[nabs-l] Blind Majority

Fri Mar 18 21:24:32 UTC 2011

I think we should welcome sighted members-up to 49% of our membership, that is.

In decent-sized affiliates, it seems entirely possible to have a blind
majority and still include several sighted members, maybe even a few
sighted people on the board. Again, another "both-and" situation.

The only exception I might see is for very small chapters that have,
say, ten members, and the additional joining of one sighted couple
would push the majority toward the sighted. Perhaps exceptions could
be made for these very small chapters, or the majority rule should
apply to affiliates and national divisions only.

Arielle

On 3/18/11, Darian Smith <dsmithnfb at gmail.com> wrote:
> 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
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nabs-l:
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/jorgeapaez%40mac.com
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nabs-l mailing list
>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nabs-l:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/dsmithnfb%40gmail.com
>>
>
>
> --
> Darian Smith
> Skype: The_Blind_Truth
> Windows Live: Lightningrod2010 at live.com
> Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/goldengateace
>
> "The purpose of life is a life of purpose.
>
> — Robert Byrne
>
> _______________________________________________
> nabs-l mailing list
> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nabs-l:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/nabs.president%40gmail.com
>

-- 
Arielle Silverman
President, National Association of Blind Students
Phone:  602-502-2255
Email:
nabs.president at gmail.com
Website:
www.nabslink.org