[Seattletech] Joseph is back and badder than ever-watch out George!

[Joseph Eisenschmidt]

Friends,

I did recently take some time off after my dear Grandfather died and
I lost my 9-year love in the same week. This was just after losing a
job and just before my mother started having heart attacks. Bad
year. 

As a long time activist (20 years+), I know when it is time to step
back and take care of me, so that I can be a strong, healthy 
member of the organizatoins that I work with. That time was spent
mourning, laughing, experimenting, and a lot of just sitting around
and being depressed. 

During this time I've been attending SEAIMC General Meetings,
Editorial Meetings (And Convening them-in fact I've convened the
majority of Editorial meetings this year) and the like. 

As to my editorial work, I've clerked the wire, hidden posts, moved
newswire articles to the center column to make features, and
written original features myself. My features are becoming better
as I have learned how to imbed hyperlinks and upload photos(I'm
still working on that one, but I can do it now). 

I've also worked with past members of the Editorial Collective to
secure information, such as our formal policies used in the past,
so that we can ammend them or use them as is, and post them to the
site. That is close to being achieved as the data is on the now
available arendt server.

I've worked with SEATECH to insure new members of the Editorial
Collective have access to the people, equipment, and priveledes and
policies of the Ed. Collective. I've introduced those with time and
ability to those with access and resources.

This is a partial list of my work at the Seattle Independent Media
Center during this period(Since last spring), but includes most of
my efforts at Editorial. 

I've done my dharma.

At this point, I intend to continue doing all of the above(editorial
work), but at a faster rate. I will also build an Independent Media
Corps(Media WG, OK) with anyond willing to do some on site
coverage. This will involve working with new volunteers and
mentoring them. This is a shout out for collaboration! 

I hope this clears up any confusion as to my past activities, my
current intentions, and my future commitment.

If anyone has any questions at all, feel free to e-mail me, and I'll
send you my cellular number.

In Solidarity,

Joseph   

 





So,  

So,  


Quoting Laury Kenton <webshiva at mac.com>:

> Joseph --
> 
> You are currently not a member of the editorial collective.  If
> you would like to rejoin, you are welcome -- however, you will
> need to pledge the same level of commitment as everyone else: 
> 10-15 hours a week.  There are no "bosses" needed, just workers.
> 
> Let me assure you, working 60 hours a week is not a barrier to
> being an active member.  I work 60+ hours a week at my job and go
> to school full time.  I am still able to work 15-20 hours a week
> on the IMC website.  IMHO, it is a matter of priorities.  I make
> the time to do IMC work.  If you are not interested in making a
> large commitment at this time, there is other Seattle IMC work
> that desperately needs to be done.  This includes creating a
> reporter's collective that can train community members to become
> citizen-reporters. It also includes "freelancing" by writing
> newswire pieces.    
> 
> You are well aware of the recent history of the editorial
> collective.  However, since we are having a public discussion, I
> will provide a quick background for people less familiar with the
> situation.  The web site was active during the hiatus, however,
> post-hiatus the "old" members stopped working, leaving all the
> work to the new kid.... me.  In late summer, the older members
> (including you, Joseph) were not even bothering to return phone
> calls or emails when I made shout outs for help on the site.  
> 
> At that point, I took a long look at the situation.  I was
> tempted to walk away, however, that would have resulted in the
> collapse of the editorial collective and (possibly) the end of
> the Seattle IMC website.  So, I made a very public shout-out to
> find out who was willing to make a solid commitment.  I had few
> responses, one of them was from you, Joseph.  On August 14th, you
> announced that you were withdrawing from the collective:
> ---------------------------------
> SEAIMC Editorialistas, 
> 
> I cannot participate in the Collective at this time due to some 
> needed travel and recreation. 
> 
> I will keep in touch. 
> 
> As always, 
> In Solidarity, 
> 
> Joseph 
> ------------------------------- 
> 
> Until you decided to post your opinion piece as a feature on the
> home page, you had made zero effort to contact (or rejoin) the
> collective. 
> 
> This behavior is unacceptable, Joseph. It tarnished the years of
> solid work and support that you gave as an active volunteer. 
> During the time that you were gone from the editorial collective,
> a new membership criteria was introduced.   As I pointed out
> earlier, you are welcome to rejoin -- if you are willing to
> follow the membership rules.  
> 
> -- Laury
> 
>  -------------------------------------------------------------- 
> On Thursday, October 21, 2004, at 01:54PM, Joseph Eisenschmidt
> <relayer at riseup.net> wrote:
> 
> >Laury,
> >
> >I am dismayed at your contention that I am not an active member
> of
> >the Collective.
> >
> >I am an active, contributing, and conscientious member of the
> >Editorial Collective and have been for many years.
> >
> >While I am poor(I make about 7-8 /hr and work 60 hours a week),
> I've
> >given as much of myself as I have to give. The proposal you've
> made
> >that we require people to put in over 14 hours a month is not a
> >good one. It would exclude the type of person we are
> >representing-the poor specifically-and is a requirement that no
> >indymedia has ever implemented or, to my knowledge, even
> >considered. 
> >
> >As a Member of the Ed. collective, I would have grave
> reservations
> >about setting high barriers and high thresholds to be a Member.
> At
> >this time, we have not adopted the hours requirement, and I
> don't
> >think it will happen
> >
> >We did however adopt the membership requirements I wrote this
> >summer, which sets out clear and specific ways in which a person
> is
> >Admitted, and if neccessary, excludeded. If we are to amend
> this
> >policy, which we should do if only to 'flesh it out', we will do
> it
> >as a collective.
> >
> >I am writing you in hopes of understanding how you and I, as
> well as
> >the other folksa who want to get involved, can continue to work
> >together.
> >
> >In Solidarity,
> >
> >Joseph Eisenschmidt
> >
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >Seattle-editorial mailing list
> >Seattle-editorial at lists.indymedia.org
> >http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/seattle-editorial
> >
> >
> _______________________________________________
> Seattle-editorial mailing list
> Seattle-editorial at lists.indymedia.org
> http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/seattle-editorial
> 


Joseph Eisenschmidt