Re: [atlarge-discuss] Membership fees

["Ron Sherwood" <sherwood@islands.vi>]

Good morning, Abel:

Thank you for reminding our members that the Internet is not yet ubiquitous
and that many have to pay dearly for access.

I do some work in Haiti.  The average wage is $1 per day. Internet
infrastructure is very poor and access is expensive by local standards.  To
put things into perspective, a $5 membership fee (practically nothing to
North Americans) is the equivalent of a week's wages.  Please imagine how
many of our current members would subscribe if they had to pay a week's
wages for membership.

Even I would not pay a $2,000 membership fee [smile].

Best regards, Ron Sherwood

----- Original Message -----
From: "Abel Wisman" <abel@able-towers.com>
To: "'Atlarge Discuss List'" <atlarge-discuss@lists.fitug.de>
Sent: Sunday, June 15, 2003 8:05 AM
Subject: RE: [atlarge-discuss] Membership fees


> Jan,
>
> Are you saying that only members who can afford to pay dues are allowed
> to influence decisions and be a part of the governing structure ?
>
> If so then forget everything about bottom-up and world-wide
> participation, you just disqualified at least 1/3 of the world from
> being an integral part of this organization.
>
> Walter's idea is more friendly, the "I was there" t-shirt if you pay but
> no restrictions if you do not want or can not pay. I can imagine quite
> some people who can not afford to pay even the smallest amount but who's
> contributions can be very valuable.
>
> Can you tell me how much $ 5 is for a Argentinian and for a Vietnamese
> or Chinese, or Russian for that matter ? In large parts of the world
> this would constitute more then a month's salary, if they had a job to
> go to.
>
> Regards
>
> Abel


---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: atlarge-discuss-unsubscribe@lists.fitug.de
For additional commands, e-mail: atlarge-discuss-help@lists.fitug.de