The San Francisco Suicide Club Description 2/2/77
February 2, 1977
THE SAN FRANCISCO SUICIDE CLUB DESCRIPTION
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Have you ever explored a subterranean sewer at night with forty other people; climbed three stories on a swinging rope ladder to dine on the roof of a condemned building; staged practical jokes you’ve always fantasized about? No…? How about dinner at Rev. Moon’s or talking a policeman into hitting you with a pie? Well… we hadn’t either. The surviving members of the S.F. SUICIDE CLUB have agreed to EXPERIENCE THINGS THEY HAVEN’T EXPERIENCED BEFORE. In most cases they are challenges that we wouldn’t or couldn’t do alone because of the danger or need for team work. A large group also provides more investigators into the unknown, as uncovering mystery and adventure in the 20th Century requires a lot more detective work. Events generally fall into three categories: Adventures, infiltrations, and stunts. As you may notice in the above emphasized phrase, no WHY or PHILIOSOPHY is attached…
PURPOSE:
Fill in the blank yourself.
WHAT IT HAS NOT BEEN: So far, there has been no President, no voting, no meetings, no collectives, committees or consensus, no rules agreed on by everyone, no dares, no mandatory experiences. We do have initiations, but attendance at them is not required in order to participate in the club. We are neither secretive nor publicity seeking, but we also do not encourage the vicarious. Journalists or photographers must join the club and experience the events themselves in order to record them – we do not give armchair interviews.
HYSTERY:
On January 2, 1977 gale warnings were issued in San Francisco, and, at midnight, four friends unexplainedly found themselves holding onto handrails as 20 foot waves broke over them. Afterwards, they agreed they wanted to explore other such experiences in a larger group of friends. The SUICIDE CLUB was chosen as a name, based on the Robert Louis Stevenson story of a club that gamed at midnight, the losers forfeiting their lives. The name was chosen to alienate and frighten people away. It was offered in the Spring ’77 catalog of Communiversity, a San Francisco Alternative University without fees. Suicide Club initiation now follows Communiversity’s trinary catalog publications and registration on the 3rd Saturday of Feb. and June and on Halloween weekend.
The Club has two annual events: A Champagne Dinner on the Golden Gate Bridge on the last Friday of February and a MASSIVE TREASURE HUNT taking place amidst the chaos of the Chinese New Years Parade comprised of opposing teams, culminating in a water balloon and pie fight at the final destination on the last Saturday of February.
MEMBERSHIP:
The membership in the San Francisco Suicide Club is divided into three (3) separate, distinctive groups, one, associate, two, regular, and three, eternal members. To become an associate member you need only send _____ for ______ newsletters and your associate membership card, (on the back of your associate card is stamped a large ASS.) Your ASS.ociate membership card allows you to attend any of the events listed and become a regular member. To qualify for eternal membership a member must sponsor or convene an event for which they receive a Death certificate, (an event of some special achievement). Any member may convene or sponsor an event by completing and following through with the “Planned Chaos” form which are available to all members without charge.
San Francisco SUICIDE CLUB tee-shirts are available to $3.50, for anyone, member or not, who has gone on an event.
APPLICATIONS:
Application forms are your introduction to fantasy. Even if you don’t believe your ideas are realizable- Fantasize: ADVENTURES- INFILTRATIONS- STUNTS.
DECISION MAKING AND LEADERSHIP:
The individual creating an event is totally responsible for planning it and any rules to be followed. Their ideas on are not voted on, amended or censored; ultimately members vote with their feet. Convenors do write up what they feel were their mistakes in planning afterwards, if they want, and any subsequent rules they will offer for their next events as a 1) warning, or 2) assurance (depending on whether you like the rule or not). A Questionnaire- “Planned Chaos” is used for write-ups and includes the questions overlooked in the past.
RISK:
Possibility of physical injury and/or arrest is an ever-present part of many, but not all, adventures. These are not sought out and writeups usually attempt to detail their possibility and how the leader plans to avoid it. We are becoming very experienced in this area.
MAILING ADDRESS:
S.F. SUICIDE CLUB, P.O. BOX 7734,
S.F. CA. 94120
The Club maintains the MUSUEM OF THE INCONSEQUENTIAL at 451 Judah at 10th Ave., open 2-7 pm, Mon-Sat. IT is a collection of the disgusting, bizarre, and fun loving groups and events other denizens of the solar system have created.
DIVEST YOURSELF OF EXPECTATIONS SOLIDARITY IS A NECESSITY PLAY IT OUT TO THE END.