Jim wrote:I have never had an issue with private club type things.
There is no difference between those and a high school kid trying to get financial aid for college but not being able to because he does not fit certain criteria set by the funding source. Not the right color, sex, creed, financial background, his parents aren't the right such-n-such, lives in the wrong area, etc etc etc.
Not sure if your being sarcastic or not, but I agree with the private club thing for whatever your association is formed around. Let's take the Veterans of Foreign Wars for example. If a bunch of war veterans want to get together now and then, and have an association or club they should be allowed. Applying this collective force to serve a greater purpose, to inform and protect veterans rights through polictical action is a good purpose. Of course they do not discriminate against anyone based on sex, race etc, just be a veteran of service in a foreign conflict.
The counter side of that is that you let anyone in regardless of prior service to their country. It's self defeating, you wanted to form this association because you could appreciate what the people you want to socialize with have experienced. You may still not agree with their opinons, beliefs or ethnic background, but you have a common ground. You recognize that the other man may have served despite his disagreement with the mission/operation. But he served, and did his best.
This is where the argument for anyone should be able to join anything falls apart with me. That all humans should have equal oppurtunity to join any association. It's an association, based on common ground. The bylaws lay out what that common ground is. I'm sure there are people here who are members of associations only based on their ethnic upbringing, or leisure pursuits.