Media Image of Mensa

* Re “Cupid, an Honorary Member of Mensa,” Feb. 13.

The article by Scott Harris lampooning Mensa has some accuracies but misses the point entirely. The media image of us as geeks busy diddling our counterparts of the opposite sex makes entertaining copy but denigrates an organization of immense value to its members . . . and drives off those unknowing “couple of million” who could benefit from membership.

We often find that only within our own society can we relax and be ourselves; let off steam, so to speak. We accept each other’s foibles and follies, whereas the general society glosses them over and pretends publicly that they do not exist. For ourselves, we constitute a mutual protection association. Those like us out there in the cold just don’t know what the benefits are, and are not likely to, so long as you in the media misrepresent us.

And the media do misrepresent us. Harris cites the bashing we took recently over an article in our regional newsletter, Lament, purporting to recommend the extermination of the “homeless, among others not deemed fit to live.”

Lament, like all our publications, presents the views of its individual members, who span the entire sociopolitical / philosophic spectrum to all extremes; not those of Mensa, which has no opinions. Our international constitution and bylaws bar Mensa from opinions. And Lament belongs to those members. It is their property and its pages are open to them. Political correctness in their personal perspectives is not a factor.

HENRY MILLER

Winnetka

Miller is chairman of the board of directors of Greater Los Angeles Area Mensa.

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