global funding issue Re: [CIMC-working] statements againts grants from capitalist funds by imcs

[Chris Kaihatsu]

Doug, all,

I could not have said all of this better myself. Doug's research and
summarizing comments in his emails of 12/15 on this list frame this issue
clearly.
http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/public/imc-chicago-working/2002-December=
/
date.html

Besides endorsing the entirety of Doug's critique and individual position o=
n
this issue, I would like to address parts of breitbart@indymedia.org's
statements, below. My comments are followed by my individual position and
recommendation to the Chicago IMC.


>http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/public/imc-finance/2002-December/001635=
.html
>=20
> I think imc-finance should be a place where local IMCs share information =
about
> emergency needs, best practices for local sustainability, and internation=
al
> funding projects (so we don=B9t all wind up working to support some IMCs or
> regions to the exclusion of others).


I agree entirely with this call.


> What to do with the 40 or so thousand
> dollars in the =B3global=B2 bank account is an interesting mental exercise, b=
ut
> really more of a distraction. I say, give the $35,000 back to Chumbawumba=
 with
> a
> list of local IMCs that could use it to the network=B9s benefit, spend the
> balance
> on securing the domain name for the next 100 years, and then let=B9s get do=
wn to
> business.


Breitbart is speaking to issues of how to structure financing, or
moneyflows, across the various levels and projects of all Indymedia efforts=
.
Living in a capitalist world requires everyone to deal with some sort of
finance management at some level, often at many levels. (A good movie to se=
e
that illustrates and dramatizes the social relations of corporate structure=
d
financing is "Barbarians At the Gate"). http://us.imdb.com/Title?0106356

I disagree with this call to quickly "localize" (my phrasing) the
distribution of existing funds, because it begs the question. Many people
would gladly invite into their lives the question of what to do with $40,00=
0
(or whatever the exact sum is), but the reality of it demands careful
attention. It presents an almost fable-like challenge to Indymedia, since
our angel's donation did *not* specify any particular breakdown. A global
network sitting on a pile of cash is about as far from "an interesting
mental exercise" and "a distraction" as I can imagine -- it is a most
concrete situation that demands a network-wide, agreed-upon social contract=
.

The process by which this disbursement takes place is even more important
than any individual idea on how best to do it, since the process inherently
positions the constellation of social relationships within and among local
IMCs. If, after reviewing Indymedia's global listserves, one gets the
impression that non-English-speaking and non-Western participants are rare
at the global level, that person would be correct. Is this how we want our
global level to look?

While I appreciate UC-IMC's initiative, I also recognize that that's what i=
t
is: initiative. Initiative, by definition, is a spark at best, and cannot
spread and grow its legitimacy and support without a continuous fuel of mas=
s
participation.=20

Given the facts and history of the situation, as framed by Doug in his
emails of 12/15 to this list, I would move for Chicago Indymedia to conside=
r
and possibly approve the following action on behalf of Chicago Indymedia:

A solely collective-to-collective dialogue among Chicago, Urbana-Champaign,
and other IMCs on the (global) IMC-Finance list, translated into several
languages. By this I mean that each and every statement in the dialogue
would have to be approved by each respective IMC. The purpose would be to
clarify UC-IMC's grant-pursuing actions to date, and to develop an
IMC-Network-wide policy -- or principles, if you like -- describing
parameters for all future pursuits of donations and funding. In lieu of a
UC-IMC agreement to this dialogue, I would move to censure the UC-IMC on
several global Indymedia listserves.


Chris






on 12/15/02 10:31 AM, Doug Morris at being@enteract.com wrote:

