[Ohio-talk] fyi

[COLLEEN ROTH]

 Hello Annette,
I share your opinions concerning public attacks. What ever happened to talking to people privately about concerns when they are personal attacks and or they appear to be personal attacks.
I do have one suggestion for everyone.
Please read entire emails so you truly know what is stated.
Before you say that something isn't mentioned in a post please reread it.
This could have eliminated some problems for everyone. I know sometimes we get inundated with email and so we do not always read the entire message.
I have been guilty of the in the past but have learned the hard way that I need to read the entire email.
If you feel that something you have to say about a new idea should be posed just give the idea.
If you haven't gotten a response to an idea just post it again without all the oand! stuff.
If you have a suggestion for something maybe you could present it for consideration. If you don't get a response immediately it may be because something else takes precedence at the time.
Sometimes suggestions aren't acted upon immediately because they are not possible for some reason.
I am sure that those who receive suggestions make note of them and will act upon them when or if it is appropriate.
Colleen Roth



----- Original Message -----
From: Annette Lutz <annettelutz at att.net>
To: "'Ationfb of Ohio Announcement and Discussion List'" <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org>
Date: Wednesday, December 18, 2013 8:16 am
Subject: Re: [Ohio-talk] fyi

>
>
> Good Morning everyone,
> 
> I have been a part of this list for some time, and haven't participated in
> much of the conversation because I am so new to the organization, and until
> fairly recently, haven't been too involved in the NFBO outside of my work
> with the Merchants Division.  I have stayed out of the "politics" that
> naturally come with all groups, because of my newness.  I have sat back and
> listened and learned because it is my sincere hope that someday, after
> learning as much as I can, that I can be a better contributor to this
> wonderful organization.  I have learned a lot, and after learning so much
> about the NFB philosophy and the great work that is done, I feel stronger
> about my affiliation with this group, and hope that in my small way, that I
> can be of some help to the cause in the future.
> 
> However, after reading the current thread of email, I have been extremely
> concerned about some things.  Most notably, I see from the point of view of
> someone that really doesn't know most of the players personally and who
> doesn't know much of the history, that this type of personal attacks is very
> discouraging to read.  I have noted that outside of fundraising, one of the
> top goals of the affiliate is the increase of membership.  From the point of
> view of an "outsider" this type of continued thread could have the opposite
> effect.  If I hadn't been sitting back and listening for some time now, and
> had just gotten on this list recently, maybe after just attending my first
> convention, this type of attacking could have put me off of the entire
> group.  I hope that this isn't the case for any new people who might be
> reading this list, because the group is so much more than is being portrayed
> here.
> 
> Since I have began my involvement with the affiliate outside of the
> Merchants Division, I have felt completely included in anything that I had
> interest in.  I enjoy reading the weekly updates from Eric, and the
> wonderful newsletter that Barbara puts together.  I have gotten the
> opportunity to meet many people through the conventions that I have attended
> and my involvement with last summer's BELL program, and I have recently
> become more involved in the Columbus Chapter, who have been very inclusive
> and welcomed me openly.  I am certain that any other Chapter would have done
> the same if I lived in those areas as well.  In fact, I have felt that some
> have gone out of their way to make me feel welcome to this group, and have
> told me that my ideas and opinions are welcome.  I believe that everyone
> else is given that same welcoming approach.  So what I am asking is that the
> personal attacks please stop on this list.  It is natural for their to be
> disagreements, and the fact that people feel so strongly about their opinion
> only emphasizes the passion that is felt about doing the work of the NFB,
> but when those passions reach the point of attack, it hurts the group, and
> could push away future leaders who might not have had the opportunity yet to
> learn what the NFB is all about.
> 
> Just my thoughts.
> 
> Everyone have a very Merry Christmas, and let's have a great 2014 making
> this affiliate an even stronger and better one than it already is.
> 
> Annette Lutz 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ohio-talk [mailto:ohio-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Cheryl
> Fields
> Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2013 10:04 PM
> To: NFB of Ohio Announcement and Discussion List
> Subject: Re: [Ohio-talk] fyi
> 
> Eric,
> 
> You are absolutely right, thank you for adding me to ohio talk. I also thank
> you and the board for allowing me time for the Domestic Violence talk and
> Break Out Session. I am looking forward to expanding this in the near future
> and would love to discuss this further with you.
