[Nfb-editors] [NFB-editors] [NFB-editors] Seeking diversity

[David Andrews]

Joe:

I am not afraid of takeover by sighted folks, but the position in the 
constitution seems to be the best way to me.  This is our 
organization, if we can't be the majority of its members, and run it, 
(we being blind persons,) then what is the point.  Do you think that 
the NAACP would have a majority of white members, or NOW would have a 
majority of men?  I think not.

That doesn't mean we can't have sighted members, and treat them well, 
but first and foremost it is an organization of blind persons!

Dave

At 03:41 PM 3/18/2011, you wrote:
>Barbara,
>
>I understand where you're coming from and am sad to see that you are
>correct.  The NFB constitution does in fact stipulate this provision in the
>following sections:
>
>"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."
>
>What gives me hope is that this constitution was last ratified in 1986,
>which leads me to believe that the organization felt threatened with sighted
>takeover.  Are people still of the belief that we need to maintain this
>provision here in 2011?
>
>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
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Barbara Pierce [mailto:bpierce at oberlin.net]
>Sent: Friday, March 18, 2011 4:10 PM
>To: jsorozco at gmail.com; 'Correspondence Committee Mailing List'
>Subject: RE: [NFB-editors] [NFB-editors] Seeking diversity
>
>Dear  Joe,
>
>If you will read the constitution, you will see that chapters and affiliates
>my maintain a majority of blind people. The last blind consumer group became
>the organization of workers with the blind when sighted professionals took
>over from the blind. That is why we have always required both the majority
>and the leadership restrictions. I have no objections to what Robert and
>Bridgit are saying as long as we all remember the rules of the game and the
>policies of the organization. Reminding people of these is all I was doing.
>
>Barbara
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: nfb-editors-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-editors-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>On Behalf Of Joe Orozco
>Sent: Friday, March 18, 2011 12:07 PM
>To: 'Correspondence Committee Mailing List'
>Subject: Re: [Nfb-editors] [NFB-editors] Seeking diversity
>
>Mike and Barbara,
>
>I could not disagree more with your position.  I think Robert and Bridgit
>are onto something great.  They never claimed to pander to anyone else's
>cause by inviting more people into the ranks, and unless there was evidence
>that their work was being watered down by diversifying the membership, I
>believe they are being written off before the success of their ideas can
>even be fully conceived.  I think that at minimum, great networking
>opportunities could be born that help the chapter with printing, meeting
>space and any number of perks that come about simply by virtue of someone
>knowing someone that works somewhere.  And what's this talk of threatening
>the blindness majority?  My understanding is that the only quota of sorts
>exists among the structure of the board.  Such dialogue sounds like
>unnecessary segregation and exclusivity and bordering on hypocritical
>considering the manner in which we speak of integrating with the community.
>Logic follows that integration is as much about joining other organizations
>as much as inviting others to join in our cause, or are we advancing the
>notion that sighted people are somehow inferior and could not possibly
>understand how to advocate for the blind?  I dare say we might make even
>more strides if we learned how to work with other networks to get the job
>done.  Otherwise we're fooling ourselves if we think we're making tremendous
>strides like Marion's laughable post earlier.
>
>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
>-----Original Message-----
>From: nfb-editors-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-editors-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>On Behalf Of Mike Freeman
>Sent: Friday, March 18, 2011 11:34 AM
>To: newmanrl at cox.net; Correspondence Committee Mailing List
>Subject: Re: [Nfb-editors] [NFB-editors] Seeking diversity
>
>Robert:
>
>
>First, I like email because one can marshal one's thoughts so communication
>is brief, precise and succinct.
>
>Second, we are more likely to involve others in our cause by joining *their*
>organizations than by pandering to their causes in ours.  Remember that we
>are Shakespeare's "We Happy Few."
>
>Mike Freeman
>sent from my iPhone
>
>
>On Mar 18, 2011, at 6:52, "Robert Leslie Newman" <newmanrl at cox.net> wrote:
>
> > Barbara, Mike and others
> >
> > Bridgit and I are in the same local chapter. On our board we have talked
> > about chapter membership, the community and diversity. And what I thought
>I
> > read in Bridgit's post, was what our chapter feels, is that we'd like to
>get
> > some more buy-in by our community by attracting, to our cause and ideals,
> > representatives from our community at large. These non-blind individuals
> > would come with an interest in "our goals and way of doing things." This
> > would not be a thing like us blending in other "groups and their goals,"
> > into ours. Rather, these people would become "Federationests." We are
> > looking for a finger into our community resources (money, political clout,
> > transportation, stuff that we need to have and do our Federation
>business).
> > We are looking to have a chapter picture that would look like the dream
> > picture that would be, if all in the world saw blindness as we do.
> >
> > We are mindful and respectful of the principle that Barbara has written
>out
> > as a precaussionary reminder. And so yeah, our communications,
>publications,
> > our events what we say and do will not change from what we all in the
> > Federation know is the best path. Diversifying the physical
>characteristics
> > of our membership, doesn't mean we are looking to, nor will we allow the
> > power of what we know and do to also be diversified. I visualize all your
> > intelligent and charming faces and know the power of your ability to
> > educate, to hold to your principle. Think of all those non-blind people
>that
> > you have been instrumental in changing their view, meaning of blindness.
>We
> > just want more of them, and encourage them to join us in being a more
>active
> > partner to work more of this magic on the rest of our community.
> >
> > (Hope this helps- email is so 1 dimensional.)
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: nfb-editors-bounces at nfbnet.org
>[mailto:nfb-editors-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> > On Behalf Of Marion Gwizdala
