[governance] Big Porn v. Big Web Ruling Could Spell Trouble for ICANN / was Re: new gTLDs

[Salanieta T. Tamanikaiwaimaro]

Dear All,

In the Pacific, we sometimes use parables or stories to relay a point.

The ongoing debate reminds me of a story of two women who had just given
birth to their babies at the same time. It so happened one night that they
went off to sleep and one of them rolled over their baby and of course one
of the babies died. It so happened that the lady who had had unknowingly
killed her baby made the switch and of course there was conflict in the
morning as the ladies fought and argued over whose baby had died. The story
goes that they went before a king to petition  over who was the mother of
the living child as the other woman was also laying claim to the child.

The king in his wisdom asked for a sword and proceeded to cut the baby in
two and told them what he was about to do. One of the mothers immediately
cried out and said, "Stop" give the child to the other lady just don't kill
the child. The king of course immediately stopped and ordered the child to
be given to the woman who protested recognising that only a mother would
want to protect her child at all costs.

There are many lessons from the story but what is important is that the
focus was not the "mothers" but the child.

It almost feels to me that the Internet is that child who is being fought
over and subjected to all kinds of political forces.  Yet like a child it
also is vulnerable and needs to be nurtured. An open and free internet is
critical for the stability of the Internet. Any transition forced or
otherwise will only create more harm than good. For those who have been
involved in technological transitions, they are well aware of the social,
economic, human cost that accompanies transition. I can foresee challenges
to the developing world that would come from a forced transition and it
does not look good.

I like Dominique's suggestion when she used "peace" in one of her other
posts. Why can't we take a page from the Caribbean and see how no one is
hungry for more control and the level of collaboration that is deployed as
evidenced from their strategic framework within their regional IGF.  If we
remove labels and tags and treat the Internet as a "baby" that should be
nurtured, protected, what then must we do?

I want the Internet to remain #open and #free....For some of us, it's about
the "baby".
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