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

Sat Jan 28 16:35:11 CST 2006

Thanks Deva,

 That was a really eloquent little ditty, and sounding
very wise too.  I would join in and say pay attention
to those early "noxious weeds" when theyr're new. We
had an opportunity early on after one person had
actually posted a viscous attack on the whole
collective on our site.  When the person came back I
actually led the charge to be forgiving.  BIG mistake.

Although the new work I am doing is pretty great, I
wish I could've left on a happy note and still have
the possibility for collaboration open. 

-Pete

--- deva <drdartist at riseup.net> wrote:

> 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
> >>
> >
> >
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> 
> 

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