At 2:37 PM -0400 4/26/07, Evan Leibovitch recently said:
Jean Armour Polly wrote:
I think it is an interesting idea, too. And ICANN IS hoping the NARALO will show the way in coming up with something creative to better include individuals who want to be included.
Really? What specifically offers the impression that ICANN is looking to its slowest-acting RALO -- which doesn't even have a MOU in place -- for leadership? What I've read, from mail on this list as well as privately sent, indicates the exact opposite -- that we're just a notch above being seen as an embarassment.
The upcoming outside review will show whether or not ALAC has embarrassed itself. In the US we have had very little uptake on the ALS idea; in fact many people that still have their ICANN member at large PIN numbers from the days of the direct votes think the whole RALO idea serves to keep individuals at the fringes where they will not be able to cause any trouble. Be clear I am not saying this is what I think, I am just reporting on it (although I do still have my PIN number from 7 years ago!) It also has not helped that the US specifically does not have an ICANN evangelist. Jacob Malthouse is specific to only the Caribbean and Canada, NOT the US. So the fact remains that individual engagement offers the last best hope for participation in the US at least. Yes, there is only me so far. I think that actually proves the point. Vint, for one, has said many times that he hopes the NARALO will come up with something novel. I don't have time to go find citations in transcripts and mail for you, though, sorry! Others that remember this might corroborate. This is an opportunity to do something different, that might be better. It's not a race. No one is trying to delay anything. There's a seat empty on the NA ALAC roster right now. I don't know the status of it but I'd bet if we agitated to have it filled by our interim chair (or insert name here) the other ALAC members would agree.