Margot Award

It's been forever since I  posted here and I suspect few will ever see this, but it seems a fitting bit of personal Mensa news to include.




I guess the stuff I've done all these years wasn't unnoticed :-)

Name & Logo Motions and Issues 2015

So as a result of review and cogitation following the huge outcry by a small number of members over the use of the Mensa name and logo on shirts and banner carried by some Chicago Area Mensa members in this year’s Gay Pride Parade, the N&L Committee has some motions on the agenda for the September 2015 AMC meeting.

Here are my thoughts.

MOTION 1

Moved Name and Logo Committee: Amend ASIEs, Section 17, B, Use of the Mensa Name and Logo, by adding the following paragraphs:

6. Members, having purchased any official Mensa garments or accessories, are entitled to wear such garments without restriction.

I agree with this, though I don’t think it is necessary to carve into stone, since it’s kind of a no-brainer and it’s not like anyone anywhere is going to be reviewing each and every instance of a member wearing a Mensa Tshirt at a Jenny McCarthy For President rally, drinking water at a religious revival from a Mensa water bottle or driving in a anti-immigration rally while still having a Mensa license plate visible on the car.  This is just formally giving me permission to do something you can’t stop me from doing in the first place.

But it’s harmless and if it makes people feel better, fine with me.

7. Groups of Members including Local Groups, SIGs, or subsets of Local Groups and SIGs, are encouraged to promote Mensa’s visibility through associating their non-Mensa specific activities with Mensa by wearing or using “Member of” or “Members of” logo or name attire, accessories, or banners.

This I am not comfortable with as written. I do support the intent, however.

As written, it’s pointless. “Members are ENCOURAGED.” Yeah, so. Members are also ENCOURAGED to buy life memberships, contribute to the Mensa Foundation, throw away their garbage at gathering, bathe, and not touch others inappropriately without permission. Either make a good rule that someone will enforce, or don’t. 

If this wording is meant to convey that members MUST include the words “member of” on things, then this amendment would negate the permission you just granted in number 6. So basically, it’s saying that I cannot drink from that cool Mensa logo water bottle at the religious revival because it only has the logo on it, not the additional words “Member of.” Think of all the Mensa gear the Mensa Store sells currently—most of it could not be worn at any non-Mensa specific activity. No more wearing my shirt while jogging alone. No more writing with my logo pen at work. No more wearing my gold logo signet ring when being photographed shaking hands with a political candidate.

Additionally, this amendment will require the Mensa Store to toss most of its merchandise and restock with gear that says “Member of Mensa” on it instead of just the simple aesthetically pleasing symbol. Otherwise, who will buy it if it can only be worn at Mensa-specific events?

Robin’s personal opinion on this two-pronged amendment: Vote NO.

(I’ll address the banners issue further on)

MOTION 2

Moved Name and Logo Committee: Amend ASIE Appendix 8, Section I, by adding new Subsection K as follows:

K. In addition to the technical requirements of A - J, a final review of any logo or name use should include an analysis as to whether there is the potential for the image to be interpreted as a political, social, or religious statement being made by Mensa in violation of the Mensa Constitution. Such perceived implications will be discussed with the member(s) requesting name and/or logo use. All reasonable efforts will be made to collaborate with the requesting member(s) to reach a solution which adheres to the Mensa constitution and gives maximum liberty to the member(s).

I agree with the intent of this, but the wording is not neat and tight. Imagine MidState Mensa simply making up their own plain solid blue shirts using the logo—which they are allowed to download and use—and the words “MidState Mensa.”  Don’t forget, the LG Charter grants them that permission: A royalty free, nonexclusive, and non-sublicensable license to MIDSTATE MENSA for the use of AML’s trade marks, service marks, trade names, and logos, including, but not limited to, the mark “MENSA” and the Mensa stylized logo. And off they go, to march in their local Gay Pride Parade. They never even contacted the N&L committee to review the design, since there was no need; they didn’t do anything to the logo design they are already allowed to use nor were they printing and selling the shirts for profit (which runs into the marketing agreements with Fox Imaging).  Local Groups use the name and logo all the time without asking for review by the national N&L folks.

But as I said, I do support the intent of this motion. But it’s not quite right.

Robin’s Opinion: Vote NO.

(And yes, I have a substitute idea I’ll describe further below.)

MOTION 3

Moved Name and Logo Committee: Amend ASIE Appendix 8, by adding new section III, (and then renumber the remaining sections):

III. Special “Member(s) of Mensa” Logo and Name designs exist (for banners, electronic tags, and apparel) so that Members can promote Mensa when engaged in non-Mensa specific activities. They are to be used:

A. By a Mensa member or group for activities that are not Mensa specific, but allow for groups of members to come together in an activity within a larger community. (Festivals, parades, volunteer situations, etc...) 

B. If there is a concern that the activity to be participated in may promote a political, social, or religious opinion. Members may have such opinions, but the organization may not.

