[Blindtlk] Fwd: [Nfbv-announce] Retirement of Dr. Maurer

Tue Dec 3 20:14:06 UTC 2013

Mike is right; nominations can be made from the floor; I had forgotten that.
Anyone can be campaigning right now if they so desire; they no Dr. Mauer is
retiring.  Dr. Mauer does have every right to endorse a candidate just like
the rest of us. So, ladies and gentleman, you do have your chance to be
president; get nominated from the floor.  It is not as democratic as we
would like, but the more we allow chance to enter into the presidency, the
more likely it is that our organization may weaken.  Our strength is our
solidarity.  However, there needs to be a better way for the choice of
president to not be so much like a handoff. The perception is still there,
even if nominations from the floor are possible. 

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mike
Freeman
Sent: Tuesday, December 03, 2013 3:00 PM
To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Fwd: [Nfbv-announce] Retirement of Dr. Maurer

I agree wholeheartedly with Marion's comments below and those of Lauren
Merryfield which follow his. I do not plan to say much in the ongoing
discussion. However, it seems to me that the following observations are in
order:

First, with respect to Lauren's wish for a female president, the first head
of the Jernigan Institute *was* a female -- Betsy Zaborowski. She has, alas,
passed on to a better world.

Second, I gather from the tenor of some of the remarks on this list that
there are those who do not think it was appropriate or wise for Dr. Maurer
to indicate his preferred choice as successor. If I have misconstrued any
comments here, please accept my apology in advance. However, it seems to me
that those who maintain such views place themselves between a rock and a
hard place. All of us have the right to freely express whom we would like to
see as Dr. Maurer's successor. Surely, we would not then deny Dr. Maurer the
same right to express his views. That would be a denial of *his* right of
free speech.

Third, I believe that those who advocate term limits for NFB officers (or
officers of any other entity, for that matter) must deal with some logical
contradictions inherent in the concept of term limits.

If we grant that there is a possibility of choosing whichever candidate
receives the most votes in the upcoming election, we are then faced with the
tacit implication that the electorate is not sufficiently wise to make its
own choice and, therefore, that the choices must be limited by a term limit.
If we do not grant this point, we are faced with the admission that a person
cannot be freely elected, even if he/she should garner a majority of the
vote. I find this position untenable in that nominations are *always* sought
from the floor three times for each office even though the nominating
committee has made a recommendation for each office. And in my case, I have
personal experience of this because when I ran for the NFB Board of
Directors in 2009, I had opposition and he received a fair number of votes.
So if the electorate does not agree with the nominating committee's
suggestion and its support coalesces around a different candidate, that
candidate can be elected.

Moreover, if term limits are rigidly enforced, there is no guarantee that
the officers displaced due to the term limit will be replaced by those of
equal or superior experience. Thus, the organization ham-stringing itself
with term limits necessarily guarantees that primary influence for running
the organization will devolve upon staff, none of whom are subject to
election.

I also suspect that many would like offices passed around in the belief that
(a) more individuals should gain honor and fame, regardless of how much
effort they have put into the organization or (b) that passing offices
around facilitates new policies and approaches.

I have my doubts; we choose our officers (hopefully) on the basis of which
have experience and will do the best job. Also, *we* determine NFB policy at
all levels by dint of resolutions voted on by those at national and
affiliate conventions, these conventions being the supreme legislative
bodies of the organization at those respective levels. So *we* determine
what the organization is to do.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and approaches 2014 with a
song on the lips and determination in heart and mind.

Warmly,

Mike Freeman

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of National
Association of Guide Dog Users
Sent: Tuesday, December 03, 2013 9:22 AM
To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Fwd: [Nfbv-announce] Retirement of Dr. Maurer

Dear All,
	It only makes good organizational and managerial sense to maintain a
sound line of leadership for any organization. One of the characteristics
that makes the NFB such an influential player in the disability rights arena
is its strong management and continuity of leadership. Leaving the
leadership of a multi million dollar nonprofit corporation to chance just
doesn't make good business sense.

Fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lauren
Merryfield
Sent: Sunday, December 01, 2013 6:50 PM
To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Fwd: [Nfbv-announce] Retirement of Dr. Maurer

Hi,
I do not see Mr. Maurer's supporting Mr. Riccobono and his subsequent
election as a formality. Whoever leads us when Mr. Maurer steps down needs
to have many of the qualities Mr. tenBroek, Dr. Jernigan, Mr. Maurer and
others had, plus a thorough understanding of how to lead the NFB. Any of us
out here might not possess those qualities and we certainly do not know the
inner workings of the NFB.  It would be scary, and possibly disastrous,  if
someone were elected President who wasn't fully prepared and ready to lead
us. 

