[governance] Defund the ITU petition

[Avri Doria]

Hi,

As a US taxpayer who did not sign the petition, I mostly agree.

I am not quite as comfortable with what the ITU-T is doing as Milton is. And after the IEG meeting my nerves are a bit more on edge about the member states' plans for the WTPF and  Plenipot-14 than they were last week, but still I don't think that boycotting the ITU is the way to go.  I am coming to the view that more participation as opposed to less is the way to go.  We can complain all we want about the member states' not understanding what the Internet is about.  But we can only educate them by participating.

I remind Civil society organizations of the opportunity to take the ITU up on its offer of sector membership with a fee waiver.

Speaking of the WTPF, there may be a few weeks window in which civil society can comment on the final draft of the conference document.  Will keep this group informed of any opportunities as they present themselves.

avri

On 10 Feb 2013, at 14:28, Milton L Mueller wrote:

> Considering all the ways in which the US govt (involuntarily) collects tax monies and uses them in ways that oppose my interests, the ITU budget is a rounding error.
>  
> Cannot speak for Adam, but perhaps he was concerned about the hyperventilated and distorted manner in which the defund the ITU campaign is being carried out. The degree to which the US (and other countries) continue to financially support the ITU (and other UN agencies) is a legitimate topic of debate and discussion. Indeed, I would like to see a calm and pragmatic discussion of what people see as the future role of the ITU, and am perfectly willing to entertain “no role” or “a dramatically reduced role” as a debatable option. But let’s carry out the discussion in a less polarized way, and one that pays attention to basic facts about geopolitics and intergovernmental relations.  
>  
>  
> From: governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org [mailto:governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org] On Behalf Of Bill Woodcock
> Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2013 11:39 AM
> To: governance at lists.igcaucus.org
> Subject: Re: [governance] Defund the ITU petition
>  
> 
> On Feb 10, 2013, at 7:45 AM, Adam Peake <ajp at glocom.ac.jp> wrote:
> > Good to see there's still no interest 
> 
> Really, Adam?  You think it's "good" that I should be forced to make involuntary payments to an organization that uses them to oppose my interests?
> 
> Since it's not your money that we're talking about, I'm curious why you feel you have standing to make such an assertion.
> 
>                                 -Bill
> 
> 
> 
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