Can a Fiero club discriminate? (Page 1/20)
WhiteDevil88 JUL 04, 05:15 PM
I received this comment from Micheal Leavitt, the president of Golden Gate Fieros.

quote
Originally posted by Whuffo:
Golden Gate Fieros is not offering nor would it consider accepting an application for membership from you.



I found this odd considering the statement regarding membership on the Golden Gate Fieros' website:

Membership
.
Membership is open to all who own or have an interest in the Pontiac Fiero. The club has no membership fees or dues and is supported by the voluntary contributions of our members.

Personally I don't see any legal justification Micheal has for making such a statement. Is it fair for him to put his club in such legal jeopardy by denying access to the disabled?

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Pleased to meet you, I hope you've guessed my name.

fieroluv JUL 04, 05:57 PM
I think it's wrong, but he's probably got his panties in a wad over the myspace thread.
Emc209i JUL 04, 06:01 PM
I thought you didn't want to join...
fierobear JUL 04, 06:08 PM

quote
Originally posted by WhiteDevil88:
Nice. i've never worried about how I've been welcomed by you or your club. I never displayed any interest in being in your club




quote
Originally posted by WhiteDevil88:
I took your advice and talked to legal council. I do hope you have a legally defendable position to discriminate against me. He's very excited by that statement.



Preserved for the record.
Formula88 JUL 04, 06:15 PM

quote
Originally posted by fierobear:


Preserved for the record.



Are you going to spam that in every thread Jeff starts?
Just curious - why the added emphasis on the first quote, but not the second? Are you preserving the record - or making one?
WhiteDevil88 JUL 04, 06:22 PM

quote
Originally posted by fierobear:


Preserved for the record.



That's your defense? Sorry dude, I changed my mind and asked Micheal for an application via PM a couple of hours ago. I'd be happy to come to a Golden Gate Fiero meeting with a video camera and ask for an application there.

What can I say? I was impressed with the security at WestFest. Definately a tight operation you guys run.
Gokart Mozart JUL 04, 06:22 PM
1. Was anything said that you had a disability when you applied?
2. Was anything in your denial refer to your disability?
3. What are the membership requirements and what are the by-laws of the club about membership? Does the club have any by-laws?


Wah, wah, I'm not happy so I'm going to sue.
WhiteDevil88 JUL 04, 06:29 PM
Oh, I don't have standing, yet. They still have the chance to do the right thing.
fierobear JUL 04, 06:41 PM

quote
Originally posted by Gokart Mozart:

1. Was anything said that you had a disability when you applied?
2. Was anything in your denial refer to your disability?
3. What are the membership requirements and what are the by-laws of the club about membership? Does the club have any by-laws?


Wah, wah, I'm not happy so I'm going to sue.



Hey, Gokart. Whuffo, our current president can answer this better, as he has copies of the appropriate documents. But I'll give some background.

We happily had been without formal membership, dues, initiation, etc for over 5 years. We recently decided to incorporate as a Not-for-profit Corporation for a variety of reasons, one of which is that we needed a federal tax ID, and the club's bank account has been under my wife's (the club tresurer) social security number for a number of years. We've recently been getting cars donated to the club, repaired and resold. That means that, amongst other things, all that money is falling under her social. So to set everything up right, we incorporated. We then discovered that according to the law, we had to have formal membership, a process which membership is decided, and guidelines for acceptance. It wasn't even our decision, just a byproduct of the not-for-profit Corporation rules and regulations.

I don't have a copy of those regs, but basically we can decided what the criteria for membership entails. Basically, you have to attend a minimum number of meetings or events, be a "member in good standing" (or something like that), and be approved by a membership committee. I hope that clears things up.
DrDave JUL 04, 06:44 PM
Just from reading this I am forning an opinion. People don't just make decisions of this nature without reason. I for one would like more information from both parties befor I set my opinion in concrete.