[Individual-members-EL] hello

[Dr. Peter Troxler]

Hello list

good to see that discussion going -- there are a few points I'd like  
to summarize and comment on:

-- we've learnt that the EL started from the first left summer  
university in 2006, so I'd suggest it would be a good thing to do a  
followup at the next summer university 2008 (assuming there will be  
one) -- to engage member in a discussion beyond the digitally mediated  
-- Francis gives a number of topics we could address:
> So I
> assume that most of us have joined the EL not for what it is now,  
> but for
> what we hope it might become in the future. We have lots to  
> discuss: what
> should a European Left look like in the 21st century? What ideas  
> should it
> be based on? How broadly should it define itself? How should it  
> relate to
> national/regional/local politics? How should it relate to the  
> history and
> heritage of European socialism(s)? And so on.

-- Sigfrido seems to know a little bit about web-based "stuff":
> However, for exchanging info and being really useful I think that  
> we will
> need more a kind of intranet between individual members, (something  
> like
> Drupal's softwares).
I am just getting my head around Drupal (once again after some first  
trials some years ago) and would be in a position to "sponsor" a  
webserver where we could set it up.

-- Uli is taking up the communications with Brussels, which in my  
view is essential to flag to them that we as individual members are  
actually about to pick up the issue and run with it  (at least as far  
as I am concerned).  With a little help from some of us a lot will be  
possible without draining dry the Brussels resources in the first place.

-- George brings up (among other points) the interesting issue of  
language and language discrimination (which in part reads like a  
proposal to use Esperanto, fair enough; don't forget Interlingua  
though, or Latino sine Flexione, or Volapük ...).  English only is  
not an answer, multiple translations is heavy on resources, and  
"every body speaks their own lanaguage, because we understand" is  
snobbish to say the least.  We need some creative and practical  
solution.

-- Finally, a few sites have been mentioned in the discussions (not a  
complete list, just what I researched for myself and would like to  
share here:
<http://home.rifondazione.it/>
<http://die-linke.de/>
<http://www1.izquierda-unida.es/>
<http://www.theleft.org.uk/>

/ Peter