> Hi all,
>=20
> This is a follow up onte on the TMF.
>=20
> Summary:
>=20
> Soros has ties to the CIA like Ford  (see next note for links). And index
> of these notes will be provided.
>=20
> This Fall, three (perhaps four, depending on the reading of it) of seven
> total statements on grants were made by imc locals both:
>        - in solidarity with Argentina against the ford grant
>        - in taking a further position on grants to state that they favor
> the rejection of funds for the indymedia network from all
> capitalist-associated sources and groups against indymedia's principles.
>=20
> Discussion:
>=20
> Here are the links for statements from these three locals against receivi=
ng
> any indymedia funds from corporations, as a point of principle (note that
> it is at least 3 of 7 locals that made statements, that take this stance,=
 a
> significant proportion):
>=20
> IMC Barcelona statement
> http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/public/imc-finance/2002-September/0015=
21.ht
> ml
> To quote: "IMC Barcelona declares itself against accepting any donation
> whatsoever that comes from companies, associations or non-profit
> organisations which are linked to profit-making companies or whose ends a=
re
> in opposition to the principals of Indymedia."
>=20
> Chicago IMC statement on grants
>=20
http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/public/imc-finance/2002-November/001561.=
h
tm> l
> To quote: "To protect our individual and collective autonomy, we believe =
it
> is necessary for the IMC network to clarify and state as part of a
> principle of unity about economic democracy or as a local membership
> criteria that:
>        -funding will not be accepted from corporations or other
> organizations acting against the intent of the IMC Principles of Unity in
> advancing grass roots democracy, diversity, mutual aid, and open publishi=
ng.
>        -funding should come preferably with no conditions attached
>        -if conditions are attached to funds given by progressive funding
> sources, then such conditions must not be against the Unity principles an=
d
> membership criteria of IMC locals and notice of such conditions should be
> posted to the IMC-Finance list for review and comment by imc participants
> from diverse locals. "
>=20
> IMC Melbourne statement
> http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/public/imc-communication/2002-Septembe=
r/002
> 329.html=20
>=20
> To quote: "we think that the Ford Foundation money, and money derived fro=
m
> corporations in general, should be refused as a matter of principle."
>=20
> Further, in this regard...
> IMC-Athens statement on Ford Foundation grant
> http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/public/imc-finance/2002-September/0014=
95.ht
> ml
> To quote: "we don't believe that a grant from an institution with ties to
> the multinational complex can be totally "innocent". Besides the issue of
> "defamation" that it will cause (in Greece the imcs' will be certainly
> discredited if indymedia accepts this funds), it creates a very bad
> precedent of dependence."
> This seems to be in spirit of the above three statements.
>=20
> As for process in getting funds for IMC, the SF IMC Proposed this, which
> was echoed by other imcs in terms of transparency of grant process making
> as a major issue of concern:
> SF-IMC Statement on FF Grant
> http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/public/imc-finance/2002-September/0015=
16.ht
> ml
> To quote:
> "We do not think building trust between individuals and IMCs in the netwo=
rk
> can be done successfully when a small group claims autonomy and seeks
> funding for the entire Indymedia network, on behalf of the entire Indymed=
ia
> network. It seems clear that the Ford Foundation had every intention of
> granting money for *regional gatherings*, which intrinsically involved an=
d
> impact *all* IMCs, not just UCIMC."
> "We propose any group or individual that is attempting to get funding for
> the entire Indymedia network, on behalf of the entire network, must notif=
y
> imc-finance in good faith, with enough time for a meaningful public
> commentary."
>=20
> The above statements apply similarly for the Soros grant because of seeki=
ng
> funds for network IMC uses.  Hopefully this can all be cleaned up (see
> previous note for possibilities).
>=20
> Here is a link to statements on grants by IMC locals and some indy people=
:
> http://docs.indymedia.org/twiki/bin/view/Global/ImcFinance
> see this line:
> collectives opposing it [ford grant]: argentina, italy, athens,
> melbourne,san fransisco, barcelona
>=20
> In addition:
>=20
> Unfortunately, like Ford inc, Soros has ties to CIA and has interlocking
> efforts with foundations and bodies interested in controlling and
> channeling the development of alternative media. (See next note for
> references on this.)
>=20
> Hence, Soros funds are bad source for funds for indymedia.
>=20
> Most that was said about the Ford grant in relation to indymedia, should
> stand for Soros as well.
>=20
> My opinion on independent media projects other than Indymedia receiving
> funds is that folks involved should serious consider the implications of
> such funds.  OK, FAIR and Democracy Now! and other groups took such
> funds.  However, they may not have had indymedia's advantage of research.
> And, most groups do not have our unity principles.  We want to encourage =
a
> higher standard of decentralized democracy *in practice*.
>=20
> It is a good thing to clean up funds from capitalists, hence the TMF idea
> is good. This can be done by removing both the strings attached to money
> (by not making conditions or claims in grant proposals nor by accepting
> them in the grant offers).  If such is not done, the corrupting use of
> capitalist foundation money, for indymedia, is best left with the
> capitalist sources.
>=20
> Soliciting funds from Soros on behalf of Indymedia is against the very
> strong positions by locals who stood against the Ford grant.
>=20
> Some of funds are for indy network regional or global planning
> gatherings.  Same issues as ford grant.
>=20
> The indymedia network as a whole needs to consider and develop guidelines
> on grants.
>=20
> While I have no problem with a bunch of indymedia people starting up a fu=
nd
> raising effort...  Indeed, I argued for such a few months ago...
>=20
> I don't see why major indymedia strategic issues should be discussed by a
> bunch of indymedia organizers *only* on a non-indymedia list.  Nor do I s=
ee
> why the funding for a capitalist like Soros with many very problematic ti=
es
> (though he seems to hvae some nice rhetoric) should be sought out by any
> imc local -- this effects us all.
>=20
> It seems it would be best to work out at least such issues in tandem with
> indy discussions.
>=20
> These are my own opinions solely.
>=20
> Best, Doug
> Doug
> IMC Chicago co-liaison
>=20
> _______________________________________________
> Imc-chicago-working mailing list
> Imc-chicago-working@lists.indymedia.org
> http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/imc-chicago-working
>=20