 A
New Federalism:
Cookie-Cutter
Control
More than
thirty-seven years ago I came in from the cold and joined Mensa. Instead
of living as an outcast on the fringes of society, I immediately became
a welcomed and productive member of a society of my peers. Now I see Mensa
being turned into a police state for eggheads and rights stated in the
Constitution of the United States overturned or disregarded. I see the
Constitution and Bylaws of Mensa also treated with disdain, supposedly
in the name of expedience and efficiency. I see myself and my fellow members
treated as second-class citizens; we pay our taxes (dues) but have little
voice in how Mensa operates. If we complain, the American Mensa Committee
(AMC) dismisses us as "whiners" and holds over dissenters like me the threat
of being ousted from Mensa. On what grounds? What AMC calls "acts inimical"
to Mensa. Such acts include criticizing our hired help, the staff we employ
at our national office in Texas. Incidentally, their cost to us is a secret
hidden in the bowels of AMC.
The
AMC has already ousted one member, a Mr. Repp, on the grounds that he filed
suit against Mensa, made false statements to the Hearings Committee, and
abused Mensa employees; legitimate charges, if true. The fact is that although
Mr. Repp filed suit, it was not served; thus, he did not sue Mensa. He
just quit us, resigned his membership. Then the Hearings Committee and
the AMC claimed that had he not been formally expelled, even though he
had already resigned from Mensa, the entire Board of a large local group
would have walked out and nobody else would run for office. A few phone
calls proved this charge as misleading as the lawsuit accusation. A meeting
of the Hearings Committee that had been called before Repp's resignation
to hear the charge about suing Mensa was canceled, then re-called after
his resignation, with the addition of two additional offenses, and held,
in contravention of the rules, privately and by e-mail; and his ouster
recommended. AMC then voted by secret ballot to uphold the decision of
the Hearings Committee and formally remove Repp, permanently, from Mensa.
After
he had quit. On dubious charges for which the Hearings Committee had shown
no documentation in public. By secret vote. Repp may have been nasty, but
we've had such before. The Hearings Committee and the AMC ignored Mensa's
Constitution and Bylaws … and possibly U.S. civil law.
And
they have plans for us. They have put forth motions to take central control
of our local websites, presumably to be overseen by more paid staff. Their
argument is a need for uniformity.
The
printed December AMC meeting agenda carried motions that would disallow
communications between members using information previously disclosed on
our membership lists published in our Membership Register. The same information
that is occasionally sold for commercial use. The same information that,
when we joined, we were asked politely to make available for intercommunication
among members of our society.
The
AMC Publications Committee has been discussing a plan to print all our
local group newsletters in a central location, in standardized format.
This would save money, they say. It would also put our newsletters, though
they may deny the intent, under their centralized control, presumably with
another paid staff member presiding … and immune to criticism by the dues-paying
members under threat of sanctions by AMC.
Some
of us, many being LocSecs and former AMC members, including former AMC
Chairs, have banded together to attempt turning this situation around.
We will probably be presenting petition candidates for various AMC positions,
as well as petitions for bylaws amendments designed to preserve member
rights and correct the abuses already perpetrated. All suggestions are
welcome.
—Henry
Miller
Henrymmmmm@cs.com
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