[Blindtlk] Action Alert: Your action is needed to saveaccessible textbook program

Chris Nusbaum dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com
Sat May 21 15:16:24 UTC 2011


Thank you, David! I agree completely! I think that we should talk 
to our national leaders before we take a position on behalf of 
the Federation.  But, I still think that we shouldn't stop 
advocating for ourselves and blind people if we don't have orders 
from the NFB National Office.  We need leaders if we're going to 
advocate, not wait until NFB tells us to!

 Chris

"A loss of sight, never a loss of vision!" (Camp Abilities motto)

--- Sent from my BrailleNote

 ----- Original Message -----
From: "Hyde, David W.  (ESC)" <david.hyde at wcbvi.k12.wi.us
To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List' <blindtlk at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Fri, 20 May 2011 15:22:27 -0500
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Action Alert: Your action	is needed	to 
saveaccessible	
textbook 
program

Chris, you have a right to do anything that is legal, whether 
people agree with you or not.  What we do not do, however, is 
take positions on behalf of the organization, stating that is it 
is the Federation's position.  Now I am a Democrat.  There are a 
lot, most in fact, of things the Democrats do that I believe are 
right.  Therefore, I support them.  Occasionally I agree with 
republicans too.

Please contact your representative and senators about anything 
you want.  If you feel strongly, that the Federation should take 
a position, write a resolution and bring it to the national 
convention.  The intent is not to stifle political expression, 
but to make it clear when you and I speak for ourselves, and when 
we speak for the Federation.  I can speak for us when I tell my 
legislators that the Federation has a strong commitment to the 
maintenance of public transit systems.  I could not, this year, 
go representing the Federation, to our Capitol here in Wisconsin 
to protest all the things that our governor is doing.

So, be an advocate.  Contact elected officials.  Before you take 
a position on behalf of all of us, talk to Jessie and John and 
our national office.  In your state, talk with your state 
president.  We need advocates.

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org 
[mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Âris Nusbaum
Sent: Friday, May 20, 2011 3:01 PM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Action Alert: Your action isneeded 
tosaveaccessible textbookprogram

Hi, Steve,

I don't have a problem with taking advice from our leaders to put 
into our lives.  Our leaders, like Dr.  Maurer, John Par?and the 
rest of the governmental affairs department, Dr.  Jernigan, Dr.
Ten'Broek, and others have a lot of wisdom and experience that we 
can listen to and take into our own lives.  However, what I do 
have a problem with is the general idea of not taking any action 
in personal advocacy, especially with * your * government (yes, 
contrary to some people's belief, the government is there to 
answer to the people, not the other way around according to the
Constitution) unless you have "orders" from the leaders of the 
NFB.  There comes a time where you have to be a leader and take 
advocacy into your own hands, regardless of whether the 
governmental affairs leaders at NFB have caught on to it.  You 
have to lead in your own self-advocacy and that of other blind 
people, in our case! Because we are a minority, we can't wait for 
others to either do it for us or ask us to advocate in the name 
of an organization or group of like-minded people.  We must lead 
in our own advocacy, in my opinion! What do you think Dr.
Ten'Broek and the other founders of the Federation did back in 
1940? They didn't wait for some higher-up to do it for them, they 
said "We need to fight for our rights as blind people," and thus 
started the NFB to do just that, and that's what we've been doing 
for 70 plus years.  That's where I come from on this!
 Chris

"A loss of sight, never a loss of vision!" (Camp Abilities motto)

--- Sent from my BrailleNote

 ----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Jacobson" <steve.jacobson at visi.com
To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org Date sent: 
Thu, 19 May 2011 15:45:21 -0500
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Action Alert: Your action isneeded
tosaveaccessible        textbookprogram

Chris,

Speaking for myself, I think it is risky to run out and give 
unconditional support based upon an appeal from the agency who is 
trying to get the funding.  It isn't that they would be 
dishonest, but they would present the issue in the way that would 
benefit them the most.  What is this "competition" that they 
mention?  Personally, I would just as soon see them survive, but 
if you don't want to take orders from our leaders, and those are 
your words not mine, why are you taking orders from Learning 
Ally, unquestioning acting on their letter?  When I act upon the 
advice of our leaders it is partly because I trust them, but it 
is also partly because I am somewhat familiar with the issue.
The exact nature of this issue was not spelled out as far as I 
can tell.  I am probably even a little miffed that one week they 
take us out of their name but the next week they want our 
support, but that is a little childish on my part and I'm past 
that.
<smile

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson
.

On Thu, 19 May 2011 15:57:40 -0400, ?is Nusbaum wrote:

Great! Way to advocate for yourself! I also passed that email on 
to the NFB Talk list, where I got a reply from a guy saying that 
he wouldn't act without orders from John Par? Jesse Hartle, or 
Lauren McLarney.  By the way, in case some of you don't know, 
they're the people in charge of the governmental affairs 
department at NFB.  Really? The NFB is trying to teach us to be 
self advocates, not to only advocate when orders come from the 
NFB higher-ups.  Um...  independence?

 Chris

"A loss of sight, never a loss of vision!" (Camp Abilities motto)

--- Sent from my BrailleNote

----- Original Message -----
From: "Sherri" <flmom2006 at gmail.com
To: <blinddog3 at charter.net>,"Blind Talk Mailing List"
<blindtlk at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Wed, 18 May 2011 01:41:38 -0400
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Action Alert: Your action is needed
tosaveaccessible        textbookprogram

I passed this on to the NFB-FL list.  I believe it is a 
worthwhile endeavor.
I used their services throughout high school and college.  I 
would have had a really difficult time getting books without 
them.

Sherri
Have you visited my personal page at
http://www.raceforindependence.org/goto/Sherri.Brun
If so, Thank you for changing what it means to be blind.
If not, please go there now!
Thank you.
flmom2006 at gmail.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steven Johnson" <blinddog3 at charter.net
To: "'Blind Talk Mailing List'" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org
Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2011 7:47 PM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Action Alert: Your action is needed to 
saveaccessible textbookprogram


 Chris, I love your individual advocacy plea...that is what being 
an  independent blind person is all about.  I don't need to, nor 
will take  directions from anyone on an issue that I personally 
feel will impact  myself  or my peers, so again, thanks for the 
heads-up!

 Steve


 Steve

 -----Original Message-----
 From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
 Behalf Of Chris Nusbaum
 Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2011 3:44 PM
 To: Blind Talk list; NABS list; nfbmd at nfbnet.org; 
nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
 Subject: [Blindtlk] Action Alert: Your action is needed to save 
accessible  textbookprogram

 Please pass this on and take action yourself!

 Chris Nusbaum

 "A loss of sight, never a loss of vision!" (Camp Abilities
motto)

 --- Sent from my Braille-Note

 ---- Original Message ------
 From: "Learning Ally, formerly RFB&D" <advocacy at learningally.org
 Subject: Action Alert: Your action is needed to save accessible  
textbookprogram  Date sent: Tue, 17 May 2011 14:12:41 -0400 (EDT)

 Having trouble viewing this email?
 Click here to view this email as a webpage.

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=dpqs87bab&v=00

1xmZOF4pc7pMMuUnBvAcfhMol18Ere_PHDSX3eaJJTVAte_PaWoA4-lgeYnS90p7E

di9nTHn-F13cR4XYzlYgB282VV71pK5o-Q90u_TXeN2o60-JGHr02hhecexE6vw86
 QvhwrGjlPoHMkZCqqUpEw%3D%3D
 You're receiving this email because of your relationship with  
Learning Ally..  Please  confirm your continued interest in 
receiving email from us.

http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/c.jsp?llr=dpqs87bab&t=1105
 572670725.166919.58419719.2&m=1101553811939&wl=F
 You only have to do this once.  You may unsubscribe

http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&m=001K33QEjKvDIIHs3Uws

ZPI7A%3D%3D&se=001GZygKZI2B6M%3D&t=001vmfB_5MdzRnRDawhwsF7gA%3D%3
 D&lang=001FCSs65SMrsI%3D&reason=001y5KaVlBn7_Y%3D&llr=dpqs87bab
 if you no longer wish to receive our emails.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Advocates' Action Alert

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 May 17, 2011

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Your immediate action is needed to help hundreds of thousands of  
students with print  disabilities.
 Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is wavering on his commitment  
to hold a competition  to fund accessible educational materials 
and textbooks for the  hundreds of thousands  of students who 
cannot use a standard textbook.
 You need to e-mail Secretary Duncan's office today to urge him 
to  hold the competition  and preserve the program.
 Under the FY 2011 budget passed by the Congress, Secretary 
Duncan  has the discretion  to hold a competition for the 
development, production and  distribution of educational  
materials in accessible formats to students with visual  
impairments and other print  disabilities.  The US Department of 
Education has supported this  project for more  than 30 years, 
and President Obama included it in his FY 2011  budget plan.  Now  
the Secretary might use these funds for other projects!
 The Secretary needs to hear from you today to prevent the  
shifting of funds away  from this vital program.
 The Secretary might make his decision as soon as the end of the  
week so we need  you to e-mail him today.  Your voice and that of 
hundreds of  other supporters urged  the Congress to preserve the 
funding in the budget, and Congress  heard you and took  action.  
Now we need your voice to urge Secretary Duncan to  preserve the 
funding  for accessible materials and to hold the competition.
 Hundreds of thousands of students benefit from this program each  
year and if the  Secretary does not fund it this year its future 
is unknown.  We  need your voice  to be heard again!
 Please e-mail Secretary Duncan's office today.  We have included  
the sample language  below to help you in making your e-mail.  
Please add your  personal story, name and  hometown to your 
message!

 Secretary Duncan's e-mail is arne.duncan at ed.gov  
[mailto:arne.duncan at ed.gov]

 RE: Urgent Support Needed for Students with Print Disabilities

 Dear Secretary Duncan:

 I am writing to share with you my support for the accessible  
educational materials  project and Learning Ally.

 Learning Ally has a long-established relationship with the  
Department of Education  and has had broad support in Congress, 
state departments of  education and 10,000  schools from coast to 
coast.  I urge you to continue that  support by holding a 
competition  for the development, production and distribution of 
educational  materials in accessible  formats to students with 
visual impairments and other print  disabilities.

 Learning Ally is a critical partner in the success of hundreds 
of  thousands of students,  and federal support of their efforts, 
leveraged with private  philanthropy, has made  much of their 
work possible.  Continue USDE's 30-year commitment  to students 
with  disabilities and hold the competition.

 Sincerely,

 As we keep the pressure up on the Department with our allies in  
Congress, we will  update our Policy Advocates' Center

[http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=dpqs87bab&et=1105572670725&s=16691

9&e=001FfuQMRzeCrgE35apgH7EpeV4eIanE_Lcwh_2fHiZuYM3xhLZlOn_auNhQm

RfFgmWpwXiyhZn44xSapplvLzXILIcP7vgyL63-vWHCSHwmzV5e2Z05b9Xrgudztd
 dFpdWvkB940dk46VpA2F8Ge9Kgux_m7DCvy7suoPCmqlPewZSd4_GoKHY7A==]
 with developments as they occur.  We will also share critical  
Advocates' Action Alerts  with you when key decisions are to be 
made.
 Your support has helped to preserve this program so far, and 
will  be a key to its  future!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 A national nonprofit since 1948 - LearningAlly.org

[http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=dpqs87bab&et=1105572670725&s=16691

9&e=001FfuQMRzeCrgoNLPD4Cp41ENxAYtONei2WR27ECD2DzBpvoczNaq5ad2495
 bxPXcoO9KwbZE__j0gKa8QxV_xUMsTjhGobuj-xgA5nltWJ8moesPL_oXPuQ==]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 C2011 Learning Ally, Inc.  All rights reserved.
 LearningAlly(TM), Making reading
 accessible for all(TM), the "Access" icon, Recording for the  
Blind & DyslexicR,  RFB&DR and all trademarks and service marks 
are owned by  Learning Ally, Inc.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Forward this email

http://ui.constantcontact.com/sa/fwtf.jsp?llr=dpqs87bab&m=1101553
 811939&ea=dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com&a=1105572670725


 This email was sent to dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com by  
advocacy at learningally.org.

 Update Profile/Email Address

http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=oo&m=001K33QEjKvDIIHs3Uws

ZPI7A%3D%3D&se=001GZygKZI2B6M%3D&t=001vmfB_5MdzRnRDawhwsF7gA%3D%3
 D&lang=001FCSs65SMrsI%3D&reason=001y5KaVlBn7_Y%3D&llr=dpqs87bab


 Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe(TM)

http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&m=001K33QEjKvDIIHs3Uws

ZPI7A%3D%3D&se=001GZygKZI2B6M%3D&t=001vmfB_5MdzRnRDawhwsF7gA%3D%3
 D&lang=001FCSs65SMrsI%3D&reason=001y5KaVlBn7_Y%3D&llr=dpqs87bab


 Privacy Policy:
 http://ui.constantcontact.com/roving/CCPrivacyPolicy.jsp




 Learning Ally | 20 Roszel Road | Princeton | NJ | 08540


 _______________________________________________
 blindtlk mailing list
 blindtlk at nfbnet.org
 http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
 To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account 
info for
 blindtlk:

http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/blinddo
g3%40charte
 r.net


 _______________________________________________
 blindtlk mailing list
 blindtlk at nfbnet.org
 http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
 To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account 
info for
 blindtlk:

http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/flmom20
06%40gmail.com


_______________________________________________
blindtlk mailing list
blindtlk at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
for blindtlk:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/dotkid.
nusbaum%40gmail.com


_______________________________________________
blindtlk mailing list
blindtlk at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
for blindtlk:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/steve.j
acobson%40visi.com








_______________________________________________
blindtlk mailing list
blindtlk at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info
for blindtlk:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/dotkid.
nusbaum%40gmail.com



_______________________________________________
blindtlk mailing list
blindtlk at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
for blindtlk:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/dotkid.
nusbaum%40gmail.com





More information about the BlindTlk mailing list