19 June 91

 Original Assembly Charter for Twilight Crossing (proposal)
 ==========================================================

 There are initially four kinds of assemblies in Twilight Crossing:
 Spiritual, Project, Alliance, and Internal Service.  New groups are
 not limited to these types, and no amendments are required to create
 a new kind of group -- a regular assembly-admission vote for the new
 type's first assembly suffices.  The only formal tie between groups of
 like type is that they may pledge to abide by certain rules common
 to the type.  Informally, however, all the groups of a kind share
 some goals, motivations, interests, and methods.  It is also possible
 for a group to be of two or more kinds (see SFS, below), or no kind
 but itself.

 SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES
 ====================

 Spiritual assemblies are concerned with psychology, meditation, magick,
 or studies that may satisfy some religious need or interest of their
 members.  They may focus narrowly (though, one hopes, not too narrowly)
 on particular mythologies, or on particular themes throughout myth, or
 they may create new myths, eschew mythology altogether, or employ
 any mystical technique for which they accept responsibility.  But buying
 or selling a preformatted ideology is discouraged; they may teach, but
 they must be open to learning and growth in turn.

 The Medean Cauldron
 -------------------

 Ecstasy is the disappearace of pleasure and pain into something greater.
 Zero equals two.  Deep in the microscopic underworld, matter fuses
 with anti-matter to produce pure energy.  Dragons asleep in their caves
 hear the thunder, and Hekati sends them forth to let her sorceress
 take wing.
 
 We wait at the crossroads for the howling of wolves and the clashing of
 gates.  We are the ancients in animal skins who sang nonsense at the
 stars and heard them answer back with lies.

 It's time to see things as they are, as enchantment, glamour, bewitchment,
 sorcery, illusion, smoke and mirrors.  It's time to dive and drown in
 that darkly splendid pool, and I say to Hell with the light.

 The assembly is happy to correspond with the curious.

 Ganesha Grove School for Rational Mysticism
 -------------------------------------------

 A non-accredited mini-college for those who did not leave their intellects
 with the Lurker on the Threshold.

 If the content of mysticism is real, it may be measured, modeled and molded,
 and it must be reconciled with the findings of empirical methods.

 Classes and guest lectures are given.  Awards are handed out for special
 contributions to the psychology and history of mysticism.  Research
 projects are carried out under the supervision of faculty.  Journals
 of research and learned commentary are published for small audiences.

 We award three degrees, Graduate, Adept, and Doctor, each of which
 reflects an amount of work on rational mysticism eqivalent to the work
 within the major in an accredited degree program.
 
 There are five classes of member, Student, Graduate Student, Faculty,
 Staff, and Alumnus.  Graduate Student status is open only to those who
 have received Graduate, Adept, or Doctor degrees.  Faculty status is
 open only to Adepts and Doctors.  Student status is open to all Twilight
 Crossing members and school staff.  Staff members do not have to be
 Twilight Crossing members.

 The Hell-Goat Tribe
 -------------------
 
 Satan, Set, Pan, Ahriman, Loki, Maya, Typhon, Ba'al, Eblis, Hadit --
 all these demonic tricksters are faces of the enemy: abhorred, carcicatured,
 misunderstood; but in themselves sharply and sexily illumined in the red
 light of blood and lava, the ever-flowing sustenance of beasts and earth.
 
 Caves grow warmer and more familiar with depth.  Don't fear to explore
 wisdom that suits no tyrant's convenience.  Learn that friend and enemy
 are the same.  Experience why St. John feared the Beast in humanity,
 why the Serpent is the guardian of knowledge, and what fruit he guards.
 Discover the universe described in chalk and paint, barbaric chants,
 and ceremonies and sacrifices.  Tear down the veil upon the sanctuary.
 
 Work by yourself or in the company of others.  Trade the fruits of
 vision quests and scholarly study through the tribal newsletter,
 "ha-Satan".  Reclaim the Satanic myth of witchcraft from sweetness
 and lighters and self-impressed fascists alike.
 
 PROJECT ASSEMBLIES
 ==================
 
 Project assemblies are pragmatic activist and reporting groups.  They
 are focused on projects to concretely improve the human condition
 by opposing or escaping some form of oppression.  Each has a simple,
 broad statement of the human rights or other principles with which
 they are particularly concerned.
 
 Projects of such groups could be reports, letter-writing campaigns,
 protest rallies, computer network debate, pamphlets, boycotts, and
 other rational, ethical, and effective activist tactics.
 
 The founding project assemblies admit non-members of Twilight Crossing.
 
 Occult Civil Rights Assembly
 ----------------------------
 
 OCRA will provide a general internal human rights watchdog for occultism.
 This group opposes discrimination and other violations of civil liberties
 within the broad spectrum of occult groups, using the Universal Declaration
 of Human Rights as a yardstick.  It is expected to monitor such problems
 dispassionately even when they occur in Twilight Crossing itself.
 
 Peaceful protests may be aimed at drawing attention to problems.
 Outreach meetings with discriminatory groups will be sponsored.
 
 Publications will provide information about the causes and scope of
 problems, and show common ground between different paths.  OCRA will
 publish the periodic watchdog report called "Cerebus".
 
