From: David Andrews 
Subject: Re: Conflict of Interest
Denise:
you make some good points.  There is only one thing I would like to add to
your message.  Everyone who is in a leadership position in the NFB, Board
emmbers, etc., is there because she/he can bring something to the table.
That something is generally a constituency, that is people, votes, worketrc
....  A  person gains power in the NFB by first doing work and becoming a
leader on the Chapter level.  she/he can then move to the State and National
arenas.  However, to get there one must have something to bring to the
table.  That is the nature of politics.
David Andrews
On 1997-08-24 NFB-Talk@NFBnet.org said:
 DM>As a political insider I have found the discussion interesting.  To
 DM>begin with we live in a REPRESENTATIVE Democracy not a pure
 DM>democracy.  I have been involved in everything from PTA to
 DM>Statewide Political Conventions.  If you think that the NFB is
 DM>rigid you have had very little experience with representative
 DM>organizations.  It is of interest that there is a clause in the
 DM>model state affiliate constitution that says that Robert's Rules of
 DM>Order will not be used to subvert the will of the membership.  I
 DM>have seen that take place in political conventions.  It has always
 DM>been refreshing to see how open and fair our National Conventions
 DM>have been over the past 20 odd years.  The rank and file members of
 DM>our organization know more about orderly and respectful meeting
 DM>etiquette than most of the elected officials that I know.  I also
 DM>know that chaos does not allow for any kind of voice in an
 DM>organization. The National Federation of the Blind in my long
 DM>experience of 27 years of participation is an open, disciplined and
 DM>orderly organization.  This results in the effectiveness and
 DM>influence which we are experiencing at this time.  I can remember
 DM>many instances of nominations being taken from the floor.  I can
 DM>also recall, including this past year in New Orleans, resolutions
 DM>resulting in lively and thought provoking discussion.  I especially
 DM>recall the resolution concerning the setting up of a center in
 DM>Baltimore that eventually was defeated.  I remember this discussion
 DM>very clearly because Gary and I were on opposite ends of view.  I
 DM>must say that I have no patience for criticism for citicisms sake.
 DM>Constructive criticism proposes a problem and then proposes
 DM>possible solutions.  Our world is no longer very simple and issues
 DM>have many sides.  Until all sides can be observed and dealt with
 DM>solutions are difficult to reach. I apologize for the length of
 DM>this post. Thank you for your time. Denise Mackenstadt
David Andrews (dandrews@visi.com)
or BBS: (telnet to nfbnet.org) or call (612) 696-1975
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