[NFB-DB] Membership Cancellation?

Thu Jun 8 13:32:13 UTC 2023

Hello,
  Tracie here. Yes, proxy voting has been a "no no" in the Federation for a
long time.  However, in the spirit of embracing the future, and inclusion,
 I believe that now that Zoom meetings are available to us a provision
should be made to allow voting on virtual platforms. It is no different
than if the division was meeting virtually.  Right now, reorganization is
taking place. Every available option is needed to bring in the DeafBlind.
Here is an important question: Is it still "proxy" if a member is attending
virtually rather than in person?  Many Deafblind may not be able to travel
- especially with  high costs.
  There's some pretty serious issues effecting our quality of life that
could impact our ability to attend conventions in person in the future. We
need to be able to continue to meet, vote, and effect change whether it is
in person or virtually.  Example, Social Security and Medicare are
projected to run out in the next ten years. If that happens, and many of us
depend on SSI, SSD, and Social Security for our financial well-being, then
how will we travel to meetings, conventions, or anywhere else?

Kind Regards to all,
Tracie Inman

On Thu, Jun 8, 2023 at 6:31 AM Tony May via NFB-DB <nfb-db at nfbnet.org>
wrote:

> Hello Stuart,
>
> No one seems to have answered your original question.  To leave a
> division, don’t renew your membership and stop showing up to meetings.  I
> know how frustrating it can feel when you can’t vote in person and can’t
> travel.  You can still sway the opinions of people that can vote ahead of
> conventions.  It’s not the same as a personal vote but it is better than
> nothing.
>
> Take care,
> Tony
>
>
> > On Jun 8, 2023, at 2:27 AM, Stuart Salvador via NFB-DB <
> nfb-db at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> >
> > Hi all, Stuart here with a clarification.
> >
> > Proxy voting enables a vote in absence. An inclusive perspective may
> > posit we can establish a presence to effect change, exert influence
> > and advocate as best we're able, even when conditions or capacity make
> > travel untenable. Homebound, like me, are now able to contribute more
> > than ever, if allowed.
> >
> > As an example: at one time, only landowners who maintained a residence
> > were permitted to vote. If instead only travelers can vote, it seems
> > the opposite extreme. Hypothetically, if someone came on the news
> > today to declare all who couldn't be physically present at a specific
> > US voting location somewhere in the country during a specific period
> > of time would now be prevented from voting entirely by any means, I
> > can't see how NFB could in good faith argue against it when that's the
> > practice NFB is apparently following for voting itself. I would want
> > to advocate against that, and I'd not want to be undermined in my
> > messaging by being a member of an organization favoring or practicing
> > it as the right to vote is foundational and fundamental.
> >
> > Thanks again!
> > EOM
> >
> >
> >> On Thu, Jun 8, 2023 at 12:34 AM Peter Donahue via NFB-DB
> >> <nfb-db at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> >>
> >> Hello everyone,
> >>
> >>        Proxy voting has been a no-no in the federation for years.
> >>
> >> Peter Donahue
> >>
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: NFB-DB <nfb-db-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Stuart Salvador
> via NFB-DB
> >> Sent: Wednesday, June 7, 2023 10:35 PM
> >> To: NFB Deaf-Blind Division Mailing List <nfb-db at nfbnet.org>
> >> Cc: Stuart Salvador <stuartsalvador at gmail.com>
> >> Subject: Re: [NFB-DB] Membership Cancellation?
> >>
> >> Doula,
> >>
> >> I'm sorry if I have anything incorrect. I understand that somehow I
> could in some way have someone physically at the meeting move to elect
> people who aren't present, but that's not my greatest concern. What I
> understood was that, regardless of that, there's no provisions to allow
> voting for anyone that can't physically travel or attend and no chance to
> change that. Is that correct?
> >>
> >> If so, my understanding was it doesn't matter what the constitution
> says now or in the 1940's, who received it in advance, who is elected to
> serve, or who is on a Board when, no matter what the organizational
> division does, it will never permit voting by anyone who can't physically
> be present wherever the meeting is located because it's required to be in
