Bylaws

COMMUNITY OF EIGHT

By-laws

                   Copyright © 2022 – Community of Eight 

TABLE OF CONTENTS ABOUT US
•    Vision
•    Mission
•    Who We Are
•    Three Principals of Community of Eight
•    Oath
ORGANIZATIONAL CONSTRUCT
•    Community Council
•    By-Laws Modifications
•    Disciplinary Review
•    Performance Review
•    Order Of Succession
•    Leave Of Absence
•    Tiers
•    Titles And Duties
•    Community Tier
•    Zone Tier
•    County Tier
COMMUNICATIONS
•    Communication Methods
•    Video Conference Calls

DONATIONS
•    Member Donations
•    Donation Disbursement  

MEMBERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION
•    Potential Members
•    Age Requirement
•    Felons
•    Mental Illness
•    Recruiting
•    Vetting
•    Probationary Members
•    Invalidated Persons
•    Disciplinary Action
•    Appeals Process
•    Events And Meetings
ORGANIZATIONAL FOCUS AREAS
•    Training And Education
•    Political Activism
•    Community Outreach
•    Public Relations
•    Tools For Success
MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES
•    Areas Of Operation
•    Individual Focus Areas

ABOUT US

VISION

Community of Eight is an organization focused on creating a local eight county network that strengthens and aids communities and individuals. We help shape the future by preserving, protecting, and defending our country’s founding principles.  These are the rights guaranteed by the Constitution and endowed by our Creator: Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

MISSION

Our Mission to accomplish our Vision includes: 

1.    Providing a framework to grow our organization with local recruitment campaigns and increased inter-organizational communications.

2.    Focusing on the education of our community regarding the Constitution, political arena, local laws, preparation, and self-preservation.

3.    Increased involvement in community outreach events - including disaster preparedness and response for people in need.

VALUES

Integrity - We are accountable for our actions and always act with the highest level of honesty.

Balance - We understand the foundations of family are the reason for everything we do, family always comes first.

Teamwork - We are driven to work cohesively with a common purpose, as “One team - One Mission”.

Courtesy, Dignity, and Respect - We hold all whom we volunteer and communicate with to the highest standards of courtesy, dignity, and respect.

WHO WE ARE

Community of Eight is a local organization of patriotic citizens who love their country, freedom, and liberty. We are committed to standing against and exposing corruption, injustice, and tyranny.

Our area of operations includes the Ohio counties of Carroll, Columbiana, Mahoning, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, and Tuscarawas.

We have meetings locally each month. These meetings are to help members network together and to learn from each other. Being a member of Community of Eight is more of a way of life rather than a club to join, as such, there are no membership fees or dues. We will not charge people to participate in a movement that defends civil liberties, however, some events may be held at facilities that require admission. These can be paid individually, as a group, or through legal means of fundraising. 

Operational costs (Website hosting, forum, domains, etc.) are paid for privately by the Community President, with aide from voluntary member donations. Mostly, we are an “open-source community” meaning we help each other and try not to rely on third parties or institutions that cost money for our operations. We consist exclusively of volunteers and no member at any level is on any payroll provided by our organization.

Our website can be found at www.communityofeight.com.

3 PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY OF EIGHT

All members must abide by the following principles. Anyone who cannot accept these principles as a self-imposed discipline are not welcome in this organization

1.    Moral Strength - Knowing what is right and wrong and acting accordingly. Being trustworthy, truthful, and holding high values and principles. Strength to stand up when something is morally wrong.

2.    Physical Readiness - Physical readiness is considered the ability to meet the physical demands of any task to accomplish the objective at hand. There are some members that have disabilities that prevent them from meeting physical demands and for these there is an exception.

3.    No First Use of Force - We are not the aggressor nor antagonist. We are purely defensive and only as a last resort.
OATH
We ask all members take and keep the following oath under all circumstances:
"I,    , do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same.”
Any member who is prior or current military/law enforcement should always remember, reflect, and abide by the sworn oath they took. We also propose that these individuals who are current military and/or law enforcement take and keep the following oath under all circumstances:
1.    I will NOT obey orders to disarm the American people.
2.    I will NOT obey orders to conduct unconstitutional searches of the American people
3.    I will NOT obey orders to detain American citizens as “unlawful enemy combatants” or to subject them to military tribunal.
4.    I will NOT obey orders to impose unjustified martial law or a “state of emergency” on a state.
5.    I will NOT obey orders to invade and subjugate any state that asserts its sovereignty.
6.    I will NOT obey any order to blockade American cities and thus turning them into giant concentration camps/civilian war zones.
7.    I will NOT obey any order to force American citizens into any form of detention camps under ANY pretext.
8.    I will NOT obey orders to assist or support the use of any foreign troops on U.S. soil against the American people to “keep the peace” or to “maintain control."
9.    I will NOT obey any orders to confiscate the property of the American people, including food and other essential supplies.
10.    I will NOT obey any orders which infringe on the right of the people to free speech, to peaceably assemble, and to petition their government for a redress of grievances.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONSTRUCT

