ICANN Settlement and Interaction with VeriSign

[Mike Anderson <mikekanderson@xxxxxxxxx>]

ICANN, Mr. Gutierrez, and Mr. Gallagher:

I am both embarrassed and disappointed after reading the recent settlement
and operations agreements proposed by ICANN regarding VeriSign.  If this is
the way our government operates, am I to assume that if I don't like
something, I can threaten the government and then get my way if I agree to
stop threatening?  This is kind of like the wimp saying to the bully, "If
you'll stop beating me up, I'll steal everyone's lunch money for you."  Have
you considered standing up to the bully?

We represent about 1,000 small business customers' websites and domain
names.  In small business, we have a tendency to apply common sense to our
business relationships.  The language in the ICANN/Verisign agreements is so
foreign to small business it might as well not be English.  It reaffirms the
old adage, "common sense isn't so common," especially in government and big
business.

I only hope that if this is the way to get things done in the business
world, we can gain the sort of bullying power that VeriSign apparently has.
Perhaps a time will come when our business will have to bully the government
into allowing us to break laws, violate agreements, and disparage
customers.  I had always hoped that our government would somehow protect
consumers from lawbreakers and those who seek to swindle.  ICANN, thanks for
the education - I see that's not how it works.

Mike Anderson
HomeRentals, Inc.