MESSAGE
| DATE | 2003-02-11 |
| FROM | Ruben I Safir
|
| SUBJECT | Subject: [hangout] NY Fair Use status: Answer to thread on Newsforge
|
Actually - Sinced I created I can tell you with certainty is was
created by me in April of 2001. The first meeting announcement went out
for July of 2001. I started the website and mail list slightly earlier
in May of 2001.
The firt meeting was at the Harvest Brewery at Union Square, on the
second Floor. It was attended by:
Wendy Seltzer: Harvard graduate lawyer and founder
of the Open Law Initiative, Noah Sussman - Senior web designer for
Deltathree, Sean Aurita, Joe Katz, Forest Mars, Vagn Scott - Regular
NYLUG member and co-leader
of the Free-Dmitryanti-adobe protests, Lo - Regular NYLUG member,
founder of GNUBBIES, graduate of NYU, Japanese translator, JoeAnn Cripps
- Regular NYLUG member, Seth Johnson, Ruben Sair
The meeting melted down to a bunch of petty bickering and accomplished
almost nothing, other than giving me a lesson on organization.
I had to spend three months nursing it to a breathing organization. I
had the help of Joe Ercole in this regard. Joe brought order to the
meetings by using Parlimentarian proceedure.
At no time through this period did the anyone in the current renegade
network do anything or attend any meetings.
Finally, LO refused to be restrained by Rodgers Rules of Order. She
walked out in a storm in August, clearing the way for the growth of the
organizaition and the first DMCA action.
The event which drove the membership forward was the arrest of Dmitry
Skylov. We worked with LXNY on the 4 month long protest through that
summer. My kids, Jay and Seth Johnson were the only ones to walk the
line during that period.
In August we finally were able to focus on the "Save the Libraries"
campain. The first meeting on that Sunday on September 9th was with
Jeanne Thewell, Vaugn Scott, Seth Johnson, Me, and joann Crips. The
photo of that first real NY Fair Use action on the Events [nylxs.com]
page of NYLXS. I had to break up a fight with Mr Wynkoop and Mr Scott
which was started by Mr Wynkoop.
2 days later, the WTC was attacked. I decided to continue meeting and we
moved from the Killarny Rose, in the shadow of the WTC to Juniors Cheese
Cake coffee house in Brooklyn. We continued the actions despite plead
from LO of GNUBIES telling me it was in appropriate.
We had a smashing success, mostly with just Ruben, Seth and JoAnn making
the Sunday Petitioning sessions.
on October 28th I went to a town Hall Meeting and Met Schumer and Weiner
for the first time for a WTC aftermath meeting. I spoke to each about
the libraries. Nobody other than me showed up.
Weiner took one of our buttons.
On November 7th we planned to Meet with Congressman Weiner who is on the
IP Sub-committee in Congress.
In October I started the second phase of the NY Fair Use plan and began
NYLXS and the NYLXS Free Software Institute to fund the political
activities. It worked as I planned. Each complimented the other but
NYLXS was set up as a Democratic Organization and NY Fair Use was run
strictly by me.
November 9th was the last date of Canvassing for the Save the Library
Campaign.
on December 5th of 2001 we met at Weiners Office in Brooklyn. Jay
Sulzburger, Kevin Mark, Vaugn Scott and Joeann Cripps made the visit
with the Local Cheif of staff.
In January we got an invite to Washingto DC. My left me in January do to
my increasing commitmment tothe movement and fear of another attack on
NYC. We left on February 19th to DC and NYLXS paid the entire bill for
going. Rich Weinberg, Mike Richardson, Paul Rodriguez, Mr Mars, and Joe
Grastara went their. The photos of the trip were published in the Linux
Journal.
We got lost in DC and then finally met with Lamar Robertson in his home.
We polished off 2 bottles of Scotch with him and his family. Joe and I
almost got into a fist fight over Middle East Politic on the ride back.
We do this traditionally. :)
Paul Rodriguez and I met at Le Marais to discuss another trip to DC
about the CBDTPA/SSSCA. Noone showed up but us.
In June NYLXS launched it's radio show.
In July I went to Boradeux France to present a paper on Free Software,
Fair use and creating a bigger tent of Free Software education, and
education in General. Seth Johnson determined the Department of Commerce
was giving panel on DRM with jkack Valenti. I was looking for this
oppurtunity, so despite being in Europe and arriving back in NY the day
before the Panel, I authorized a trip to Wasington agian. Again it was
paid for out of NYLXS funds. Richard Stallman met us in Washington. Jay
Sulzburger, Seth Johnson, Vinnie, Mike Richardson, Mars, and finally we
dragged Brett Wynkoop to come. Wynkoop refused to drive with us and took
his own car.
We had a hugely succesful trip to the DOC. We got a lot of press, My
account of the trip on July 17th is on NY Fair Use [nylxs.com] and was
published in the Linux Journal. I wrote in in a single sitting.
The trip was successful because we stuck to our Slogans and were
disiplined. I invented the slogan 'DRM is Theft" and 'We are the stake
holders'.
After the trip, disiplin broke down. Everyone anted the credit and
jelosy broke out. I got tired and wanted to focus on the NYLXS business
end and asked Bret Wynkoop, who FALSLY claimed to be a co-founder to
take care of the day to day operations of NY Fair Use. The DOC wanted to
meet with us. It was no public, no press. I was reluctant to go, but
since it was a small audience of only about 4 people, I decided to go.
Jay, against my wishes, invited the whole damn world to the meeting,
decreasing our effectiveness to show concreate messages and strength. I
told Wynkoop not to commit NY Fair Use to it under those circumstances.
He did what he wanted anyway and cybersqwatted on the www.nylxs.org
domain and the www.nyfairuse.org domain.
We rebuilt the membership and returned to DC again for the Berman P2P
hearings. NY Fair Use met with Congressman Weiner for 3 hours during and
after the hearings in September. Gigi Sohn gave a terrible presentation
representing fair use. It was terrible, except for our private one on
one with the Congressman.
NY fair Use then started it's P2P action in October which was followed
up untilk the LWE last month.
SO - That IS the history of NY Fair Use, and NYLXS. There is no
disputing it, unless you've lost touch with reality.
Ruben Safir
Founder and President of NY Fair Use
Elected President and Founder of NY Fair Use
http://fairuse.nylxs.com
--
__________________________
Brooklyn Linux Solutions
__________________________
DRM is THEFT - We are the STAKEHOLDERS http://fairuse.nylxs.com
http://www.mrbrklyn.com - Consulting
http://www.inns.net <-- Happy Clients
http://www.nylxs.com - Leadership Development in Free Software
http://www2.mrbrklyn.com/resources - Unpublished Archive or stories and
articles from around the net
http://www2.mrbrklyn.com/downtown.html - See the New Downtown
Brooklyn....
1-718-382-0585
____________________________
New Yorker Free Software Users Scene
Fair Use -
because it's either fair use or useless....
|
|
