[IMC-US] IMC's changing, going and re-evolving

[deva]

Hi Pete,

Sorry to hear about the trouble in Boston. It is something that has 
happened to many, if not most US imc's. Portland went through some 
serious conflict a few years back that resulted in some people leaving, 
lots of negativity and so on. Fortunately it did emerge stronger and 
smarter.

I personally learned so much out of that time. I was deeply frustrated 
by ideological structures that were held above recognition of what is 
going on. I have heard it repeated over and over how one person was 
allowed to act badly, and causing the many working people to leave, 
while all the people who knew what was going on did nothing because 
that is against indymedia dogma.

I have personally been involved in kicking 3 people out of portland 
indymedia. I have been called authoritarian, fascist etc. I do not 
care. I will not stand by while someone, particularly someone who is 
not doing much useful, creates a negative climate that chases good 
people away.

Particularly in this country, there is a strong conditioning to be 
nice. This pattern of passive accommodating niceness, allows noxious 
weeds to take root and begin to take over the garden. The longer one 
waits, the harder it is to pull and correct.

Openness is not blind. It is alert and aware. It responds accordingly. 
A local indymedia is like a living organism. If a persons immune system 
becomes overactive, or closedminded, it rejects too much, including 
nutrients that sustain the body. If it becomes too passive, or 
chronically open, it allows pathogens to gain a foothold which can lead 
to illness of death. A healthy immune system is essential to a healthy 
person. So to a healthy immune system is necessary to a healthy group.

It is not easy to develop the skills and internal balance to be able to 
respond intelligently to the ever changing situation. To not become 
overly suspicious, or over protective, to not erect walls, yet be able 
to say no with strength when needed. This is the area in the activist 
community that I find most in need of growth. An internal, or spiritual 
development/aspect if you will. We ourselves are the tools we must 
fashion to carry out the outer visions of social change.

I hope these words are of use to other indymedia's struggling with 
these issues.

cheers,
deva
portland indymedia contributor



On Jan 27, 2006, at 1:57 PM, Pete Stidman wrote:

> I am also sorry for the crossposting, and I'll try to
> keep this short.
>
> I am dismayed to see so much strife in the indymedia
> network. I was a devoted and hardworking member of
> Boston IMC for just over a year including during the
> DNC in July 2004 when I met many in the greater
> network.
>
> After that time Boston IMC wnt through some
> signinficant growth due to the excitement carried over
> from that event and renewed energy from new and old
> volunteers that wanted to engage the community in new
> ways.  We were writing grants and contacting local
> non-profits, tabling at community events, and covering
> local events. Our website content and traffic were up
> considerably.  It was also a good time.  I met and
> worked with tons of really great amazing people.
>
> As all good things do, this came to an end.
> Fortunately, Boston IMC is still operating, although
> as many as half of the volunteers from that time
> either left or severely curtailed their involvement.
>
> The reasons easily devolve into a he said she said,
> and this is one of the reasons that the strife that
> developed in the group was so difficult to contain.
> The group was unwilling to face and deal with the
> conflict. Instead it became an ugly smear campaign
> waged by one against the other.
>
> I ultimately grew really tired of the infighting,
> which directly involved me (although I made every
> effort to resolve things and act civilly) and left the
> group for good.
>
> Now, after experience in other forms of media, I
> realize that the governance of indymedia is severely
> flawed.  Either it works based on affinity and
> exclusiveness, it somehow develops new rules for
> itself, or its own openness prevents it from having
> the tools to deal with unstable individuals.  Much of
> it depends upon the individuals involved and the
> timing of the trials they face.
>
> I'm still working in media and hope to continue my
> relationships with folks in the greater network of
> indymedia. Our ideals are in the right place, but I
> fel that Indymedia taken as a whole must evolve or
> die. I can't help but compare our situation in Boston
> to what happened in Florida, and also Michigan.
>
> Boston IMC now has an active video group, the main
> interest of one side of the argument we had.
>
> The website, which was in my and other's interest, has
> in my opinion slowed down a bit, the editing is still
> doing ok.  But the point isn't whether the website
> survived the storm, it's that a person who was
> dedicated to making it thrive was attacked while the
> rest of the collective watched.
>
> No matter how many told me privately they thought the
> attacks were wrong, they had no tool as a collective
> to deal with them.  I was called every name in the
> right wing pantheon, from capitalist to fascist to
> white supremacist.
>
> For someone like me, that really hurt. It also made it
> impossible to stay involved.
>
> -Pete
>
>
>
> --- bradley <bradley at riseup.net> wrote:
>
>> hey there,
>>
>> Sorry for the cross-posting... I know that people
>> are on various
>> lists....
>>
>> I just wanted to call some attention to a few
>> updates from local IMCs
>> in the US.
>>
>> Seeking input --- What should the future of
>> OKIMC.org be?
>> http://okimc.org/newswire.php?story_id=1406
>>
>> Shutting Down the Michigan Independent Media Center
>> http://michiganimc.org/
>>
>> Unfortunately, it is time we said goodbye
>> http://miami.indymedia.org/news/2006/01/3523.php
>>
>> Santa Cruz Indymedia's Regional Integration with
>> Indybay.org
>> http://www.indybay.org/news/2006/01/1797769.php
>>
>> Arkansas IMC is celebrating a 3rd B-day and has a
>> new look
>> http://arkansas.indymedia.org
>>
>> Philly IMC also has a new look
>> http://www.phillyimc.org
>>
>> Ok, y'all can check out the other IMCs on your own
>> to see what you
>> can learn from the websites... but maybe sending out
>> this email with
>> updates from a few IMCs is helpful. Hopefully IMC in
>> the US and
>> globally will have a great year in 2006.
>>
>> Best of luck to everyone and all the IMCs!
>>
>> If anyone has questions or advice, this might be a
>> good time and
>> place to speak up.
>>
>> In one way or another, we are a network. Let's do
>> our best to support
>> each other.
>>
>> sincerely,
>> Bradley
>>
>> (( ( i ) )))
>>
>> --
>>
>> Santa Cruz Indymedia: http://Indybay.org/SantaCruz
>> //
>> Free Radio Santa Cruz: http://www.FreakRadio.org
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> IMC-US mailing list
>> IMC-US at lists.ucimc.org
>> http://lists.chambana.net/cgi-bin/listinfo/imc-us
>>
>
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
> http://mail.yahoo.com
> _______________________________________________
> IMC-US mailing list
> IMC-US at lists.ucimc.org
> http://lists.chambana.net/cgi-bin/listinfo/imc-us