Re: Sergeant-at-Armss and New proposal/New SOW comment period

[Benjamin Kaduk <[e-mail]>]

Ohta-san,

On Sun, Sep 01, 2019 at 05:25:21PM +0900, Masataka Ohta wrote:
> Michael StJohns wrote:
> 
> > The SAA MUST NOT be used as a tool, or even be perceived as being
> > used as a tool to stymie dissent, or to stop or steer discussions
> > that might be uncomfortable to the SAA or I*.
> Considering that "sergeant-at-arms appointed by the Chair" [rfc3005]
> and "Complaints regarding their decisions should be referred to the
> IAB" [rfc3005], which means SAAs are loyal to I*, its practically
> impossible, which is why SAAs power must be strictly limited as is
> described by rfc3005.
> 
> As such, I was surprised to have received a mail recently from an
> SAA saying:
> 
>     We understand that this style of communication was accepted (if
>     not encouraged) in the past, but it is no longer the expectation
>     now.
> 
> As criticizing a draft without reading the draft is the worst
> possible "unprofessional commentary" [rfc3005], it is established
> manner of IETF to dismiss a person who repeatedly behave so by
> saying "read the draft" with quotations from relevant part of the
> draft.
> 
> Or, do I misunderstand something?

I do not want to get into the details of the matter in public without your
permission, but I do want to reassure you (and everyone else) that the
"style of communication" in question was not in relation to quoting exerpts
from a document and asking someone to go read the document, who has not
already done so.

We remain happy to have a more-in-depth discussion about the particulars,
at your convenience.

Thanks,

Ben
for the Sergeant-at-Arms