[Nfbf-l] picking and choosing NFB policies andconstitutionalrequirements

Darlene Laibl-Crowe dlaiblcrowe at att.net
Fri May 2 13:53:43 UTC 2014


Thanks, Holly!

-----Original Message-----
From: Nfbf-l [mailto:nfbf-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Holly
Sent: Friday, May 02, 2014 9:43 AM
To: NFB of Florida Internet Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Nfbf-l] picking and choosing NFB policies
andconstitutionalrequirements

Find the original post from Sherri and read it.
Thank you,
Holly


On Fri, May 2, 2014 at 9:34 AM, Darlene Laibl-Crowe
<dlaiblcrowe at att.net>wrote:

> I didn't know this information that Holly mentioned.  We have someone 
> who is continuing to drive as president of our affiliate?
>
> I joined NFBF February a year ago...so I don't know much about the 
> outdated rules but I do know that bylaws should be monitored and adapted
as needed.
> Just like the laws of the land.  If one law is not being enforced, 
> then we have to do the same with others.  Being selective about the 
> laws is not the way to go.  I do hope there is a committee set up to 
> do something about these outdated laws.  Yes, it might take some work 
> but don't you think it is time?
>
> Here is another way to look at it...we expect the United States of 
> America congress to update their laws to help us, right?  We don't 
> want our lives governed by outdated laws.  Lobbyists advocate for 
> groups to make sure that doesn't happen.
>
> This reminds me of the verse in the Bible that says to look at the 
> plank that is in your own eye.  Before we can make changes, shouldn't 
> we start within?
>
> Darlene
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Nfbf-l [mailto:nfbf-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Patricia A.
> Lipovsky
> Sent: Friday, May 02, 2014 8:39 AM
> To: NFB of Florida Internet Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [Nfbf-l] picking and choosing NFB policies 
> andconstitutionalrequirements
>
> 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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> >
> >
> > --
> > "God gives you 86,400 seconds in a day. Take one to say Thank You."
> > Walter A. Ward
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--
"God gives you 86,400 seconds in a day. Take one to say Thank You."
Walter A. Ward
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