[Blindtlk] why is it important to join an organization oftheblind?

Wed Jan 18 15:15:51 UTC 2012

It all goes back to that old adage: "together we stand, divided we fall"
doesn't it?

I'm sure there are good, competent, thoughtful, contemplative and fair
people within the ranks of both organizations. It's just sad that the petty
bickering, back-biting and ridiculing goes on to the point that, as of this
time in history, there can be no unification of goals and agendas.

I am a member of both NFB and ACT lists and I have to say, I have really
heard some unkind, rude and downright hateful things said by some of the
members of the ACB list. I have not heard as much coming from the NFB lists
but I'm sure there is prejudice and preference within both organizations.

That's kind of sad if you ask me.

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Chris Nusbaum
Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2012 9:06 AM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] why is it important to join an organization
oftheblind?

Hi Desiree,

Good points! I used to be on a few ACB lists, but soon got annoyed by all
the myths being spread on there about NFB and how it works, mostly by people
who obviously didn't know what they were talking about.  When I would try to
set the record straight, they wouldn't believe it or they'd say, "Why are
you on an ACB list if you're so NFB?" While I think the two can and should
work together on common issues and am in fact working to start a list
non-affiliated with either organization, where people can talk about
blindness-related topics without that getting in the way.  
However, I do tend to identify more with the Federation philosophy and its
positions on a lot of issues, and so decided to join the Federation.  At the
same time, I don't have to agree with everything the Federation does to
identify with its philosophy, and have chosen to stay informed, in one way
or another, about what both organizations believe and are doing.  As I said
to the NABS list earlier this year when I pointed out an article in the
Braille Forum, which I happened to disagree with, and people thought I was
trying to "convert" them to ACB, "I have chosen to be a Federationist! I
have also chosen to be an informed one." So, I totally believe in informed
decision-making.

Chris

"The real problem of blindness is not the loss of eyesight.  The real
problem is the misunderstanding and lack of education that exists.  If a
blind person has the proper training and opportunity, blindness can be
reduced to a mere physical nuisance."
-- Kenneth Jernigan

----- Original Message -----
From: Desiree Oudinot <turtlepower17 at gmail.com
To: Blind Talk Mailing List <blindtlk at nfbnet.org Date sent: Mon, 16 Jan 2012
21:03:34 -0500
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] why is it important to join an organization of
theblind?

Hi,
Well, I for one am one of those who don't want to join either organization.
I am on both NFB and ACB listservs, to gain perspective of what both
organizations are doing, and their thoughts on important issues.  If I have
a question, I would probably write to the appropriate listservs pertaining
to my question.  Admittedly, I usually don't start threads, as I am a very
private person and don't particularly like broadcasting things over the
internet.  I respond to threads from time to time, when I feel the issue is
important enough, as is the case here.
Now I don't know you personally, but here's what I think: have you ever been
asked to convert to a religion when you were perfectly comfortable with the
one you believe in? By constantly asking people to join an organization for
the blind, you're doing much the same thing.  How do you know these people
are unhappy with the way they're living now? If it's more a question of
whether or not they've heard of such groups, one need only do a google
search for organizations for the blind, and I'm sure the NFB and ACB
websites will pop up.  
I'm a
firm believer in informed choice.  If someone wants to join either
organization, they will find the info, whether it's coming to someone such
as yourself, or looking it up on the internet.  But no one likes to be put
in a corner.
As for staying on top of things that go on in the blind community--and I use
that term loosely, because it truly disgusts me that such a term exists at
all--again, it's as simple as following a few discussion lists.  Some don't
like for their inboxes to be flooded, and that's understandable, but you can
go into digest mode, or access the list archives through the respective
sites.  Let's not forget, also, wonderful resources such as the Fred's Head
blog which is run by APH, or the Internet Phone Book of Blindness Resources.
Information is really only a few seconds away in this day and age; if people
don't want to subscribe to a set of beliefs, or deal with any political bs,
let them be.
One more brief point, and then I promise I'll stop.  Speaking to other blind
people is not quite the same thing.  For this, I think it's great that there
are resources like NFB-link and the AFB Career Connect.
There's nothing quite like finding out you're not alone in the world; it's
empowering, particularly for people who have recently lost their vision, to
be able to speak to someone face to face or over the phone who understands
what they're going through and can give them advice, support and
encouragement along the way.  I attended a rehab center last year
(non-NFB-affiliated), and because I've been blind since birth, many of the
clients, some much older than myself, came to me for advice, or simply
watched or asked depending on the level of remaining vision they still had,
how I did things naturally, such as walking with a cane.  It was a win-win
situation: they felt more at ease about losing their vision because they saw
I was coping just fine, and I felt good knowing I had helped people without
even really trying, or meaning to.

On 1/16/12, Chris Nusbaum <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com> wrote:
 Fellow Federationists,

 As I have become more and more active in the blind community and  have met
more and more blind people, I notice that a lot of blind  people are not
affiliated with any organization of the blind, for  one reason or another.
Some say they are put off by the  political arguments between the NFB and
ACB; some say they don't  want to be "tied" to one organization; some say
they don't agree  with either organization's philosophy and don't want to
identify  themselves with either organization and their philosophy, and
there are other reasons as well.  I try to explain to them the  value of the
Federation in my life, and how joining an  organization of the blind
connects you with a diverse network of  resources, who can help answer
almost any question they would  have related to blindness.  I also try to
explain to them that if  they had any problems, being a part of an
organization would help  them with their advocacy efforts; the more people
you have  advocating, the more effective the advocacy is.  But they still
don't want to be affiliated with an organization.  So I want to  get your
thoughts on these questions; why do you think it is  important to be a
member of an organization of the blind? Of what  benefit/value is an
organization to its members, and to blind  people at large? Some people have
said to me, "Sighted people  don't have any organizations dedicated to their
concerns as  sighted people; why should I join an organization dedicated to
blindness?" Still others have said, "Don't you (Federationists)  want to be
equal with sighted people? If so, then why do we  (blind people) need to be
organized in some kind of organization  exclusively of and for the blind and
people associated with the  blind?" These are some interesting questions;
what would your  responses be to those people? I look forward to hearing
your  thoughts on this!
 Thanks,

 Chris

 "The real problem of blindness is not the loss of eyesight.  The  real
problem is the misunderstanding and lack of education that  exists.  If a
blind person has the proper training and  opportunity, blindness can be
reduced to a mere physical  nuisance."
 -- Kenneth Jernigan

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

http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/turtlepower
17%40gmail.com

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

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