Personally, I'd like to see an open-minded  female finally lead the NFB,
but, then, I'd like to see a liberal female run the USA, too, for a change.
But that isn't happening yet.  So we're still behind the times.

 I am thinking that Mr. Riccobono, though I do not know him, is probably the
best one to lead us in the future. I do trust Mr. Maurer's and the National
Board's thinking on most things, therefore, I do not feel as if Mr.
Riccobono's stepping up to the Presidency as  only a formality. I'm sure he
has been being prepared for this for some time, so it is no overnight
decision on Mr. Maurer's part. 

I'm sure glad it isn't me. I am happy to let someone serve in that position
and I do feel that my vote would count, were I able to attend the National
Convention next summer, which I won't. Not unless I rob a big bank, haha.
Many blessings,
Laurenthe 

For my new book go to:
www.TheresMoreThanOneWay.com
curious about thirty-one? Go to:
www.LettingTheCatOutOfTheBag.com

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ray Foret
Jr
Sent: Sunday, December 01, 2013 3:17 PM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Fwd: [Nfbv-announce] Retirement of Dr. Maurer

Paul, You seem, with respect, to be implying that one must choose between
lack of transparency and a good program for the blind or else full
transparency and a bad program for the blind.  I do not agree.  Here is what
I think will go down.  Maurer will support Riccobono and then, when it comes
convention time, and time to elect the next president, Riccobono will be
chosen by acclamation without any competition.  Now, if one were to take
this process strictly in parliamentary terms, it would be impossible to
quarrel with its legitimacy.  My concern, to speak frankly, is this.  That
looks too much like a mere hand off instead of a legitimate election.
Smooth?  Yes.  Efficient?  You'd better believe it.  Morally right?  Well,
that's where I have a slight problem.  I'm not saying that this way of doing
it is completely wrong:  however, when you have a process that looks too
much like you're just handing it off, you might as well not even bother with
the formality of election.  Just might as well go ahead and crown Riccobono
king of the movement.  I just do not feel terribly comfortable with the way
things look like they're going to happen.  Call me a traitor to the movement
if you will:  but,  'Tain't no skin off my nose.  Look, this procedure just
don't set to well with me.

	I ain't sayin that President Mauer can't support whom he pleases,
and I ain't sayin he can not publically say whom he supports nor that he
can't urge the members to back his choice:  But, to just do a hand off and
have the election as a mere formality really bugs me.

Sent from my Mac, the only computer with full accessibility for the blind
built-in!

Sincerely,
The Constantly Barefooted Ray, still a very happy Mac and Iphone 5 user!

On Dec 1, 2013, at 5:01 PM, Paul Wick <wickps at gmail.com> wrote:

> Ray that's how things have always been in the Federation In the world 
> of the organized blind there is an organization that while it lacks 
> transparency has a strong program, while another has democratic forms, 
> but is kind of an empty suit when it comes to the programming 
> department; I would rather be part of the former than the latter. I 
> wish President-designate Riccobono well, and may he reach out to all 
> the unaffiliated blind people rather than just preaching to the choir.
> 
> Best,
> 
> Paul
> 
> On 12/1/13, Ray Foret Jr <rforet7706 at comcast.net> wrote:
>> I should like to pint out that there seems to be an assumption upon 
>> the part of the top NFB leadership that Mark
>>> 
>>> Riccobono will sort of just be given the presency of the federation.  
>>> That strikes me as not being the proper democratic way to do things.  
>>> To assume that just because Doctor Maurer personally supports Mark 
>>> Riccobono for president he will just sort of be handed the 
>>> presidency by Dr. Maurer and the election of Mark Riccobono a mere 
>>> formality strikes me as being very improper.
>> 
>> 
>> Sent from my Mac, the only computer with full accessibility for the 
>> blind built-in!
>> 
>> Sincerely,
>> The Constantly Barefooted Ray, still a very happy Mac and Iphone 5 user!
>> 
>> On Dec 1, 2013, at 12:44 PM, David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com> wrote:
>> 
>>>> Mark
>>>> Riccobono
>> 
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