[chapter-delegates] next steps after the board meeting

[Gene Gaines]

Mike,

Strongly agree with you (below).

Your key points:

   'The basic issue is that "Internet is for everyone" dictates
   that we are a system of citizens that all deserve a vote.'

   Is hard to implement.

   But must be done.

Gene
gene.gaines at gainesgroup.com

On Monday, March 14, 2005, 10:46:43 PM, Mike wrote:

> James Galvin, David McAuley and other Chapter Delegates,

> What we have experienced on this list over the past couple of weeks is a
> massive misunderstanding and/or lack of effective marketing and/or - well,
> you fill in  the blanks, chances are we have hit that wall too.

> As a past vice president for membership for the Internet Society I think I
> have some knowledge of the history of ISOC Individual Membership.

> James is right when he states that ISOC has always been a membership
> organization.  Whether it is the institutional members, individual members
> or chapter members we talk about there has always been ISOC members.

> While I was VP Membership, I strongly advocated free individual membership
> because of so many of the reasons that have been brought up on this list,
> recently.  The only real stumbling block I was never able to obliterate was
> the need to ensure that each individual member had the means to vote and
> that there was a way to ensure that individual members could only vote once,
> leading to a strong member identification system.  Since we live in an
> electronic world, electronic means of making and verifying that
> identification seems most reasonable.

> I have heard and understand all of the arguments about why this will not
> work, why it is not logical, why technology is not a democracy, and on and
> on...

> The basic issue is that "Internet is for everyone" dictates that we are a
> system of citizens that all deserve a vote.  It implies a political system.
> That is hard for us technologists to swallow and brings in issues we would
> rather not address, nor have the responsibility to manage.  It is also tough
> for us to imagine a way to base individual commitment without some kind of
> financial commitment but this is one of the biggest barriers to the "global
> democracy" of the Internet.

> If there was an easy solution, we would have done it years ago.  It is not
> easy.

> If the ISOC Board or the ISOC Top Management had done a bit more in terms of
> education and marketing before announcing the paid membership program, it
> may have been accepted as the reinstatement of a way for Individual Members
> to provide voluntary, monetary support to ISOC.  It did not have to be
> called "Dues" or "Membership".  It did not have to be the only way for an
> individual member to vote directly for Board members.  It did not have to be
> presented in such a way that "Global Members" or "Chapter Members" would
> feel that they were losing something.

> I have been an Individual Member of ISOC for a long time and will continue
> to make that personal commitment.  I don't expect everyone in the World to
> be able to, or to want to, make that kind of commitment.

> I have been a Chapter Member of ISOC for as long as the Los Angeles Chapter
> has been in existence and will continue in that status as long as the Los
> Angeles Chapter exists.

> I have not been a direct employee of any Institutional Member of ISOC but I
> have provided consulting and other support to many of them and am pleased
> that many of them have continued to support ISOC as Institutional Members.

> I am not a member of the IETF but I do try to support the development and
> implementation of Internet Standards in every way I can, including taking
> every opportunity to promote and protect the open and free development of
> the Internet as the only true way to make it available to everyone in the
> World.

> My own feelings are that we all have a lot more to agree about than to fight
> about.  We also have many opportunities to reduce the perceptions of
> barriers and to breech the artificial barriers that are blocking our
> progress.  I guess this is a plea for positive criticism, positive actions,
> and a sharing of positive feelings about the good we are all trying to
> accomplish.

> Mike Todd
> President, Mike Todd Associates - www.MikeTodd.com
> Supporting the Digital Coast

> President, Internet Society Los Angeles Chapter - www.ISOC-LA.org

> Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology Law
> Pepperdine University School of Law - mltodd at pepperdine.edu

> Technology Expert Witness - ExpertWitness at miketodd.com

>   310-321-5706  Office Phone
>   310-321-5701  Office FAX
>   714-893-6684  After Hours Voice
>   714-893-6866  After Hours FAX
>   714-222-3700  Cell


> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "James M Galvin" <galvin at elistx.com>
> To: <chapter-delegates at lists.isoc.org>
> Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 1:17 PM
> Subject: [chapter-delegates] next steps after the board meeting


> Dear Chapter Members,

> As you know, the ISOC Board met this past Friday and Saturday and they
> discussed, in addition to other matters, the recent dissatisfaction that
> a number of you have very strongly expressed regarding the new paid
> individual membership level.  Historically, especially in recent years,
> the Board has strongly held the position that there should be a paid
> membership level and that this should be a vehicle through which
> individual members could have a direct vote in ISOC Trustee elections.

> We summarized your criticism as the following:

> 1. that a paid membership level was in direct conflict with the ethos
>    that the "Internet is for everyone"

> 2. that the payment level is a barrier to full opportunity around the
>    world for people to participate

> 3. that we failed to seek your input for this decision

> ...

> Thank you, for your comments and your continued participation in ISOC.

> Jim Galvin
> David McAuley




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