[ncdnhc-discuss] Opposing Lynn Plan

[Harold J. Feld]

I urge all of those in this constituency who oppose the Lynn Plan and 
the ALSC recommendations for reducing the At Large recommendation to 
make their opposition known to relevant officials in their home 
countries.  In particular, I would urge constituency members to contact 
the their country's GAC representative and make your opposition, and 
reasons for it, known.

This constituency just re-affirmed, by an overwhelming margin, its 
resolution supporting the original compact under which ICANN formed, a 
true partnership with the Internet community in which the Internet 
community elected the majority of the Board.  As a constituency, we 
should make this determination again clear tot he Board and the Names 
Council.  As members of the consticuency, we should take what action we 
can to support this resolution.

If the government representatives can be persuaded to reject the Lynn 
plan, it cannot possibly come to pass.  

At the same time, we must not fall for the trap of preferring the ALSC 
recommendations as a "compromise."  This is precisely the strategy used 
by those who opposed at large elections in 2000 in Cairo.  The Internet 
community was forced to settle for 5 directly elected directors, rather 
than the 9 promised.  Yet this was a "compromise," because the Board had 
threatened to withdraw any representation.

In this regard, I urge caution in joining the efforts of Esther Dyson 
and Pindar Wong in organizing an ALM behind the ALSC.  WhileI have no 
doubt they mean well, the viability of the at large is not the issue. 
 The issue if whether the Internet community will recieve the 
representation promised at the formation of ICANN, or whether we will be 
cheated and forced to settle for less. While issues regarding the 
mechanics of forming an ALM exist, they are by no means insurmountable. 
 More fundamentally, they have no impact on the nature of the 
representation.

The 2000 election proved that members of the Internet community will 
come together in large numbers to join in a fair ICANN process.  We do 
not need a "proof of concept" on the At Large.

But formation of an ALM under the terms of the ALSC builds momentum 
behind the ALSC recommendations.  The ALSC recommendations also give the 
Internet community short shrift.  Again, we must avoid the trap of 
rushing to the ALSC recommendations to save us fromt he Lynn plan, or in 
seeing ALSC as an acceptable compromise.

Finally, the ncdnhc.org site remains down.  Is there any way to post a 
resolution on this issue for consideration in Accra?

Harold Feld
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