[lac-discuss-en] LACRALO Elections - The Matter of Bigotry

[Carlton Samuels]

It is really irritating to hear about and see Caribbean efforts described -
in face-to-face conversions as well as intimated online - as one looking
for handouts.

This is about the rules.  And respect for the rules. And by so doing,
respecting all of us.  And when our rights are abridged, we shall respond.
Fiercely too, if we must.

I see one of our colleagues under attack for calling these attacks plainly,
bigotry <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigotry> [
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigotry].  That is his judgment and he has an
absolute right to discomfit those who carry that seed. We are different
people with different styles of engagement. But make no mistake, we know
when a hand is raised against us. And, what we must do.

There are no sacred cows. At least not where reason lives.

It was a watershed moment for me when one of my longtime colleagues, the
hardest worker among Caribbean ALS representatives, one who is slow to
anger, describe the situation as us being treated as if we were, literally
and figuratively, slaves!

I am responsible for the original draft of the LACRALO Principles and the
Rules of Procedure.

The original version of the Principles and Rules of Procedure were
finalized with the assistance of Nick Ashton-Hart, then [ICANN] Director of
At-Large.

Ditto the revised 2008 version that created the role for a permanent Chair.

This narrative that claims 'we do not understand the rules' is as
long-running as it is incredible.  The ONLY suggestions for change from
those who claim lack of understanding was an attempt at Costa Rica to
create more LACRALO posts with titles and to discriminate against Internet
users depending on where they live.

One or other of us have been involved in all the heavy lifting. There was a
time when the only ones we could call on to do real work were Andres Piazza
and Carlos Dionisio Aguirre. Add Fatima Cambronero to that list. Those were
the days Carlos was just learning English. We saw the struggle and how
determined he was to participate. So we formed a principle; we will never
support discrimination based on language or language proficiency. People
will grow.

Contrary to what the bigots would say,  the UWI ALS and other Caribbean ALS
have supported and voted many Latins as representatives and leaders.

I have voted and supported, among others, the following persons:

Carlos Dionisio Aguirre, Jose Ovidio Salgueiro, Sergio Salinas Porto,
Fatima Cambronero, Natalia Enciso, Sylvia Herlein Leite, Jose Arce,  and
Juan Manuel Rojas.  Yes, some more enthusiastically than for others.

At that much maligned and fabricated Mexico City GA, the UWI ALS cast its
vote for one Sergio Salinas Porto.

The record will show the UWI ALS is the only Caribbean ALS to ever vote for
FLUI-associated members for leadership, despite their seeming gut-level
opposition to Caribbean representation.  We always look for the redeeming
attributes.

I have gone against the advice of my Caribbean peers, even my own business
partner, to vote for candidates who did not speak English as
representatives.  That was on principle.

My principles do not operate on a sliding scale. My principles cannot be
situational.

-Carlton Samuels

==============================
Carlton A Samuels
Mobile: 876-818-1799
*Strategy, Planning, Governance, Assessment & Turnaround*
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