RE: [ga] Re: Byfield on GA Reform / comments

[Karl Auerbach <karl@cavebear.com>]

On Tue, 10 Sep 2002, Roberto Gaetano wrote:

> I agree with you (Karl) when you say:
> >As I read this discussion, it seems to me that it is between those who are
> >willing to accept a subordinate and nearly voiceless status and those who
> >are not.
 
> Where we disagree is in the identification on the actions that will make the 
> GA voiceless or not. To move the folks somewhere else, outside ICANN, will 
> IMHO silence the little voice that the GA still has.

The GA, and the at-large, are being drained of what little power they ever 
had by virtue of ICANN's "reform".

So one has a choice of places: Within ICANN and without hope, or outside 
ICANN where there is at least a possibility.

ICANN has recognized only external power structures - the intellectual 
property organizations, corporations engaged in certain businesses, etc.

There is no reason why those who are concerned with the users of the 
Internet can not organize themselves, outside of ICANN, and act as a bloc.

This, of course, in no way reduces ICANN's forgotten obligation to have
publicly elected persons on its decision making bodies.

I *am* interested in the formation of an Internet Union of Internet Users
(IUIU) that would serve as the voice of internet users in all the various
internet governance bodies, ICANN being merely the earliest , that will
arise over the next few years.

The question is whether the voice of the public interest should allow 
itself to be placed into a sealed box by ICANN, the Names Council, or 
ICANN's contractors and "staff" or whether the voice of the public 
interest should organize itself where it can do so effectively.

ICANN's "reform" plan throw the public voice into the dungeon where the
best it can do is tap on the door and beg for sustenance.  Were the public
to organize outside of ICANN, it could come back and knock on the ICANN
gates with an irrestable battering ram.

		--karl--



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