# Doper poll: Of what organizations are you a member? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 19, 2006, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-poll-of-what-organizations-are-you-a-member/381044 "2006-11-19T17:19:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-poll-of-what-organizations-are-you-a-member/381044/1 "2006-11-19T17:19:28Z")
Dopers are a smart, lively, civic-minded bunch, all in all - I’m guessing we’re members of lots of interesting organizations. For me, they kinda fall into two categories: Most active: my local Episcopal church (vestry, lector, usher); American Constitution Society (candidate for VP); local Civil War roundtable (former officer; organize some events; write occasional articles for newsletter); college mock trial team (alumni advisor) Pay dues/make regular contributions, but don’t go to meetings much (if ever): Sons of the American Revolution; Civil War Preservation Trust; Friends and Descendants of Johnson’s Island (a Confederate POW camp); State Bar Assn.; State Historical Society; Friends of Mount Vernon; JFK Library Foundation; Cleveland Foodbank; Cheetah Conservation Fund; Blue and Gray Education Society; Brady Leadership Council (formerly Handgun Control Inc.); NARAL; state Coalition against Gun Violence; The Planetary Society; American Red Cross, NE Ohio; EMILY’s List; Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels; U.S. Capitol Historical Society; United Negro College Fund; Western Pa. Conservancy; state Assn. of Magistrates; high school, college and law school alumni assocs.; county and state Democratic Party And you…? ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-poll-of-what-organizations-are-you-a-member/381044/2 "2006-11-19T17:23:03Z")
The Linguistic Society of America, the Semiotic Society of America, the International Society for Humor Studies… and that’s about all. My grandmother’s Lutheran church keeps insisting that I’m a member, but I’m not buying it. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-poll-of-what-organizations-are-you-a-member/381044/3 "2006-11-19T17:24:14Z")
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) The Cousteau Society ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-poll-of-what-organizations-are-you-a-member/381044/4 "2006-11-19T17:24:26Z")
um, none. Seriously. When my daughter was young, I belonged to PTA. We were also members of a yacht club once (fancy name for a group of folks who liked boating and eating.) But now, none. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-poll-of-what-organizations-are-you-a-member/381044/5 "2006-11-19T18:09:26Z")
We’re not really “joiners,” but off the top of my head: Sons of the American Revolution, the NRA, the ACLU, the PTA, Amnesty International, local Libertarian Party, Friends of Smiley Library, National Forensic League, California High School Speech Association, AAA, and a few other professional organizations. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-poll-of-what-organizations-are-you-a-member/381044/6 "2006-11-19T18:13:17Z")
I am not a joiner either. My Episcopal church is the only one. Oh, and the Arbor Day society. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-poll-of-what-organizations-are-you-a-member/381044/7 "2006-11-19T18:15:26Z")
A few, but the two most important are probably AA and AAA (in that order). **silenus** , I’m eligible for the SAR, but could never get the paperwork together. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-poll-of-what-organizations-are-you-a-member/381044/8 "2006-11-19T18:17:51Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] A few, but the two most important are probably AA and AAA (in that order). [/QUOTE] Me too on both of those. Maybe I am a joiner and never noticed. Both have been a tremendous help. ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-poll-of-what-organizations-are-you-a-member/381044/9 "2006-11-19T18:26:49Z")
[BPOE](http://www.elks.org/) , [AF&AM](http://www.arvadamasons.org/) , [AASR](http://www.scottishrite.org/) , [OBOD](http://www.druidry.org/) , [NRA](http://nra.org/) , [BSA](http://www.scouting.org/) , [NBRSA](http://www.benchrest.com/nbrsa/html/membership.html), I think my membership in The Philalethes Society expired, but there’s probably a couple of others I forget about until dues time comes up. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-poll-of-what-organizations-are-you-a-member/381044/10 "2006-11-19T18:28:12Z")
My mom is _real_ active in the DAR, so it wasn’t much of a problem for me. 😃 I wonder how many there are of us on the Dope? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-poll-of-what-organizations-are-you-a-member/381044/11 "2006-11-19T18:34:23Z")
I belong to nothing at all. I helped found a charity once, helped run another for a while, and went to a few Amnesty meetings, but recently, nada. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-poll-of-what-organizations-are-you-a-member/381044/12 "2006-11-19T18:35:37Z")
I lie: just remembered that I’m a life member of the [Quite Interesting](http://www.qi.com/) drink-and-trivia club. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-poll-of-what-organizations-are-you-a-member/381044/13 "2006-11-19T18:38:56Z")
I didn’t consider AAA an organization as much as a business through which I get cheap insurance. But I have that. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-poll-of-what-organizations-are-you-a-member/381044/14 "2006-11-19T18:40:18Z")
I’m with the AAA as well, but I think of them primarily as a source of emergency roadside assistance. I also belong to my local church and the Triple Nine Society. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-poll-of-what-organizations-are-you-a-member/381044/15 "2006-11-19T18:50:04Z")
American Library Association Florida Bar Unitarian Universalist Association Church of the SubGenius Mensa Labor Party Socialist Party USA Democratic Socialists of America I’m sympathetic to the Greens but have a problem with the “decentralization” plank of the Ten Key Values. Must get around to joining the National Lawyers Guild one of these days . . . ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-poll-of-what-organizations-are-you-a-member/381044/16 "2006-11-19T19:18:02Z")
The **A** ssociation of **M** oving **I** mage **A** rchivists. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-poll-of-what-organizations-are-you-a-member/381044/17 "2006-11-19T19:25:40Z")
I am a lifetime member and very active with Monmouth County Friends of Clearwater. I am a member of Clearwater, the Sierra Club, Greenpeace & WWF. Why does AAA count as an organization? I consider that a service. 😕 Are we talking about American Automobile Association? My son just joined the cub scouts, I am not too happy on this one. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-poll-of-what-organizations-are-you-a-member/381044/18 "2006-11-19T19:36:52Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] Why does AAA count as an organization? I consider that a service. 😕 Are we talking about American Automobile Association? Jim [/QUOTE] My fault. I found it amusing to list both AA and AAA in sequence. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-poll-of-what-organizations-are-you-a-member/381044/19 "2006-11-19T19:37:56Z")
No, wait! **Silenus** started it with the AAA thing. So it wasn’t _all_ my fault. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2006, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-poll-of-what-organizations-are-you-a-member/381044/20 "2006-11-19T19:48:19Z")
Three local historical societies, including one I preside over; local Lions Club; local business association. I’ve kept my level of volunteering down to a minimum of late, due to time constraints. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-poll-of-what-organizations-are-you-a-member/381044.md?page=2)