I must apologize, in advance, for any shortcomings I may demonstrate with regards
to the role models I choose. Most of the historical figures I will invariably
quote or reference are a result of my education in southern California, therefore
the majority are of American or western European origin. That is called
ethnocentricity.
Okay, I am a big fan of people like Locke, Jefferson & Hamilton, Patrick Henry
and so many others of that erea, and I often wondered when I was young why
Jefferson and Hamilton at times appeared so attacking against each others
proposals and beliefs (Yeah, they were also sometime haters of each other too,
but that was personal rather than professional). Reading the Federalist Papers
was passionate for me.
What I feel are some of the greatest contributions I have to offer our group
(Whatever we call ourselves) Is my belief in process, representation, orderly
succession, and the notion of an undenial birthright of anyone to express their
opinion. This will probably be the most notable asset I bring to the IDNO, and
hopefully it is welcomed (Especially by those with whom I will vehemently
dissagree with).
It may be rather obvious, what I prefer as far as a name is concerned (not
important for this post), and I usually will publicly state my opinion but not
always. I ultimately have the polling booth as do we all - Where the real power
should be vested. As a matter of uminportance, what I would like to see us called
doesn't matter as much to me as the need to embrace some name (You can't print
T-Shirts until you have that). And as much as name recognition can mean It is the
process by which we arrive there, more than anything that concerns my interest.
And, mostly as a precedent as to how we will arrive at anything.
Once our organization is huge, it will become exceedingly difficult to effect
change in the way things are done. So it is now that we need to set the example
for the way it will be in the future for us.
I understand that it may seem that this kind of attitude may slow down things
that sometimes are of the utmost urgency, but to compromise process is to risk
perceived legitimacy. I want to go fast at this stage in the game, but I have to
speak up when I find an alarming erosion in the very nature of our democratic
fabric.
I do not believe that complete democracy will serve a group such as ours for
long, and I do not think that any of us actually believe that we can effectively
continue on this road for long. Ultimately, We will probably ease into a model
representative democracy that works for us by electing those who will speak on
behalf of our constituency and/or association. We are doing that now - and I find
that fascinating (Like John Lennon said not long before he died, "I'm just sittn'
here watching the wheels go round and round.").
Yes, I am passionate. Yes, I am quite verbal and maybe even overly verbose. And
many times I am too quick and reactive in response. But please do not mistake
that for being railroading, overtly aggressive, or attacking. I hope to hear your
passionate and candid responses as well. We're off to a great start.
If, at times it seems that I am angry about something, it is probably just an
overflow of passion or fatigue on my part. But sometimes maybe I am pissed. If
that is geared toward someone in particular though, I almost assuradley will
write them directly rather than posting publicly. A public post is just that,
intended for the public.
Now.... for a shameless plug:
<ShamelessPlug>
The name Cyberspace Association is quite the nondiescriptive tag. but very
indicative of something having to do with the gathering of people in a virtual
environment {personally the prefix "CYBER" used to really bother me when I heard
it being kicked around as a buzzword in the early 90's. Y'know, the days when
BBS's were being displaced by HTML'ers around 93-95} and that is where I find the
strength in that moniker- it's vagueness. A constituency for ICANN is one thing.
But our Assn can and probably will begin to surround other issues as well as they
pertain to the individual domain name owner. This generaliy, at least to me,
seems to facilitate that kind of transcendance more easlily than something more
specific to the so-called DN wars. We have only just seen some of the very first
attacks on our existing rights and desired privilidges as domain name owners, but
there WILL be more. I don't even have to assure you of that. Cyberspace Assn is
easily swallowed by the non-propeller-head, and most people that ownd domain
names don't even know what an IP number is or what BIND stands for (Most of us
currently here excluded).
</ShamlessPlug>
Moving on now, Joop has brought up some issues with regards to time frames. I
have some suggestions, albeit a bit vague...
1.) We should consider that many people can only check their email two to three
times per week when we develop guidlines for announcing upcomiing elctions,
candidacies for office and proposals to be seconded or brought to vote.
2.) Although short term illnesses should not force someone to miss out on being
heard in the polling booth, long-term disabilities and illnesses are obviously
beyond the scope of what we can cater to. We need to figure how long the average
worker would take off work for a regular (If there is such a thing) flu or cold
and incorporate that into the formula.