COMMUNITY COUNCIL

The Community Council is composed of the Community President, Community Vice President, all Community level Officers and Zone Leaders. The Community Council primarily exists for three purposes. The first is to amend, add to, or delete from our organization’s by-laws. The second is to ensure proper conduct of Leadership, and when appropriate, pass sentence through a disciplinary review. The third is to review performance issues with leaders on the Community and Zone levels. Zone Councils are to be constructed after the previously mentioned manner and should conduct performance reviews and pass disciplinary actions on County Tier Leaders, as well as hold performance reviews and disciplinary actions for leaders and members within their Zone.
The following describes the procedures to be followed for each function: 
BY-LAW MODIFICATIONS

-    The Community Council will meet annually to consider modifications to the by-laws. The Community President can at any time call a special session for emergency reasons, or the adoption of things such as Standard Operating Procedures, as they become necessary when new programs come into being.
-    Each suggested modification must have a sponsor and three co-sponsors to be added to the docket for consideration.
-    All modifications must receive a 2/3 majority vote to be adopted.
-    All new policy additions or modifications to existing policy must receive a 2/3 majority vote to be adopted.
-    Administrative modifications to the by-laws do not require a vote.

DISIPLINARY REVIEW

-    Any Member of the Community Council may initiate the process when they feel a legitimate issue has arisen with a leader that is either inconsistent with the values of our organization, in direct violation of our by-laws, or is harmful to our cause or public image. The Council Member should make their concerns known to the Community President or Community Vice President in writing along with all applicable details pertaining to the situation.
-    The Community President and/or Community Vice President will initiate an investigation into the matter. This will either be done personally or by members appointed by them. Upon reviewing the evidence collected a decision will be made on whether to proceed with convening the council to preside over the matter.
-    If needed, the Community Council will be convened, and the evidence will be presented. Disciplinary action will be taken if 2/3 of the Council finds wrongdoing. Disciplinary action will be in accordance with the policy laid out in ‘Disciplinary Action’ section of the by-laws.

PERFORMANCE REVIEW

Any Member of the Community Council may initiate the process of a performance review when they feel such a review is for a leader (Zone Tier and above) whose performance has been lacking. The Council Member should make their concerns known to the Community President or Community Vice President in writing along with all applicable details pertaining to the situation.
-    The Community President and/or Community Vice President will initiate and review the performance and decide whether to proceed with convening the council to preside over the review.
-    
If needed, the Community Council will convene, and a review will take place. Evidence against the accused will be presented. The accused will have 12 hours after notification of the review to present a rebuttal in writing to ensure both sides of the story have been heard. Action will be taken if 2/3 of the Council finds performance has been lacking. Action can consist of initiating a probationary period (length will be determined by the Community Council) with additional counsel given, or immediate removal of leadership position. The accused will receive a form notifying them of the council’s decision and their right to appeal. If the review has been conducted on the Zone level a report will be submitted to the Community Council informing them of the details and outcome of the trial.  The main tier leader (i.e., Community President for the Community Council, Zone Leader for the Zone Council) oversees reviews and conducting all official meetings and discussions with the council of that tier. This leader has the power to call the council to order if council members become unruly, and to remove a problematic council member from any meeting if necessary. This leader will also serve as the liaison between the person on trial and the council. They will ask the person on trial for their rebuttal and any further questions the council has, and in the end inform the person on trial of the council’s decision by giving them the final report that will also inform them of their right to appeal and the process to do so. Council members will not communicate with the accused during this process. After the trial, council members are not to discuss how council members voted, nor disclose details and information that was discussed during the trial. Breach of this rule will be treated as malicious and a 2nd degree offense.

Zone Councils should follow the format and design of the Community Council as described in this section when deciding its council members as well as how to perform disciplinary and performance reviews.

If a review is needed for a tier that has not been established yet or is unavailable the case will go up to the next tier. In the case of former community and zone officers, the Community Council reserves the right to claim jurisdiction to conduct these disciplinary reviews.

Main Tier Leaders can remove leaders from their roles in tiers directly below them for lack of performance without a formal performance review if deemed necessary.

