[Imc-cymru] [IMC-UK-Features] withdrawal../Indyc

[ilyan.thomas at virgin.net]

On Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:49:10 -0000, Shiar <shiar at riseup.net> wrote:

"> 1... Perhaps it is better for the 'movement' to run a semi-closed site
> where only activists with logs can post,"

What Indycymru (say indycumree) did was to allow anyone to post once they  
had registered their email.  The software did not allow instant posting so  
some daft people shouted 'censorship'.  If a submission was factually  
wrong, or incomprehensible, the sender would get an email saying so and be  
invited to resubmit. Otherwise everything went up.

If some opinion was disliked, it was answered.  Often the best writing was  
in comments responding to items that were intensely disliked.

Indycymru went down through sabotage.   Either from fear by the host that  
the KGBetc might come and drag everyone off to Guantanamo, or by the  
KGBetc taking direct action, or by an agent of the Labour Party which was  
given a lot of stick as class traitors, or Teachers offended at  
explanations why schools burn so often in Wales, or religious people mad  
at the way their heroes were attacked.  Or conceivably by atheists mad at  
the reports  from the Holy Land that were carried.

It would probably be possible to have a real open publishing site if every  
contributor had to register their real name and address, and use their  
real name.  Having to contact an Editor to have whistleblower's anonymity  
- though there are specialist sites for that.

"> 2. We don't seem to have fully embraced openness and transparency  
either."

Indycymru did not require unanimity or conformity in the Editors. Animal  
libbers, Hunters, Vegetarians, Omnivores, Protestant, Catholic, Anarchist,  
Nationalist, Pacifist, Warmonger, Socialist, Capitalist, Deaf, Busker,   
were all represented. Could not find a misogynist to balance the feminists  
in that lot, and offers to SWPers and CPers were not taken up.    The  
people who will not join are those who believe in censorship, and those  
stuck with the hypocrisies of Political Correctness..   With open  
publishing there isn't much for Editors to argue about.

Editors are there to argue with posts they disagree with that no ordinary  
reader has tackled.  Few guidelines, no hiddens to report.  Arguments out  
on the front page.

Ilyan

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