[Nfbf-l] {Disarmed} Re: [NFBF-Leaders] picking and choosing NFB policies and constitutional requirements

Thu May 1 04:09:18 UTC 2014

Good Evening Sherri and fellow Federationists, 

"This was my actual post on March 1st 2014"

On Saturday March 1st 2014, theNFB / Greater Daytona Beach Chapter held a membership drive and outreachin the community for those who want to exclusively participate solely under theNFB moniker, pledging their allegiance to the mission and vision of theNational Federation of the Blind.  The renewal of Greater DaytonaBeach Chapter loyal Federationists stands at thirty blind and six sightedmembers for a total of Thirty-six people who truly believe in the NFBphilosophy.   

Although, the questionwas raised during the drive on who is eligible to serve on the executivelevel; President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Board ofDirectors? I have been a member of the NFB since 2001 and have always beenunder the impression that according to the NFBF state constitution thePresident and the Vice President must be blind and that a majority of the restof the board must also be blind.  Is that correct?

I believe it is theobligation of the NFBF State Board to educate the Florida affiliate leaders andmembership of this constitutional rule.

I would like to add thatif you are legally driving a vehicle or motorcycle in thestate of Florida you are not considered blind.

Loyal; NFBF First VicePresident,

Peter Cerullo 

-----Original Message-----
From: Sherri <flmom2006 at gmail.com>
To: NFBF-Leaders <NFBF-Leaders at yahoogroups.com>; nfbf-l <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wed, Apr 30, 2014 8:09 pm
Subject: [NFBF-Leaders] picking and choosing NFB policies and constitutional requirements

This is a lengthy message, so be prepared. I am deeply concerned about something that just came to my attention. Not being on the NFBF board, I have only learned about this through conversations with members. 

First, let me say that I have been a member of the NFB since 1979. I love this organization and feel we have done more than any other blindness group to truly *change what it *means to be blind. I would like this to continue, but we must keep our integrity intact. 

Let me give you some background. Around a year ago, the *policy (which is a *policy and not in any NFB *constitution) was discussed whereby if we are members of NFBF, we cannot be members of FCB or any affiliates of that organization. Because of this "*policy,  we lost some valuable members including my good friend and valued Pinellas chapter member Grant Downey, who explained in great detail in a letter why he joined both groups and that he deeply loved the Federation. But because of all the backlash, he resigned his membership. Thus, Pinellas lost a valued member and Newsline lost a great worker. It made me very sad!

A few months ago, Peter Cerullo NFBF Board member and Greater Daytona chapter president posted an e-mail questioning whether it is okay to have a sighted person i.e. a person who can legally drive a car, as a chapter president. 

It has now come to my attention that we have a sighted chapter president in the state of Florida. I do not point this out to belittle anyone or make light of their capabilities. I am sure this person does a fine job and this is no way meant personally but only as it pertains to NFB philosophy and our constitution. It was brought up at the last board meeting and apparently (and I wasn't there, so can't say for sure) glossed over during the discussion. 

A couple of months ago in our Central Florida chapter, we dissected the NFB pledge. It says we are to *support the *policies and *programs of the Federation and *abide by its *constitution. The NFBF constitution says the following. This also applies to the NFB constitution and to all chapter constitutions. I put a * beside the important words.
Section One—Officers

There shall be elected biannually, at the state convention in odd numbered years, a president, a second vice president, and a secretary.  There shall be elected biannually, at the state convention in even numbered years, a first vice president, and a treasurer.  The terms of these officers shall begin at the close of the convention at which they are qualified and elected.  

The president is the chief executive officer of the organization.  The duties of all officers shall be those ordinarily associated with their respective offices.  The *president the *vice presidents must be *blind. 

The Florida Department of Motor Vehicles states the following:
The Florida DHS&MV's vision standard is 20/50. If worse in one or either eye, you will be referred to a licensed vision specialist to see if it can be improved.
If one eye is blind, the other must have 20/40. The accepted minimum field of vision is 130 degrees. 

This means if someone has a vehicle operator's license, this is the vision they must have. Of course, restrictions can be placed on licenses. My 2 daughters can drive, but were born with congenital cataracts, so I am thoroughly familiar with this. They are quite blind without correction, but this does not qualify them to be chapter president or vice-president pursuant to the NFB constitution. 

So this is my question. I would like to knoe which *policies and *programs we in the NFB of Florida *support and which we *do *not support? If we allow sighted people to be chapter or affiliate presidents, no mattter their other qualifications, I believe we should change our name to the National Federation for the Blind of Florida. In my opinion, if we expect people to resign because they are members of more than 1 blindness organization, then we should also *abide by the *law in our *constitution that says the *president and *vice-president must be *blind.

I hope that the NFBF board will take my concerns and those of other NFBF members seriously and deal with thismatter. Thank you for taking the time to read this e-mail. 

Sherri Brun

Character is the side of yourself you choose to show the world. 
Integrity is what you do, what you say and how you act when you think no one is paying attention. 
Sherri Brun
NFBF Newsline Chair
flmom2006 at gmail.com

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