[New-imc] Re: imc baghdad info - spreading the meme not the brand

Wed Apr 23 11:50:37 PDT 2003

hi everyone,

as someone who has been pulled into the imc-baghdad possibility, i 
agree with all the concerns and comments that have been expresed on 
this list by geoffrey petros and others.  these concerns are part of 
what generally makes the new imc process an important process and not 
to be taken likely and in this current situation are only exacerbated 
because of the political reality in iraq.

however, when i initially got into this my first thought was how can 
we help the people generally on the ground over there who want to 
start doing independent media.  they may not be ready for a long time 
(i have no idea) to be a full fledged member of the indymedia 
network.  but they can do alot within their own right and hopefully 
it can become something that will truly be of use for iraqi people in 
this transition.

i've been talking to people for a while about the concept of 
"spreading the meme and not the brand".  what this means is that the 
importance of independent media is the highest goal and that's the 
spreading of the meme.  it is not always ideal or in the best 
interests of everyone involved for groups to become indymedia (the 
brand).  for instance, i've seen several times since we initiated 
this list in spring 2000 and the new imc process that there are 
groups who really are not in a position to be an imc member (abiding 
by all the principles and criteria) nor do they really really want to 
be.  they are an already existing media group who wants to be 
connected; or they are a group who is just one group who wants to do 
media and they like what we're talking about - our values, our work, 
our huge network.

i think it is important for us within indymedia to think 
strategically about this issue and to remember that perhaps the most 
important thing we can do is not just try and have every collective 
that comes along go through the new imc process.  but perhaps we have 
other levels of participation that would still have them link to us 
because they have common core values - open publishing, open source, 
democratic values of participation, etc.  (whatever we might decide 
those are).

so we'd have something like an imc affiliate who may not fulfill all 
the principles and criteria, but a handful of those we would like to 
see as part of the meme which is at the heart of what we're doing. 
maybe we'd also finally get around to doing something for imc 
allies......

all these could be linked off the site and gradually over time people 
would see that our network is not just the core network, but these 
other groups and projects and allies who are doing similar powerful 
work, just not exactly like we do.  i think diversity is critical and 
the meme is what's most important.

i hope before these ideas become more of a proposal, folks will at 
least think about them and consider them in terms of the best good 
for indymedia and beyond.

peace,
sheri
seattle imc

At 10:13 AM -0500 4/23/03, Geoffrey Young wrote:
>geoffrey in winipeg
>I agree with petros here almost completely with what petros says.  I do
>forsee a problem arising, if only initially after an iraq launch (no pun
>intended) which would be the media finding out about an imc there and
>taking hold of it for propaganda reasons (see how free the iraqis are now
>we're here, they even have indymedia) which would serve not only to make
>iraqis suspicious of imc but COULD harm global opinion of the imc.
>the Iraqi contacts must indeed be chosen very carefully as ideally they
>should be neither baathist nor pro american. and then theres god related
>issues. It sounds like it could be a very tough order to fill.
>geoffrey
>
>
>----------------------------------------------
>Original Message
>From: "Petros Evdokas"<petros_cyprus at burleehost.net>
>Subject: [New-imc] Re: imc baghdad info
>Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 10:08:00 +0300
>
>>
>>
>>In reference to this letter:
>>"imc baghdad info":
>  >http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/public/new-imc/2003-April/003725.html
>>--------------
>>
>>Friends,
>>
>>I'm very worried about this: "IRAQ: IndyMedia Baghdad -
>>coming soon!"
>>Iraq is going through the most difficult period now
>>that the US occupation regime is becoming officially
>>entrenched in place.
>>
>>There must be *direct* contact between Indymedia and
>>any Iraqi individuals/organizations who are interested
>>in setting up any Iraqi imc group. If, at this point,
>>we make the mistake of riding in on the tails of the
>>invaders, Indymedia will *never* be trusted by anyone
>>in
>>Iraq. Or in the wider region. And correctly so.
>>
>>There must be no "american intermediaries" between
>>Indymedia and any Iraqi contacts who are interested in
>>imc. And whoever the Iraqi contacts may be, must be
>>known to us and to their own community to have
>>absolutely *nothing* to do with the new regime being
>>set up by the United States Occupation forces.
>>
>>We're already jumping into the "money and equipment"
>>issues of this project as we often do, without a second
>>thought. Can we please slow down? Please let's come to
>>our senses: Politics first!
>>Let's establish a *political* relationship with whoever
>>these people are, and we can take it from there.
>>
>>Petros,
>>volunteer, cyprus indymedia
>>http://PetrosEvdokas.cjb.net
>>------------
>>
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