From: blivion@taronga.com (Steve Ryan)
Subject: message from Houston
Originator: riddle@aahsa.tic.com
X-Submissions: eff-austin@tic.com
Organization: none
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 16:08:01 GMT

 Like others on this mailing list (thesegroups@tic.com) I
am becoming rapidly disenchanted with the attitude of National
and its relations with its incorporated chapter (austin) and
other proto-chapters. Cliff Figallo's attitude toward having
an attendee from the Houston Metro area (3.4 million people, and
one of the biggest online communities everywhere) was to inform me that
there were about six other groups competing for maybe two rep slots
at the Atlanta conference. I had been planning to pay myown way there
if the opportunity for meaningful improvement of relations presented itself.
Since this doesn't seem to be the case, my own personal response to
Mr. Figallo was that EFF-Austin seemed to be able to speak for whatever needed
speaking for, since apparently space was becoming a problem. I will note for 
those readers who do not know me that I was opresent at the founding
meeting of EFF-austin, and have been a dues-paying member of Austin Chapter
and National EFF for more than a year. Speaking solely for myself:
I am thoroughly unimpressed with the organization, information flow, and
responsiveness of National to its chapters and local members.
I am disappointed that the mailing lists seem to have degenerated into
the Electronic Flamewar Foundation.
I am seriously re-evaluating my persoanl involvement with EFF. I'm really not
interested in subsidizing an organization totally under the control of
people who seem to spend most of their time travelling to conferences to 
tell others how knowledgeable they are about computer law, etc.
I am extremely disappointed that EFF , after a memorable start, has de-
generated into a National org that pays little or no attention to
its sole incorporated chapter , while various obtrusive posters who 
have never bothered to do the work to get a chapter going struggle for
control of the Atlanta agenda. 
I plan to continue my active involvement with the work at hand, namely
empowering people to use this technology by sharing skills
representing deserving legal causes in cyberspace (and in court) for
little or no comp[ensation
spreading information about the potential of this communications
technology
assisting in the setting up and ioperation of as many Matrix-connected
systems as I can.
encouraging communication and active networking among people who share
these goals.
This work will need to be done regardless of the status of the organization
called EFF. 
The first stage of EFF chapter and National formation was galvanized by crisis,
and as jsq has pointed out, once we get beyond the 'warm fuzzies' that we
are all Netpeople, some very real disagreements may exist. What determines
the future of EFF as a national and local-chpter-sponsoring org is how it
responds to those disagreements. So far, well, y'all have been reading this
mailing list too......

  I personally support the need for both a local (Texas) and Washington
lobbying effort, especially now that Al Gore is in office and we might be 
able to really put some of his ideas into effect. But frankly, today I
don't see much reason to pay National any more of my hard-earned money.
They are working largely in private anyway. It's really too bad, because
we could have a lot more clout as a group. And just who are these 
'corporate sponsors' I keep hearing about as sooo important financially?
Identify them, and their areas of concern, please. And their $$$ con-tributions
and how they're spent. I guess maybe what National is really telling us is that
local chapters don't matter very much, and if they do, the loudest mouths rather
than the most committed workers will be calling the shots. 
  It's really too bad. If anyone can give me some hope here, please do.

Steve Ryan
so-far EFF cooperating attorney
blivion@nuchat.sccsi.com



Newsgroups: austin.eff