 Huntwatch
 ---------
 
 This group monitors and reports on modern witch-hunts aimed at alternative
 religions.  It provides a file of reports on various witch-hunts and
 witch-hunters, available in both electronic and printed form, to
 members and non-members alike.  Information contained in this file will be
 confined to witch-hunters' public statements and writings and documented
 involvement in various witchhunts.  It may also provide Huntwatch members
 as spokespersons in media inquiries concerning witch-hunting.
 
 Sysops for Free Speech
 ----------------------
 
 This group is effectively an alliance with the existing informal group
 of computer network system operators.  Its goal is to promote freedom of
 expression and thought on both publically and privately held computer
 networks, to keep records of cases where that freedom was denied, to
 organize letter-writing campaigns against abuses, to provide free network
 outlets (especially where they are most needed), to boycott damaging
 opponents of freedom, and to help create voluntary social codes of
 behavior, politeness, honesty, and freedom which will allow computer
 networks to fulfill their potential.
 
 ALLIANCE ASSEMBLIES
 ===================
 
 Alliance assemblies have multiple citizenship.  They are both assemblies
 of Twilight Crossing, and bodies of some other group with interests
 related to those of the Crossing.  Each may decide whether to admit
 members who are already members of only one, more than one, or all
 of the parent groups.
 
 Alliances with many other groups would be welcomed.  Such groups should
 however have sympathy with the principles of Twilight Crossing.
 
 Because of the myth that Hekati appears at the joining of three roads,
 groups with triple citizenship are given the honorific "three-ways".
 
 INTERNAL SERVICE ASSEMBLIES
 ===========================

 These assemblies are composed of people committed to providing certain
 services important to the functioning of Twilight Crossing.  Each internal
 service assembly, due to its closeness to the basic dynamics and powers
 inherent in the organization, promises not to vote as an assembly, and
 to withdraw itself from participation in all matters directly touching on
 its status or offering other conflicts of interest, such as votes to create
 rivals or dissolve the assembly.
 
 ISA's have more clients than members; the members are the administrators,
 while the clients are the members and the assemblies who register for the
 service, such as membership, voting, subscribing, or attending.  ISA's
 do not have any members who are not members of Twilight Crossing.
 
 Any Internal Service Assembly may request dues or fees from its voluntary
 client base to cover its costs; such dues etc. requests are voted on by the
 Crossing as a whole.  Any ISA may waive dues or fees on the grounds of
 poverty and all are expected to do so when applicable.  (For most
 assemblies, dues and fees are internal matters.)
 
 ISA's may be replaced, supplemented, or dissolved by the membership of
 Twilight Crossing.  Members of service assemblies may also be replaced,
 supplemented or dismissed as assembly members by the membership of
 Twilight Crossing.  (This would not be considered the prerogative of
 people outside most assemblies; it is a check on the power of ISA's.)
 
 Internal Service Assemblies have boring names to discourage egotism.
 Their internal titles should also be boring.

 Membership Assembly
 -------------------
 
 Keeps membership roll and mailroom, and provides membership verification
 services for assemblies.

 This assembly asserts unique authority to perform these services on
 behalf of Twilight Crossing, whose members have duly constituted it as
 an assembly for that purpose.
 
 This assembly should not be considered dissolved unless the Crossing as
 a whole is  dissolved, or a replacement is in place.  All Twilight Crossing
 members are clients of this assembly.

 Treasury Assembly
 ------------------
 
 Solicits and broadcasts annual monetary reports from all assemblies.
 Helps coordinate fund-raising and the collection of dues and fees.
 Proposes, submits to popular vote, and executes projects which are
 generally beneficial to Twilight Crossing, such as securing lasting
 meeting space and publishing equipment.  (Assemblies may have their
 own such holdings supported by their membership.  The Treasury
 Assembly only deals with inter-assembly shareable resources.  All
 Twilight Crossing members are clients of this assembly.

 First Election Assembly
 -----------------------

 Notifies its clients of issues being balloted, collects and authenticates
 their responses, and broadcasts the results.  Accepts no clients who are
 clients of any other election assembly.

 Second Election Assembly
 ------------------------

 Notifies its clients of issues being balloted, collects and authenticates
 their responses, and broadcasts the results.  Accepts no clients who are
 clients of any other election assembly.

 Newsletter Assembly -------------------
 
 Edits and publishes a newsletter intended to reach all Twilight Crossing
 members.  All assemblies and all members are encouraged to submit material
 to the newsletter.
 
 The NA promises that no material from members will be rejected on the
 grounds of its ideology, only on grounds of artistic (de-)merit or
 illegality.
 
 Banquet Assembly
 ----------------
 
 Organizes an annual gathering of Twilight Crossing members and assemblies.
 It recommends (but can't require) at least one delegate from every assembly.
 All members and assemblies are welcome, as are friendly non-members.
 
 The purpose of the annual crossing of the roads is to maintain human contact
 between the diverse elements of Twilight Crossing -- in part based on the
 theory that it is harder to demonize a personal acquaintance; in part just
 to have fun, swap thoughts, learn things, and meet people.
 
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