> 
> My comments are not ment to hurt anyone, exclude others or cause a rift
> among the membership, but I thought we were having great dialogue about
> importan issues concerning nfb. I feel strongly about these issues and don't
> mind being vocal, like others. However, I think you and Richard should iron
> out your differences privately. As president, I hold you to a higher
> standard, as well as Richard and when both of you begin to bicker publicly
> it effects the whole group. Again, in my opinion, Barbara should have stayed
> out of it andI should not have responded to her comments, this is not our
> fight. Aleeah sent me a message that I responded to honestly. I thought I
> have always made it clear that If I do not have the correct information
> please straighten me out. The convention info was made very clear in
> Shelby's notes and I asked a question in an earlier email asking, can we
> give proposals to board members for future consideration of convention
> locations, no one asked answered me yet. I am not infallible, and it is a
> moot point, the main issue is how do we come together for the benefit of the
> organization? I offered a suggestion and have gotten no response from you or
> any board member. This is interesting to me, but I have a response to my
> remarks on the efforts of the Cleveland chapters involvement, and coments on
> who's right and who's wrong. Sometime ago I sent you a private email about
> setting some guidelines for Ohio Talk, no response from you, so I am
> suggesting it again. Maybe we can ask each chapter to make a list for the
> board to consider, Ohio Talk Ettiquet. Are any of us perfect? The ability to
> communicate is a beautiful skill and can sometimes be painful or unpleasant,
> but in the end accomplishing an understanding among everyone is what counts,
> even if we disagree. So, I am asking you to take some time to think about
> what is really going oneawho are the people you may need to reach out and
> smooth some feathers, evaluate if any of this talk has merit, and how to
> come together. Finally, make your way to Cleveland for the party and we can
> talk face to face, because I prefer not to be placed in the position of
> appearing to be against leadership in any way. I happen to sit on another
> board and am quite awae of how important solidarity is, I also am a leader
> in other organizations and know that it is not a easy job. We can all learn
> from each other if we first learn how to listen, sometimes the most
> important message is in the silence.
> I will say Happy New Year to All now because I am taking a break from Ohio
> Talk for the holidays, Blessings,
> 
> Cheryl Fields
> On 12/17/13, richard payne <rchpay7 at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> > We all have our opinions. Richard
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Ohio-talk [mailto:ohio-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of 
> > Aleeha Dudley
> > Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2013 5:59 PM
> > To: NFB of Ohio Announcement and Discussion List
> > Subject: Re: [Ohio-talk] fyi
> >
> > Hello Richard and All,
> >
> >      As someone who was on the board meeting last Tuesday evening, I 
> > feel I must weigh in on this conversation. I must respectfully 
> > disagree with you, Richard, on the points you make. I truly and firmly 
> > believe that the board of directors, chosen, I might add, by our state 
> > Federation membership, I might add, has the best interests of the 
> > affiliate at heart. As you know, the affiliate is in dire financial 
> > straits right now and cannot afford to keep having the convention in a 
> > location where it will take massive expenditures to get members of the 
> > board there. If we keep having to spend this much money on the board 
> > alone, how can we expect to get new people to the convention?
> >      I also must say that, having heard exactly what happened at the 
> > board meeting, there was consideration given to your idea of exploring 
> > different locations for the hotel since we had such issues with the
> Wyndham Garden.
> > We
> > were all advised, however, that the money just wasn't there to fund 
> > such a committee, because, after all, this will still cost the state.
> >      As for the statement that the board cares not for our membership, 
> > again, I must disagree. Eric openly invited members and discussion to 
> > this meeting. He has always been transparent with the affairs of this 
> > affiliate, and I would think that you would know that, working hand in
> hand with him.
> >      As for this "team player" bit, I must wholeheartedly agree with Eric.
> > A
> > team player is just that: he works to support the team and does not 
> > flay the head of such team on an open forum such as this. A team 
> > player brings these concerns directly to the head of the team, as well 
> > as the rest of the board.
> > A team player fully and wholeheartedly supports the Federation.
> >      As for Cheryl's comments, Eric had his reasons, I am sure, for 
> > not holding a BELL program in Cleveland, on top of the one planned in
> Columbus.
> > It was the first year of the program, so naturally we needed to start 
> > small.
> > It was difficult to know how well the program was going to go, if it 
> > would go at all, so naturally, our efforts needed to be centrally 
> > located and focused on one common goal. There was also not enough 
> > money for Ohio to support a second program. Chinelle got, as I did, an 
> > email from Eric, expressing his sincere gratitude for her assistance with
> the BELL program.
