Re: [Membership] The real reason language is not the issue

[edyson@edventure.com (Esther Dyson)]

I hope it won't take *that* long to have our first elections....

Esther

At 05:35 PM 16/02/99 -0800, Kent Crispin wrote:
>On Mon, Feb 15, 1999 at 11:56:50PM -0600, Eric Weisberg wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> Esther Dyson wrote:
>> > 
>> > Other comments, especially from those non-native-English speakers (who of
>> > course are not the non-ENglish speakers who are not on this list)?
>> 
>> The question is whether the IFWP (list, attendees at meetings and
>> anyone else who cares to join) should form the nucleus of ICANN's
>> membership (a "jump start"),
>
>Has anyone seriously suggested this?  That would be completely nuts.  
>The IFWP is not an organization; there is no coherent list of 
>members; some of the entities on the mailing list are clearly 
>fabrications.
>
>I consider legal existence, either as a natural person or as a
>legally sanctioned entity such as a corporation, as an absolutely
>basic requirement for membership.  There are issues of enforcement
>and verification that must be resolved, but the basic principle seems
>to me essential.
>
>Moreover, there is no need for a "jump-start" as you seem to mean. 
>It should be clear that a substantial time must elapse between the
>opening of membership and the first election -- on the order of 6
>months, at least. 
>
>As well, there needs to be a defined transition process -- there are
>verification mechanisms that need to be established; the empty
>Article II of the bylaws needs to be drafted; people must be selected
>to operate the initial verification (these people are probably *not*
>the initial members); voting mechanisms need to be established, etc
>etc etc. 
>
>-- 
>Kent Crispin, PAB Chair				"Do good, and you'll be
>kent@songbird.com				lonesome." -- Mark Twain
>


Esther Dyson			Always make new mistakes!
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interim chairman, Internet Corp. for Assigned Names & Numbers
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