[Patents] ICANN elections -- Endorsement of a candidate -- URGENT

[Bernard Lang Bernard.Lang@inria.fr]

ICANN ELECTIONS      -------   Endorsement for Bernard Benhamou

http://members.icann.org/nom/cp/EU.html
https://members.icann.org/cgi-bin/atlarge/endorse.cgi
http://members.icann.org/nom/cp/144.html   ;(candidacy)
http://perso.club-internet.fr/benhamou/    ;(site)

PLEASE disseminate  (if you agree :-)       DEADLINE : September 8  URGENT

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi,

Last July, I sent a message over several lists to encourage people to
register with ICANN for the coming elections of the ICANN board of
directors.

The registration process is now closed.  If you are not a registered
voter, this message probably does not concern you, unless you still
want to participate by helping to support a candidate, for example by
disseminating this message.

  The election process has already started and is unfortunately very
fast, considering it started during the vacations period.
There are 2 kinds of candidates:
  - candidates nominated by an ad hoc election committee, who are sure
to participate in the final election.
  - individual candidates who can participate to the final election
only if they are endorsed by a sufficient number (2%) of the voters
from their region (i.e. Europe). See http://members.icann.org/nom/cp/EU.html

  This process is well advanced and unfortunately terminates very
early: September 8, 2000.  Hence prompt action is required.

  The purpose of this message is to support the endorsement of one
individual candidate : Bernard Benhamou.   (see below)

   He will be able to participate only if he gets enough endorsements
from european registered voters.
   see  http://members.icann.org/nom/cp/EU.html pour la liste des candidats
   and  https://members.icann.org/cgi-bin/atlarge/endorse.cgi

NOTE:
  You can endorse his candidacy even if you had previously endorsed
someone else.

--------------------
MOTIVATIONS

  In my opinion, a candidate must satisfy several criteria :

 1- be close enough to my (your) own vision of the role of the
Internet and its regulation :
    support of democratic principles, openness to innovation and
competition, no private control of standards and technical interfaces,
no abusive use of patents and intellectual property, especially
regarding intellectual and social processes (commerce, education, ...)
which shall be more and more dependant on the Internet.

 2- be independent from financial and corporate powers.

 3- be personnally and professionally credible, with enough public
visibility to be a credible candidate (why waste votes). In this
respect we should not forget that voters belong to varied communities.

 4- finally, and essentially, have enough competence and experience to
participate with effectiveness to the management of a structure like
ICANN. This competence must be at the same time technical because the
problems to be managed are technically complex, sociological because
of the increasing role of the Internet in our society, and political
because it is rather obvious that the issues raised are often
politically touchy and will require considerable skill in order to
achieve significant result.

   After considering the various european candidates, I believe
that Bernard Benhamou answers best these criteria.
   See his site : http://perso.club-internet.fr/benhamou/  ;(English)
   and his candidacy : http://members.icann.org/nom/cp/144.html  ;(English)

   He already has a significant number of vote. His past actions
witness his understanding and competence : for example his
organisation of a vast exhibit about the Internet at the Paris City of
Sciences, or his participation in public meetings and conferences that
show an understanding of issues both technical and sociological.  His
positions are in agreement with the principles I stated earlier, and
notably regarding the issues of intellectual property and the
preservation of public standards, see his site in English, or in French :
   http://petition.eurolinux.org/statements/view_html?key=968097172.256
  He is used to political action and his current position as Senior
Lecturer at the Political Science Institute of Paris is witness to his
familiarity with political problems, even though his academic studies
and degrees are in medecine and computer science.

   I believe he is a brilliant candidate for Europe, and I recommand
endorsing his participation in the final vote.  I should add that I
have no personnal nor professionnal links to Bernard Benhamou, and
I know him only from meetings during public events usually related to
the Internet.  My only motivation here is to promote a candidate who
will be an independant and able representative for European interest,
and whose past vouches for his commitment to an Internet both
democratic and open for all, technically and socially.

   And I repeat that you can still endorse him (until September 8),
even if you previously chose to endorse someone else.

Bien cordialement

   Bernard Lang

-- 
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Bernard.Lang@inria.fr             ,_  /\o    \o/    Tel  +33 1 3963 5644
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