[gnso-vi-feb10] On topic - Minority Reports

["Roberto Gaetano" <roberto@xxxxxxxxx>]

This is a serious discussion that has not to be dismissed with formal
statements.
I have to confess I have mixed feelings about minority reports. This will
surprise many that know where I am coming from.
I believe that although it is the right of every minority position to be
reflected in minority reports, the priority is still in reaching a
consensus, and reflect as much as possible the minority positions in the
global (as opposed to majority) report.
The way the internet community, and ICANN with it, is working is the
consensus of the stakeholders. Not the opinionb of the majority, to which
the minority has no other chance than the presentation of a minority
position.
As a co-chair, I would consider a major failure of my co-chairmanship the
presentation of a minority report, not because of the contents of the
report, but simply because of the evidence that the WG report was unable to
accommodate all points of wiew.
I think people went a long way in trying to drop some of their initial
requirements to achieve consensus. We are not yet ther, but we are moving
towards it. I appreciate Avri's decision to withdraw her intention to
present a minority report, and I fully understand her personal dilemma in
what to do, as it has not been an easy decision.
But I also have to applaud all the folks who have given up some points in
the effort to compromise. Some folks have never "threatened" to leave and
present a position from the "outside", but have silently listened and worked
for the common good.
In summary, I think that it is a *good thing* to point out when things get
so much out of hand that a minority report seems to be the only solution to
the inefficiency of the co-chairs to summarize in a consensus position the
status of the team, but it is an even *better thing* to see that a common
position has been found in the end.
I am personally enjoying a week of vacation with the family, so my
contribution in the next few days will be low, but maybe I will write a few
lines on an event I have witnessed some 10 days ago that might be relevant
to our group: the concert Muti has give in Trieste with the attendance of
the Presidents of Italy, Slovenia and Croatia, with the outspoken objective
to overcome the historical differences among these countries and to bring to
solution the pending issues, dating from WW2.
Best regards,
R.




> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-gnso-vi-feb10@xxxxxxxxx 
> [mailto:owner-gnso-vi-feb10@xxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Gomes, Chuck
> Sent: Friday, 23 July 2010 19:14
> To: Avri Doria; Gnso-vi-feb10@xxxxxxxxx
> Subject: RE: [gnso-vi-feb10] Off Topic - Minority Reports
> 
> 
> In my experience in the GNSO, minority positions have always 
> been allowed and I believe that for transparency and 
> accountability reasons they should continued to be allowed. 
> Minority positions just like more strongly supported 
> positions are all part of the WG record and I can see no 
> reason not to include them if any WG member or set of WG 
> members wants them in the report.  Readers of the report 
> should have the opportunity to weigh the value of the 
> minority position on their own just as they would with other 
> positions.
> 
> Chuck
> 
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-gnso-vi-feb10@xxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-gnso-vi- 
> > feb10@xxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Avri Doria
> > Sent: Friday, July 23, 2010 11:20 AM
> > To: Gnso-vi-feb10@xxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: [gnso-vi-feb10] Off Topic - Minority Reports
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > I have waited to write this until the report was released.
> > 
> > From what little of the call I could be on yesterday, I heard a 
> > discussion that could have a chilling effect related to minority 
> > reports.
> > 
> > One member of the group told us that he was sick of being threatened
> by
> > minority reports.  I personally find this disturbing, and not only 
> > because I had considered submitting such a report at one point in
> time.
> > 
> > The critical importance of minority reports has been 
> recognized as the 
> > only prevention from tyranny of the majority.  While we 
> know that that 
> > the majority is always right in a democratic process 
> because that is 
> > the definition of a democratic process, it does not mean that the 
> > minority may not have a valid point to make.  While this 
> overwhelming 
> > rightness-by-defnition is even more the case in situations of rough 
> > consensus, I believe that only makes recognition of the voice of a 
> > minority that can respond to the voice of overwhelming 
> majority even 
> > more important.
> > 
> > One might argue that they don't have a problem with 
> minority reports, 
> > they just feel that pre-announcing it is a threat or an argument 
> > technique.  And it is true that it might be.  But if 
> someone does it 
> > all the time, the value of that announcement will decrease in value.
> > It someone is either always announcing one and pulling back, or is
> > always writing them, their value is decreased.    So while it is a
> tool
> > that can be used whenever anyone wants, it is also a tool that 
> > decreases in value the more often it is used. And frankly, would
> people
> > prefer for minority reports to show up unannounced after 
> all was said 
> > and done?  It seems that only right thing to do is to declare the 
> > intention of creating such a report.
> > 
> > Then the question comes down to discussing ones reason for 
> a minority 
> > report before actually submitting.  Several people on this 
> list spoke 
> > harshly of my plan to submit one as a sandbagging if I did 
> not explain 
> > my issues so that there was the ability to discuss.  I 
> think this was 
> > right even though it had not been my original intent to 
> explain.  What 
> > makes a minority report valid is that it expresses an issue 
> or concern 
> > that the writer feels was not adequately understood and 
> reflected upon 
> > by the group.  As a minority of one, I had the responsibility to 
> > express my issue as clearly and completely as I could.  And 
> I had the 
> > responsibility to work toward compromise if this was possible.
> > 
> > I have been part of the GNSO 'Improvements' Working Group work team
> and
> > feel that the use of minority reports is an important ingredient in 
> > ICANN processes.  Just as postpartum reflections on the process are.
> > As we are only at a temporary annealing point in this 
> process, it is 
> > not yet time for this reflection hence I labeled it  "Off 
> Topic."  But 
> > I feel this group has been exemplary i because of size, 
> timing and the 
> > crucial importance of its issue, so I wanted to put this 
> note into the 
> > record for use when it is time for WG self-analysis.  I 
> also wanted to 
> > try and stem the type of behavior that attempts to bully* those who
> put
> > in minority reports by subjecting them to abusive tones and 
> attitudes.
> > 
> > a.
> > 
> > * Not that either Anthony or I can be easily bullied.  But the next 
> > person might be. And not that I want anyone in authority to prevent 
> > such abusive  behaviors, though I do hope people can decide to self 
> > modulate.