[chapter-delegates] The ISOC US$75 membership issue

[Gene Gaines]

I want to state a second time my personal feelings concerning
the $75 ISOC membership dues issue.

I live in the U.S. I pay about $2,000 per month just for the
mortgage on my home. Many people in my immediate area pay two,
three and four times that a month for their home. So $75 is
one-third of 1 percent of what I pay for my home.

But I refuse to pay $75 a year to continue as an ISOC member.

Such a membership system clearly disenfranchises most people in
the world from becoming ISOC members. That is unacceptable to
me.

Some have called the $75 as increasing the digital divide. I
say, simply, that if other ISOC chapter members are considered
as second-class, then I do not consider this a group I am
comfortable belonging to.

I respectfully point out to the ISOC executive and board members
that adopting the $75 membership and sending out a press release
was a serious, stunning mistake.

There is an ISOC board meeting in the next week.  It will be
good to revisit this issue.

Gene Gaines
gene.gaines at gainesgroup.com
Sterling, Virginia USA