Brendler, Beau wrote:
Having worked with Jonathan directly over the last two years on a couple of things, I have a different perspective of his views, at least pertaining to consumer groups. The term "civil society" seems to me a Euro/academic construct that hasn't much meaning among the people I work with, so I don't know how to address it.
I share that viewpoint completely. ICANN already has a well-established forum to accommodate the policy viewpoints of civil society -- NCUC, It is a continuing source of discomfort -- and a long-term recipe for failure -- that so many within ALAC see At-Large as "NCUC-Light". It is critically important to know how At-Large -- and especially its leadership within ALAC -- understands the significant differences between this community and the one represented by NCUC. It's a contrast of culture, of terminology, of style, of motivation, even of language. And the difference is most certainly reflected in the way Beau's offer has been dealt with. ALSs share some characteristics of the NGOs that make up NCUC. But their defined role -- and expectations -- related to ICANN are very different. The sooner ALAC comes to understand this, the better for all of us. - Evan