[Nfbsatx] September Presidential Release

Wed Sep 14 01:30:46 UTC 2011

Hi Cindy,

    You go, girl! I agree wholeheartedly. More people need to voice their 
concerns about playing the presidential release in its entirety. What better 
way to announce my campaign for Chapter president?

Mary Donahue

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Cindy Garcia" <ccgarcia2005 at yahoo.com>
To: <nfbsatx at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2011 5:54 PM
Subject: Re: [Nfbsatx] September Presidential Release

> what is rong with leaving the meetings the way they were. I would like to 
> know, because I was under the impression that the playing of the Pr was 
> not very boring, or long at all. I never found the Pr to be tedious, even 
> when I was a new member. It is like reading my dayly news paper, except it 
> is monthly. I like to listen to the release around others so we may all 
> share in the joys and sorrows, and everything new that happens in the nfb. 
> yes, I have the option to listen to it on my own however, I believe that 
> fellowship is the first way anyone, new or old build in respect for our 
> organization as a whole. It was an insult to me when i realized that the 
> Pr was edited down. I wonder, why such a thing was done, when there was 
> enough time to cover everything on the agenda. I know for certin, that 
> when elections arive in january, I will be sure to nominate a president 
> who will be dependable, and stick to their guns where the agenda is 
> concerned. If a recording
> will not be given some respect, it is my belieff, that disrespect also 
> comes to those who did the recording. if disrespect is what we strive to 
> do, then we should just play our music players, and Ipods loud while the 
> meeting is going on because of the simple fact that noone in their right 
> mind will want to listen to that chatter about things noone will know 
> about. what is the point of coming to the meeting then? Presentations of 
> any sort, need to be given the upmost attention. Anyone who gives a 
> presentation, works very hard: even before the thought of presenting comes 
> in to play. Then, there is the act of the presenting itself. what is the 
> point of presenting?Why present something noone will listen to.? I will 
> tell you this answer now, if I may. A presentation occurs because we as 
> the presenter, have no right to presume that we know how every person's 
> mind works. It is not our responsability as the presenter, to care about 
> what the minds of our
> listeners are doing, or if they even stay focused. We the presenter, need 
> to consintrate on the task at hand, and that task is informing our 
> audiences. When people attend our chapter meetings, they are coming to 
> view our live presentations of what the Nfb truly is all about. If we cut 
> things out, and assume things, how does that look to the organization to 
> whom we are presenting? All I am saying here, is that by cutting things 
> and presuming to know how everyone thinks, is not only disrespectful, and 
> insulting, but it is a disrespect of anonymity. If I have it my way, thmy 
> anonymity will not be disrespected. I will say now to Peater and Mary 
> Donahue, thank you for bringing this to our attention. It is my hope, that 
> this insulting act will not happen again. I'm sure if the president of the 
> United States were to shorten his speaches to the american people, we 
> would not take that kindly will we not?
>
> On Tue Sep 13th, 2011 2:13 PM CDT Peter Donahue wrote:
>
>>Hello A.Z. and everyone,
>>
>>    I dare you to tell Dr. Maurer that these concerns are childish and 
>> such!
>>The how point in playing these releases is so folks come to know our
>>national president and understand what we're doing to improve the lives of
>>our nation's blind. Other businesses and organizations distribute similar
>>communications that are distributed/played during their local, national, 
>>and
>>World gatherings with both old timers and new recruits present. I too was
>>once new and never complained when I came to chapter meetings and sat
>>through the playing of the presidential release. I figured that this is a
>>part of the program and I'm to take it or leave it. Hmmm. I didn't know 
>>that
>>this had a name "Informed choice" back in 1976. None the less I got used 
>>to
>>hearing the presidential releases and looked forward to hearing them
>>whenever we met.
>>
>>    Back then no one ever suggested that playing presidential releases in
>>their entirety would turn prospective members away. Rather it was the
>>opposite and needs to remain that way now and in to the future. There's
>>nothing childish about a long-standing tradition those of us who have been
>>in the organization for years intend to fight to protect.
>>
>>Peter Donahue
>>
>>
>>
>>----- Original Message ----- 
>>From: "Jose Martinez" <jose.martinez07 at gmail.com>
>>To: "San Antonio Texas Chapter Mailing List" <nfbsatx at nfbnet.org>
>>Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2011 11:17 AM
