From: gst@spdcc.com (Gary S. Trujillo)
Newsgroups: news.groups,alt.native
Subject: Re: CALL FOR STRAW VOTE: NATIVE NEWSGROUP
Date: 16 Dec 92 07:34:27 GMT
Reply-To: gst@gnosys.svle.ma.us (Gary S. Trujillo)
Organization: S.P. Dyer Computer Consulting

In article <idoy.724453374@crux1.cit.cornell.edu> idoy@crux1.cit.cornell.edu
	(Mike Wilson) writes:

> A couple of things about the straw poll.  I will certainly not
> declare any of them a winner, but I will instead present the
> results of the poll and we can all discuss what they mean.  If
> you like, you can apply what mathematical formulas you like to
> them, and we can discuss that too.

OK.  Sounds good.  In order to do the kind of evaluation I'd most like to do,
I'd like to strongly encourage people to indicate first, second, and third
choices.

Also, I suggest that we consider whatever results are obtained from this
poll to be preliminary, since they will indicate only the opinions of
the current readers of news.groups, and maybe a few from alt.native, to
which many of these articles have been cross-posted.

I would like to recommend that, whatever the results of Mike's straw
poll, the issue of the name of the newsgroup which appears in the CFV
be deferred until early in January, since it seems fair to wait until
people are back from their holidays, so as to give them a voice in the
decision.  Meanwhile, maybe we can reach some rough consensus among some
of those taking part in the present discussion.

I know that some people are of the opinion that what the newsgroup is
called is really not that important, since someone can reasonably
object to whatever name is chosen, and one or two people have written
to me to express that opinion.  I feel there are some larger issues
involved here, and it is worthwhile to think them through, *but* that
we consult with a community of people who have a large stake in this
question, namely those who have been discussing these subjects for the
past three years by means of a very successful set of mailing lists,
collectively known as "NativeNet."  Since it is my intent that the
mailing list be integrated with the new newsgroup(s), and because the
NativeNet community has been thinking about these subjects for some
time, as have I, I feel it is important that these people be involved
in the discussion about what proposal should be made concerning the
name, as well as the actual vote itself, once a solid proposition has
been formulated.  Otherwise, there is a serious danger that the vote
will fail, since many of these people could vote against it, prefer-
ring that a better proposal is offered that is more representative of
their wishes, and that at least seeks to involve them in the decision-
making process.

As I said recently, there are really two separate issues that have
to be decided - one being whether the new newsgroup (assuming the
proposal is for only a single new newsgroup) should be for the pur-
pose of exchanging information and ideas pertaining only to Native
Americans/American Indians (including or excluding the Native Peoples
of Central and South America), or whether it should be for the issues
of and communication by and about indigenous peoples around the world.
(My own preference is for the latter, initially at least, to encourage
dialogue about shared problems and perceptions, with new newsgroups
being formed as the need emerges for a more finely-tuned hierarchy,
organized along geographical lines.)  The second question we need to
answer, once the first has been firmly decided, is what the new news-
group should be called.  I don't think we can really decide that matter
until we have a firm consensus on the first one, which is why I find
myself wondering how useful the results of the straw poll might be as
it is presently worded.

I suggest that we begin a new round of discussion early in January,
deliberately including people in the wider Usenet community in that
discussion.  After that discussion has taken place, we might find
ourselves in the position of needing to take another straw poll.  I
feel it is important that I make this propsal now, so that it doesn't
appear that I am making it because I didn't like the way the results
of the straw poll turned out, and therefore I want to get others in-
volved so as to obtain the result I want.  The result I *do* want is
that the process be open and fair, so that whatever decisions are
made are arrived at with the consent, cooperation, and participation
of everyone who feels a stake in the matter.

I don't want to cause things to drag on too long, but I want the
process to be fair, which it doesn't seem to have a good chance of
being if the vote is taken during a period when many potentially-
interested parties are either on vacation or haven't even been
informed of this initiative.

Respectfully,

Gary
-- 
    Gary S. Trujillo                             gst@gnosys.svle.ma.us
Somerville, Massachusetts               {wjh12,bu.edu,spdcc,ima,cdp}!gnosys!gst