[nfbwatlk] Fw: Resolutions Committee

Mon Oct 17 21:25:32 UTC 2011

Mike,

Thanks for this.  Always a good article.  I think it was written by a *real expert, Barbara Pierce.

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mike Mello
Sent: Monday, October 17, 2011 11:47 AM
To: NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Fw: Resolutions Committee

Guidelines for Resolution Writing

	Writing resolutions is a specialized skill. The resolution is one very long sentence directing the organization to take 
a stand or engage in some action. It can also commend or take exception to actions of other entities. It must not provide 
direct instructions to any group other than the NFB or its president and board of directors. The actions or other 
recommendations are contained in the resolves at the close of the resolution. The argument for taking the action is laid out in 
a series of whereases. Ideally each argument and only one argument should be placed in a single whereas. These should 
be arranged in the most logical order possible.

	The most efficient way to write a resolution is to make a simple outline or list of premises which you will turn into the 
WHEREAS clauses and a similar simple list of phrases for the RESOLVED clauses. In fact, you should begin by 
determining what your RESOLVED clauses are; that is, how many there should be and what their basic thrust is. You will 
know how many by the number of entities we need to address or the number of problems we need to fix. After you decide 
specifically how you want the problem fixed, determine the smallest number of concepts you need to explain to a person 
unfamiliar with the problem that there is a problem. The best resolutions can be picked up by a person unfamiliar with the 
issue and hold that person's attention (in other words, are as short as possible) while still actually explaining the problem 
and the solution or solutions. This method, deciding the ending first and then crafting the arguments to reach it, will result in 
the simplest and clearest resolution. Then, when you actually write the formal resolution, you can focus on the writing and the 
style, having already done the thinking part.

	Here are the punctuation and layout rules for writing resolutions:
1. Each argument begins with the word WHEREAS, indented and all caps. BE IT RESOLVED and BE IT FURTHER 
RESOLVED, which introduce the resolve sections, are also indented and written in caps. Note that WHEREAS is followed 
by a comma, but the two versions of be it RESOLVED are not.
	2. Each WHEREAS before the final one ends with a semicolon and the word and. This is true of the RESOLVES 
as well.
	3. The final WHEREAS ends with a colon, the words Now, therefore, and a hard return. Please note that Now is 
capitalized.
	4. The final RESOLVE ends with a period. This reflects the fact that the entire resolution is a single sentence. 
Sometimes one is taxed to refrain from writing sentences within WHEREASes, but inserting a complete sentence is not 
playing the game fairly.
	5. A blank line separates the elements of the resolution.
	6. In the beginning of the first RESOLVE surround the year and the state with commas. The formula looks like this: 
	BE IT RESOLVED that the National Federation of the Blind in convention assembled this eighth day of July, 2000, 
in the City of Atlanta, Georgia, ... Note also that the C in City is capitalized.

	The rather strained form of the resolution makes it sound unnatural and formal. Do not attempt to add to this effect 
by indulging in jargon and verbosity. Even though resolutions are frequently long, brevity is a virtue. Each argument should 
be made concisely but clearly. Jargon never helps this process. Substituting utilizefor the short, vigorous word use and 
always referring to people as persons or individuals are good examples of counterproductive inflation of the pomposity 
quotient. On the other hand, because resolutions are formal statements of a policy position, you should avoid slang or 
informal words like exams instead of examinations or quotes for quotations. Verb forms like hunker down or get 
going are also a bit too casual for use in resolutions.

	You will remember that the NFB is on record as opposing people-first language, except as it happens for some 
reason to sound euphonious. Despite this fact, we are increasingly saddled with awkward people-first language in our 
resolutions that serves no function but to lengthen the argument, sound pompous, and contradict our own policy. Remember 
that there is nothing wrong with the terms blind people or blindness field. Yet increasingly our resolutions are cluttered with 
persons who are blind or persons with blindness or visual impairment.

	Capitalization should be consistent. Do not capitalize words for emphasis. Quotation marks should not be used for 
this purpose either. Federal is not capitalized unless it is part of an actual title or is the first word of a sentence. Since 
WHEREASes do not begin with capital letters, federal is almost never capitalized in resolutions. Congress, on the other 
hand, is, as are House of Representatives and Senate. Names of departments and organizations are capitalized, but 
terms like departments of education or vocational rehabilitation agencies should not be.

	Resolutions often pile up nouns as adjectives. When this happens, the terms should be hyphenated: Web-site 
creators, access-program producers.

	Bill numbers are written H.R. 0000 or S. 0000.

On Mon, 17 Oct 2011 08:48:50 -0700, Mike Freeman wrote:

>----- Forwarded Message -----
>From: Mike Freeman <k7uij at panix.com>
>Date: Monday, Oct 17, 2011 08:04:14
>Subject: Resolutions Committee

>>
>>
> All:
> 
> I am appointing the following individuals to the 2011 NFB of Washington Convention Resolutions Committee: Marci 
Carpenter, Chair; Michael Mello, Gary Mackenstadt, Maria Bradford, Bennett Prows, Donald Mitchell. The Resolutions 
Committee will meet on Friday afternoon following the NFB of Washington Board of Directors meeting or at 4:30 p.m., 
whichever is later.
> 
> Please send proposed resolutions to Marci at mjc59 at q.com or bring them with you in more-or-less final form Friday. If you 
need help crafting resolutions, ask your chapter president or one of the "old hands" at writing resolutions such as Ben Prows, 
Gary Mackenstadt, Noel Nightingale or me for assistance. I'll also endeavor to find an artical I remember about writing 
resolutions and post it to the list. If anyone else finds it before I do, please feel free to post it.
> 
> Resolutions set the policy for the affiliate during the year so they are important.
> 
> Mike Freeman, President
> NFB of Washington

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Michael J. Mello

mike at mello.com

(208) 301-0565

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