> >
> > These are just my thoughts and I will continue to work my tail off for 
> > this Federation because I consider them a better family than my own right
> now.
> > Issues will arise in every family, but they should be properly 
> > addressed, so as not to undermine the strong foundation of the family.
> >
> > Just my humble opinion,
> > Aleeha Dudley
> >
> >
> > On 12/17/13, Eric Duffy <eduffy at deltav.org> wrote:
> >> Richard,
> >>
> >> Although these are not the kinds of emails I would like to see on a 
> >> public listserv, I am compelled to respond to this one since you have 
> >> publically thrown down the gauntlet.
> >>
> >> I agree with you that we need to include and involve our membership. 
> >> I too believe that the board should be responsive to the membership 
> >> as much as possible while performing the role it was elected to carry 
> >> out. Those two things are not one in the same. You say, "I think that 
> >> the call last week was in part designed to limit the input on some of 
> >> the things we spoke about.  When the information was put out, it made 
> >> it seem that only the board would need to be present and maybe this 
> >> is why several members did not
> >> participate.    I think some members of our leadership make others feel
> >> left
> >> out and do not open   the doors until money or work is needed. his
> >>
> >> In the Buckeye Update dated December 6, 2013 I said, "I have called a 
> >> meeting of the board of directors of the National Federation of the 
> >> Blind of Ohio for Tuesday evening at 8:00 PM. We had a December 
> >> meeting last year at which time I appointed the committees that will 
> >> do much of the work of the organization. I plan to appoint committees 
> >> on Tuesday. We will also discuss the 2014 convention and our next 
> >> scholarship program. We will also set the date for our January 
> >> meeting. Other business might arise, but only if it absolutely must 
> >> be discussed before our January meeting.
> >> You do not have to be a member of the board to participate in these 
> >> meetings. I encourage you to join us. Shortly before 8:00 PM.  On 
> >> Tuesday call (605) 475-4875. When prompted, use access code 201909 
> >> followed by the pound sign."
> >>
> >> Kyle Conley, Paul Dressell, Aleeha Dudley, and Colleen Roth 
> >> participated in the call but are not on the board. Aleeha and Kyle 
> >> are two of our younger members, and I'm glad they were there.
> >>
> >> You say, "I am a team player and serve for all Federationists." When 
> >> I think of a team player, I think of one who's head and heart are in 
> >> the game at all times. I think of one who supports the team even when 
> >> there is disagreement among team members. This type of email going to 
> >> a public list does not seem to me to be what a "team player" would 
> >> send. A team player would not have led his chapter out of the banquet 
> >> before the fundraising period, particularly after having received an 
> >> award from that organization. We have had the Scrip program for two 
> >> years now, and, though you have made noises about joining it, you 
> >> have still not done so. Is that being a team player?
> >>
> >> In the January 2013 board meeting you publically accused me of 
> >> intimidating the board. To this day I know of no one who supported 
> >> your position. That to my mind does not represent a team player.
> >>
> >> At the Sunday morning session of this years convention you publically 
> >> accused me of reading amendments  to the constitution that had not 
> >> been brought to the board. You might say that you were just asking a 
> >> question, but your question was really an accusation. As vice 
> >> president I would never have asked Barbara or JW such a question on 
> >> the convention floor. If I were concerned that something was being 
> >> slid past the membership, I would have quietly come to the head table 
> >> and raised the question with a recommendation that things be made 
> >> absolutely clear.
> >>
> >> Those who are intelligent do not need to tell the rest of the world 
> >> how bright they are. It shows! Those who are wealthy don't need to 
> >> tell the world how rich they are. Again, it shows!  Yet I often hear 
> >> you refer to yourself as a "team player." The instances I have 
> >> sighted above I fear speak louder than words. We are members of the 
> >> administration, and we must find a way of getting along and working 
> >> for the same goals. Blind Ohioans deserve no less. I suggest that we 
> >> pursue this discussion off list in the hope that we can agree to work 
> >> together. We have a lot of years of doing so. Surely we can find some 
> >> trust and common ground.
> >>
> >> Eric
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
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> >> Ohio-talk:
> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ohio-talk_nfbnet.org/blindcowgirl19
> >> 9
> >> 3%40gmail.com
> >>
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
> >
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> >
> 
> 
> —
> Peace
> 
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