[sudo-discuss] need better door policy

Last night someone came to the omni and rang the doorbell. Someone inside Omni answered the door for this person, let them in, and then asked them questions like "which group are you with" and "who do you know here" and I guess the interaction didn't go ideally well. At this point I became aware of the interaction and went over, introduced myself to both people, and was reminded by the new person that we had met before at old sudoroom. I said that the problem was solved and asked each person if they needed anything else before going about their business, and they didn't. The person who opened the door apologized to the person who had been let in, and they went their seperate ways. The person who was let in may have felt that they were being questioned partially because of their race and that of the person who opened the door. They may have been right. Only a scientific study could tell us whether people are more likely to question someone of a different race in situations of power and responsibility like letting someone "in". Rather than continue such experiments, formally or informally, i suggest we accelerate toward a flat system for situations where a person rings the doorbell and the person who answers doesn't know them already. We can be very specific about the instructions and attach them to a laminated card tied near the door, so that the person being questioned knows that their treatment is 100% standard regardless of their race or appearance. The card should say something like this: If you answer the door and you don't know the person, ask them their name or nickname and which group's list they are on. You can check by typing their name / nickname into the computer near the front door, and it will tell you if they are on a list or not. (it may provide a picture or description depending on that persons' preference) If they are not on a groups' list, ask them if they are looking for someone who is present at the Omni right now. If they say yes, offer to help them find that person. (If you don't have time for this, don't answer the door) If they are not on a groups' list, and you can't find (with their help) the person whom they are looking for, you need to decide whether to host them as your guest or not. If a group you represent values community involvement, treat this as an opportunity to introduce a new person to your group by hosting them in the space while you're there. Offer them a tour of your groups' space, and tell them about the weekly meetings and how to get more involved, and how to become a member with door access (and getting their name on the list). Don't turn people away unnecessarily. If it seems appropriate, ask if they have a specific task they are trying to accomplish, such as retreiving or dropping off an item. If they want to take something, you will have to use your judgement as to whether it's OK to do so without consulting someone specific about it. Perhaps they can help you contact someone you trust over the telephone, or perhaps you believe them because their story sounds good. Just do what you think is best, and keep the person's feelings in mind when proposing an alternative, such as trying again another time. Keep in mind that when opening the door to someone without a key of their own, you are in a position of power over them. With this power comes great responsibility, and you are representing your group and the Omni collective in general to whoever is at the door. Your actions have the power to do great damage to years of community outreach, or to welcome wonderful new people who will bring more great people along with them. And remember that whatever responsibility you feel about protecting our spaces from theft of some replaceable piece of equipment is not nearly as important as your responsibility to treat each person with great respect and care as you represent your community at the Omni. Thank you, the door