On Starting Over, Starting Anew

Whatever IT needs to do to create directories. If we lose the current posts, then maybe keep this forum up mirrored somewhere so people can refer back to the old ones?? I don't want to trash anyone's work but they can cut and paste the relevant bits over then. A better idea for the old posts??

Here is an example of my vision, fyi I've never been on this site before, I was looking for an example:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

"writing issues" - committees
"community interaction" - general and off topic talk
"site information" - is announcements, weekly reports from committee heads and voting/polls, also I would move this to the top.


This cannot be hard to implement and will do a great deal to put us on the same page.


SITE INFO
Announcements
Our Direction and Weekly Reports
Polling/Voting


CHAT
General About the Declaration
Off Topic (and I put those next to each other to encourage non-declaration talk into off-topic)
Links we find about OWS
OWS Local Groups




COMMITTEES
The Declaration
Convention Logistics
Election Logistics
PR/Advertising
Finances and Legal
Security and IT
Graphic Arts
(and whatever else we think we need)



LEGAL AND FINANCIAL

To make sure we are on solid legal ground and have the resources to achieve any goals we conceive. If you have talents in this area, please join and amongst yourselves choose a facilitator who will maintain order and report back to the entire group weekly.


THE DECLARATION

For the writing, editing, and proofreading of the Grievances. This group will also work outreach to spread the concept of the Declaration to each city in America so they can consider it as well. I suggest you also create a statement to go with it, encouraging the Declaration to remain non partisan whether it goes to a red state or blue. We are here for all people and represent the common interests. If you have talents or interest in this area, please join and amongst yourselves choose a facilitator who will maintain order and report back to the entire group weekly.


CONVENTION LOGISTICS

Where are we going to be? How large a hall? How many tables? We can't just say "Off to Philly". We need a room and supplies, contracts with vendors to an extent. Crash space or a block of hotel rooms etc. There is a lot of planning for a National Convention. If you have talents or interest in this area, please join and amongst yourselves choose a facilitator who will maintain order and report back to the entire group weekly.


ELECTION LOGISTICS

How is the election or voting going to be held? How do we ensure a fair, free, and accessible count? If you have talents or interest in this area, please join and amongst yourselves choose a facilitator who will maintain order and report back to the entire group weekly.


PR/ADVERTISING

People can't join us or their local Chapter if they don't know about is. We need 30 million members. As fast as we grew, we aren't there. So don't under appreciate PR. 30 million members, minimum. They don't have to register here, but they do need to exist. If you have talents in this area, please join and amongst yourselves choose a facilitator who will maintain order and report back to the entire group weekly.


SECURITY AND IT

Computer Security, keeping our platform strong and responsive. Physical security might be a factor too on election and convention day and it's worth having an eye on. If you have talents in this area, please join and amongst yourselves choose a facilitator who will maintain order and report back to the entire group weekly.


GRAPHIC ARTS

This group will work closely with PR and Marketing but will be the artists behind the logos, commercials, print ads etc. If you have talents in this area, please join and amongst yourselves choose a facilitator who will maintain order and report back to the entire group weekly.


OUR DIRECTION/WEEKLY REPORTS

Will be where we stop in to take a temperature on where we are and where we are going. Are we on track? Do we want to shift tracks in any way? Here is were the weekly sticky reports from the various departments will live. It allows to us stay informed and on the same page, but also to focus on each stage and not get burdened or distracted with others work.

Joe Steel wrote:

AmericanRevolutionary wrote:This is why our principles must define us first and foremost. Everyone who joins must understand that the group cannot be voted in any old direction. We must come up with a succinct purpose, like planning a convention and then we cannot be swayed. If new members then want to do other stuff they can start another group, not reshape this one into the flavor of the month. The same goes for any rep's we elect, they should know from day one what they are being elected to do, and then we can trust that they stick to it.

Well put.

Consensus is great but we can't let it foul the process. We have to keep ourselves focused on first principles. Only defined leadership can to that.

To clarify, I'm not asking for chaos. Just the end of dictatorship. There's a lot more controversy around that idea here than I would expect. :-)
Also, if you strongly support Michael's original Declaration/National Assembly idea, consider checking back in with him at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. He's definitely still moving forward with his original plans, and I'm sure he'd be very glad to hear from you.

[quote="psconway"]

Joe Steel wrote:Also, if you strongly support Michael's original Declaration/National Assembly idea, consider checking back in with him at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. He's definitely still moving forward with his original plans, and I'm sure he'd be very glad to hear from you.

I do not understand this. Yahoo forum was Michael's initial platform for discussion. Then we were invited to join this forum (much less chaotic) while Michael was still active. Then he killed the Yahoo forum without notice (or somebody did on his behalf) and now we are invited to abandon this place as well and join him somewhere else?

One more time: I joined (and many others did) this whole thing because I liked the original idea (draft declaration + NGA). Now people here are saying those who like that should leave the place and email Michael.

It is like going to a Chinese restaurant and starting to complain why pizza is not on the menu. Let us not go forward one step and backward two steps.

psconway wrote:

Joe Steel wrote:Well put.

Consensus is great but we can't let it foul the process. We have to keep ourselves focused on first principles. Only defined leadership can to that.

To clarify, I'm not asking for chaos. Just the end of dictatorship. There's a lot more controversy around that idea here than I would expect.

I've been a participant for only a short time so I'm not sure what has transpired and why you're describing it as "dictatorship." From what I've seen in my short time, though, nothing would qualify. The organizer of this group made some administrative decisions, one in particular, which seem perfectly reasonable, the 501(c)(3). Is that what your describing as dictatorhip?

psconway wrote:Also, if you strongly support Michael's original Declaration/National Assembly idea, consider checking back in with him at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. He's definitely still moving forward with his original plans, and I'm sure he'd be very glad to hear from you.

You seem to be implying the "Declaration/National Assembly idea" is not the focus of this group. Is that right?

georgesetal wrote:

Joe Steel wrote:Also, if you strongly support Michael's original Declaration/National Assembly idea, consider checking back in with him at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. He's definitely still moving forward with his original plans, and I'm sure he'd be very glad to hear from you.

I do not understand this.

For the record, your quoted text above is misattributed. I didn't post it.

Joe Steel wrote:

georgesetal wrote:

Joe Steel wrote:Also, if you strongly support Michael's original Declaration/National Assembly idea, consider checking back in with him at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. He's definitely still moving forward with his original plans, and I'm sure he'd be very glad to hear from you.

I do not understand this.

For the record, your quoted text above is misattributed. I didn't post it.

I think psconway posted the original quote. I am sorry this has been wrongly misattributed to you.

So Michael is still working on this very same exact project? Is he using the same name? LOL.

DJequalityNash wrote:So Michael is still working on this very same exact project? Is he using the same name? LOL.

Let us forget about this. I am done with Michael.

Yeh but if he's still working on the same project, that's kind of relevant. And interesting. And an intriguing challenge.

Lots of thoughts running through my head, but I guess this isn't really a brainstorming session.

DJequalityNash wrote:Yeh but if he's still working on the same project, that's kind of relevant. And interesting. And an intriguing challenge.

Lots of thoughts running through my head, but I guess this isn't really a brainstorming session.

That he dropped the Yahoo forum like this and now work on the same project does not give me much confidence in the nobility of his intentions.