 ORDER OF SUCCESSION

We will ensure that our organization becomes a legacy we pass down to future generations. To that end the following will clearly outline the procedure to be followed in the event of the Community Leaders death or incapacitation.

In the event the Community President becomes incapacitated, the Community Vice President will assume all authority, duties, and responsibility, but not assume the title until such time as there is no reasonable expectation of the Community President being able to resume responsibility. In the event of the Community President’s death, the Community Vice President will immediately assume the Community President’s role. Should the Community Vice President’s position be vacant at the time of Community President’s death/incapacitation, the Community Training Officer will convene and preside over the Community Council, which will choose a new Community President.
If any leader becomes incapacitated, unable to perform their duties, or is removed from the organization, the following will apply:
County: Zone Leaders will directly appoint new County leaders as required. If there is no active Zone Leader, the remaining Zone Council and/or the Community Council will make County appointments.
Zone: Zone Leaders may be directly appointed by Community Council as required. The Zone members may also conduct an election to appoint a replacement Zone Leader and the majority consensus vote will rule. Any election process must be facilitated and certified by the Community Council.
Community: Community Leaders will be nominated and elected by the Community members and the remaining Community Council members; the majority consensus vote will rule. The election process will be facilitated and certified by the Community Council.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

A leave of absence may be requested if needed and reviewed for approval by the Community Council.   An interim replacement may be appointed if necessary.

TIERS

This organization has 3 tiers. Though not all 3 tiers may be activated, they will be as membership increases. Each tier is expressly designed to be a support for the tier leaders and members in the tier directly beneath them. The tiers are as follows:

-Community
---Zone
-----County

Community Tier - Contains 2 Zones.

Zone Tier - Contains 4 Counties.  Zone 1 (northern zone) will contain Mahoning, Portage, Summit, and Trumbull Counties.  Zone 2 (southern zone) will contain Carrol, Columbiana, Stark, and Tuscarawas Counties.

County Tier - Contains 1 County.

TITLES AND DUTIES
As with any organization there are primary points of contact that have insight into specific areas of responsibility. These are what we refer to as our Leaders and Officers. They are the people with the knowledge to guide their members in their role.
For conflict-of-interest reasons, leaders and representatives in our organization are not permitted to be leaders or representatives in other, similar organizations, however there is no issue with participating as members in those organizations.

The following are the titles and duties for each position within the organization:

COMMUNITY TIER

Community President (CP) - Is responsible for overseeing and ensuring the overall health of the entire organization through operations, development, management, and public relations. The Community President serves as the head of the Community Council and oversees all proceedings within. Specific responsibilities include overseeing and administering the organization’s server, website, forum, store, and all social media accounts that represent this organization, to include all Facebook pages and groups. Other duties include maintaining the By-Laws and Operations Manual. The Community President has sole rights to the organization’s logo. The responsibility of management and maintenance for all platforms used by this organization, such as Forums and Chat, as well as all associated costs, are the responsibility of the Community President. This is a position that requires participation and voting in Council proceedings. 

Community Vice President (CVP) - Oversees operations for Community of Eight. Specific responsibilities include oversight of Zone Leaders, as well as the Information Officers and Strategic Planning.      In addition to this the Community Vice President consults with, and advises, the Community President on matters of operations. It is ultimately the responsibility of the Community Vice President to ensure that the operational goals set by the Community President are achieved. This is a position that requires participation and voting in Council proceedings.
Community Secretary/Treasurer (CST) - Works directly for the Community President and the rest of the Community Council.  Performs administrative tasks pertaining to operations of the Community as well as anything else that the Council requests help with. Maintains financial records of donations and expenditures. This is a position that requires participation and voting in Council proceedings.

Community Communications Officer (CCO) - Holds authority over and provides support for the Zone Communications Officers as well as ensuring that there is interoperability both internally and externally with the Zones. The CCO aids where needed in support of disaster response and relief for incidents within the Community. They will be responsible for creating a Community Signal Operating Instruction and ensuring that each Zone has a copy of the most current Community Signal Operating Instruction. The CCO can determine what requirements or operating procedures should be outlined and followed by each of their Zone’s COs and ensures there is a community-wide structure that all counties know how to use. This person must have a minimum of a General class HAM license. This is a position that requires participation and voting in Council proceedings. 
Community Training Officer (CTO) - Holds authority over and provides support for the Zone Training Officers. This person's focus is to work with the zones to implement a plan to practice preparedness in all definitions of the word. The CTO analyzes, organizes, and oversees any responses to civil unrest events and works with all zone tier officers to ensure proper planning of such events. This is a position that requires participation and voting in Council proceedings. 
Community Vetting Officer (CVO) - Works with the Zone Vetting Officers to ensure the vetting policies are adhered to. CVO will also ensure that new Zone vetting officers learn and understand vetting policies and procedures. This is a position that requires participation and voting in Council proceedings.
Community Public Relations Officer (CPRO) - Works with the Zone tier PROs to disseminate public relations programs for their respective zones. CPRO’s focus will be to promote political candidates, community relations, coordination with local governments and law enforcement. The CPRO must be timely in documenting and disseminating events that occur locally and sharing the resulting information with zone PROs and the Community members as required.  This is a position that requires participation and voting in Council proceedings.
Community Information Officer (CIO) - Provides guidance and support for the zones on Intelligence matters. The CIO oversees the Zone Information Officers and ensures coordination between the zones regarding intelligence matters. The CIO also facilitates communication between the Zone Information Officers. The CIO assigns tasks to the Zone Information Officers based on requests from Community Leadership.  This is a position that requires participation and voting in Council proceedings.

