[nabs-l] Blind Majority

[Kirt Manwaring]

To all,
  The constitution makes sense to me.  Maybe chapters needing
exceptions (as in Miranda's case) could apply for a waver with the
state board, which would need to aprove with at least a two thirds
majority, or something like that.  We're the National Federation of
the Blind, after all, not the National Federation for the Blind.  I
wouldn't change the constitution, except to maybe ammend it for the
state board to aprove exceptions for local chapters.
  Best,
Kirt

On 3/18/11, Serena Cucco <serenacucco at verizon.net> wrote:
> Well put, Darian.
>
> Serena
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Darian Smith
> Sent: Friday, March 18, 2011 5:14 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Blind Majority
>
> 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
> Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/goldengateace
>
> "The purpose of life is a life of purpose.
>
> - Robert Byrne
>
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