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<p>Good people</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Did I miss something? Was there a proposal to have people from the US not participate? If so, that must be unfortunate and no such proposal should be entertained.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">@David, when I read your CV, I was not looking at where you come from but at your skills set. So lets please not entertain such talk and move on with people who can bring value into our policy dialogue(s). Nothing like backing
off!</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><b>Grace Githaiga</b></span><br>
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<p><span style="font-size:12pt">Twitter: @ggithaiga</span><br>
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<p><span style="font-size:12pt">Skype: gracegithaiga</span></p>
<p>Linkedin: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/gracegithaiga" class="OWAAutoLink" id="LPNoLP">https://www.linkedin.com/in/gracegithaiga</a></p>
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<p><span style="color:rgb(85,85,85); font-family:"PT Sans",arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px">.<span style="color:rgb(0,111,201)"><i><span style="color:rgb(75,165,36)">.</span><span style="color:rgb(0,111,201)"><b>.</b></span></i></span><span style="color:rgb(0,111,201); font-family:"PT Sans",arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px"><b><i>the
most important office in a democracy is the citizen. So, you see, that’s what our democracy demands. It needs you!----Barrack Obama.</i></b></span></span><br>
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<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" color="#000000" style="font-size:11pt"><b>From:</b> bestbits-request@lists.bestbits.net <bestbits-request@lists.bestbits.net> on behalf of Dave Burstein <daveb@dslprime.com><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, August 23, 2017 9:35 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Ayden Férdeline<br>
<b>Cc:</b> Renata Aquino Ribeiro; bestbits@lists.bestbits.net> <<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [bestbits] Should a U.S. candidate back away?</font>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">Folks</div>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">I care deeply about policy issues, so I'd be glad to serve BestBits, a valuable Forum. </div>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">Whan I volunteered, there was a shortage of candidates. That's now changed; five other people whose experience suggests that they are appropriate are now running. </div>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">The "Internet Governance" space has been dominated by the U.S. and allies while the majority of Internet users are now on the other side of the global North-South divide. </div>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">If a few people email me offlist, I'll withdraw. It's no great sacrifice to give up an unpaid post, especially when I'm swamped with work. </div>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">On the other hand, I do bring some strengths to the group. I'm a tech reporter who has learned a great deal about networks over 18 years. I've made a point of asking those in the Global South
what are most important international policies for bringing down the cost of access. (Answers include: the high cost of backhaul/transit, unreasonable royalties, and the unwillingness of giant companies to hire or pay taxes locally.)</div>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">I'm the only candidate from the U.S. and back away if a few people think I should. </div>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">Dave </div>
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