ZONE TIER
Zone Leader (ZL) - Aids and assists the Community Vice President and is responsible for the zone they have been appointed to. Responsibilities of a zone lead include planning regular meeting and training events, updating zone rosters, and assisting the Community Leadership as needed. Organizational and excellent social skills are highly recommended. This is a position that requires participation and voting in Community Council proceedings.
Zone Assistant Leader (ZAL) - Aids and assists the Zone leader and is responsible for the zone they have been appointed to. Responsibilities of a zone asst. lead include aiding in planning regular meeting and training events, updating zone rosters, and assisting zone leadership as needed.
Zone Secretary (ZS) - Works directly with the Zone leader and performs administrative tasks pertaining to operations of the zone.
Zone Communications Officer (ZCO) - Responsible for ensuring that all communications within the zone align with the Community plans to ensure interoperability between Zones. They will provide communications support to the zone membership. They will also promote the goal of having all zone members obtain a Technician class Amateur Radio license at a minimum. They will plan and support communications exercises in their zone. This position will require a minimum of a General Class HAM license.
Zone Public Relations Officer (ZPRO) - Works with the Zone Lead and CPRO to disseminate public relations programs for their respective zone. ZPRO’s focus will be to promote political candidates, community relations, coordination with local governments and law enforcement. The ZPRO must be timely in documenting and disseminating events that occur within the zone and sharing the resulting information with the CROs and the zone members as required.
Zone Training Officer (ZTO) - Collaborates with the Zone Leader to develop, plan, and train members based on zone needs. Must have excellent documentation, communications, and training skills with previous class facilitation experience.
Zone Vetting Officer (ZVO) - Works with the Zone Leader and CVO to ensure vetting policies are adhered to and conducts the zones vetting interviews to determine membership for the zone.
Zone Information Officer (ZIO) - Provides Intelligence support to the Zone Leadership and will be the primary point of contact within the zone for all intelligence matters. They will be responsible for monitoring zone and Local legislative initiatives that may be of interest to, or impact upon the membership in their zone. They will also be the primary collection points for information regarding direct and indirect threats to their membership or to the Community. Will often contact their CIO to share or verify information. 

(County titles can be found below and the descriptions will mimic those found on the Zone level.)

COUNTY TIER

County Leader (“County” L)

County Assistant Leader (“County” AL)

County Communications Officer (“County” CO)

County Information Officer (“County” IO)

MEMBER
 A law-abiding citizen who is dedicated to meeting with fellow members in their County, District, and Zone to:
•    Be prepared to support and defend their family and homes
•    Support and defend their Neighborhood/City/County.
•    Support the Constitution

COMMUNICATIONS

COMMUNICATION METHODS
 The Community of Eight Discord server is our primary method of communication.  Individual text messages or group texts are acceptable as a secondary method of communication.

VIDEO CONFERENCE CALLS
We highly encourage all Community, Zone or County leaders to hold video conference calls with their leadership and/or members if applicable. Zoom has proven to be a stable platform for video calls.

DONATIONS

MEMBER DONATIONS
Membership in this organization is voluntary and without dues or fees to its members.  Voluntary donations from members will be accepted to help cover operating costs or for the purchase of training materials and/or supplies.  Donation records will be kept and audited at every meeting.  Two members will perform such audit and sign the ledger.

DONATION DISPURSMENT
When an expenditure arises, the prospect of using donation funds will be discussed by Zone Council.  If the decision is made that the expenditure is in the best interest and benefit of Community of Eight members, the proposed expenditure will be voted on by the Council.  A vote of 2/3 for the expenditure will be required for a funds disbursement.  Receipts for all expenditures will be required and will be retained with the ledger.

MEMBERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION

POTENTIAL MEMBERS
Potential members must first fill out a membership application and go through a vetting process. There are no membership fees or dues. Membership in this organization is reserved for those who read, understand, and abide by the rules, principles, and views as described in this documented framework. Vetting will be performed by the Community President, Community Vice President, or Community Vetting Officer, with the face-to-face portion of the vetting process being performed by the Zone Leader or Zone Vetting Officer. Participation is actively encouraged and all willing able-bodied men and women who are of sound mind are invited to participate. Everyone has different skills and backgrounds that can be brought to the table to benefit the group. Children can participate at family friendly events.
AGE REQUIREMENT
Community of Eight is not just supportive of family, we are a family. We encourage family friendly meetings where spouses and children can attend. However, for the safety of all involved the following guidelines will be followed regarding minors (under the age of 18) attending this organization’s functions:
No one under the age of 18 is eligible for membership.

Minors of all ages are welcome at non-training events such as, meet and greets, barbecues, and community outreach functions. Minors of appropriate age are allowed at training events. The appropriate age is subject to change depending on the type of training being conducted. This will be at the discretion of the tier leader and the tier training officer that will be conducting the training. It is suggested that if the member wishes their child to participate in the training that they first attend some of the family friendly events so leaders may get to know the child and get a better idea of what training events they could safely attend. The minor must be accompanied and supervised by parent, grandparent, or legal guardian always during training events.
FELONS
Those with non-violent and non-sexual felonies can participate with us, however, must declare they are such to the Community President, CVO, Zone Leader, and County Leader. They are not allowed to participate in any meeting where firearms are present. We HIGHLY encourage each felon to seek to get their felony expunged. Felons are not allowed to hold any leadership position in this organization. They especially are not allowed to talk to any news outlet or to represent this organization in any fashion.

MENTAL ILLNESS
Community of Eight, as an organization, holds physical and mental fitness as being one of the most important things that a member must always maintain. With that being said, we understand some members may have various challenges with mental fitness that they face every day. This is not a dis-qualifier for becoming a member or participating in Community of Eight events. Just like any other medical condition, we hold that it is important to work towards establishing and maintaining the highest degree of fitness that is achievable.
While a mental health condition is not something that would prevent someone from being a member, a leader, or participating in various events, the display of certain behaviors can be. For example, displaying agitation and potential for violence towards others is not a behavior we could allow at a firearms training exercise. As another example, displaying poor judgment and decision making because of paranoia is not a behavior we can allow from our leaders. In being sensitive to this, while working to maintain safety and effectiveness of our members and organization, we utilize three tiers of participation.
If a Community Leader or Zone Leader, based on an individual’s display of behaviors, has sufficient cause for concern that an individual may pose a risk of harming others or the organization, the Community Leader or Zone Leader may temporarily bar that individual from participating in specific activities and/or serving in leadership roles. This shall be done with the agreement of the leader’s next in command.
The concerned leader shall inform the individual of their concern and what would be expected of that individual for them to resume participation in barred activities. The leader shall also convey to the individual that being barred from specific activities is not a punishment, but to ensure the safety of others, the organization, and the individual. The leader shall support the individual in their efforts to resolve any issues contributing to their display of concerning behaviors.

RECRUITING

Recruiting is best done face to face, though not required. Only invite those who you think you can trust and who you feel would make a great member. Those who are anti-government, racist, violent, etc. are not allowed. The first recruiting focus of each member should be to recruit family members, friends, and neighbors, as they are the easiest to recruit. The second focus should be to recruit those people you see in person or on social media that have the same ideals that we have in this organization. If you notice someone who has a patriotic sticker on their vehicle, walk up and talk to them. Look for quality members that will help our image and not loose cannons that are wanting to incite a revolution.
The best way to attract new members is to tell them about the organization. We will be providing templates that can be used for distributing information about our group and bringing people to our online resources. From there, the vetting and networking process for members and leaders can begin. Some of these templates include business cards with contact information listed, pamphlets that provide some insight on our group and objectives, and flyers that can draw people to meets and events.

