[IMC-bristol] conflict resolution links

[Naomi Smyth]

Hi all,
Sorry I haven't been in touch for a while- I have tried to write some input 
on this Tony Gosling business but my emails have crashed a total of three 
times before they could be sent.
For my part, I was taken aback by Ian's suggestion that in the absence of 
'any objections' he remove Tony from the lists. This is no way to conduct 
the business of a consensus-based collective, and plays into the hands of 
Tony's perceptions of the rest of the group as an unaccountable  'clique'.
Maybe this issue has taken up a lot of the group's time and energy (and well 
done to Kyra for trying to unravel this web of resentment!), but has there 
been any formal, collective face-to-face discussion of this issue? Until 
that has occurred, with Tony, Ian and everyone concerned present, I don't 
think any action to exclude a member of the group can have any legitimacy.
I was really interested to draw parallels between the things said in the 
conflict resolution guidelines Sam posted up and what has been occurring on 
the lists- this charge that Tony is 'disruptive' seems like a knee-jerk 
reaction to our collective inability to make him toe the line. The question 
is, what line? If you see indymedia's leftward bias as the most integral to 
its mission, then Tony's alleged recommendation of far-right websites is 
unacceptable (although personally as a lefty I believe that it can be useful 
to remain aware of what the right are saying and doing, and even of the 
similarities and crossover points in apparently contrary ideologies). If, 
however, you see the freedom of expression and independence from a set 
ideology as the most important tenet of indymedia, he has committed no 
offence against it. Personally, on my acquaintance with him I'd say there is 
no way Tony is a Fascist. He has also never contravened BIMC guidelines by 
posting racist, sexist or homophobic content, nor do I believe he would want 
to. That said, why is everyone so afraid of innocent readers being sent to 
far-right websites by Tony's links?  If users of indymedia turn to it 
because they are capable of identifying the bias in the mainstream media, 
why wouldn't they be equally capable of filtering the messages from neo- 
Nazis?
These are issues that urgently need face to face discussion. I think an 
independent moderator and a dedicated meeting would be a good idea, and I 
really hope that both Tony and Ian would be up for participating. If that is 
going to happen I would sound a note of caution and say that I do not think 
we should assume that someone from UK imc will necessarily be more impartial 
in this issue now that a member of the UK (or was it Scotland) site has 
helped to bring this issue of far-right links to everyone's attention.
One thing which I was trying to say in the crashed emails that never made it 
to the lists is this: This issue has clearly gone beyond general principles 
and become very personal. However, I think that the issue of Tom Rintoul's 
article could have been resolved for the future by changing the guidelines, 
as was done, to mean that copy needs to be cleared through the collective. 
This makes sense for everyone, and doesn't have to apply to Tony personally.
   I realise everyone is wanting to move on from this by now- as it said in 
the conflict resolution guidelines, it is inhibiting our ability to get on 
with the main business of the group- but it seems a real shame to me that 
both Tony and Ian have withdrawn from BIMC business after both of them have 
worked hard for it since the beginnning- often together as friends. Fair 
enough, if the next meeting has to keep the issue off the agenda for the 
sake of keeping going- but lets try to keep talking to each other?
Naomi

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