[Imc-communication] seeking thoughts about a conference

[Jay]

Thank you so much, Bradley and Cat, for your messages.  I'll check 
out all of the links you posted.

I've gone back and forth a few times about my plans to go or not to 
go to the conference.  I first said yes as a knee-jerk reaction, then 
backed out when I learned a little more about it, then reconsidered 
and decided to go.

I would definitely not go if it was a straightforward law enforcement 
event, and have no interest in briefing any law dudes about what we 
do at Indymedia or how we do it (though, those of you who have been 
on the imc-communication list for a while know we don't even know 
what we do or how we do it. :-)))).  This conference does seem like a 
mixed bag, bringing together people from different viewpoints to 
discuss ways "collective intelligence" is conceived.  I'm not 
terribly hopeful about there being any miracle breakthroughs.  Nor do 
I imagine anyone is going to learn anything about indymedia from me 
giving my basic "what is indymedia" spiel for a half hour that they 
couldn't find out by spending an hour or two going through the public 
archives at lists.indymedia.org, or reading any of the many academic 
papers that have been written about Indymedia.  I'm ashamed to admit 
that after all my involvement I don't even know the names of the 
servers most IMCs use, so if anyone wanted any real information from 
me they'd be sorely disappointed.

Thanks again for the feedback.  Please, others, chime in and let me 
know what you think.

Jay
P.S. Cat, I also can't bring myself to write the phrase "intelligence 
community" without quotation marks, mine beeing both sarcastic and sneering.

At 8/5/2007, you wrote:
>Hi Jay and all,
>
>I think there are certainly folks in our movement that will feel it
>is a bad idea to share information with people working for government
>intelligence.
>
>Others will think it is a fine idea.
>
>It brings to my mind some articles I want to share now.
>
>My Adventure Presenting Animal Rights Philosophy to the FBI
>author: Charlotte Laws
>http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2006/06/341029.shtml
>
>vs.
>
>Press Officer Turns Down FBI Offer to Speak at HQ in Quantico
>http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2006/07/342298.shtml
>
>UPI states ALF press officer REFUSES to speak to FBI class
>http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2006/07/342348.shtml
>
>Full text of FBI letter and ALF refusal to speak to class in Quantico
>http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2006/07/342351.shtml
>
>good luck with whatever you do and thanks for mentioning it.
>
>As for me, I'm with Jerry in regards to the FBI.
>
>sincerely,
>bradley
>
>a volunteer with Santa Cruz IMC
>
>* * * * *
>
>On Aug 5, 2007, at 5:57 AM, Jay wrote:
>
>>Hi Imc-Communication,
>>
>>This is Jay from IMC Philadelphia.  I'm writing to ask for thoughts
>>about a conference at which I've been invited to speak.
>>
>>In early September in the U.S. there will be a conference called the
>>Public Intelligence and Policy Summit
>>(http://www.oss.net/extra/page/? action=page_show&id=137&module_instance=4)
>>sponsored by the Global Intelligence Partnership Network
>>(http://www.oss.net/extra/tools/parser/index.cgi?url=/html/parse/ 
>>index.html).
>>The main organizer of this group and the conference is Robert Steele
>>(http://www.oss.net/extra/news/?module_instance=1&id=2733), a
>>self-described "intelligence evangelist" and previous member of the
>>U.S. "intelligence community" who is claims to be trying to change
>>the way governments and society consider "intelligence," transforming
>>it into an open source system.  He is directly approaching those who
>>gather "intelligence," whether they be non-governmental,
>>governmental, military, law-enforcement or other entitites, and
>>challenging them to change their ways.  I'm not sure I fully grasp
>>his methods or ultimate goals, and I have a lot to learn, but it's
>>definitely an unusual effort.
>>
>>Through some roundabout communication I was invited to speak to the
>>conference, to introduce the concept of collective participatory
>>information sharing, using Indymedia as an example.  I'm scheduled to
>>give a half hour presentation, describing Indymedia in the most basic
>>way, and I will be receiving an honorarium which I plan to donate to
>>activist efforts in Philadelphia.  Even though formal public speaking
>>takes me well outside my comfort zone, I do believe we should take
>>advantage of most opportunities to talk frankly about the positive
>>things Indymedia has accomplished, even (especially?) with those who
>>find themselves diametrically opposed to our goals.
>>
>>The conference audience will be composed of a wide range of people
>>interested in "collective intelligence," from progressive activists
>>to law enforcement/military intelligence people who appear willing to
>>entertain conversations about doing things differently.  I don't
>>expect to change the mind of anyone in the "intelligence community"
>>by my giving a basic talk about indymedia.  Though, introducing the
>>kind of real intelligence we've building here does have the potential
>>to be mind-opning.
>>
>>I'm writing to this list to invite anyone who's interested in
>>"collective intelligence," especially anyone who's more familiar with
>>the oss.net organization than I am, to let me know your thoughts,
>>both about the conference and about  ways to represent Indymedia
>>honestly and productively in a speech there.
>>
>>In solidarity,
>>Jay
>>P.S. Robert has suggested some of the conference will be broadcast on
>>a U.S. cable TV network, albeit not the most popular one (C-SPAN --
>>http://www.c-span.org/).  So, unfortunately, you may one day turn on
>>the TV and see my smiling face.
>>
>>
>>
>>
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