And when Cooper Union canceled its DNS conference in September of last
year, was that because Sondow was a newbie, or were they afraid he was a
potentially violent nutjob?
This is what his ally of the moment, Milton Mueller, wrote to this list on
Sept 22, after Sondow unilaterally cancelled the event:
"For reasons that I am not privy to, Mr. Sondow has chosen to
disassociate himself from the event. That he is now claiming that
the event is cancelled gives you some idea of his tactics."
So we see the depth and sincerity of Cook's and Mueller's alliance with
Sondow.
Paul Garrin wrote that day:
"It seems that Mr. Sondow has taken it upon himself to sabotage
and then cancel the event at Cooper Union. Everything was
arranged and all parties, to my knowledge were prepared to
fulfill their contributions to the event.
Mr. Sondow, for inexplicable reasons, perhaps suffering
fatigue or mental breakdown, suddenly became distraught
and began to make threatening telephone calls to the staff
at Cooper Union, including the President and Vice President,
asserting that he (Mr. Sondow) would physically disrupt the
event should it proceed as planned, as well as flood the
internet with discrediting messages about Cooper Union,
the DNS.Forum event, and persons connected to the event,
including myself.
Given the lack of clear credibility of Mr. Sondow, and his
apparent "one-man organization", so-called "ICIIU", it is
no great loss that Mr. Sondow has disassociated himself from
the event. Apparently, he was upset that the credit was
being shared by all the contributing organizations involved
in the event, and threw a tantrum at the last minute and
decided to unilaterally cancel the event on what appeared
to be a self-indulgent, capricious whim."
Frankly, it is evidence of the absurdity of this process that Sondow's
status as a representative of anyone other than himself is seriously
debated for more than a millisecond.
Now before there is an attempt to distract the list's attention with
unfounded accusations about my affiliations, I note that I am not employed
by or paid by or represent anyone jockeying for position for control of the
non-commercial constituency, and I don't really care who wins out. I did
pay my $35 to join the Internet Society but I only did so to meet women
(film fans will appreciate that reference to Zero Mostel's line in "The
Front" when explaining why he attended communist meetings in the '30's -
the McCarthyism reference seems appropriate here).
Professor Froomkin used the term "purloined letter" when referring to the
WIPO report.
The "purloined letter" technique may be better applied to those who
selected the Interim Board.
Attention paid to Sondow is attention diverted from a more important issue:
why is there a process which allows this farce where we spend so much time
paying attention to Sondow?
Who benefits?
p.s. I stopped writing to Sondow because in response to my question "how
could you possibly know what I am thinking?" he wrote back to say that he
could read my mind. While I believe that he meant that metaphorically and
not schizophrenically, that type of remark illustrates why he is utterly
inappropriate for any consensus-oriented entity, and why if someone wanted
to perpetuate the status quo and exert power behind the scene, yet retain
the illusion of democracy, they would "delegate" authority to a "consensus
manager."
At 06:28 PM 6/2/99 -0400, you wrote:
>Martin B. Schwimmer a écrit:
>
>> In a series of posts on September 27, 1998, Gordon Cook posted publicly the
>> following remarks directed at Sondow:
>>
>> "you are hardly the most welcome person on this list. I advise you to take
>> your personal attacks to private mail."
>>
>> and
>>
>> "gee just when sondow had shown some signs of maturity, he throws another
>> lovely tantrum......."
>
>Ah, Mr. Schwimmer, you have been lying in wait all this time to get
>even with me for besting you in the debates subsequent to the
>Monterrey DNSO.org conference.
>
>It's true, when I first began posting on these lists I was subject
>to flaming and, having a passionate nature, responded in kind,
>which, from a newbie, was not taken well. But I have since paid my
>dues, as they say, and have found common ground with those, like
>Gordon Cook, who are fighting for justice and freedom on the
>Internet. I only wish that you were one of them.
>
>
