[Nfbmt] membership

[Dan Burke]

Ted,

You are correct, this section is in the Yellowstone County Chapter
constitution, which was approved by the NFB of Montana Board of
Directors in early 2013.

As an axample of voting in new members, I attend the NFB of Denver
Chapter now.  At the end of each meeting the president asks if there
is anyone present who wishes to join the chapter.  If more than one
person says they wish to join, the chapter votes on all who wish to
join in one vote.  It is a very nice way of welcoming new members into
the chapter.

The NFB is an open organization and we welcome new members. We do this
because we have something that blind people need - a positive
philosophy about blindness and belief in the capacity and the humanity
of the blind. It is natural that blind people would want to join us
because of this and also because we are the blind people who do the
most significant work on behalf of the blind.

I wasn't on the call this weekend because I was at the NFB
headquarters in Baltimore for a seminar, so I don't know what has
triggered this thread.  I can say that having been a member in the NAB
would not in and of itself be grounds for excluding a blind person who
wishes to join us.  If it were, most of us on this list would be
disqualified.

We do reserve the right to expell any member for their behavior, but
it would be something quite grave to warrant such an expulsion.  Of
the very few expulsions in other state NFB affiliates of which I have
some information, they almost always involve verbal or written attacks
on other members and leaders to such an extent that their presence is
disruptive and intolerable.  This process is outlined in our national
constitution, our affiliate constitution and the chapter
constitutions.  They also permit the expelled member to appeal to a
higher authority within the NFB.

Expulsions are very rare.  On principle, I think voting to keep
someone out of the NFB of Montana or one of its chapters should be
even more rare, and only even be considered if the person in question
was known to be of such a character that it could be predicted that
they would only be a disruptive or divisive force in the organization.

HTH
Dan




On 1/11/14, James Aldrich <jkaldrich at samobile.net> wrote:
> Hi Ted,
>
> Yes!  This is in our constitution!  It sounds to me that a person needs
> to be approved for membership by a majority of the members present!  So
> in theory, could a majority not approve someone for membership if that
> majority feels they have good cause to do so?  Please feel free to
> write me privately on this if you prefer or phone me for that matter!
> So far, members have not come before a vote of the  chapter members
> present!  They pass their $5 over and they somehow become members.
>
> Jim
>
>
> Original message:
>> FYI
>
>>                 The following is copied from the model constitution for
>> Chapters of the NFB, and is undoubtedly in the Billings Chapter
>> constitution.
>
>> ***
>
>> ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
>
>
>
>> Section One - Active Members
>
>>                 At least a majority of the active members of this
>> organization must be blind. Any person may become an active member of
>> this
>> organization by a majority vote of the members present and voting at any
>> regular business meeting, and shall have the right to vote, serve on
>> committees, speak on the floor, and hold office.
>
>
>
>> Section Two - Associate Members
>
>> Any person may be elected to associate membership in this organization by
>> a
>> majority vote of the members present and voting at any regular business
>> meeting. Associate members shall have all the rights and privileges of
>> active members, except that they may not vote, hold office, or serve on
>> the
>> Board of Directors. Associate members shall not pay dues.
>
>> ***
>
>>                 I understand that associate members are those individuals
>> who make contributions to the affiliate.  Please correct me if I am
>> wrong.
>
>
>
>> Ted
>
>
>
>
>
>> EDWARD C "TED" ROBBINS
>
>> , CEO MBEI, Treasurer NFB of Montana & MANAGER MAB EQUIPMENT PROGRAM
>
>> PHONE & FAX:  406 453 6678, CELL:  406 799 6268
>
>> 104 RIVERVIEW 5 E
>
>> GREAT FALLS  MT   59404
>
>
>
>
>
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-- 
Dan Burke
My Cell:  406.546.8546
Twitter:  @DallDonal