Siva wrote: <br>> But some of the external press<br>> coverage happens to be in the nature of a categorical assertion that the<br>> Internet Society has done something very wrong, that something has gone<br>> wrong with the Internet Society, and there is one report after another, some<br>
> of which perhaps designed to add up to a reversal of this decision either by<br>> ISOC or by Paul.<br>><br><br>What is it they say about bad publicity? This appointment certainly seems to have done plenty to raise general awareness of ISOC, and identified us as a general guardian of Internet freedom. <br>
<br><div>Elena Zvarici < <a href="mailto:elena.zvarici@isoc.ro">elena.zvarici@isoc.ro</a> ><br>> wrote:<br>><br>><br>> More about Paul Beringer's appointment now on Slashdot:<br>><br>> <a href="http://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/03/23/2324224/isoc-hires-mpaa-executive-paul-beringer#comments">http://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/03/23/2324224/isoc-hires-mpaa-executive-paul-beringer#comments</a><br>
></div><div><br></div><div>Difficult to take seriously a story that doesn't even get his name right. And there isn't an serious criticism in the comments, except for Richard Sexton raising old specters from the 90s.</div>
<div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>My own response, to concerns raised on the PHO list, is below</div><div><br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">As you may know (it's in my sig) I'm a VP at the Internet Society's NY Chapter.</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Our chapter is not only a pillar of free culture advocacy, but also<br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">harbors a nest of open infrastructure activists. There are as much<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">concerns about Verizon as the MPAA. As soon as Brigner's appointment<br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">was announced our President David Solomonoff wrote publicly voicing<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">his concerns.<br></span><a href="https://elists.isoc.org/pipermail/chapter-delegates/2012-March/009569.html" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(28,81,168);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">https://elists.isoc.org/pipermail/chapter-delegates/2012-March/009569.html</a></blockquote>
<div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex"><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">It appears that everyone that actually knows the man seems to have a<br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">high opinion of him, and the DC Chapter seem solidly in support.</span></blockquote>
<div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex"><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Responses in the thread include this one:</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"> On Thu, Mar 22, 2012 at 1:39 AM, Steve Crocker <</span><a href="mailto:steve@shinkuro.com" style="color:rgb(28,81,168);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">steve@shinkuro.com</a><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">wrote:<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">><br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> David<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">><br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> Let me add to Jason's and Lynn's support of Paul. I'm one of the co-authors of the white paper arguing against COICA/PIPA/SOPA, and I spent a LOT of time in meetings with legislators, policy people in the administration, and industry people pushing hard against the DNS blocking portion of those bills. This brought me in contact with Paul. He worked actively over the past few months to organize constructive dialog with the MPAA. Despite having spent a year with the MPAA, he's one of the good guys. I think the better point of view is that he brings knowledge of how "those guys" think and he is not at all captured by them.<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">><br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> Steve<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">></span></blockquote>
<div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex"><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">and</span></blockquote><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex">
<br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">On Wed, Mar 21, 2012 at 11:52 AM, Walda Roseman <</span><a href="mailto:roseman@isoc.org" style="color:rgb(28,81,168);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">roseman@isoc.org</a><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">wrote:<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">><br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> Dear David,<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">><br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> Thank you for your deep commitment to ISOC's principles and positions. It's<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> something that we recognize and truly appreciate. We had anticipated that<br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> Paul's brief time with MPAA could raise some concerns, so we have thoroughly<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> vetted Paul with regard to both his personal and professional beliefs. I<br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> can assure you that his views on value of the open Internet, as well as<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> SOPA, fully align with those of the Internet Society and, indeed, it is in<br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> some large part because of this that he has chosen to come work for us. I<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> might add that before Paul exited MPAA, he succeeded in backing the<br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> organization off of DNS blocking. As part of our vetting process, we also<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> turned to members of ISOC Washington, DC to get their views, as well as to a<br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> number of others who have worked with and known him. You will notice the<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> enthusiastic reviews that he has received from Mike Nelson and others about<br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> the value that he can bring to ISOC generally and the North American region<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> more specifically. The views in the press release are just a small sampling<br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> of the support Paul has received from others who firmly support our<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> principles. David, if you still have lingering concerns, might I suggest<br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> that you speak with Mike or others who have asked us to make their views<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> known in the notice that we sent around on his hiring? I would hope that you<br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> would also feel comfortable speaking directly with Paul. I truly believe<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> that you'll find that Paul will be a very effective member of the ISOC<br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> community.<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">><br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> With kind regards,<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">><br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> Walda</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">
<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">(Walda is ISOC's COO )</span></blockquote><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex">
<br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">and</span></blockquote><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex">
<br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"> On Wed, Mar 21, 2012 at 2:45 PM, Lynn St.Amour <</span><a href="mailto:st.amour@isoc.org" style="color:rgb(28,81,168);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">st.amour@isoc.org</a><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">wrote:<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">><br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">><br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> On Mar 21, 2012, at 11:26 AM, Livingood, Jason wrote:<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">></span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">><br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> > I really hope you give Paul a chance to show you what he can do. He worked<br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> > for the MPAA for just one year. COICA, SOPA, and PIPA were in the works<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> > for significantly longer than that so I seriously doubt Paul had any hand<br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> > in crafting those policy positions. Working on issues of copyright and<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> > blocking is important to ISOC and having someone with close knowledge of<br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> > that seems to me to be valuable.<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> ><br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> > His full CV is at </span><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/paulbrigner" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(28,81,168);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">http://www.linkedin.com/in/paulbrigner</a><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"> which says to me<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> > there is a lot he brings to the table.<br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> ><br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> > - Jason<br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> ><br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">><br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> Jason,<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">><br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> Indeed and thank you. And David, thank you for your obvious concern for ISOC and our MIssion. I won't jump in now as much of what I would say has already been said, but I am confident Paul will be a great asset and an ally.<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">><br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> Best regards,<br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">><br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">> Lynn<br></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">><br>
</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">(Lynn is ISOC's President, Jason is a Trustee and works at Comcast)</span><font color="#888888" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br>
</font></blockquote><div><font color="#888888" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br></font>-- <br>---------------------------------------------------------------<br>Joly MacFie 218 565 9365 Skype:punkcast<br>
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