VETTING
Community President, Community Vise President, Community Vetting Officer, Zone Leaders, and Zone Vetting Officers have full discretion to accept or reject any applicant for this organization. Vetting Officers should only accept applicants who they feel are upstanding, law-abiding citizens who will benefit the organization.
Applicants must be fully vetted before being allowed access to the Discord page. Typically, applicants should be vetted within 14 calendar days. The following is the standardized vetting process:
1. Community President (CP) or Community Vetting Officer (CVO) reviews pending applications and performs an initial fitness evaluation by reviewing any available social media platforms and by using any other legal means of determining the applicant's fitness for membership.
a)    Site 1: https://intelius.com (criminal background check)
b)    Site 2: Whatever local court system is available if any (criminal history check)
c)    Site 3: https://dockets.justia.com (Federal case search)
d)    Site 4: Simple google.com search of NAME + DOB
e)    Site 5: Social Media profile (group affiliations, or anything that would raise concerns) (Or, if not on social media, in place of e):
2. CP or CVO contacts the applicant and, puts them in contact with their Zone Leader (ZL) or Zone Vetting Officer (ZVO) to conduct a face-to-face or video conference call interview. A phone call cannot be utilized for this step.                                                                                                             
3.       If applicant passes the face-to-face or video conference call interview, the ZL or ZVO ensures the applicant is added to the appropriate communication platforms and notifies the CVO to add the applicant to the state roster, and other communication platforms. The applicant is now considered a Probationary member of Community of Eight organization.

PROBATIONARY MEMBER
Newly vetted members will be considered “probationary” for their first 90 days.  They will need to attend at least two meetings/trainings in that 90-day period to become a “full” member.  If they fail to attend the required number of meetings/trainings in the allotted time, they will be removed from the organization.  A full member can also be placed in probationary status under a disciplinary action.  While in probationary status, the member can participate in all events except those containing live weapons fire.

INVALIDATED PERSONS
Any candidate who lies during the vetting process, any felon that fails to follow the rules laid out in this document for felons, and/or any person who has underlying motives that do not align with our views will be removed and permanently banned from our organization immediately.
 If at any time any member feels an individual’s views are not in alignment with the views expressed in this document, that member should seek out a leader immediately and report said person. If an individual is trying to act in our name and their actions are not aligned with our views and principles, we will take actions to make all aware that this individual does not represent our organization. If any member feels another member is a credible threat to themselves or others, that member should contact local authorities or 911 or federal authorities immediately.

DISCIPLINARY ACTION

Or organization requires members and leaders alike to be trustworthy and honorable individuals. Anyone who does not follow our by-laws and the rules within is subjected to disciplinary action by their first-line leader. There are two degrees of offenses:

1st Degree = non-malicious offense. Disciplinary action: Warning given, and corrective action taken if need be.

2nd Degree = malicious offense. Disciplinary action: Immediate dismissal from our organization and corrective action taken if need be.

Corrective Action examples: The leader deletes the member’s offending post. The leader makes a statement regarding the offense of the member and denouncing his or her actions.

Rules subjected to 1st Degree Offense:
Posting spam
Openly arguing with a leader, admin, or moderator 
Sharing your account non-maliciously
Posting porn, unnecessarily graphic images or comments, or anything else not safe for work Posting copyrighted material
Solicitation or advertising

Rules subjected to 2nd Degree Offense:
Name calling, insulting, and attacking other members or leaders in public or private 
OPSEC violations
Sharing your account maliciously 
Threatening violence or harassment 
Talking of overthrowing the government
 Racism or discrimination
Lying during vetting process
 Stolen valor
Physically being an aggressor or antagonist
 Targeting innocents
Undermining or defaming the organization, movement, or leaders in public or private 
Illicit use of controlled substances 
Any action that has malicious intent

Intent: If the first-line leader determines the intent was malicious (i.e., the member/leader knew the rule but intended to break it to do harm to a leader, our organization, or this movement) then any 1st Degree rule can be upgraded to a 2nd Degree offense. 2nd Degree rules are not subjected to the intent of the member/leader, as they have already been deemed a malicious offense. Members can commit multiple 1st Degree offenses without being upgraded to a 2nd Degree offense, however this is left up to the discretion of the first-line leader.

APPEALS PROCESS

Should any member feel that they were subjected to an unfair disciplinary action they may appeal the decision by contacting the leader over their first-line leader, at which point the disciplinary action taken will undergo a review.

EVENTS AND MEETINGS

Events and meetings are what unify and build trust on a local level. It’s all about networking and knowing who you can trust in emergency situations. Events and meetings for members are determined by their tier leaders and should involve state and zone training officers. Meetings should focus on building skills and preparing members for an emergency. Alternate events could include organizing protests, reviewing political candidates, creating petitions, disaster relief/cleanup, security details, and supporting local authorities. The meetings do not have to be taught by the tier leaders or training officers. We encourage letting members teach each other and to always have a trainer be certified in the skill set they are teaching when applicable. For instance, if a training event will be firearms training, the trainer should be a certified firearms instructor. We encourage tier leaders to find out the skills and knowledge that’s within the group and have the members teach each other when possible. Focus areas should be the driving factor of these events and meetings.
Though attending all meetings is not mandatory for membership, we will require members to remain active on Discord and attend at least 3 meetings every 6 months. We understand that not all our members are physically able, and some have disabilities that prevent them from traveling and attending training events. Everyone, no matter who you are and what your background is, can have a role in this organization. We need everyone from cooks, journalists, and HAM radio operators to firearms instructors, doctors, and lawyers.

