[ALSC-Forum] Comments on Study: Must groups oppose individuals - Thoughts about the ICANN at-large membership

[Saudia-Online]

I think that all Internet users wither they own a domain name or not, who
are interested and willing to participate in this process should be allowed
in. This is the currant position of  ICANN  If you show interest by applying
to join the at-large membership and you have access to the Internet because
the process is only accessible via the Internet, then you can belong and
vote. I think this is the best way to go about the membership Issue. We
should be organized so we could be represented and our goals and thoughts
fallowed-up and implemented if we fail to do so then you will find a small
special interest group who is willing to organize taking the initiative in
their hands and forcing their agenda on us because we have assumed that we
are the majority and things will go our way, this is the deadliest mistake
any group or society could make.
Hadi Bahra
Jeddah-Saudi Arabia
Hadi@saudia-online.com
-------------------------------------------------
http://www.saudia-online.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bruce Young" <byoung651@home.com>
To: <forum@atlargestudy.org>
Sent: Sunday, June 03, 2001 10:31 AM
Subject: [ALSC-Forum] Comments on Study: Must groups oppose individuals -
Thoughts about the ICANN at-large membership


>
> Comments on Study: Must groups oppose individuals - Thoughts about the
ICANN
> at-large membership
> <http://www.connected.org/govern/ICANN-Zurich.html>
>
> >It would be easy enough to decide that the group should include only
those
> people who are domain name owners. This idea is currently under
> >discussion within the Domain Name Support Organisation (DNSO). However,
> this exclusive definition apparently leaves some dissatisfaction
> >is the "at-large" group remains on the cards. One person asked me, "What
> about those people who are interested and willing to participate in
> >the process but who do not own a domain name?" You could of course define
> membership in terms of interest. Tacitly, this is what ICANN
> >is done. If you show interest by applying to join the at-large membership
> and you have access to the Internet because the process is only
> >accessible via the Internet, then you can belong and vote.
>
> Yes.  The stakes are too high to limit the @Large community to only those
> who hold a domain name.  For every one of these, there are thousands of
> Internet users whose lives and futures will be directly affected by
> decisions made by this body.  They deserve a voice.
>
> >There is no satisfactory global organisation of users of the Internet.
>
> That is what we hope the @Large community can become.
>
> >Maybe the notion of "Internet user" is no longer a sufficiently strong
> criterion for people to identify with it. Would you join an electricity
> users'
> >or a water users' organisation?
>
> Actually, as a voting citizen and taxpayer in this country, I already have
a
> great deal to say about how public utilities are managed, and direct
redress
> through city council meetings, public utility council meetings, etc., if I
> disagree with that management.  As is implied in this statement, in the
> future continuous, reliable access to the Internet is going to be just as
> critical to the safety and happiness of our lives as the other public
> utilities mentioned.  Internet users need a voice in how the Internet is
> managed.  The @Large community is our best shot at one.
>
> >Is there not a fundamental contradiction in wishing to "organise" people
> who seek to act in their own name as individuals, as free valences?
>
> I disagree.  Every citizen in this country has their own list of issues!
> But we join interest groups.  We form coalitions.  We join together to
> protest.  We talk to journalists.  We write, call and e-mail our elected
> officials.  We attend government meetings and complain.  We vote for
things
> we approve of, and against things we don't.  Eventually, out of all these
> disparate voices expressing their views, convincing others of the
rightness
> of their concern, and exercising their right to vote, comes policies, laws
> and sometimes great changes to society.  This process is called consensus.
> It is the core of democracy.  And it should be the at the core of how
ICANN
> works as well.  That is the role I envision @Large playing.
>
>
> Bruce Young
> Portland, Oregon
> byoung651@home.com
> http://members.home.net/byoung651/index.html
>
>