[Mt-blind] NFB of Montana

[Jim Marks]

The MAB/NFB of Montana is a democratic organization that is governed by
majority votes at convention, and, when not in convention, by majority votes
on the board.  It's important to respect the majority will, but it's also
important to influence it as best we can.  

If you are reading between the lines in these exchanges, you will see that
some of us get pretty defensive about the status quo.  Anyone with half a
brain can see that this name debate is a threat to some, and there will be a
huge fight should the issue ever come before the organization.  

Oddly enough, the name issue is just one of many issues.  Another one, which
is much larger in my mind, is the conflict between the Summer Orientation
Program and the national convention.  For those of you who don't know, much
toxic attention is directed towards the NFB out of the SOP.  That's because
NFB oriented members are at national and cannot lend a hand with the SOP.
The schedule conflict creates an imbalance of opinion, and people become
convinced of one way without the benefit of hearing other ideas.  We should
mix it up better than we do so that people could hear all sides of the
story.  I would love to spend time at the SOP talking about philosophy and
showing people how to use the alternative techniques of the blind.  I would
love the chance to confront the silliness and meanness that sometimes comes
out of the SOP when there are no checks and balances within its operations.
The SOP is very important, and I hope it continues providing services, so
please don't turn my words into an attack on the SOP.  I am, however,
attacking the schedule.  And please don't counter with the idea that
national should change its schedule.  About 3,000 people go to national, and
the SOP involves approximately 35 folks.  The schedule hurts the MAB/NFB of
Montana, and it hurts us badly.

Now I'm going to go out in the field and try killing an elk.  Guess I really
am a Montanan, eh?
Thanks for listening!

Jim Marks
blind.grizzly at GMail.com