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<DIV><SPAN class=835490413-07042012><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial>John,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=835490413-07042012><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=835490413-07042012><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>I want
to make two points concerning your note below...</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=835490413-07042012><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=835490413-07042012><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>I
think it is only meaningful to participate in discussions where there is an
opportunity for meaningful interaction. In the case of the BBC I see no
such opportunities as yet... Maybe there will be some, maybe I've missed
something but all I see is an open ended facility to contribute my
knowledge/experience with nothing received in return, and no agreed upon
framework for translating what I (or others) might contribute into
something of value -- and certainly no opportunity for effective
intervention. I think your mistake is in using the term "debate" which to
me implies interaction, response, some sort of back and forth, and so on.
Please show me where such opportunities for "debate" are provided through the
BBC.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=835490413-07042012><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=835490413-07042012><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>Also,
I don't know your background but others on this list (as have I) have been
involved in one iteration or another in the ICT4D space for many years--there
was WSIS, the ICT4D Commission, the DOTForce, the ICT Task Force, the GAID, and
two or three others whose names I've forgotten--all of which had rather similar
structures although perhaps not as stellar an array of participants. The
opportunities for participation in the earlier iterations varied from none to a
bit to considerable (for some). What impact this had on outcomes is something to
be discussed. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=835490413-07042012><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=835490413-07042012><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>The
most recent iteration of this prior to the BBC was the GAID, which a number of
us were quite involved with and which I personally put quite a lot of time and
attention into since (at first) it seemed that something meaningful might
result. But then it became a retirement project for various notables and
has drifted off into who knows where/what...</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=835490413-07042012><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=835490413-07042012><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>As I
noted in my blogpost, the BBC didn't even seem to have a knowledge of this
history let alone learning something from it. I personally see no reason
to believe that it will be anything more useful/effectful than any of the
vehicles that have gone before and considerable evidence that it will in fact be
even less useful/open to the kind of input and advice that I would consider to
be of signficance and long term value.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=835490413-07042012><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=835490413-07042012><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>So
good luck with it,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=835490413-07042012><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=835490413-07042012><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial>Mike</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px" dir=ltr>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr lang=en-us class=OutlookMessageHeader align=left><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma>-----Original Message-----<SPAN class=835490413-07042012><FONT
color=#0000ff face=Arial> ) </FONT></SPAN><BR><B>From:</B>
governance-request@lists.igcaucus.org
[mailto:governance-request@lists.igcaucus.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>John
Curran<BR><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, April 07, 2012 7:31 AM<BR><B>To:</B> Riaz K
Tayob<BR><B>Cc:</B> governance@lists.igcaucus.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re:
[governance] ITU Broadband Commission<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>On Apr 7, 2012, at 4:42 AM, Riaz K Tayob wrote:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE type="cite">
<DIV text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><FONT class=Apple-style-span
color=#000000><BR></FONT>But there is a good core of people here that
question the dominant debates (and most importantly the <I>framing</I> of
debates) that ensures that these (?pseudo-) liberals do not hold the
monopoly on the debates. </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Questioning the framing of the dominant debates is fine academic
exercise. </DIV>
<DIV>Deciding not to participate in them on principle is more interesting
question,</DIV>
<DIV>along the lines of MLK's ‘If you confront a man who has been cruelly
misusing</DIV>
<DIV>you, and say “Punish me, if you will; I do not deserve it, but I will
accept it, </DIV>
<DIV>so that the world will know I am right and you are wrong,” then you
wield a </DIV>
<DIV>powerful and just weapon.’ The assumption being, of course,
that the </DIV>
<DIV>world even notices your decision not to participate at all in these
debates...</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>/John</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Disclaimer: My views alone. Warning - the consumption of raw
or underprepared </DIV>
<DIV>viewpoints may significantly increase your risk of mental health
illness.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
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