> > Sent: Friday, March 18, 2011 4:53 AM
> > To: Correspondence Committee Mailing List
> > Subject: Re: [Nfb-editors] [NFB-editors] Seeking diversity
> >
> > Mike,
> >    Another truth about the work we do in the Federation is that it has
> > wide-ranging effects on other disabilities. For instance, when NAGDU works
> > on guide dog issues, others who use service animals are also impacted. As
>we
> > raise awareness of guide dog etiquette, we raise the awareness of such
> > etiquette for other service animals, too! As we strengthen legislation to
> > protect the rights of guide dog handlers to full and equal access, we do
>so
> > for other service animal users, as well!
> >
> > Fraternally yours,
> > Marion Gwizdala
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com>
> > To: "'Correspondence Committee Mailing List'" <nfb-editors at nfbnet.org>
> > Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2011 10:31 PM
> > Subject: Re: [Nfb-editors] [NFB-editors] Seeking diversity
> >
> >
> >> I concur with Barbara.  One of the great strengths of the Federation is
>its
> >> single-minded concentration on issues affecting the blind.  In this, the
> >> Federation is unlike almost every other civil rights organization and, in
>
> >> my
> >> view, it's one of the reasons why the Federation is so effective and so
> >> often attains its legislative and other goals.  We are the envy of many
> >> other organizations -- especially pan-disability organizations.  They
>have
> >
> >> a
> >> hard time grasping that our success is due in good part to our stubborn,
> >> single-minded approach.
> >>
> >> Another way to look at this is to realize that within NFB, there are
> >> liberals and conservatives, Communists and tea-party activists.  The one
> >> thing which unites us all is that we care about the blind and agree by
> >> dint
> >> of resolutions on blindness issues on which we want to work.  Thus, we
> >> have
> >> not taken a position on healthcare reform, tax code reform, stimulus
> >> packages versus spending limits and a whole host of other issues that
> >> affect
> >> all of us but that are not specific to blindness.  Any attempt to address
> >> any of these issues would result in acrimony and divisiveness and would
> >> adversely affect our ability to make life better for the blind.
> >>
> >> Bridgit, you say you want not just to make life better for the blind but
> >> to
> >> make life better for everyone.  In a word, go to it!  There's nothing
> >> stopping you from participating in organizations dealing with other
>issues
> >> dear to your heart.  In fact, I would maintain that participating in
>other
> >> such organizations is the essence of Federationism since one of the
> >> Federation's primary goals is the complete integration of the blind into
> >> society on a basis of equality with the sighted.
> >>
> >> Moreover, it has been the experience of the Federation over the years
>that
> >> unless we are vigilant, when we work on causes with other organizations
>or
> >> let others affect our decisions, we, the blind, get lost in the shuffle
> >> since we are such a small minority.
> >>
> >> Bridgit, I commend your idealism.  You want a better world.  So do we
>all.
> >> But there are enough things in society to improve that if any one
> >> organization tries to tackle them all, the result will be that nothing
> >> improves.  Far better to specialize and make a difference in one's small
> >> corner of the universe.
> >>
> >> Mike Freeman
> >>
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: nfb-editors-bounces at nfbnet.org
> >> [mailto:nfb-editors-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> >> On Behalf Of Barbara Pierce
> >> Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2011 11:25 AM
> >> To: 'Correspondence Committee Mailing List'
> >> Subject: Re: [Nfb-editors] [NFB-editors] Seeking diversity
> >>
> >> It is all well and good to aim at interesting a broad group of people in
> >> the
> >> issues of importance to us--blindness and the discrimination we face. But
>
> >> we
> >> have good reasons for our policy against joining coalitions. We work with
> >> others when their goals and ours are the same or similar. Blindness
>issues
> >> are the one thing that unite members of the NFB. In all other matters we
> >> are
> >> a cross-section of society. I think we will find it difficult to broaden
> >> our
> >> newsletters in include things that are not shaped by blindness.
> >>
> >> Barbara
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: nfb-editors-bounces at nfbnet.org
> >> [mailto:nfb-editors-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> >> On Behalf Of Bridgit Pollpeter
> >> Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2011 1:41 PM
> >> To: nfb-editors at nfbnet.org
> >> Subject: [Nfb-editors] Seeking diversity
> >>
> >> I think we need to seek membership wherever we can.  Sighted, blind,
> >> disabled, non-disabled.  Yes, a broader audience will open more eyes--
> >> no pun intended.
> >>
> >> I know we have been wary of how non-blind members are involved, but I am
> >> not suggesting we compromise our goal, or change our functions.  I
> >> simply believe we must find ways to include a larger community into our
> >> organization.
> >>
> >> I think our publications have the opportunity to create this bridge.
> >>
> >> I am not content with changing just the lives of the blind; I want to
> >> change the lives of everyone.  If we can diversify the NFB, we have a
> >> better chance to infiltrate the hearts and minds of the public at large.
> >> I don't just want to educate; I want to work alongside.
> >>
> >> I think any artistic expression lends a hand in accomplishing this.
> >> Writing is an artistic expression-- even legal-based or historical
> >> writing.  Words have always been powerful.
> >>
> >> And just look at Virginia Tech.  The team working with us on the BDC did
> >> not always believe in our capabilities, but now look at the
> >> transformation.  They are truly working alongside us.
> >>
> >> For a cynic, I sure have lofty ideals.  *smile*
> >>
> >> Bridgit
> >>
> >> Message: 2
> >> Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:15:02 -0700
> >> From: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com>
> >> To: "'Correspondence Committee Mailing List'" <nfb-editors at nfbnet.org>
> >> Subject: Re: [Nfb-editors] Making the newsletter work-- diversity
> >> Message-ID: <00a801cbe440$beddd500$3c997f00$@panix.com>
> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
> >>
> >> Bridgit:
> >>
> >> I presume you are speaking of a larger audience and not getting more
> >> sighted members.
> >>
> >> Mike