[IMC-US] Re:[New-imc] Proposed New IMC -- IMC-US

[Petros Evdokas]

>
> Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 19:05:05 -0500 (CDT)
> From: Sascha Meinrath <sascha at ucimc.org>
> Subject: [New-imc] Proposed New IMC -- IMC-US:
> To: new-imc at lists.indymedia.org
> Cc: imc-us at ucimc.org
>
> Hello all,
>
> SUMMARY:
>
> Over the past several years the idea of creating an IMC-US website has
> been talked about at length.  Below is a formal proposal from the
> imc-us affinity group to create such a site.
>
> ***
> .........A less US-Centric Global Site:  A US-IMC website would reduce
> domination
> of the global indymedia site by US-specific issues.  While it may not be
> apparent to many IMC-istas in the US, US stories have been overrepresented
> on the global Indymedia site. Having a US site would allow the global site
> to have a more balanced and diverse distribution of articles -- helping to
> alleviate the alienation experienced by some non-US viewers. Additionally,
> a US-IMC would help encourage the creation of a multi-lingual global site
> by creating a venue for many English language posts that otherwise end up
> on the global site.

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This is a great idea.
Even if the only reason (motive) to do it, were the one I singled out from
your letter above, it would be worth it!

Unfortunately, the domination of global imc by US- based activists will need
more than just a structural change of IndyMedia, but this is a good step
forward. By itself, though, it is not enough. We need to see more of our US-
based colleagues who have challenged the Imperial attitude and cultural
blinders operating internally, to have more active roles in global imc, and we
need to find the courage to throw out individuals whose attitude is not
appropriate to IndyMedia. Sorry if this sounds elitist, but ask any thirld-
world radical or free- media activist, and they will say the same, in less
polite terms.

A current example of how this domination is ruining global imc, is the fraud
and fiasco surrounding the baghdad group, which still continue unabated,
misleading the local activists "in the name of imc" to certain isolation,
politically, and who knows to what tragedy in the end.

Thanks for taking this initiative to create an imc-us, and best wishes for a
speedy, functional set up.

Petros
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