It was recently pointed out to me that our next meeting will be the day after election day.  There will undoubtedly be plenty of election things to talk about, but let’s leave those discussions for some other time and place.

Other IPMS chapters have a ‘no politics’ policy for club meetings.  I’ve been thinking that we should follow suit – it seems like a good idea.  We’re a club, not a political organization.  Model building isn’t about politics (or religion, or other social issues, for that matter).  This is a hobby.  It’s something that we do to relax from the daily grind.  Let’s keep it relaxed.

I’ve run this proposal past the other officers, and we agree that this is a positive change for the club.

We recognize that interest in the things we build naturally extends to the historic context of our subjects.  Sometimes that history is controversial (use of swastikas, profanity and nudity, for example.).  The line between discussions of the historic context and controversy may be a little gray from time to time.  Let’s try not to veer so far into those controversies that discussions become emotional or argumentative.

If a conversation at meetings starts to make you feel anxious or uncomfortable, please just ask that the subject be dropped.  We realize that speaking up may be uncomfortable for some members, so we’re going to make it the responsibility of the club officers to step in to call a halt, if necessary.  We’d really like this to be a non-issue, so we hope that everyone will try to take this to heart and make it work.

The policy extends to after-meeting dining, as well.  This is traditionally a regular extension of the meeting, and should therefore remain as cordial and social as the meeting itself.

Thank you all for your support and consideration in this matter.

P.S.  Bitching about contest judging is still fair game.  That’s an entirely different kind of politics. 😉