"What Defines Valid Membership"

[Rob Northall]

The issue of valid membership has been raised by Members once again; both here; in private email to myself and sadly in the public domain i.e. Face Book.

 

I don’t mind discussing the website how it is run whether through Private messages or Personal email or here on the Website; but I do feel it is inappropriate to discus it in the Public Domain where those who are not Members can join in the Conversation.

 

Obviously my preferred method is in this discussion, as Private Messages and Email are time consuming and could be seen as Secretive? but I will not ignore Private Messages on this.

 

Firstly:

 

The Shame Of Ireland Stands for Democracy Transparency and Inclusion for ALL!

 

Without these fundamental principles then we are no better than the Secretive Undemocratic and Exclusive Survivors Groups we all complain about?

 

With the best will in the world we can never know the “True Identity” of any Member?

 

The original Defining Aims and Objectives can be Read by <Clicki...

If you have Never Read the then I think it may be a good Idea to do so? As it may help you in deciding who Members Should be?

 

Items 2 and 3 of this Discussion are reproduced for your convenience Bellow as they Deal with Valid Membership

Item 2
"This Group Membership is mainly drawn on form the Survivors of the Industrial School System, Their Spouse/Partners, Children and Grand Children; Friends are Welcome and so is anyone that agrees with the Aims and Objective of the Shame Of Ireland"

Item 3
Voting rights can be restricted depending on the Nature of the Subject being Voted on as the Main Aim of the Group is to "Represent the Views of the Survivor" This is to be discussed in a separate Topic!

 

Item 2 is what we are discussing here; it is however interesting to note that;

 

None of the Aims and Objectives Have Ever been Ratified or Accepted!!

 

I would like to point out that through Several Discussions over some period of time that this in not a “Group”. It is a Membership!

 

I am only the Administrator of the Website which I refuse to Moderate. But will in Extreme Circumstances intervene and take action, as fairly as I can?

 

The Website does not belong to me but to the Membership!

 

As a “Membership” we are all equal; there is NO Leader; NO Spokesperson and No Hierarchy.

 

I welcome your input into this discussion of “Valid Membership” and Hope that we can come to a Consensus of who should be Members and what is expected of Members?

 

Please feel free to comment bellow? Thank you in Advance!

 

Your Friend

Rob

 

 

[Úna Walsh]

Like Deb I am not a Survivor But a Friend and Supporter. This is a  difficult issue, Survivors need a place that is safe and non judgemental, so not everyone is suitable for membership. Yet we need more members, and an accurate idea of membership . I think the front page should remain public as Dee said we have nothing to hide, and information there is helpful to the general public. Perhaps a renewal of membership?

[Gaye Dalton]

I am in a weird category as:

• a childhood survivor of the UK care system
• victim of the Irish Social services 
• witness to abuse in Irish Social Services
• autistic adult
• former sex worker
• sex worker activist

I seem to have wound up doing all the advanced courses in what is wrong with the system, why, and who made profit out of it from several different angles.

I suppose what sums it up is that when I went to attend a protest outside the Dail against cuts to SNAs I wound up chatting, hugging and sharing "war stories" about mutual acquaintances who belong in jail but still get huge HSE salaries, with ladies who were outside the Dail to protest the deaths in care almost every day...and they wound up staying for the SNA protest along with one lady's low function, but absolutely charming, and irresistable autistic son.

I am convinced that it is all the same battle, and we all carry the same wounds, and the only chance we have of any real change or redress is to stand together.

I landed here because if a curious coincidence...but I am happy to stay for whatever I can throw into the pot...from my vast fund of knowledge, my PR training and my diminishing supply of political clout.

[jack colleton]

i like coincidence!  there would indeed people who belong in jail but still get huge HSE salaries