  

This seems fine to me.

Robin’s Opinion: Vote YES.

Now on to my suggestions…

The issue seems to be two-fold. First, the rainbow stripes behind the Mensa logo as was used on the Chicago shirts evokes to some viewers a too-close combining of two symbols. That’s probably not a good idea, and although it didn't exactly cross the current N&L lines, it probably should have been turned down. Much involves interpretation—for a greater explanation and examples of how human judgment comes into play regarding N&L, see the Name & Logo Workbook sections titled An ‘M’ with a Globe on Top and Exercises in Interpretation… .

But here’s the rub with trying to make a hard and fast rule that will last through the ages: Any patterned background may or may not at some point in time become symbolic of something else. Something that was symbolic may become generic and no longer carry any other meaning beyond the pretty pattern. Consider the case of tie dye patterns. At one point in our history, that was strongly associated with hippies and anti-war agendas. Now, not so much. Rainbows were once just pretty spectrums evoking happy thoughts, but now they have come to symbolize LGBT issues. What to some is simply a very pleasing shade of green is now often associated with the Green Party. Who is to say that a nice chevron pattern—very popular in design these days, won’t become the pattern of choice for Jenny McCarthy’s presidential campaign?

How to solve this?

Educate your RVCs and Groups. Over and over and over again. Get the word out that using the name and logo on a patterned background of a shirt or poster COULD be interpreted as an implication of an affiliation of the organization with a social/political/ideological cause and should not be done. Teach RVCs and Groups to ask the N&L Committee if they have any hint of a doubt.

And then just let the Committee judge and advice, much like the intent of  Motion 2 (the addition of a Section K to the current N&L Rules).

The second issue I see is the fine line between what is marketing and what is support or promotion of a social/political/ideological cause. Marketing is good. LGs doing marketing and getting the Mensa name out in front of people is a good thing. Everyone agrees.

Giving the impression to anyone anywhere that MENSA as an organizational entity supports anything is a bad thing. Not everyone agrees with this, but that’s a separate issue. For now, we work with the rules that exist.

After a million posts and conversations in various online and in-person forums, there seems to be, oddly, a consensus that a static sign or banner in a booth at an event is “marketing” and a moving banner or sign in a parade or rally is “supporting a cause.”

The easiest solution I see is to make a rule along the lines of “Local Groups, SIGs, or subsets of Mensa members must get approval from the AMC Marketing Committee before carrying a non-static sign or banner bearing the Mensa name and or logo in a parade or rally. Failure to get approval in advance may result in a loss of funding for the Local Group.”

(One problem I see already is what happens when twenty Mensans from different Local Groups all join together and march without approval and carrying a Mensa sign they made themselves? Rules are so much easier to make than to enforce.)

So, to sum up this insanely long post, here are my recommendations:

1. Vote NO on the first two N&L motions

2. Vote YES on the third one (adding a new section III to Appendix 8)

3. Get the word out that using the name and logo on a patterned background of a shirt or poster COULD be interpreted as an implication of an affiliation of the organization with a social/political/ideological cause and should not be done. RVCs and Groups should be reminded to ask the N&L Committee if they have any hint of a doubt.

4. Make a rule along the lines of “Local Groups, SIGs, or subsets of Mensa members must get approval from the AMC Marketing Committee before carrying a non-static sign or banner bearing the Mensa name and or logo in a parade or rally. Failure to get approval in advance may result in a loss of funding for the Local Group.”

  

Overheard in Hospitality at the AG

"Her comments at the AMC meeting were such transparent BS. Does she not realize she's dealing with people smart enough to see right through her?"

"I was on the fence about Pam, but after hearing her talk at the ABM... Wow. That was the most arrogant whiny speech I've ever heard."

Mensans' Opinions

In a long long long Facebook thread, I commented that Local Groups are allowed to express opinions. One member reasonably requested that I point him to the policy upon which I based my statement. Here it is:

Constitution of Mensa

II. The Policy of Mensa

B. Mensa encompasses members representing many points of view. Consequently, Mensa as an organization shall not express an opinion as being that of Mensa, take any political action other than the publication of the results of its investigations, or have any ideological, philosophical, political, or religious affiliations.

C. Members or groups of members may express opinions as members of Mensa, provided their opinions or actions are not expressed as being those of Mensa as an organization.

So no one can say “Mensa endorses Jenny McCarthy for President.” (However Mensa can sponsor academic research and publish results which say that blondes who hate vaccinations statistically perform higher than billionaires who wear toupees on certain tests of political leadership aptitude.)

Furthermore, groups of members may express opinions. Local Groups are groups of members. They just can’t present themselves as speaking for all of Mensa as a whole.

Side note-- I didn't find anything that says "Mensa has no opinions."

If I were Communications Officer…

(I'm not.)