>>Subject: Re: [Nfbsatx] September Presidential Release
>>
>>
>>First of all, thank you Peter for sending us the direct link to the
>>presidential release. Now this way individuals have another great
>>opportunity to get a hold of this product. Now as to why the
>>presidential release is edited down a little bit for our chapter
>>meetings.
>>
>> You are correct that the presidential release has been a long time
>>tradition in the federation chapter meetings, but at no time has there
>>ever been a rule saying that they have to be played at all. So to
>>state that changing or modifying the recording may bring us problems,
>>is a bit outlandish and childish. Our national center puts out
>>materials for us to use at our own discretion in order to get the
>>message of the federation across to as many people as possible.
>>
>> We have been doing this for a while with the understanding that we
>>have new individuals coming out to learn about the chapter and the
>>organization and listening to a 20 minute presentation from someone
>>they do not know talking about things that are not familiar to them
>>yet may turn them away. So a little edited form of the release is
>>presented to introduce the federation’s doings on a national level and
>>other very important information. We also make sure that everybody
>>knows that these presidential releases are available to all to listen
>>to and download at their own time in the full form.
>>
>> The leadership and the majority of this chapter agrees on what steps
>>are being taken, if you have an issue with how things are ran at our
>>chapter, please make sure to bring the issue up in the proper forum
>>for discussion!
>>
>>
>>
>>Thank you
>>
>>A. Z.
>>President
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>On 9/12/11, Peter Donahue <pdonahue2 at satx.rr.com> wrote:
>>> Good afternoon everyone,
>>>
>>>     To insure you hear the September 2011 Presidential Release in its
>>> entirety you will find the link below:
>>>
>>> http://www.nfb.org/images/nfb/Audio/pr/PR398.mp3
>>>
>>>     Our national office works very hard to produce these every month. 
>>> It's
>>> our responsibility to be sure they're played in their entirety during
>>> local
>>> chapter and division meetings. There was content on last month's
>>> presidential release that would have been of benefit to the new people 
>>> who
>>> attended their first chapter meeting. We have no right to prevent them
>>> from
>>> learning about services like the Blio E-book reader. Jim Gashel
>>> demonstrated
>>> it on the last presidential release. He also does a demonstration on 
>>> this
>>> month's release in connection with the announcement about the 
>>> availability
>>> of Mike Hingson's book "Thunder Dog" now available in the Blio 
>>> Bookstore.
>>> I've known Mike Hingson for many years and want people to be aware of 
>>> the
>>> availability of Thunder Dog from all sources including Blio. Our
>>> presidential releases are a great way for spreading the word.
>>>
>>>     Our literature including our presidential releases are intellectual
>>> property of the National Federation of the Blind. Altering its content 
>>> in
>>> any way opens us up to the possibility of legal action something I and
>>> others don't want to see happen to our chapter. Dr. Maurer and I have
>>> discussed this matter in the past. He has discussed it with me 
>>> personally
>>> and during a seminar I attended at our national center in 2008 that was
>>> held
>>> for our Webmasters.
>>>
>>>     Having presidential releases played at local chapter meetings is a
>>> long-standing tradition in this movement. When I joined the organization
>>> in
>>> 1976 presidential releases were always played during chapter meetings.
>>> Like
>>> Dr. Maurer Dr. Jernigan kept us informed about what the organization was
>>> doing around the country and what we could do in our community to 
>>> further
>>> the work of the federation. At no time were these releases ever altered
>>> just
>>> because of time constraints. If we need more time for the meeting to be
>>> able
>>> to play the presidential releases please arrange for it Mr. President. I
>>> recall that we had 30 minutes after the last meeting took place time 
>>> that
>>> could have been used to play the last presidential release in its
>>> entirety.
>>>
>>>     Anyway enjoy the unadulterated version of this month's Presidential
>>> Release. Let's hope that what you hear by following the link above is
>>> what's
>>> played at Saturday's meeting. This kind of thing must stop! All the 
>>> best.
>>>
>>> Peter Donahue
>>>
>>> "Will you come and awake our lost land from its slumber
>>>       And her fetters we'll break, links that long are encumbered.
>>>       And the air will resound with hosannas to greet you
>>>       On the shore will be found gallant Irishmen to greet you."
>>> Will You Come to the Bower
>>> Traditional Irish Folk Song
>>>
>>>
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>>
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