[Chapter-delegates] Why is ISOC is doing almost nothing to bring affordable Internet to America

[David Solomonoff]

This is a great discussion and I'd just like to add a couple of small 
points:

Based on my experience lobbying for a large labor union here in the US 
(United University Professions) I would say that to effectively advocate 
both at the regional and national level, ISOC NA must:

 1. Develop a larger pool of active members
 2. Probably have additional paid staff whose single task is community
    organizing. How this is funded and whether these people would be
    employees of the global organization or local Chapters is open to
    discussion.
 3. Have a consistent policy position and up-to-the-second talking
    points about all related issues
 4. Share contact info regarding legislators and news media
 5. Share info regarding relationships, conversations, etc. so that
    people don't tread on each others toes
 6. Have a strategy involving getting the active members contacting
    legislators and media IMMEDIATELY whenever an issue comes up with a
    consistent position using consistent language and talking points

This is how all effective advocacy groups work - I don't  think there 
are any shortcuts.

On the technical side we can work with other groups (like NYCWireless in 
NYC) to promote community networks and open source DIY solutions. As 
I've said before I don't think we should bet the farm on any particular 
"perfect" one-size-fits-all technology - rather act as an educational 
resource for all solutions.

A lot of other open source groups here in NYC organize hackfests where 
they help people install Linux on their PC's. ISOC Chapters could 
certainly do the same for wifi mesh routers and the like.

Also, perhaps ISOC could also look into IXP's in rural, underserved 
areas in the US like upstate New York?

On 12/21/2012 06:05 AM, JOHN MORE wrote:
> Norbert
>
> I think you make a very good point. I would note there are many local 
> efforts in the US to increase access (reduce costs) from neighborhood 
> networks. Gene Gaines, a member of the Greater Washington DC Chapter, 
> has created a program of providing used laptops to all students from 
> poorer families in his county on Virginia coupled with significantly 
> lower internet rate from Comcast.  The North American Bureau could 
> take a lead in focusing on the issue of universal (=affordable) access.
>
> John More
> Washington DC
>
> On Dec 21, 2012, at 5:58 AM, Norbert Klein <nhklein at gmx.net 
> <mailto:nhklein at gmx.net>> wrote:
>
>> On 12/21/2012 4:32 AM, Paul Brigner wrote:
>>> I don't think many would suggest ISOC-NA is not serving as "a focal 
>>> point for cooperative efforts to promote the Internet as a positive 
>>> tool to benefit all people throughout the world."  Of course, there 
>>> is always more to do and more issues to cover.
>>>
>>> Best regards,
>>> Paul Brigner
>>>
>>> Regional Bureau Director, North America
>>> Internet Society
>>>
>>> "The Internet is for Everyone"
>>
>> Interesting discussion. "...there is always more to do and more 
>> issues to cover" - sure, but that does not pick up the core of the 
>> question: What is the plan of the North American ISOC Regional Bureau 
>> to achieve this in the USA?
>>
>> This reminds me of a period of long and intensive discussion twenty 
>> or so years ago in Germany related to "international development," 
>> where some wanted to limit this discourse to "international 
>> development aid abroad" as "a really important issue" - while others 
>> insisted that a discussion of the complex problem of international 
>> economic imbalance has to include a discussion of the internal powers 
>> at play at home.
>>
>> Is it possible to understand - and act - on international dynamics 
>> without tackling similar scenarios and challenges and conflicts also 
>> at home?
>>
>> Norbert Klein
>> Cambodia
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically subscribed
>> to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet Society
>> Chapter Portal (AMS): https://portal.isoc.org
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically subscribed
> to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet Society
> Chapter Portal (AMS): https://portal.isoc.org


-- 
David Solomonoff, President
Internet Society of New York
president at isoc-ny.org
isoc-ny.org

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://elists.isoc.org/mailman/private/chapter-delegates/attachments/20121221/8d06b7ca/attachment.htm>