Alan Gutierrez

I am creating weekly email newsletter for Think New Orleans. This is in addition to the subscribe by email option on the Think New Orleans weblog. It is a traditional newsletter. It arrives in email, on a Monday morning, to tell a person what’s going to happen in the coming week.

• Subscribe to the Weekly Think New Orleans Newsletter

This is going to cause some confusion. When people get my weekly newsletter, they are going to want a newsletter just like it for their organization. (I am working on a service that will publish a newsletter from a weblog. A real email newsletter, by selecting a specific tag, or tag feed.)

I avoid the term with neighborhood groups, because they are starting with nothing, or a poorly maintained web site. They eed a simple way to publish. A web site where they make frequent updates that look like email messages sounds simple to them. It is like a “newsletter”.

If I were to say “blog”, they might think of MySpace or personal diaries. They might search the web and come across an article like the following…

The second thing blogs do is - to invoke Marx - seize the means of production. It’s hard to underestimate what a huge deal this is. For as long as journalism has existed, writers of whatever kind have had one route to readers: They needed an editor and a publisher. Even in the most benign scenario, this process subtly distorts journalism. You find yourself almost unconsciously writing to please a handful of people - the editors looking for a certain kind of story, the publishers seeking to push a particular venture, or the advertisers who influence the editors and owners. Blogging simply bypasses this ancient ritual.

It creates more work. I’ve had people say, “I don’t want to blog”, or I’m sorry, “I can’t stop thinking of it as something that my son does”.

Some of the organizations for which I’ve established web sites, are further down the road, however.

Bill Knecht and Paul Schafer both know what a blog is. Bill Knecht already runs a very succesful email newsletter. He follows the ettiqutte of infrequent messages, and regularly scheduled announcements. They understand the concept, without quoting Marx. They were enthused about creating the Eracism Blog from the outset.

Thus, it’s not a hard and fast rule. The model for blogging is “conversation”. “Conversation” is the model for ERACE New Orleans. It is a good fit.

Other organizations are not looking to converse on the web. They converse in person. They want to use the web to publish and coordinate. For them it is not siezing the means of production, it’s posting the next meeting agenda.

Our new City Council Member, Stacy Head, has asked Erace New Orleans to particpate in easing racial tension in the City of New Orleans. Erace New Orleans is an organization that was formed in 1992 to foster open discussions about race issues in our city. It’s wonderful that the city recognizes this effective, indigenous effort..

Went back over the Eracism webblog adding the mix of extensions and services implement the civic blogging platform specified by Think New Orleans.

Got back from an open board meeting of Erace New Orleans, where Bill Knecht turned to me to talk about the Eracism blog. I described the open letter to Google, as best I could. We then talked about how we could make the blog an effective organizing tool.

Immediately, Paul Schafer raised the issue of the long rant I allowed through moderation in the Chocolate City entry.

I said that I let that go through as an example of the sort of stuff you might expect, heartfelt and angry. Nothing that would be expressed at a face to face Eracism meeting.

I wanted to spark a discussion of the moderation guidelines, and Sandra did just that. I’ve invited the Eracism organizers to continue the discussion the Chocolate City entry.

I ask that the regular readers of my Blogometer pop over and help them out, explaining your moderation guildlines. Tell them your troll stories.

UPDATE: The discussion is underway over at Eracism Blog. It’s lucid. You all should head over there and get to know some of these community oriented folks from New Orleans.

Went to the Eracism meeting today. I’m nagging them to create meeting summaries for their blog. I’m finding that nagging is key to the success of Think New Orleans. It will be the key to success of the Eracism Blog as well.

I’ve not broached Podcasting with Bill Knecht, but Christian Roselund and I were wondering about Podcasting the closing statments of the meeting participants. This is at the end when everyone goes around the table and takes a minute to speak.

There are other cities that are interested in the Eracism program, and the summaries would be a great way to hear how civil people can be while discussing third-rail topics, given the right forum.

What do you think about proposing Podcasting for Eracism Blog?

The Eracism Blog is now operational. The sidebar will change over time, as will the content such as the about page.

This is my preview announcement of the blog. I’d like to get some thoughts on how you create a meaningful discussion of a third-rail issue like race on the blogosphere. Is it possible to create a place where such an issue can be discussed. Or are we stuck with a blogosphere that is at best a parody of the cable news pundits?

At an Eracism meeting, there is no correction of speech. It is not an exercise in political correction. People talk. State opinions. Speaking freely, with respect for those present is something that most people know how to do.

What sort of non-sense will the blogosphere bring to the table?

The first posting at the Eracism Blog will discuss the moderation guidelines. I my opinion they should be strict. Trolls can always start their own blog. Anonymous posts should be rejected.

If you’re unwilling to introduce yourself, place your name on your words, you’re not going to have the burden of accountability that comes from meeting face to face at an Eracism meeting.

Went to an Eracism meeting yesterday…

http://www.eracismneworleans.org/

Eracism is an organization that was founded in New Orleans in 1993.

The idea behind Eracism is that black and white folks meet and discuss an issue of race. You can stay whatever, but no personal attacks, derogatory language. It is quite civil. I think it is a good program. I think it can help us discuss the challenges we face in bringing all New Orleanians back home.

This is an excellent blogging application.

Yesterday, after the meeting, I spoke with a director. He felt that few people linked to his site. I said that he needs to link out, so that people will link back. He recognized the logic in this.

I never mentioned the words “blog”, but we’ll be meeting for lunch tomorrow, and I’d like to help explain blogging, and set them up with a blog, as a community service.

Thoughts? How do I get these folks blogging? Any pointers to documents that describe blogging? I know that, as a blogger, I have a hard time seeing the forest for the trees.