The Vote, "Stay The Course" At The Membership Meeting
Ollie Lee Taylor, Recording Secretary
After a period of parliamentary skirmishing and a straw vote, the membership decided by a decisive margin to adopt resolution A of its long range planning committee resolving that "To the name Black and White Men Together, Inc., and reaffirms the foci, statement of purpose, and organizational structure of NABWMT in their present form."
After the vote, there was a period of discussion touched off by the heading of the resolution. It said: "Stay the course". Several voiced objection to those words. Former Director Irwin Rothenberg (Washington, DC) noted that "there was a divergence of opinion about who we are. The organization is drifting. The National Task Force on AIDS Prevention had a focus and a goal as does the current Bush-Mallon Institute. They knew what was to be accomplished. There's been an absence of strong leadership at times. We need to think why we're in the organization, what we want and need to do, and how we're going to do it. We've been adrift since the mid-80s."
Former director Douglas Noble (Los Angeles, CA) was leery of cosmetic changes. He didn't feel that any of the changes proposed by the committee would solve existing problems. Former treasurer and now director-elect D.A. Leonard (Glendale, WI) criticized the process as being "disingenuous." He believed that requested input was not considered. Former co-chair and Treasurer John E. Bush observed that in the past, NABWMT has had discrimination response systems, the AIDS Task Force, bar discrimination studies, as well as the BMI. There was responsibility and we were making things happen.
"We need to search out committed people. A change of name, without commitment, is just cosmetic." Former co-chair Al Benvenutti, expressed disappointment with the November 2007 retreat. He hoped that the committee would come back with a "how to" process. Outgoing contract office manager Paul H. Hawkins (Pittsburgh, PA) mentioned a 2004 survey with results showing a lack of focus and commitment. "I don't think that has changed."
Contact: Ollie Lee Taylor, infantmystics@yahoo.com
Posted: modified by:Del Korte Modify date:2008-11-17 05:52:24