ORGANIZATIONAL FOCUS AREAS

TRAINING AND EDUCATION
Members should seek to acquire the following basic skills:
•    Fundamentals of firearm safety
•    Entry level/advanced knowledge of Radio operations and Comms (recommend HAM licensing)
•    Develop a physical fitness/physical preparedness plan (maintain awareness of personal limitations and personal improvement)
•    Basic First Aid/Advanced First Aid/CPR (develop advanced medical personnel/field medics). The American Red Cross has lots of info on these topics and even holds classes.
•    Develop basic understanding of land navigation/GPS/Topographical maps and ability to use a compass
•    Basic survival and food preservation skills
In addition to these skills, all members should know and understand the U.S. Constitution in its entirety, especially your rights and your limitations. It is highly recommended to study The Federalist Papers, which describe the context and intent of the Constitution. For legality's sake, all members should be familiar with Federal, State, and Local laws for where they work, live, and interact.

POLITICAL ACTIVISM
Here are a few things you can do to make a difference lawfully:
•    Educate yourself on the Constitution. The entire document and all the amendments.
•    Educate yourself on laws; current, past, and future. Are there laws about to pass in your town that you are unaware of? Should they be passing without protest?
•    Do not take someone’s word for what laws or executive actions/orders may be coming down- research for yourself.
•    Ensure that you search credible sites to get the true text in any law. Search https://whitehouse.gov and choose the section Presidential Actions to read text on any action/order the president takes.
•    Think a law/action/order is unconstitutional? Then start a petition. Work actively to get signatures and convince people why your cause matters to them.
•    Actively participate in all elections that you have a voice in. Learn who your federal, state, and local representatives are, and contact them regularly. What do they stand for and when is their term up?

•    Know who is running for your next Sheriff, Mayor, Senator, etc. (Keep in mind your Sheriff is the supreme law of the land and has the power to kick the Feds out if their actions are unconstitutional.) Try attending meets they host so you can see for yourself what type of leader they will be within your community. Will these people represent your ideals?
•    Peacefully protest and peacefully counter protest; we are many in number and numbers speak loudly. If you see something happening in your community that is wrong, then use your constitutional rights to create and organize a rally for your cause, or a protest of your grievances. Invite, advertise, and share so you can have a show of force. Strength is in our numbers.

Write your officials, call and/or email them with your thoughts. Don’t just let them know that you are upset, explain to them why you're upset, why it is unjust and immoral and how it affects those in your community. Don’t be afraid to meet them and discuss your grievances personally.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Part of being a member of a community, means contributing to it and knowing who can be counted on when disaster strikes. We want to focus on assisting our community in one way or another; flood clean-up, sandbagging, food donation and collection, tornado clean-up and even search and rescue. These are just a few ways we can contribute to our community.  We must create a good public image and show the public what Community of Eight is. Our actions speak louder than any words we speak.

We are expected to:
•    Be a dependable member of our community. Make sure your neighbors know you will watch out for them. Lead a neighborhood watch program.
•    Support local law enforcement by letting them know the Community of Eight supports them in constitutional service.
•    Volunteer when your schedule permits - schools, places of worship, community centers; many ways to help your fellow Americans.
•    Assist local authorities when appropriate; anything from sandbagging efforts and disaster relief, to search and rescue operations.

Be the change you want to see. Practice what you preach.

PUBLIC RELATIONS
Being a member of Community of Eight should be considered a full-time job. It means representing the organization wherever you are. It’s not just about how we think and act, it’s part of situational awareness; how are we viewed publicly. You may say to yourself that you don't care how others look at you, if this is the case, then you are doing the organization a disservice and turning away potential support.
Here are some things to remember when interacting with the public:
•    Stand for the rights of all Americans, all races, all religions, all genders, and creeds. There will be times we disagree with a value but if we are truly for the constitution then we stand for the rights of all.
•    Dress appropriately. Wear clothes that are comfortable but that are clean and of the correct size. Dress for the occasion. Don’t wear full kit when going to Wal-Mart. Maybe you have a permit to carry, but how will you be perceived?
•    Carry every day and everywhere you legally can (follow all laws and permit requirements). Be conscious of your surroundings and respectful of other beliefs. Would conceal carry be a better option? Do you feel that open carrying an AR is the best choice to persuade folks who already dislike guns?
•    Carry a properly holstered sidearm that is clean and in good condition. Make sure your holster works with your belt. Inspect your firearm and ammo regularly.
•    Be vigilant but be approachable for open dialogue. Avoid petty confrontations. Be the bigger man/woman and choose when to end the conversation if you feel it’s going down the wrong path.
•    Volunteer as stated above. 
•    Be active in your zone and county. Take initiative and ask leaders how you can step up and make a difference.
•    Recruit new members and work to unite others who share our beliefs.
•    Every move we make as an individual, every action we take reflects on Community of Eight as a whole. We are united and as a group our actions directly affect one another and our overall mission.