3.) being incommunicato would probably not be an issue given the time frames used
above for campaigning and illnesses.
4.) trying to post a schedule as far in advance as we can on our member website
pertaining to the things we will be doing and the time frame we will have to do
so and if possible, exactly when it will be will go a long way toward this end.
The email reminders we have been receiving helps out alot too. Not so much for
getting us into action (See #'s 1,2, and 3 above) but reminding us that it is
that time.
Finally, I will note that Joop said he was waiting for something like this to
occur in his quot of me below. Good job! I think I suspected as much and obliged
you here friend. Please let what he mentioned about The DNSO be a foreboding
warning to the rest of us. And just in case I hurt anyones feelings, I didn't
feel so much railroaded as feeling the need to bring this out for all of us to
consider.
Joop Teernstra wrote:
> At 11:05 PM 11/07/1999 -0700, Bradley D. Thornton wrote:
> >This is what happens when things move faster than events of response can
> >occur. I go out of town on a contract for two days - no time to devote to my
> >own interests or that of my network. everything is on autopilot and when I
> >get back...
> >
>
> Sorry, Bradley. Your input was exactly what I had been waiting for and I
> feel very sorry that being absent for a few days makes you feel being
> railroaded.
> This is how we all feel with the DNSO "working groups" and the ICANN
> deadlines.
> If you are sick for a week, events are already moving beyond you.
>
> >Well, yes. I do have another suggestion, and I'm going to make it even though
> >the ballot is already out there on the floor.
> >
> >I suggest that we put the existing name of the organization on the ballot:
> >which reads...
> >
>
> >"The Cyberspace Association, the Constituency of Individual Domain Name
> >Owners"
> >
> >Personally, I think that's a decent moniker for an association that drives a
> >constituency known as the "IDNO" at indo.org.
> >
> >What we ultimately call ourselves is really of little conseqence except for
> >the perceived power vested in a name. My stern objection is that we (Not me)
> >have pushed something through without what could be adequately considered as
> >a reasonable time for a request for comments to mature and receive response
> >- IT HAS BEEN FASTRACKED - right past some of us (Me especially) who would
> >have reasonably expected to be given the opportunity of input - And were only
> >just over a hundred members.
> >
> >This could smell a little bit like the city council that wants to develop a
> >tract and pushes it through with only enough time for the residents of that
> >city to find out that they missed the public hearing on the matter.
> >
> >I'm not saying ( and I don't want anyone to ger the idea that I am) that
> >anyone is actually railroading here. I understand that we're short on time to
> >get alot of things done, and we need to move fast in the short term. But I am
> >a member of this organization predicated upon the principle that I have a
> >voice and can participate in decision processes where this organization is
> >concerned.
> >
> I am very sensitive to this argument and the best think we can do to
> rectify this is to add immediately another voting topic on the name,
> whereby we add the option that you indicate: to leave the Cyberspace
> Association, the Constituency of Individual Domain name Owners
> as it is.
> Now this is what will happen anyway, in case the Cyberspace Association
> wins the most votes.
>
> So , no harm will be done in any case, but I am very sorry that even one
> member would feel that the democratic process is not properly served.
>
> Now, the more important topic up for the vote is the election of a steering
> committee from among all the members.
> In my impatience to forge ahead I was hoping to bring this election about
> before the end of this week and I have been putting pressure on the
> membership committee to come up with a clean and verified voters' roll.
>
> What do you think would be a proper period of time to give the nominees to
> campaign (other than their web-statements) and more nominations to be brought?
> Would you prefer 14 days from now? Then we have only 24 days left before
> Santiago.
>
> It is the damned ICANN deadlines that are driving us. How much time will
> our steering committee have to get ready for Santiago?
>
> --Joop Teernstra LL.M.-- , bootstrap of
> the Cyberspace Association,
> the constituency for Individual Domain Name Owners
> http://www.idno.org
--
,,,
(o o)
|----------------------oOO-(_)-OOo-------------------------|
| Bradley D. Thornton "So foul a sky clears |
| Mgr NetWork Services not without a storm" |
| NOMAD Internetwork - Shakespeare - |
| www.linboard.com |
|----------------------------------------------------------|
|-----On the Beaches of Super Sunny Southern California----|
|==========================================================|
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