[CIMC-working] final draft: Chicago IMC statement on Tactical Media Fund [en, es, fr]

[Doug Morris]

Hi folks,

Here is the final draft.
I'll send this out today to imc process and finance lists.

I added a short summary at the top and translated that to spanish and=
 french.

Comments ?

Thanks, Doug

final draft:

Chicago IMC statement on Tactical Media Fund

Hi people,

Summary [en, es, fr]:

en.
We are concerned about the following aspects of the Tactical Media Fund and=
=20
its Soros Grant for Indymedia:

	1. The use of the Indymedia name and accomplishments
	2. TMF is gathering funds for a number of major Indymedia projects,=20
without sharing planing about the projects
	3. The TMF seems to be closed to Indymedia activists and locals that may=20
wish to participate.
	4. The TMF application for funds from the Open Society Institute of=20
predatory capitalist George Soros is a very serious problem, exposing=20
Indymedia to the co-opting power, strategies and influence of this=20
establishment foundation.
	5. TMF efforts might seriously interfere with funding efforts, both of=20
legitimate independent groups and internally.

We support many of the criticisms that have been raised by the Argentina=20
and SF IMCs of the Soros grant and of TMF.

We think it is important to discuss criticisms of TMF and positive funding=
=20
solutions. We think it is possible to work with independent funding groups.=
=20
But, we think that fund raising strategies need to be developed through=20
discussion with the Indymedia network.

es.
Tenemos preocupaciones por los aspectos siguientes del TMF y de su Soros=20
Grant por Indymedia:

	1. El uso del nombre y de las realizaciones de Indymedia
	2. TMF esta recolectando los fondos para un numero de proyectos=20
importantes de Indymedia, sin compartir acepillar sobre los proyectos
	3. El TMF se parece ser cerrado a los activistas y a los locals de=20
Indymedia que pueden desear participar.
	4. El uso de TMF para los fondos de la OSI del capitalista rapaz George=20
Soros es un problema muy serio, exponiendo Indymedia a la energia, a las=20
estrategias y a la influencia de cooptacion de esta fundacion del=20
establecimiento.
	5. Los esfuerzos de TMF pudieron interferir seriamente con esfuerzos de=20
financiamiento, de grupos independientes leg=EDtimos e internamente.

Apoyamos muchas de las criticas que han sido levantadas por la Argentina y=
=20
el SF IMCs de la concesion de Soros y de TMF.
=09
Lo pensamos somos importantes discutir cr=EDticas de TMF y de soluciones de=
=20
financiamiento positivas. Lo pensamos somos posibles trabajar con los=20
grupos de financiamiento independientes. Pero, pensamos que el fondo que=20
levanta estrategias necesita ser desarrollado con la discusi=F3n con la red=
=20
de Indymedia.

fr.
Nous sommes preoccupes par les aspects suivants du TMF et de son Soros=20
Grant pour Indymedia:

	1. L'utilisation du nom et des accomplissements d'Indymedia
	2. TMF recueille des fonds pour un certain nombre de projets principaux=20
d'Indymedia, sans partager le rabotage au sujet des projets
	3. Le TMF semble etre clpture aux activistes et aux locals d'Indymedia qui=
=20
peuvent souhaiter participer.
	4. La demande de TMF de fonds de l'OSI du capitaliste pr=E9dateur George=20
Soros est un probleme tres serieux, exposant Indymedia a la puissance, aux=
=20
strategies et a l'influence de cooptation de cette base d'etablissement.
	5. Les efforts de TMF pourraient serieusement interferer la creation de=20
fonds, des groupes independants legitimes et interieurement.

Nous soutenons plusieurs par des critiques qui ont ete augmentees de=20
l'Argentine et SF CMIs de la concession de Soros et de TMF.

Nous le pensons est important pour discuter des critiques de TMF et de=20
solutions de placement positives. Nous le pensons est possible pour=20
travailler avec les groupes de placement ind=E9pendants. Mais, nous pensons=
=20
que des fonds soulevant des strat=E9gies doivent =EAtre d=E9velopp=E9s par=
 la=20
discussion avec le r=E9seau d'Indymedia.
=09
Discussion / longer version [english only, repetition, see extra points and=
=20
links below]:

We are concerned about the following aspects of the Tactical Media Fund and=
=20
its Soros Grant for Indymedia:

1. The TMF's use of the ***Indymedia name and accomplishments*** in TMF=20
fundraising for Indymedia (though it claims an independent status from=20
Indymedia).

2. TMF is raising funds for a number of major ***Indymedia projects***,=20
without openly and widely communicating and working with Indymedia=20
activists and locals about the development of those plans.

3. The TMF seems to be closed to Indymedia activists and locals that may=20
wish to participate in or observe the TMF processes that may help shape the=
=20
future of Indymedia.

4. The TMF application for funds from the Open Society Institute of=20
***predatory capitalist George Soros*** is a very serious challenge for=20
Indymedia. The problem with grant making to Soros is not just about dirty=20
money (from the financial rape by Soros organizations of whole societies),=
=20
but about the ***co-opting power, strategies and influence*** of large=20
establishment foundations. Discussion of these issues will be sent in a=20
future note.

5. In light of the above and other concerns, TMF efforts might seriously=20
interfere with both legitimate independent and internal fund raising=20
efforts for Indymedia.

In addition, we support many of the criticisms that have been raised by the=
=20
Argentina and San Francisco/Bay Area IMCs of the Soros grant and of TMF.

In addition to much needed criticisms of the TMF, we think it is important=
=20
to focus on positive creative grassroots solutions to challenges.

We think it is possible to work with independent grant making groups that=20
wish to support Indymedia projects. But, we think that fund raising=20
strategies, especially specific plans, for Indymedia projects need to be=20
developed through collaborative discussion with the Indymedia network. We=20
think network-wide grant seeking criteria are needed.

Extra points and links:

Some in our local collective have long thought that some of the issues=20
being addressed at a global network level (such as some tech, process, and=
=20
finance issues) may be better addressed through discussions at regional=20
indymedia network levels.

To see more concerns, links to articles with powerful criticisms of Soros=20
and other major foundations that directly work to co-opt left projects, and=
=20
a link to arguments by 7 IMC locals in objection the Ford Foundation grant=
=20
proposal in September-October, 2002, please see the following note.

The Chicago IMC collective sent the following email to the TMF group and=20
Urbana-Champaign IMC on December 30, 2002 with a number of questions about=
=20
the TMF's relation to the Indymedia network:

Open letter to Urbana-Champaign IMC and TMF proposal creators
http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/public/imc-chicago/2003-January/001198.ht=
ml
[Note: This is a copy of the original note. The December 30 original does=20
not appear in our list archives.]

A TMF statement to the Imc-finance list did speak to some of our concerns,=
=20
but the above concerns and others remain:
http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/public/imc-finance/2003-January/001686.ht=
ml

We apologize for the lack of translation of this section.

We look forward to further dialog and the development of ***various***=20
Indymedia participatory grassroots fund raising strategies and projects,=20
such as an ongoing donation campaign.

In Solidarity,
Chicago IMC=20