> the constitution because it's what President Riccobono and/or the Board of
> NFB says. Is that correct?
> >>
> >> If yes to both, then as for my feelings on inclusion, what you are
> hearing from me is accurate I think on my feeling. Basically, I have more
> than enough challenges with discrimination already in my daily life, and I
> already have everyone else in the world it feels like attacking me these
> days. So, while I want to advocate for DeafBlind like myself whenever and
> however I can, my feeling is I should not be a member if persons with
> multiple disabilities who are DeafBlind that prevent them from being in
> person to have a voice, yet are paying dues, enter into a "taxation without
> representation" relationship where they never actually vote in anyone who
> represents them because it won't ever be allowed.
> >>
> >> So, my thinking was to figure out how do I not be a member since NFB
> isn't including myself or others like me anyway. Otherwise, I basically am
> giving a +1 to its practices as per its membership number when I would feel
> like I'm doing something really wrong even if I'm only a drop in the bucket.
> >>
> >> Thanks!
> >> EOM
> >>
> >>> On Wed, Jun 7, 2023 at 10:03 PM Doula Jarboe via NFB-DB <
> nfb-db at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Stuart,
> >>>
> >>>     What you are saying isn't correct.  The people at the in person
> >>> meeting can move to elect people who aren't present in person.  If
> >>> that motion passes, and you have someone there in person who nominates
> >>> you, then you may be elected without having to be there in person.  I
> >>> hear you saying that this goes against inclusion, and I think that's
> >>> something that needs to be worked on.  I hope that clears this up for
> you.
> >>> Warmly,
> >>> Doula
> >>>
> >>> -----Original Message-----
> >>> From: NFB-DB <nfb-db-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Stuart Salvador
> >>> via NFB-DB
> >>> Sent: Wednesday, June 7, 2023 7:28 PM
> >>> To: NFB Deaf-Blind Division Mailing List <nfb-db at nfbnet.org>
> >>> Cc: Stuart Salvador <stuartsalvador at gmail.com>
> >>> Subject: [NFB-DB] Membership Cancellation?
> >>>
> >>> Hi all, Stuart here.
> >>>
> >>> It came up on the call tonight that there's no provisions to allow
> >>> voting for anyone that can't physically travel or attend and no chance
> >>> to change that. I've enjoyed communicating on the list-serv, but how
> >>> does one stop being a member?
> >>>
> >>> Thanks!
> >>> EOM
> >>>
> >>> _______________________________________________
> >>> NFB-DB mailing list
> >>> NFB-DB at nfbnet.org
> >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org
> >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> >>> NFB-DB:
> >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-db_nfbnet.org/doula.jarboe%40gma
> >>> il.com
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> _______________________________________________
> >>> NFB-DB mailing list
> >>> NFB-DB at nfbnet.org
> >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org
> >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> NFB-DB:
> >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-db_nfbnet.org/stuartsalvador%40g
> >>> mail.com
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> NFB-DB mailing list
> >> NFB-DB at nfbnet.org
> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org
> >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> NFB-DB:
> >>
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-db_nfbnet.org/pmdonahue2%40gmail.com
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> NFB-DB mailing list
> >> NFB-DB at nfbnet.org
> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org
> >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> NFB-DB:
> >>
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-db_nfbnet.org/stuartsalvador%40gmail.com
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > NFB-DB mailing list
> > NFB-DB at nfbnet.org
> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org
> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> NFB-DB:
> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-db_nfbnet.org/kg6sxy%40gmail.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> NFB-DB mailing list
> NFB-DB at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> NFB-DB:
>
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-db_nfbnet.org/tracielinman%40gmail.com
>

-- 
*Tracie Inman*
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfb-db_nfbnet.org/attachments/20230608/35454553/attachment.html>