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<DIV><FONT color=#000000>There is a bit of mixing between apples and oranges
here.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000>On the one hand; a private organization or individual
may restrict membership as long as it is not based on race, gender, and all that
other federal, legal jargon. And, yes, the organization may have private
events, restrict, access to members only, specific sub-groups within the
membership, etc. However, if the restriction is not equilateral, you can
have legal problems. Such as, if it is restricted (as some events claim to
be) to members of the SCA only, then you have to be equal in your refusal of
entry to all who do not have current membership cards. Even if it means
refusing entry to a Peer or some other individual you may not want to refuse
entry to. Of course, you can restrict to "by-invitation-only",
but then you have to make sure you have invitations available for those you wish
to allow entry. And, there are other ways around certain laws other than
these two examples. An organization may also ask an individual or group of
individuals to leave the premises if they are disturbing the peace or breaking
the law (just like when a bartender 86's an unruly customer rather than call the
law). What the organization does, and how the business of entry
requirements, membership restrictions, refusal of service (i.e.; banishment)
etc. is handled is different from what a private person can or may do as an
individual member of the organization.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000>On the other hand (is this the apple or the orange?
- oh well); a "private? individual may tell/order someone to leave a
personal, private function, or place of abode for whatever reason they
wish. But, a private individual cannot bar access to an organization's
events without the possibility of suffering legal ramifications. A group
or organization which accepts fees for membership, attendance at functions, etc.
and has open membership qualifications (such as the SCA) cannot discriminate
just because a particular member does not want someone around. So, you nor
anyone other private individual has a legal right to tell anyone else to stop
playing or coming around SCA events. Which is exactly why the non-BOD
banishments are useless, and those people who get such treatment usually just
ignore it.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000>My point throughout all of these posts has not been to
question what a private individual may or may not do, nor even to say that the
law is good or bad with regards to the way it is for organizations. My
purpose has been (and is) to comment on the fact that if a rule is useless, and
has no power behind it, then why have it? Take it off the books, and save
the space. Because of our litigious mundane society, we have far too many
rules which are needed to cover ourselves. So, if a particular rule is not
needed, or places the group in a possibly questionable, legal position, get rid
of it. That makes sure there can be no question in anyone's mind about
possible ramifications.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000>With regards to my personal opinion, I think we have
way too many rules, and that way too many people take themselves, their awards,
and their positions way too serious when playing this wonderful game. This
is supposed to be fun, not a study in how much one person or group of people can
do, because of their rank, awards, titles, etc., to another person or group of
people. To me that is the saddest change I have seen in the SCA over the
years I have been both a paid, non-paid, and paid again member. Because of
mundane society we have to cover our collective rear-ends, but I haven't
understood (nor want to) why we as a group have to succumb to the very attitudes
which make mundane society so unappealing. However, I understand that
human nature does not change just because I may wish it. If I had my way,
people would worry more about themselves and what they can do to make it more
fun for all the others around them than about changing the game to fit their
personal opinion of how it should be played.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000>Spyke</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000>(If anyone feels I have insulted them in any way,
please tell me, and I will gladly apologize)</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>