[CIMC-working] proposals for imc network - to discuss at next meeting
Garth Liebhaber
garthliebhaber at hotmail.com
Mon, 10 Feb 2003 15:20:19 -0600
Doug,
At a glance I see some things I would support. Obviously this is
worthy of it's own discussion. My quick response is to say that monetary
compensation for tech service and even translation service could be
justifed, but I am concerned about funding professional organizers.
Particularly for the nature of the IMC project. I like the idea of focusing
direction on building regional relationships though. While we need to put
the cart before the horse at times, process that forgets the horse entirely
has exhausted me lately. To a degree I also think it's okay to leave a
certain amount of vacuum, or needs. It gives people a place to step in,
IMC is supposed to be participatory, not solely a service.. Maybe it seems
harsh, but if people don't want to put the work into taking responsibility
for their freedom, their lack of freedom is not an issue for them. It's not
something I care to package and sell to people, as if I could.
Okay, let me now contradict myself. We live in an apostate civilization
that is based around specialization and technology. IMC is very technology
oriented. If we have specific goals and limited stipends to facilitate
someone doing some key initial work, I could start to support it. MLK had a
salary, Chavez had subsidized people out there. I think a key word is
facilitator, to facilitate people. If such stipends enables people to
travel to other collective's meetings and relationship build around concrete
problem solving, I could support it.
The last thing I would want to be recieving from this person though is
200 daily emails of forwarded articles and maps of meaningless process
structures.
g.
>From: Doug Morris <being@enteract.com>
>To: imc-chicago-working@lists.indymedia.org
>CC: ChrisGeovanis@aol.com, Dick Reilly
><DickReilly@aol.com>,Garthliebhaber@hotmail.com
>Subject: [CIMC-working] proposals for imc network - to discuss at next
>meeting
>Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2003 08:09:20 -0600
>
>Hi Chris, Dick, Garth,
>
>What do you think of the following?
>
>Based on comments at meeting yesterday below are drafts of two proposals to
>the indymedia network on:
>
>- regional coordination
>- stipends for work in critical indymedia network roles
>
>Doug
>
>Draft:
>
>Chicago IMC proposal on regional coordination of the imc network
>
>Dear people,
>
>We believe it is time to start to regionalize some of the coordination of
>the global Indymedia network.
>
>There are over 20 languages used by local imcs in the Indymedia network.
>Yet, our main global network internal email lists include mostly English
>content, as does the global website.
>
>Further, our servers are centralized. The USA where a lot of Indymedia
>organizing has occurred, during the *start up* phase of indymedia in its
>first three years, is an increasingly dangerous place to organize radical
>media activism and resources to support that. It seems European states are
>also becoming dangerous locations. We need to decentralize for our
>activist network to survive.
>
>We propose that the indymedia network decentralize from the global level
>(to roughly continental regions or "national/subregion" areas as
>appropriate) in terms of several types of often global organizing
>activities:
>
>- technical solutions to server and bandwidth and other issues
>- process discussions
>- perhaps global media projects (indymedia.org front page, news
>updates/newsblasts, etc.) - which media aspects could continue to be
>presented through global portals and lists.
>
>Some processes may need to stay at the global network level. If so, we
>suggest these efforts need to be conducted in at least 4 or more languages
>regularly (see next proposal on this).
>These global network tasks to remain at the global level (conducted through
>the discussions or delegation of lists of local liaisons) include:
>- new imc processes
>- some global tech work
>- contact database work
>- some global finance issues
>- the global website work
>
>Technical and media efforts in the global south could/would continue to be
>supported by imcs in the global north, through local-to-local/region,
>regional-to-local/region and global efforts.
>
>Regionalization will help indymedia with deal with problems of language
>translation, server decentralization, support of new imcs, and media
>decentralization.
>
>Four Chicago IMC members, including the editors of this proposal, attend
>the first network IMC convergence in San Francisco in April, 2001. At this
>convergence, the issue of regional development of imcs was discussed. This
>issue of regionalization has come up on various listserves again and again.
> For the networks survival, it is time to move on this.
>
>Further, we propose that continental region listserves and servers be
>created now be created on all 6 continents with imcs - Africa, Asia,
>Australia and Pacific, Central and South America, Europe, and North
>America, , particularly for these three listserv types:
>- process issues (imc-proc-africa, imc-proc-asia, etc.)
>- tech issues relating to decentralization of servers
>- global/regional media content
>
>Some of those areas might choose, after discussion, to break discussions
>down further (or already have done such) into nations/subregional work (due
>to language and cultural issues).
>
>We suggest a 4 week deadline for creation of these approximately 6
>continental regional lists by late March.
>
>We propose that multi-languge listserv hubs be created to receive
>translated summaries of regional process, tech and media discussions and
>efforts.
>
>If Indymedia is to remain a global network, some tasks will need to be
>performed at a global network level, especially: translation work, tech
>work, and finance/record keeping work.
>So, in addition to this proposal, we are forwarding a proposal to the
>network for stipends for 5 or 6 network administration positions, to be
>staffed by persons living in the global south.
>
>Solidarity,
>Chicago IMC
>
>Draft:
>
>Dear people,
>
>In complement to our other network organizing proposal, the regionalization
>of indymedia organizing, some key global network roles are needed:
>
>We propose that at least 5 or 6 salaried positions with stipends be created
>for *key roles* within the indymedia work. See list below.
>
>Indymedia, with over 110 local imcs, is far too complicated for key network
>roles to be performed incompletely or not at all.
>
>The following roles need to be funded with funds raised by the network from
>grassroots and network fund raising efforts, such as a donation campaign.
>
>These are:
> - 3 translation positions for key imc internal and news media posts: to
>and from Spanish/Portuguese, to and from French and another European
>language or two, to and eventually from Chinese characters (for benefit of
>people in Chinese, Japanese, and other East Asian societies, with over 1.5
>billion people -- where there are no active imcs -- we need to outreach
>there)
> - financial paperwork and other record keeping role
> - a global tech administrator or two (works to support global tech servers
>and with regional and local imc tech people and resources). This role might
>devolve to regions once imc servers are more decentralized.
>
>We propose that these roles be divided across persons living in various
>continents in the global south.
>Yes, we need to shift imc admin, if possible, to the south.
>
>We need to raise funds in a grassroots manner to fund such positions.
>
>We propose temporary funding for a one year at living wage level in the
>global south from whatever sources for a global tech admin position or two.
>
>Solidarity,
>Chicago IMC
>
>
>
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