TOOLS FOR SUCCESS
Arm yourself with information. There are numerous resources available on our forums to guide members in their quest for knowledge. Additionally, members should strive to meet minimum standards determined through analysis of typical configurations of preparedness group consensus. These standards include gear and supplies, as well as preparedness plans and ideas.

MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES

AREAS OF OPERATION
It is important for members to understand where their participation is most needed. As such, members should understand an ever-expanding area in which they are responsible. This is called an Area of Operation (AO). However, it might be better understood as an “area of responsibility”.
The very first level of an AO is the individual (You). To support others, you must be able to support yourself. The basics of this can include self-defense, physical fitness, preparing for worst case situations, etc. You are the only person that is always with you, so that is where you must start your responsibilities. Your individual AO is mobile, which means it goes where you go and is always changing.
Expanding your AO slightly would align with your family and home. You are responsible for ensuring the individual preparedness of your family members and working with them. Your home is your fortress. Any issues that may arise could begin by targeting you, your family, or your home. You should make sure that you are adequately prepared to withstand an assault, whether physical or metaphorical. Another expansion of your AO is your neighborhood and community. We have a responsibility to our communities to ensure that we are ready before and after a disaster. To promote public support and to improve the image of the organization, we must begin with our communities. Media can portray whatever they want on the news, but what people see every day in their community is what will be remembered. 
Another step outward in your AO is your county. Many resources exist at the county level that can provide security at that tier. It is encouraged that all members get to know and work with their county sheriff. This is the lowest, federally recognized, elected position. It is the start of the building blocks to ensure we are acting as a people to preserve liberty.

INDIVIDUAL FOCUS AREAS
How people achieve success in the AOs is up to them. We recognize that people’s situations are all unique and we cannot answer every person’s needs individually. But we are providing a framework that all can adopt and still achieve success. This framework is based on the Minutemen construct. This is the ability for people to come to the aid of their Community, their Zone, or their County at a moment's notice. This means that everyone should be working to do several things: Create scalable Areas of Operation.
•    Individual
•    Home and or family (each person’s setup is different)
•    Neighborhood or local community
•    County
For most people, this is where the focus should stop. But this is not where the scalability stops. This is where the organizational tiers start to take effect.
Counties can call upon each other for support, and the counties on the Zone. We should be active in the political discussions in the voting districts and respective organizational levels. This scalability is critical because if members are not prepared as an individual, as a family, in their home, in their community, or in their county, then how can someone be prepared or organize for more than that?
Build a network of people who are like minded that can be called on when in need, with whom people are happy to answer a call for aid, and that can help rebuild after a disaster. The people in our community today are the same people that will be in our community after a disaster. Disaster can be floods, storms, fires, earthquakes, or even a death in the community. Make sure the community and family are as close knit as possible.
Never stop learning. If taking a break from learning, teach. It may be learning/teaching the constitution, politics, marksmanship, tactics, survival skills, woodworking, engineering, whatever. There is no guarantee that social media or online channels will be available after a catastrophe. We must always look towards preparedness. Without that, without a way to preserve our work and dedication for future generations, then we really aren’t doing anything positive.
We must be vigilant of how we allow ourselves to be perceived. This doesn’t mean we can’t express ourselves or exercise our 1st amendment rights. It means that as a member of Community of Eight we must hold ourselves to a standard. The last thing our organization can afford is for its members to be publicized in a negative light. We must conduct ourselves with professionalism. We can lose an argument, we can lose political battles, we can lose legal battles, but we must never lose sight of our place in the community.

THANK YOU
If after reading these By-Laws, you decide you would like to join us, the next step is to fill out the membership application. 
We sincerely hope that, in joining this group, you will find what you are looking for, whether it be a family of like-minded people or the opportunity to learn new skills.  Thank you for joining us and supporting our community.

Thank you, 
THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL