[Blindtlk] what the NFB Should Do!

[Chris Nusbaum]

Marion,

Great post!!! As I've said before on this list, I was a reluctant 
Federationist, not sure what philosophy I agreed with, until I 
went to the LAW Program, joined this list, and got a lot of 
responses to my question about the definition of Federationism.  
I'm now an active and committed Federationist, much to the 
chagrin of my friend in the Council.  * Smile! By the way, I 
forwarded your message to Dr.  Maurer, with the hopes that he 
will read it and pass it on in a banquet speech or Presidential 
Release in the near future.

 Chris

"A loss of sight, never a loss of vision!" (Camp Abilities motto)
To learn more about Camp Abilities and find a local camp near 
you, just click on this link to their national Web site: 
www.campabilities.org.

The I C.A.N.  Foundation helps visually impaired youth in 
Maryland have the ability to confidently say "I can!" How? Click 
on this link to learn more and to contribute: 
www.icanfoundation.info.

 Sent from my BrailleNote

 ----- Original Message -----
From: "Marion Gwizdala" <blind411 at verizon.net
To: "NAGDU List" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>,	
<blindtlk at nfbnet.org>,"NF
B Chapter presidents" 
<chapter-presidents at nfbne
t.org>,"FLAGDU List" 
<FLAGDU at NFBNET.ORG
Date sent: Thu, 23 Jun 2011 09:09:22 -0400
Subject: [Blindtlk] what the NFB Should Do!

Dear All,
    Please excuse this cross-posting but I think it is important 
enough that I wanted to share it with as many of you as possible.  
When I speak with many blind people who find out I am a leader in 
the Federation, I often have them say, "The NFB should ...".  You 
can fill in the blank with a myriad of suggestions of what needs 
to be done to improve the lives of the blind.  Generally, my 
response is, "Are you a member of the NFB?" The most frequent 
answer is "No!" This opens the door for me to share that the 
Federation is a membership organization -  a grass roots Movement 
in which each member must be actively involved in order for us to 
improve our lives.  It is not dr.  Maurer; it is not the Board of 
Directors; it is not the people who work at the National Center 
for the Blind; it is not our divisions, our affiliates, or our 
chapters! It is each and every member of the movement! I then 
invite them to become a member of the NFB and hear the same tired 
excuses of not being a joiner, not having enough time, not 
wanting to choose sides, not agreeing with the philosophy, yah 
dah yah dah yah dah yawn! "In other words," I say, "you want 
someone else to solve your problems for you and are unwilling to 
help.  Is that right?" Of course, they think I am a rude, 
obnoxious, belligerent Federationist, what my wife and I would 
call "C.B." - Confirmation Bias - the bias that "All 
Federationists are (fill in the blank!" and this experience 
confirms this belief!
    I praise those of you who have joined me in our effort to 
improve the lives of the blind.  You have not made it someone 
else's problem to solve; you have made it yours! To paraphrase 
the words of Mahatma Gandhi , "You are the change you want to see 
in the world!" Thank you for your service and for joining me on 
the barricades! On to Orlando!

Fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala, President
National Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU)
National Federation of the Blind
813-626-2789
President at NAGDU.ORG
HTTP://WWW.NAGDU.ORG
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