Major areas needing attention:

• Facebook presence and functioning of that community so that it benefits Mensa as a whole. This includes finding a solution to the bullying without squashing the free spirit of the members who participate.

• Updating and enhancing communication methods between Local Groups and their members.

• Managing the vast amounts of information in a way that members can access it easily and effectively.

I know that data does not always support assumptions, as in the case of “large groups need less money because they spend less on newsletters due to economy of scale.” I want real objective facts and data first; those should determine the options and most effective choices.

Unlike many, I do not assume that my intuition and observations regarding these issues is the one and only correct view. I won’t even assume that the two or three solutions floating around are the best ones. I would start at the very beginning--by working with a committee to determine what exactly we need to know in in order to make the best policy decisions. And I’d want to use the PDQ to find at least one member with a background in marketing research survey construction, so we don’t just ask questions that lead respondents to answers we want.

For example, I want to know who uses the Facebook group and AML forums. What kinds of members are they? Why do they participate in that way, and what needs do those online venues meet that SIGs and in-person get-togethers do not meet? What kinds of members do NOT use those venues, and why? And by “kind” of member, I don't mean just age; I want to know about the sets of personality types and information-consumption habits of those who gravitate to or away from online communities.

I would arrange to interview (not just survey) members representing all ages about how they really get and manage information regarding Mensa participation options.

I want to know what actually motivates and enables volunteers at the LG level to create and maintain communication vehicles. Clearly it wasn’t the annual awards and based on research I did many years ago, it wasn't funding.

I want to know what sorts of members use what sorts of nationally-generated data/guides/archives/materials. Why do they use them? How do they most comfortably gather and consume what they need and want?

Voting on Proposed Bylaws Amendments

Here’s my take on the Bylaws amendments (I’ve shamelessly lifted some of what Howard wrote on Facebook).

1. Replacement bylaw text. NO

Some good, some bad, some that really ought to be debated separately. So just No for this omnibus proposal.

2. Non-voting membership on the AMC. NO

This is the one near and dear to my heart and I went so far as to submit a Con statement for the Bulletin. Contrary to what some think, this does not take these folks off the board. It saves no money. It means they do everything they do now, which, frankly, is a ton more than many other AMC positions, and then twiddle thumbs and bend paperclips when an actual vote is called for. It also means they cannot vote on the action committees they chair, nor on motions involving budget areas they are responsible for overseeing.

3. Voting membership on the AMC (past chairmen). YES

There is value to past Chairs being around to advise, but in these days of easy instant communication, their presence at the table is no longer necessary. Plus, if you really hate a Chair and vote him out of office, do you want him hanging around voting for another 8 or more years?

4. Recall elections. YES

We need a mechanism in place.

5. Nominating Committee. YES

My personal opinion, based on a great deal of research and reading I did for the Gov’t task Force, is that we need a strong NomComm with teeth. But since that is a no-opt for Mensans who can’t stand the thought of other Mensans sitting in judgment, then what we do have is pointless and should go.

6. Petition Signatures. YES

I ran for 1^st VC. I got my 50 signatures in under eight hours. HOURS. Surely someone hoping to lead at that level should be able to work a little harder and gather up a few more straw votes of confidence.

7. Candidate Nomination Deadline. NO

As Howard wrote: “There is too much potential in this amendment for an extremely short election period — if the removal of the NomComm in Amendment #5 does not pass. One month between the NomComm deadline and the end of the petition process is far too short a period of time for people to know about the NC decisions and choose to run and secure petition signatures.”

8. Nominees for Chair, 1VC and 2VC with AMC experience. NO

I’m wishy-washy on this one, but inexperienced people can run if unopposed—why shouldn't they also run if opposed? If we really want only experienced people in those positions (which I’m kind of in favor of), then the amendment should not allow inexperienced unopposed people to run.

9. AMC meeting announcements. NO

I’m wishy-washy on this, but having been on the board, I know that the only time quick meetings are called are in emergencies, and in an emergency, 14 days is an eternity.

10. Audio and video recordings. YES

Sure, there are some legal risks with having recordings that might contradict the official minutes, but these days, meetings are going to be recorded, openly or surreptitiously, with an electronic devices or by watch dogs with pens and papers. So accept the reality of the modern world and do the right thing to show the members you’re not afraid of them knowing what goes on in meetings.

11. & 12. Duties of the Ombudsman NO and NO

There are pros and cons in each of these, but in my mind, amendments that are originated as reactions to personality-driven conflicts are not the right way to run an organization.

13. Annual Dues. NO

A weak “no,” that is. As Howard wrote: “There is too much ‘wiggle room’ in pushing a dues increase through currently, whether the increase is necessary or not.” True, but Nick makes some very good points in support of how things are done now. I’d really rather nix this amendment and change it next election cycle in some sort of manner than eliminates the wiggle room but still takes into consideration the lead times of meetings and very importantly, the announcement of the MIL component.