.. membership issue:

One of the most difficult aspects of maintaining a democratic society is recognizing and
protecting the interests of any minority group, opinion or position. It is all too easy (and
tempting) to say, "well, the majority wants it, so that's the way it's going to be."

It is a hallmark of American society (and perhaps the thing that sets our country apart from all of
the other great civilizations in history) that we consistently refuse to take the easy way out.
Instead, we actively seek ways of reaching compromises which will, to the extent possible,
accommodate the views of both the majority and the minority on issues of significance.

There is nothing wrong with this approach to governing. Nor is there anything wrong with being
able to see the merits in both sides of a disagreement, or in attempting to incorporate into any
solution the better parts of the competing opinions.

On the issue of club and chapter membership, we have a problem with respect to which it would
be easy to take, as many members have, a hard and fast position on one side or the other.

I have read all of the posts on this and the ChipBoard on this subject. I do see merit in the
arguments presented by proponents of both sides of the issue, but I have reached the conclusion
that the by-laws should require that every member of any chapter also be a member of the parent
club. Nevertheless, as I said in my earlier post on the subject, I prefer to see the club reach a
compromise solution of the problem.

Jim Pierre made a suggestion here that has considerable merit and which, I think, provides the
basis for a reasonable compromise which would satisfy the primary concerns of everyone on
both sides of the issue. My proposal for resolving this problem takes Jim's basic idea and
refines/expands it to address what I believe are all of those primary concerns.

PROPOSED COMPROMISE:

MEMBERSHIP:

The international club's by-laws (and/or constitution) should be amended to DEFINE
membership as follows:

Life Member & Charter Member ---- as currently defined

Regular Member ---- anyone who joins the international club in the usual manner

Associate Member ---- anyone who joins international as an associate member in the usual
manner

Regular Chapter Member ---- anyone who joins any chapter in accordance with the chapter's
membership rules without otherwise joining international

Associate Chapter Member ---- anyone who becomes an associate member in accordance with
the chapter's membership rules without otherwise becoming an associate of international

Regular Chapter and Associate Chapter members would be carried on the international club
roster and would, like current associate members, be allowed to vote on any issue submitted to
the membership. However, such members would not have any of the other privileges of
international membership (i.e., no club magazine, and treated the same as non-members for all
other purposes including attendance at the convention).

Thus, ANYONE who joins a chapter automatically becomes a member of international, either by
paying international dues and becoming a regular member or by paying only chapter dues and
becoming a "chapter" member. This would solve part of the problem (the issue of international
membership, club unity, the "clout" of greater numbers in the international club, etc.).

DUES AND BENEFITS:

Which leaves the second part of the problem, the issue of membership fees and use of club
money to support chapter activities. To resolve this part of the problem, the by-laws (and/or
constitution) should be amended to provide as follows:

First, each chapter must pay to international a $5 membership fee for each regular chapter or
associate chapter member who does not otherwise join international.

Second, any special requests by a chapter for international funding are allocated or apportioned
based only on the chapter's international membership list, not including any chapter members
who are not members of international.

Notice that this $5 membership fee would be paid by the chapter, not the individual. It would
then be up to each chapter to decide how hard they want to press their non-international members
to join the big club. It would also be up to each chapter to decide whether or not to charge the
extra $5 as part of the chapter dues.

CODE OF ETHICS:

Finally, to address the third major issue, the by-laws (and/or constitution) should be amended to
provide:

All "chapter members" and "associate chapter members" are required to abide by the club's
Code of Ethics and the Chapters would have to agree to abide by and
enforce any determination by the Club Board affecting the membership status of any individual.

Thus, if a "chapter member" or "associate chapter member" is expelled or otherwise disciplined
by international, the chapter would be bound by the club's determination in that regard, would
have no authority to conduct any other review of the matter giving rise to the discipline and
would be required to enforce the club's decision on that matter.

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I will, before logging off tonight, prepare this proposal for submission to the club's board and
will submit it. ----- jim o\-S