[nabs-l] Blind Majority

[Darian Smith]

Hi all,
 As you all may well know, every state affiliate, state
chapter/division,  national division and  even the national board it's
self requires that  the majority of it's members and  members of board
of directors and officers be  blind,  except that  in the case of the
parents division, that requirement was waved.

 I think that that requirement should be kept in place, but that we
should look to recruit sighted members into our  organization.
The recruitment of these members should not be utilized as nor viewed
as a reason to back- peddle on our    philossophical views on
blindness, but  to better educate and strenthin our cause and belieffs
in our ability to  collectivly act as blind people, and our ability to
work with sighted folks who believe in what we do.

 my view of any movement, and of any organization that  is a part of
or fuels a movement, is that while they  may have an ethnic, gender,
or other such majority, they also have a minority of people who
believe in the cause in just  the same way the  majority does.  This
is a very healthy thing, to me.

  just some thoughts,
  Darian

On 3/18/11, Jorge Paez <jorgeapaez at mac.com> wrote:
> Completely agree with the constitution.
>
>
> On Mar 18, 2011, at 4:50 PM, Joe Orozco wrote:
>
>> Dear all,
>>
>> I always knew that the executive positions on any NFB chapter, affiliate
>> or
>> division board had to be blind.  I did not, however, know that this
>> majority
>> rule also applies to the general membership of these organizations.  It is
>> my understanding that at least 51 percent of the membership has to be
>> blind
>> and that this provision was primarily included to prevent sighted people
>> from taking over the organization.  I can see how this would have made
>> since
>> in the organization's early beginnings, maybe even during the 60's, but
>> seeing as how the provisions survived the 1986 ratification and is still
>> on
>> the books today, I am curious to hear what you think as the up and coming
>> generation of leaders.  Is it necessary to guarantee a predominantly blind
>> organization through constitutional provisions, or should we be allowed to
>> bring in sighted people interested in membership to further promote our
>> cause?  I have my thoughts on the subject, but I'm curious to hear your
>> views.  The NFB constitution provisions read as follow:
>>
>> "Section C. State affiliates shall be organizations of the blind
>> controlled
>> by the blind. No organization shall be recognized as an "organization of
>> the
>> blind controlled by the blind" unless at least a majority of its voting
>> members and a majority of the voting members of each of its local chapters
>> are blind."
>>
>> ...
>>
>> "Any organized group desiring to become a state affiliate of the National
>> Federation of the Blind shall apply for affiliation by submitting to the
>> president
>> of the National Federation of the Blind a copy of its constitution and a
>> list of the names and addresses of its elected officers. Under procedures
>> to
>> be
>> established by the board of directors, action shall be taken on the
>> application. If the action is affirmative, the National Federation of the
>> Blind shall
>> issue to the organization a charter of affiliation. Upon request of the
>> national president the state affiliate shall provide to the national
>> president
>> the names and addresses of its members. Copies of all amendments to the
>> constitution and/or bylaws of an affiliate shall be sent without delay to
>> the national
>> president. No organization shall be accepted as an affiliate and no
>> organization shall remain an affiliate unless at least a majority of its
>> voting members
>> are blind. The president, vice president (or vice presidents), and at
>> least
>> a majority of the executive committee or board of directors of the state
>> affiliate
>> and of all of its local chapters must be blind. Affiliates must not merely
>> be social organizations but must formulate programs and actively work to
>> promote
>> the economic and social betterment of the blind. Affiliates and their
>> local
>> chapters must comply with the provisions of the constitution of the
>> Federation."
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Joe
>>
>> "Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves,
>> some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all."--Sam Ewing
>>
>>
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-- 
Darian Smith
Skype: The_Blind_Truth
Windows Live: Lightningrod2010 at live.com
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"The purpose of life is a life of purpose.

— Robert Byrne