[bestbits] Best Bits MAG nominations for your approval - URGENT

[michael gurstein]

Can I quote from the BB “procedures” (BTW, I probably missed it but when were these proposed and ratified?) 

 

·  A proposal’s status is not determined by counting votes. Polling is not a substitute for discussion <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Polling_is_not_a_substitute_for_discussion> , nor is a poll’s numerical outcome tantamount to consensus. 

·  If consensus for broad community support has not developed after a reasonable time period, the proposal is considered failed. If consensus is neutral or unclear on the issue and unlikely to improve, the proposal has likewise failed.

 

And I’m still waiting for some reasonable response to my counter-proposal… The various “harumphs” and immediate changes of the subject aren’t really very convincing… And of course, the details don’t matter—what does matter is that some basis of legitimacy be established through agreed upon rules and actions/decisions undertaken as governed by those rules—interim this, pie in the sky kicking the ball ahead 6 or 8 months, fuzzifying precisely who/what/how/when/where the steering/coordinating committee also doesn’t help at all… (so where exactly did this “interim” steering committee come from and how was it chosen and by whom?

 

I think it is extremely important that CS get its act together for Brazil but if the intention is to have a common front then there needs to be openness and transparency all round.  If the intention is to attempt to present a common front but without accepting the constraints/requirements that go along with that then there will, as we are currently seeing, be some major difficulties.

 

As of now the Community Informatics network as aligned around an “Internet Justice” platform is sufficiently “formalized” that I can speak on its behalf as a global network of community/grassroots and community/grassroots oriented practitioners, researchers, and activists and make representations including to Inet and the Brazilian authorities on its behalf.  I would be more than pleased if we are able to lend our weight to a common BB led initiative towards Brazil but only if I/we are comfortable with how that proceeds and if we have a means for ensuring that our concerns are being addressed.

 

Mike

 

 

M

 

From: bestbits-request at lists.bestbits.net [mailto:bestbits-request at lists.bestbits.net] On Behalf Of genekimmelman at gmail.com
Sent: Monday, December 02, 2013 5:46 AM
To: rafik.dammak at gmail.com
Cc: william.drake at uzh.ch; parminder at itforchange.net; bestbits at lists.bestbits.net
Subject: Re: [bestbits] Best Bits MAG nominations for your approval - URGENT

 

To be more specific,  maybe those with lingering concerns need to decide whether they want to participate on the best bits platform or not. You decide.  If you think you can make it work better,  please offer ideas like Anriette, Michael and others have done. I believe we decided in Bali on an approach and I endorse Anriette's path toward formalizing this. And I suggest we wrap up this conversation for now and move on to substance.  Otherwise we delegitimze the broad support people worked towards over two days in Bali and make it more difficult to prepare for Brazil. 


-------- Original message --------
From: Rafik Dammak <rafik.dammak at gmail.com> 
Date: 12/02/2013 8:22 AM (GMT-05:00) 
To: genekimmelman at gmail.com 
Cc: William Drake <william.drake at uzh.ch>,Parminder <parminder at itforchange.net>,bestbits at lists.bestbits.net 
Subject: Re: [bestbits] Best Bits MAG nominations for your approval - URGENT 



every response with such reluctance and  such kind of arguments raise more questions than giving answers or appeasing those with concerns.

as reminder BestBits initiative started in august 2012 when people were talking about WCIT and prepared first meeting IGF Baku, we will be in 2014 in few weeks and we are still with temporary settings.

 

Rafik

 

2013/12/2 genekimmelman at gmail.com <genekimmelman at gmail.com>

Internal accountability to a group with shared goals may differ from societal/global policy goals that the group will agree to if all others with power agree as well.  Best not to confuse these.  We should be accountable but not create internal processes that make it impossible to coordinate policy actions. 




-------- Original message --------
From: William Drake <william.drake at uzh.ch> 
Date: 12/02/2013 3:52 AM (GMT-05:00) 
To: Parminder Singh <parminder at itforchange.net> 
Cc: "bestbits at lists.bestbits.net> Best Bits" <bestbits at lists.bestbits.net> 
Subject: Re: [bestbits] Best Bits MAG nominations for your approval - URGENT 



+1! 

 

On Dec 2, 2013, at 9:23 AM, parminder <parminder at itforchange.net> wrote:





Civil society must always remain very vary of thinking of themselves as somehow so morally superior that they are exempt from normal accountability and transparency requirements

 

 


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