[IMC-US] What's the Matter with Indymedia?

[bht]

thanks for the distinction, ryan!  i did some searches on katuah and 
didnt come up with much, but i did email katuah earth first to see if 
they can offer more info on it.  part of the problem with categorizing 
is that many of the imc's are based on states or cities, as defines by 
the united states government.  the only one i know of that isnt is rogue 
valley imc.

so, while folks still use names like tennessee or other states that 
cross bioregions, it will be impossible to be perfect.  right now 
tennessee remains in appalachia because i cannot find any definitive 
information to place it somewhere else, but i am looking into it! 

as for insults and such, this cities list is trying to not be confined 
to preconceived notions.  it is trying to open up the idea that we are 
not states and cities on a map defined by an overarching government.  
more that we are a flowing and changing lifeforce that is intrinsically 
linked with the rest of the life on this planet.  and with this, we are 
trying to break the paradigm that we do live in a place that is defined 
by state lines, oppresion, imperialism, white power, etc. 

as one person commented eloquently on the announcement feature:  "To 
create a new paradigm, it's essential that we THINK in that paradigm. 
I'm not completely committed to the bioregional version of 
governmental/economic/social organization, but if you want me to be, 
you'd better keep presenting it to me rather than reinforcing the old 
paradigm."

and i guess that what is happening here.
bht

Ryan Kaldari wrote:

> Here's the problem specifically with the Tennessee IMC:
> If you ask someone in Knoxville, TN which region they belong in, 
> they'll say Appalachia (actually they'll say Katuah). If you ask 
> someone in Nashville, TN which region they belong to, they'll say 
> Southeast (actually they'll say Dirty South, but that's not exactly a 
> bioregion). If you ask someone in Memphis, TN which region they belong 
> to, they'll say Mississippi Delta (actually they'll say Mississippi 
> River since the Delta usually refers to Louisiana). No one west of 
> Knoxville would ever admit to living in Appalachia, as it's often used 
> as a derogatory term by people elsewhere in the state, i.e. if you 
> call someone Appalachian, you're basically calling them a hick. Not 
> sure how to fix that one :)
> -ryan
>
> On Jul 28, 2005, at 12:30 PM, bht wrote:
>
>> Hey Ryan, all.
>>
>> portland indymedia is a tool to serve the folks in southern 
>> cascadia.  it sucks that folks outside of cascadia are having trouble 
>> using the cities list, but i guess thats why you have your own sites, 
>> and cities lists :-)
>>
>> the criticisms and praise are quite welsome, and the cities list is 
>> being constantly worked on.  the announcement feature for it is 
>> here:  http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2005/02/310808.shtml (always 
>> at the bottom of the cities list)
>>
>> i am pretty sure this list was contacted when the cities list was 
>> first being arranged, asking folks from various imc's what bioregion 
>> they felt they belonged to.  it would be great if anyone who curnetly 
>> feels misplaced on the cities list to offer a different placing (even 
>> a whole new subheading, if thats what it takes) with some kind of 
>> web-based back-up so that folks who are confused can figure out the 
>> reasoning behind the placements.
>>
>> As for appalachia, which has been called into question twice now (by 
>> john and ryan...baltimore and tennessee imc) i used this reference 
>> from wikipedia:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachia
>>
>> Which clearly states that some counties of tennessee and maryland 
>> were considered appalachia.  however, since i am not from there, it 
>> is open to change as long as you can offer some kind of background 
>> for why you want it categorized somehwere else or want to create a 
>> new subheading.
>> Some things on the forefront i think are Azatlan for southwest and 
>> mexico imc's, and redoing what is currently Mississippi Delta, since 
>> that one is pretty obvioulsy not the best it could be.
>>
>> bht
>>
>> Ryan Kaldari wrote:
>>
>>> I do agree with her assessment that Portland's "Turtle Island" IMC 
>>> list is less than helpful. For example, the first two places I 
>>> looked for the Tennessee IMC on the list were "Southeast" and 
>>> "Mississippi Delta", but I finally found it in "Appalachia". How 
>>> anyone from outside the US would know where to look is beyond me.
>>> Ryan Kaldari
>>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> IMC-US mailing list
>> IMC-US at lists.ucimc.org
>> http://lists.chambana.net/cgi-bin/listinfo/imc-us
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> IMC-US mailing list
> IMC-US at lists.ucimc.org
> http://lists.chambana.net/cgi-bin/listinfo/imc-us
>