[IMC-US] Acorn Offer

Sun Jan 11 12:47:19 CST 2004

i have noted my resistance to imc-us being used as a launching pad for 
Acorn.  i still have those doubts, but in regards to the positive options;  
i don't think we need to worry too much if imc-us DOESN"T make it up soon.  
it's a contentious issue to begin with (though i support its' creation) and 
if it means we're spreading our abilities too thin, then so be it.

we have plenty of work to do, on the local levels and otherwise.  if it's 
beyond our current abilities i wouldn't consider it a defeat.

and here's my crazy idea:
launch a www.uselections.indymedia.org and let acorn set it up and run it.  
have it taken down three months  after the elections so that it isn't a 
permanent imc site.
they get their launch
we set up a site for what will no doubt be thousands of articles and 
postings (easing off global and local sites)
and in the end it's all over, the site goes down, no more to be said (acorn 
can always mirror the site use in their advertisments)

just an idea, i'm sure many won't like it, but it is a compromise aimed at 
satisfying everyones desires.

yours for the long-haul,
kris harsh,
thieveland ohio

>From: "Garth Liebhaber" <garthliebhaber at care2.com>
>To: imc-us at ucimc.org
>Subject: [IMC-US] Acorn Offer
>Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2004 20:50:26 -0600
>
>Today I was thinking of a constructive plan for us to go forward on our 
>issue.  I think we need more information;
>
>1.  Outline of what is needed tech-wise to get the site up; something with 
>which we can solicit outreach to Indymedia
>       Techs.
>
>
>2.  ACORN.  I think we need to know still more;  We know that it is a 
>501(c)3 group, specific mission to help social justice
>      groups with internet tech things.  I think concerns lay in the area 
>separation between the volunteer basis of Indymedia
>      and involvement with money-making endeavors.  I am getting the 
>impression that what has been referred to as a
>       'company' is a non-profit endeavor that aims to provide jobs for the 
>workers.  Correct me if that aspect is wrong.  I am
>      curious why ACORN didn't form as an extended project of Indymedia, 
>such as the various photo and video groups.  I
>      think what we are also coming to discuss are issues that have come up 
>before under the descriptor of Proffessionalism.
>      Without going further into it here, I would like to express sentiment 
>within the Chicago IMC of trepidation around the
>      issue of Doner Capture.  I don't wish to ignite a flame-war with 
>these thoughts, I do hope we can clarify important issues
>      with eachother.
>
>3.  We need to decide if we are going to do a last attempt at tech 
>outreach, and see if we have that as a viable option.  We
>      also need to clarify  the ACORN option as viable to the needs of 
>IMC.US  Our options will become:
>           a.  Decide between two options:  'Diverse Tech Support" and the 
>ACORN offer
>           or;
>           b.  If neither option is deemed viable, to wait or look for a 
>'third option'.
>
>
>Hope this helps us,
>garth
>chicago imc
>
>
>Hi all,
>
>On Wed, 7 Jan 2004, joe wrote:
>
> > Speaking as someone who's only been following the US IMC effort for a
> > little while, let me suggest a couple of questions that would need to be
> > addressed before I'd be able to have an opinion on the Acorn offer:
> >
> > 1. I don't know where US-IMC is in the process of going from an idea to
> > an actual website. Are the stumbling blocks mostly technical
> > implementation at this point, or are there still questions about how the
> > site will work? I've been going through the maillist archives but 
>haven't
> > found much.
> >
> > 2. It's not clear to me what it is exactly that Acorn is offering to do.
> > Host the site from their webserver? Write lots of custom dadaIMC code?
> > Perform editorial duties?
>
>Acorn's offer is simply to help with technical issues -- programming,
>troubleshooting, etc. with the goal of helping get the site launched so
>that more people can be involved with the project.  Editorial duties will
>be carried out by the IMC-US-Editorial group and Acorn with have no part
>in that.
>
> > 3. If the Acorn proposal is agreed upon, would participation in the
> > project remain truly representative of the whole US, or would US-IMC
> > unintentionally become Acorn and UCIMC's view of the US?
>
>The IMC-US editorial structure has already been established (the idea is
>to create a working group that will oversee this), though the day-to-day
>proceedures are still to be agreed upon, Acorn wouldn't be in any way
>involved with this aspect of the site.  The UCIMC also doesn't have any
>special place in the IMC-US hierarchy.
>
>--Sascha
>
> > These all seem to me at least as important as the question of giving
> > credit.
> >
> > As has been discussed before and elsewhere, the importance of electronic
> > communication (emails, pages on docs.indymedia.org) is much greater for
> > non-local IMCs. I know the people who've been involved with this effort
> > from the start have already put lots of effort into it, but it's going 
>to
> > be difficult for anyone else to get involved until a little more
> > information is available.
> >
> > - Joe
>
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>
>---- End Original Message ----
>
>
>
>It's 2004 - time to gear up for November's Presidential election. Which 
>candidate do you support? http://www.care2.com/go/z/election04
>
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