[Imc] [toya at riseup.net: [Imc-communication] center of the global indymedia network in urbana????]

[Brian Hagy]

hello.  my name is Brian Hagy.  I am a participant at the u-c imc.  first, 
let me make clear, i am not speaking for the u-c imc, but for myself.   i 
have been with the u-c imc since its beginning (when we were meeting in 
living rooms of houses).  i have been part of the development of the u-c 
imc.  and i have worked alongside Sascha on many projects.

the u-c imc talked about this concern (how the u-c imc presents itself in 
the community, both here in urbana/champaign illinois, and in the world). 
there are folks now actively addressing this, because even here folks have 
been nervous, if not annoyed, with how the u-c imc has sometimes 
publicized ourselves.  we do take seriously these concerns that people 
from around the world bring up, as we too are concerned about them.

we recognize that we are fiscal sponsors of this nebulous organization 
referred to as the Global IMC Network.  in the united states, at least, 
that makes us legally (on paper) liable and responsible.  beyond the 
paper, we also recognize that we are NOT a center, or a control of the IMC 
movement.  we (as far as i know) completely support the autonomy of each 
IMC, and have not and will never do anything to interfere with that.  we 
do whatever we can to assist an IMC that makes a request of us, as i would 
think all IMC's do for each other.  though i am not positive, i hope that 
we've never forced our assistance onto anyone.

in our steering meeting we had recently, it was even pointed out that it 
is an error to think the U-C IMC as a fiscal sponsor of the GLOBAL IMC 
since our not-for-profit status only applies to the US.  We can perhaps 
use it at the request of other non-US IMCs to get money or resources to 
them from US sources, if so desired.  Our not-for-profit status can be a 
tool for others.  If it is something other than that in the eyes of the 
world, then it needs to be brought to our attention.  It is not meant to 
be a power or control mechanism over any IMC.

as for the purchasing of a building being a suspicious move for an imc, i 
say if it's not appropriate for your imc, don't get a building.  in our 
community, the activities that occur in our current space have outgrown 
our ability to accommodate them.  our community has designed our imc to 
encompass many forms of media, so for our community the need of a building 
for which we do not have to rent, but can be bought and belong to the 
community instead of a single landlord, is valid, and at least in our eyes 
(well, mine) very much in the spirit of INDEPENDENT media (no landlord 
potentially to threaten to shut us down).

again, i say these things from me, not from the u-c imc.  mostly to report 
to you from an individual's perspective of how i see the u-c imc, and how 
i see the u-c imc seeing itself.

sascha's comment that seems to have stirred up controversy may not have 
been the most articulated comment, in my eyes, however what's missing is 
the context in which that comment was made.  he made the comment at a 
press conference for the announcement of the purchasing of the building. 
i was not at this conference myself, however someone who was there pointed 
out that sascha was answering a question about the u-c imc's fiscal 
sponsorship and liability of such toward the Global IMC Network.  in that 
context, for good or bad, it is a true statement that U-C IMC is central 
(at least in liability) and ONLY true in that it applies ONLY in the US.

As i said above, we know completely well that we are NOT central in the 
GLOBAL sense of the IMC, and not even really central in the US, except 
when it comes to the legal paperwork for any IMC that has asked us to 
fiscally sponsor them.  we have encouraged, and will continue to 
encourage, other IMC's to become not-for-profit if that suits their needs, 
and thus be able to extend a financial umbrella to those IMC's who can't 
or don't see it in their interest to follow such a path.  thus, we won't 
be the only ones who stick there necks out to help out others.

i also apologize for this being only in English.  i can speak sign 
language in addition to english, but like most citizens in the United 
States don't have much comprehension of any other languages on this 
planet.

peace,
brian



On Fri, 20 May 2005, stacy wrote:

> Quoting Sascha Meinrath <sascha at ucimc.org>:
>
>> On Thu, 19 May 2005, clara wrote:
>>
>>> hoi,
>>> this one: http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display/34829/index.php
>>> clara
>>
>> thanks clara -- i've edited the article.  it now reads, "The Post office
>>
>> is projected to become a vibrant nexus in the global independent media
>>
>> network."
>>
>> --sascha
>>
>
> I still don't understand why UCIMC has to be *anything* in relation to the
> global network.  Just because you manage the bank account, doesn't give you any
> more or less status than any other local.
>
> We've been through this a couple of time before, and Sascha's response to this
> incident leaves me with the impression that UCIMC is still trying to become some
> sort of centralised bureaucracy for the global network.
>
> I'm very glad that they have been firmly pulled up *yet again* by toya and
> clara, but my suspicion is that this will happen again.
>
> I would just like to make it very clear that I (personally) strongly object to
> this sort of manipulation of the network by UCIMC and will be monitoring it
> closely to make sure it doesn't happen again.
>
> Stacy
> IMC Sydney volunteer
>
> P.S. I don't think the purchasing of property is anything to be crowing about in
> a largely anarchist organisation anyway.
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