who should decide this, because only they have the mandate to
overturn the rules of the previous election.

(d) We have waited long enough for: mission statement; views on ICANN's
RALOs; the direction we should take. We've tried doing that through the
present panel and in truth we've just had inertia.

(e) The Polling Booth is a "bottom up" initiative, not passed by the panel,
but as the panel is disintegrating and hardly passing anything, I go for the
"bottom up" approach which at least returns some power to the ordinary grass
roots membership. That is the justification and mandate for Joop sending out
the details to the whole membership, and activating a new process.

(f) In the long run, this enfranchisement of ordinary members - to ask their
own questions and vote on issues for themselves - is a very exciting
development... a further step in the democratisation of our organisation and
hopefully in the future democratisation of the Internet. The "old order" is
ICANN's way : "top down"... decided by people "in charge" ...  but we have
the technology to stand in real contrast to ICANN and its nominated ALAC...
we can still elect people to carry out duties, but the decisions and
directions can be clearly defined and determined by the members themselves.

I really appreciated Jamie Love's motion in the GA for a re-bid of ICANN's
contract. That had some impact. I wish Jamie well, because he is as
sceptical about ICANN as I am.

I personally urge all members to participate in the coming "Referendum" at
the Polling Booth, because we need to get on, and it's been demonstrated
that we can't even define a mission statement until the membership defines
what mission it wants.

I would also ask Joop to include a further question:
Do you want new elections for a new panel at the earliest opportunity? YES
__  NO __  ABSTAIN __

My own view is that we should FIRST define our mission and goals (through
Referendum); and then SECOND press forward with new elections so that a
panel that is prepared to carry through our members' wishes can be elected
to actually set things in action.

The action can, I believe, be dynamic and sensibly rapid, once we've defined
what we're about. But every month we drift on with our present stalemate, we
give ICANN a further chance to consolidate their "top down" coup.

5 out of 11 panel members have resigned. A 6th panel member is nowhere to be
seen. Our progress has halted for lack of democratic consultation.

It's time for democratic consultation on a whole range of issues - time for
the grassroots to decide on our future - and the sooner the Referendum
starts the better. No more delays. No procedural constraints. Just the voice
of the membership taking control. In the present circumstances, the panel
and its procedures must be subordinated to the "bottom up" voice of the
members.

Once we've heard the members, *then* we'll know how to proceed, and proceed
with urgency.

Richard Henderson


Richard Henderson
----- Original Message -----
From: James Love <james.love@cptech.org>
To: Michael Geist <mgeist@netcom.ca>
Cc: <atlarge-panel@lists.fitug.de>
Sent: Monday, February 03, 2003 3:08 PM
Subject: Re: [atlarge-panel] Resignation


> I also tender my registration from the panel.
>
> Jamie
>
>
>
> Michael Geist wrote:
> > Panelists and members,
> >
> > I hereby tender my resignation from the panel.



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