[IMC-US-tech] Re: [IMC-US] Re: Acorn Active Media Worker Collective Offer: (Sascha Meinrath)

[Sascha Meinrath]

Hi All,

I definitely agree that this discussion is useful -- however it turns out,
I'm certain that the end result will be good for the IMC-US.  Below are
answers to Garth's questions.

> 3.  I would like to know ACORN's mission statement.  I would even go so
> far as to block the ACORN proposal until we know so.  If that has been
> laid out already in this discussion; I did not see it in my reading.  I
> also think we should keep the discussion for ACORN on this list; Sascha
> has been acting as liason for the group and it would serve us well to
> not have more mix-ups and unnecesarily repeated questitons, etc.

Here's Acorn Active Media's draft mission statement:

"Acorn Active Media engages in software, website, and technical
development in support of the global justice movement. AAM is an
employee-owned collective whose members are themselves activists;  the
projects we work on are chosen based on members' interest in working on
them. Our commitment to our clients goes beyond typical business ethics --
we are personally committed to the work that employs us."

Here's the legalese from Acorn's bylaws:

Article II Purpose

This corporation is organized exclusively for charitable and educational
purposes, including for such purposes the making of distributions to
organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3)
of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future
tax code.

The purpose(s) of this organization shall be:

Section 1. Media Production: to foster the creation of websites, software,
and other technical projects.

Section 2. Education: to promote individual and community empowerment
through technical training.

> 4.  Has there been a nation-wide call-out to get diversified tech
> support?  I would rather see a diversification of support for the
> project than for us to be as urbana-champaign centric.  If the outreach
> hasn't been done, let's do it.  If it has and we've turned up nil, let's
> clarify the mission of ACORN and if appropriate go forward.

There's been several rounds of invitations to join the IMC-US project
including invites on Global Indymedia e-mail lists and individual e-mails
sent to each IMC.  It can also never hurt to have another round of
invitations.

> 5.  IMC is not CNN.  It is a non-corporate, non-authoritarian project.
> It has limitations compared to CNN, yes, and by default will never match
> certain aspects.  But there are also many IMC attributes that CNN will
> never match.  Right now it is important we keep IMC, and not try
> creating another CNN.

I couldn't agree more.

--Sascha

> i share sascha and max's frustration with this new concern; i also would
> like to know if the people concerned are blocking this proposal or not,
> and if they are, i would like them to come up with a viable alternative,
> but it seems to me that further discussion of this is yet another stall in
> this project, and in my opinion, there have been enough of those.
>
>
>
> 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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