[19497] in APO-L
Re: Convention Legislation
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (John Grossi)
Mon Oct 26 10:32:59 1998
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 1998 22:21:47 -0000
Reply-To: John Grossi <jgrossi@BBNPLANET.COM>
From: John Grossi <jgrossi@BBNPLANET.COM>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
In-Reply-To: <Pine.SOL.3.95.981026001740.29797F-100000@thomas.butler.edu>
> Why don't more members, especially ACTIVE members, submit legislation?
I think this time around that number is under 5 pieces of legislation
submitted by actives.
> In my experience as the president of Alpha Tau at Butler University in
> Indianapolis (85% female chapter), about 75% of the active body doesn't
> care about any of the legislation at all. The rest will only care about
> one or two particular subjects... most likely toast song changes and
> all-male chapters on co-ed campuses... but doesn't care about the subject
> enough to investigate it and write legislation. (I'll reserve from
> commenting any further on the said issues to avoid a reply beating this
> dead horse any further.) Your average member doesn't care about things
> like criteria for honorary membership, region reallignment, anything about
> national committee responsiblities, and exactly who says what in the
> rituals.
let's do a little math... physics professor style, i.e. some rough
numbers...
let's assume about 20 people submitted legislation this time
let's assume there are 14,000 active brothers, and say 1,000 staff
and say, 1000 advisors
that's .125% of brothers active submitted legislation.
I can understand say only .5% of people submitting legislation...
that would be four times as many people...
you might say ya so? Why do we care...
People submitting legislation is a sign that they are thinking and
innovating. APO is as big and as vital as it is today because we've
been innovative. We've been an organization ahead of ourselves for
75 years... let's not fall behind just because Apathy is easier...
And people are going to say...well 99% of this doesn't affect me...
and my answer back to you is... so your saying it's not worth sitting
through for the 1% that is? And among that 99%, I'm quite sure there
are things you want to vote against.
I would suspect in many cases it's because most of our brothers don't
know anything about the national organization beyond that it leaves them
alone and generates the pledge manual. That's fine, there needs to be
some, quite a bit, of filtration of detail...
> But I think we've got OVERKILL
> legislation going on here. Will much of this really make a difference in
> the activities of chapters? I find all of these arguments and mailing
I don't know I can think of at least one piece of legislation out there that
could end 10% of our active chapters...
> after mailing of paperwork very counter-productive to what we're SUPPOSED
> to be here for: service. Do any other undergrad actives... you average
that's the price you pay for democracy, i.e. the chapters making the
decisions...
it's your organization... you pay a price for being the ultimate authority...
and that's you've got to have a legislative process. If you want we can get
rid of that legislative process and you can have Nationals coming in on fiat...
somehow I think the legislation is a small price to pay for chapter autonomy.
> Joes that loves APO but just don't go bonkers over legislation... ever
> feel this way???
I'm sure they do, but no one is twisting there arms to be on the floor...
nor do they even have to read the legislation... but it's to there best
interest that they at least read it and express there opinion... or others
that do read it and express there opinions will control the direction of
the future.
YiLFS
John Grossi
Alumni Omicron Iota - WPI
Alumni Phi Epsilon - Maine Maritime
