From: ds4p+@andrew.cmu.edu (David Schroeder)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Strict Membership Silliness
Date: 10 Oct 92 03:28:57 GMT
Organization: Doctoral student, Industrial Administration, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

Greetings good gentles --

Maybe it's lack of sleep, folks (even if Elizabeth Kori _did_ sleep for
six hours at a stretch the other night -- she was back to three and a
half _last_ night, alas), but I just had a rather silly, rather chaotic
thought.

If, by California law only the people on the Board of Directors are
*real* members of the Corporation, and if *only* members will be 
allowed to autocrat events <large smiley-face inserted here, please>,
then ipso facto presto chango sic transit glorious munday -- obviously
*ONLY* Board members can be autocrats.  Talk about busy schedules...

But seriously, folks...

All this talk about the key issue driving increased membership
requirements being liability insurance coverage rapidly becomes
impenetrable to those who are not specialists in the field.  As far as
I can tell, we're trying to protect the assets of the organization as 
a whole and the personal assets of individual people in the club who 
have taken on responsibility (as autocrats, seneschals, marshals, etc.) 
from major judgments if something goes wrong in a big way (somebody dying,
becoming permanently disabled, etc.).  Whatever coverage we'll have will
protect us *if and only if* the occasion when something big goes wrong
is listed in a kingdom newsletter and thereby declared to be "official."

As things stand today, there are MANY 'occasions,' like fighting
practices, dance practices (dangerous falls, anyone?) and the like
that are NOT listed in the Kingdom newsletter and thereby official.
If something goes wrong at such a gathering, as I understand how
we're covered, we're NOT protected.  (If this isn't right, please
correct me.)  Therefore it seems essential--if we are to live our
corporate and individual lives in fear of lawsuits--that we cover
our butts by having exhaustive lists of every SCA-associated
meeting duly recorded in our kingdom newsletters and further
that we firmly state that ANY gathering that is NOT recorded
in the kingdom newsletter is NOT associated with the Society
for Creative Anachronism, Inc.

Of course, any such attempt would be about as successful as 
trying to enforce a 55 mile-per-hour speed limit...

* * * * *

Oh, I almost forgot...

DATELINE A.S. XXX -- The Board is pleased to announce the return of
Lifetime memberships for the bargain rate of US $2,500 per person,
(US $5,000 family).  These membership fees will be used to purchase
annuities with AT&T/Chemical Bancorp and the return from the annuity
is expected to cover membership fees for the life of the member or
families involved.  Family lifetime memberships may be converted to
two individual lifetime memberships (in the case of divorce), though
children must pay their own membership fees upon reaching the age of
majority in the jurisdiction in which they reside. (1st Class extra.)

Peers and territorial barons and baronesses across the Known World
applaud the Board's actions, citing the decreased workload for the
Inspection of Registration Stewards and a reduction in intrusive
annual peerage/baronial financial reviews.  IRS personnel are also
pleased with the new policy, saying "This will give us more time to
check up on groups holding unauthorized events and will allow us to
confirm the membership status of up to 15% of Award of Arms holders
by A.S. XXXI.  Speaking from a podium bearing the device of the
inspection and registration stewards, "Sable, an axe argent tied 
with a bundle of sticks Or," the Chief Steward announced the 
inspectors' intent to review _all_ AoA's annually by A.S. XXXV
as well as stepping up efforts to remove up to 95% of freeloaders 
who try to attend more than two SCA functions without sending their
official $50 membership forms to California.

In related news, An Tir becomes the seventh kingdom to file for
independent incorporation in the state of Delaware, joining...

* * * * *

Take care and be well, good friends -- my best -- Bertram

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
Bertram of Bearington                                      Dave Schroeder
Debatable Lands/AEthelmearc/East               Carnegie Mellon University
INTERNET: ds4p@andrew.cmu.edu                         412/731-3230 (Home)
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