[Nfbf-l] picking and choosing NFB policies andconstitutionalrequirements

Fri May 2 12:38:45 UTC 2014

yes Holly, I do think that definitely does need to be dealt with, but my 
comments were geared more toward the duel membership situation.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Holly" <hbeanie at gmail.com>
To: "NFB of Florida Internet Mailing List" <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, May 02, 2014 8:01 AM
Subject: Re: [Nfbf-l] picking and choosing NFB policies 
andconstitutionalrequirements

>I think we have lost sight of the "REAL" issue. The issues is that  we have
> a President in the NFBF who holds and utilizes a drivers license. This is
> against the constitution in our chapter, at the state level and at the
> National level.
> Holly
>
>
> On Thu, May 1, 2014 at 7:12 PM, Patricia A. Lipovsky
> <plipovsky at cfl.rr.com>wrote:
>
>> Well, here I go again, sticking my neck out.  I wasn't going to say
>> anything, but I feel the need to put my two sense in, as I have friends 
>> in
>> both organizations with whom I respect and value very much and have a 
>> great
>> friendship.
>>
>> As most of you know, I am, well, dot was, a member of both organizations,
>> but because of this technicality, just belong to one now..  Although I do
>> understand this philosophy of belonging to only one, kind of like being a
>> Republican or Democrat, I personally think that we are all working toward
>> the same goal, no matter which organization you belong to, we all want 
>> the
>> same thing, and that is acceptance, equality, and the right  to live our
>> life as normal as possible, and be respected and treated like normal
>> people, what ever normal is, smile.  Although the two organizations do 
>> not
>> always see eye to eye, I don't think we should be in competition with 
>> each
>> other, but should try to work together when ever possible.  As I see it,
>> this division will not make this possible.  We need to come together to
>> work together, not divide to conquer, which is what I'm afraid is what's
>> happening.  The only difference is sometimes we may use different
>> approaches to handle things... So what?  No big deal...
>>
>> We live in a democratic society, where we are free to make our own
>> decisions.  Why is one person making decisions for this whole 
>> organization?
>> That is not democratic, but a dictatorship.  Is that what NFB is really 
>> all
>> about? Can someone please explain this to me?
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tinetta Cooper" <tanetjec at gmail.com>
>> To: "'NFB of Florida Internet Mailing List'" <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2014 3:20 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Nfbf-l] picking and choosing NFB policies andconstitutional
>> requirements
>>
>>
>>  Hi Sherri,
>>>
>>> I believe that if we are abiding by the letter of the constitution, as 
>>> we
>>> did with dual membership, we need to only elect blind presidents for
>>> Florida
>>> chapters. The Tallahassee Chapter also lost a few good members as part 
>>> of
>>> the dual membership sweep, but at least one of these members still 
>>> attends
>>> meetings without taking a part in active membership.
>>> This is my personal opinion, and in no way means that it is absolutely
>>> correct.
>>>
>>> Respectfully,
>>>
>>> Tinetta Cooper
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Nfbf-l [mailto:nfbf-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sherri
>>> Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2014 8:09 PM
>>> To: NFBF-Leaders at yahoogroups.com; nfbf-l at nfbnet.org
>>> Subject: [Nfbf-l] picking and choosing NFB policies and constitutional
>>> requirements
>>> Importance: High
>>>
>>> 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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>>
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>
>
>
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> Walter A. Ward
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