[Imc] Steering Notes 9-23-01

[Paul Riismandel]

IMC Steering 9/23/01
Present: Russ D-R (facilitating), Brian H., Sarah K., James J., Mike L., 
Mike P., Mark E.,
Ellen K., Aaron K., Paul R. (recording)


Reports:

Space: Still need Dead Computers gone.  Tech is supposed to take care of, 
still plans to.

News: Still discussion on how to treat the Newshour 5-6pm. New people keep 
showing up.

Librarians: Last meeting just 2 people, did create tasks that people can do 
to help out, will
send to the staff list.  Will meet this Tuesday @ 8pm

Print: Next issue coming along fine, still organizing because they switched 
around the next issue.
All stories are coming in today.

Outreach: Sent out e-mails to regional contacts about Regional Meeting, 
scheduled for weekend of
Oct. 19th.

Tech: Memo on using audio editing machine -- Paul will help anyone who 
asks, in return
asks that it not be rewired and not put back. Next meeting Wed. 6pm

NEW BUSINESS

Peace Quilt Proposal (Sarah K.): a participatory piece of art on people's 
responses to the terrorist
attacks and the US response.  It fulfills the IMC's mission to transmit 
community voices,
would like to spark public debate, and to protect the IMC by defusing a 
confrontational situation
through inviting opponents to participate. It also helps defuse by inviting 
people who come in
who are angry to do something constructive and add to the quilt.  Sarah 
guesses that the
invitation itself will defuse, and in the event the person takes us up on 
it, then they'll
have their ideas juxtaposed against others.  Propose an art chest and a 
sewing machine be
here.  Sarah says that some folks she's talked to don't want pro-war 
sentiments on the quilt,
though she thinks their vital.

Ellen agrees that pro-war sentiments should be included if there are people 
who want to
contribute them.

Mike is concerned about asking people who are emotionally upset to become 
rational, and the
lease is coming up and he is concerned about putting something that 
engenders passions behind
glass--pragmatically he is worried about someone getting stirred up and 
smashing the glass.
But he won't stand in the way.  Perhaps waving the flag in front of the 
bull is not the right
approach.

Brian asks what if we get the lease signed in the next two weeks.  Mike 
says that the landlords
won't be able to do it until Nov.

Ellen likes the idea overall, but is concerned about taking up our only 
window with it -- maybe we can put a picture of it in the window.
The other concern is that if there is a person who wants a view expressed 
on the quilt but who doesn't feel like they have the skill to make a square 
it could be a problem.

Sarah has no problem trying to make a quilt square for someone.

Mark would like to see it increase the use of the IMC as a forum--the 
making rather than just looking.  How inflamatory will it be?

Ellen asks is there something we wouldn't put on the quilt--what if someone 
says "kill all arabs?"

Sarah thinks that seeing it expressed next to messages of peace exposes it 
for what it is.  Doesn't want unacceptable views pushed underground.

Paul thinks it's a good idea, thinks that it will be a good tactic for 
defusing emotions. Shares
Mike's concern about the lease, but hates to see us not do something 
constructive and positive out of fear.  We are a media
organization and there are a lot of people out there who would be angry if 
we lost our lease.  Paul is concerned about steering
making a final decision today, since there are many who may have opinions 
to express on it.

Sarah agrees to defer decision to next week--consensus on this.


Whole Space Rental -- DSC's Prompting Theater would like to rental whole 
IMC to have their annual haunted house which
they can't have at DSC anymore.  They'd start setting up the previous 
weekdn then it would be open Halloween eve and all day Halloween.  It's nice
and brings in people to know about Prompting Theater and the IMC.  They 
would be willing to
clean up the space.

Sarah says there is a concert scheduled for the 26th and a Wednesday 
rental.  Brian talked to Yoga
rental and they're OK with cancelling for it.  It is aimed at people of all 
kinds and abilities.

No objections -- it passes.

OLD BUSINESS

Website Use Policy -- Paul wrote a draft that will ciruclate on IMC general 
shortly -- he gave a quick
overview, asked for comments.  Mike suggested dealing with the issue of 
News being the
primary function of the newswire, Paul thinks that can be 
incorporated.  There is an issue on
a specific post that was potentially libelous, saying that a specificially 
named person was
convicted of manslaughter, but no info on the "Crime" could be found, 
although Ellen was easily
able to find the accused on the 'net.  Some discussion about the 
appropriateness of hiding the
post, which may nonetheless add to public debate with the names 
removed.  Consensus to xx out names
in the post, add comments explaining the editing and unhide it. Mike raises 
concern that this
particular response should not set precedent, consensus on this.  Paul asks 
that time be specificially
dedicated to the website use policy at next steering meeting.


Security and Recycling:  Recycling isn't working because people aren't 
rinsing their things and making a mess.
Need to talk about that soon.  On Security--we need to identify the callers 
who leave threatening messages.  The first
person who hears a message needs to *69 and identify them.  Mike circulated 
a message that the chunk of concrete used
as a doorstop needs to come in at night -- Paul suggests a real doorstop.

Objectivists Debate -- Ben Bayer of Objectivists club invites us to a 
debate on the website.  Brian responded,
thinks a debate is not a fruitful forum, though a panel discussion would be 
good.  They'd
participate in a panel if we sponsor it, if they do it they want a 
one-on-one.  Are we up to
hosting a panel discussion?

Mike says that the Soc. Forum discussed it, thinks they're just looking for 
a patsy, but doesn't think they're worth
dealing with.

Mark is not interested in engaging in a debate with the Objectivists, and 
thinks that a panel
discussion is a lot of work for not a lot of reward.  General agreement 
that it's not worth our
time.

Adjourn at 1:15pm.a