[chapter-delegates] next steps after the board meeting

Tue Mar 15 12:37:52 PST 2005

I fully agree...

And the total misunderstanding of the issue by the board is creating a 
deep schism in chapters members.

Let's see if James and Lynn are now understanding.

Cheers

Gene Gaines wrote:

>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
>>    
>>
>
>
>
>
>  
>

-- 
Franck Martin
ICT Specialist
franck at sopac.org
SOPAC, Fiji
GPG Key fingerprint = 44A4 8AE4 392A 3B92 FDF9  D9C6 BE79 9E60 81D9 1320
"Toute connaissance est une reponse a une question" G.Bachelard

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