Re: [ga] Icann At Large Poll rejects RALOs and ICANN's new At Large structure

[elliot noss <enoss@tucows.com>]

I apologize as I am sure that I have missed this, but could you please provide a link to the results? I am interested in some of the absolute results as well as some of the geographical issues and would love to drill down.

Thanks in advance.

Regards

On Saturday, February 8, 2003, at 06:18 AM, Richard Henderson wrote:

>  
> The membership of ICANN at LARGE was polled this week.
>  
> We aim to be a "bottom up" democratic movement and this poll has provided some valuable insights about what we - as a membership - see as the scope, mission and direction of our organisation.
>  
> The first lesson, I think, is that it is feasible to steer the organisation through real democratic involvement of members, and this is an important signal to send to ICANN, and its "top down" approach.
>  
> Hopefully this Poll will be the precursor of many more, and of a culture of democracy which might one day be extended to Internet Governance itself. We want members to be involved? We have a mechanism to support this.
>  
> To some of the findings:
>  
> A massive 92% voted for regular polls. This completely contradicts those who felt such polls were unwanted. We should not be afraid of "bottom up" democracy. The real truth, I believe, is that people are *more* likely to get involved, if they feel they are genuinely consulted, genuinely involved in decisions, and that our democracy is real. I think that if a panel tries to go it alone, and fails to poll members, then members are more likely to disengage.
>  
> Anyway, 92% is decisive. Regular polls and the use of this kind of polling mechanism are here to stay. This is clearly something close to the heart of what we are about : a "bottom up" impulse, a belief in grassroots democracy, pitted against the autocratic "top down" mechanisms that try to sideline democracy.
>  
> The Poll asked members if they wanted the organisation to work to create an "Umbrella" group for national and regional 'At Large' constituencies representing Internet users but operating independently of ICANN.
>  
> A clear majority favoured this concept, rather than the ICANN RALO approach.
>  
> I'm afraid the ICANN RALO initiative has been condemned by the vote of this organisation. 69% simply don't trust this ICANN plan. Only 16% do trust it. It is clear that our membership sees through ICANN's sham, which "claimed" to seek user representation, but in reality this was a "top down" agenda to control... to control and contain the real At Large, which exists OUTSIDE Icann, while being committed to make comments on what goes on INSIDE it. ICANN have been trying to pre-empt the real At Large, and set up RALOs before the At Large sets up their own independently. In short they have been trying to ensnare a captive at large, while attempting to "legitimise" the reform process which chose to EXPEL the elected representatives on the Board.
>  
> We will have to act decisively on this issue. By a vote of more than 4 to 1, our Poll shows a membership which sees through the ICANN intentions.
>  
> And by a margin of more than 3 to 1, the members voted in favour of creating the At Large regional organisations independently and outside of ICANN. Only 1 in 5 wanted the ICANN RALOs.
>  
> The implications here are pretty clear.
>  
> Our majority view (a) publicly refutes the RALOs
> (b) is likely to refuse to participate in them
> (c) may take early steps to create the structure of a worldwide/regional/local umbrella, outside ICANN and its imposed ralos... making contact with groups like CECUA and starting to form a coalition of user groups to establish a real alternative to ICANN's "top down" autocracy.
>  
> What we have now is the beginning of "DEFINITION".
>  
> At grassroots level, Denise, Esther, internet users do not trust your initiative, and do not want ICANN to develop the RALOs structure. At grassroots level, people are more clear about ICANN's motives through its EXPULSION of elected representatives. Everything you do seems to go in the opposite direction from true "bottom up" democracy.
>  
> We have had the courage to embrace "bottom up" democracy : we start to understand the direction our membership wants to take. You should do the same.
>  
> I believe our organisation is a prototype, and part of an emerging alliance, developing structures and democratic processes and mechanisms, and operating from the "bottom up".
>  
> I believe ICANN is wholly out of step with the spirit and aspirations of the At Large.
>  
> Richard Henderson
>