<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">
</head>
<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
<p>Hello everyone. <br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Please see below about our activities at the Capitol on
Wednesday. This is very important!!! The blind are under attack.
The Legislature is attempting to pass measures that would reduce
the quality of services available to the blind in Oklahoma and put
blind merchants out of work. We cannot let this happen. In
addition to meeting at the Capitol on Wednesday, we need you to
keep calling and emailing your legislators to oppose HB 1861, HB
2230 and SB 733. We will have a full page ad in the Sunday
Oklahoman and we will be starting a social media opposition
campaign tomorrow in conjunction with the ad. If you are on
Twitter and/or Facebook, please retweet and share. We need volume
to implement a successful social media campaign. These issues are
truly urgent. It will take all of us to defeat these bills. It's
time to let the Oklahoma Legislature know that they can't make
policy about us, without us. Please help in any way you can. We,
the blind of Oklahoma, must push back.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Audrey T. Farnum</p>
<p>First Vice President</p>
<p>National Federation of the Blind Oklahoma.</p>
<p>405-590-6110</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<div class="moz-forward-container"><br>
-------- Forwarded Message --------
<table class="moz-email-headers-table" border="0" cellpadding="0"
cellspacing="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">Subject:
</th>
<td>[NFBOK-Talk] URGENT! call to action! NFBOK Blind Push
Back!</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">Date: </th>
<td>Sat, 25 Feb 2017 18:19:31 -0600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">From: </th>
<td>Jeannie Massay via NFBOK-Talk
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:nfbok-talk@nfbnet.org"><nfbok-talk@nfbnet.org></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">Reply-To:
</th>
<td>NFB of Oklahoma Internet Mailing List
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:nfbok-talk@nfbnet.org"><nfbok-talk@nfbnet.org></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">To: </th>
<td>'President, National Federation of the Blind'
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:OfficeOfThePresident@nfb.org"><OfficeOfThePresident@nfb.org></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">CC: </th>
<td>Jeannie Massay <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:jmassay1@cox.net"><jmassay1@cox.net></a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
<br>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;
charset=windows-1252">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered
medium)">
<style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:8.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#954F72;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:8.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;
mso-add-space:auto;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:8.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;
mso-add-space:auto;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:1103107659;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:1902413928 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><b><span
style="font-size:24.0pt">The Blind Push Back in Oklahoma!<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><b><u><span
style="font-size:24.0pt;color:red">CALL TO ACTION!<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><b><span
style="font-size:18.0pt">Wednesday, March 1<sup>st</sup>!<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt">If you
are Blind, know or love someone who is blind, you need to
be at the Oklahoma State Capitol on Wednesday, March 1,
2017, to let our legislators know that we, the blind of
Oklahoma, are not OK with legislation being written about
us without our input, expertise and experience of living
as blind people. Further, that we do not want or need
either of the bills currently in question. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt">We need
everyone to show up in opposition to HB 1861 and HB 2230.
Make the day about showing Oklahoma that the Blind
community is alive and well in Oklahoma. How can you
help? See how below:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><b><span
style="font-size:18.0pt">Come to the Oklahoma State
Capitol and stay all day!<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst"
style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span
style="font-size:18.0pt"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">1.<span
style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span
style="font-size:18.0pt">The House Municipal & County
Committee will vote on HB 2230 at 9:00 a.m. in Room 412 C.
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"
style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span
style="font-size:18.0pt"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">2.<span
style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span
style="font-size:18.0pt">We, the blind, and our friends
and family members will rally at 1:00 on the South Plaza
to oppose the legislation and demonstrate our capacity
through collective action. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"
style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span
style="font-size:18.0pt"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">3.<span
style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span
style="font-size:18.0pt">The House Appropriations
Committee will meet at 3:30 in Room 206 to vote on HB
1861.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"
style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span
style="font-size:18.0pt"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">4.<span
style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span
style="font-size:18.0pt">Share and Like our Facebook and
Twitter posts.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt">If you
are able to stay for the entire day, please plan to do so.
If you are able to attend part of the day please come to
the Blind Push Back Rally and the House Municipal &
County Committee meeting in the morning or the House
Appropriations Committee meeting in the afternoon. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><b><span
style="font-size:26.0pt;color:red">Tired of being pushed
around? <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><b><span
style="font-size:26.0pt;color:red">We can and must do
something about it! <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:14.0pt">HB1861
Regarding the Older Blind program <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This bill will effectively remove the
management and services to the older blind from the Department
of Rehabilitation and its employees to other possible
organizations or private agencies. This legislation will take
dollars away from Visual Services and afford it to outside
interests. This bill seeks to provide a solution to a problem
that does not exist. The Older Blind program needs to stay
where it is! <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333">HB2230
Regarding the exemption of county jail commissaries from
priority to licensed blind managers<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333">This
bill will effectively remove a blind manager from the job
that he does well and will set precedent for other locations
to be removed for exemption in the future. The bill, in its
current form, will remove all county jails from
prioritization. Further, in the future other facilities are
quite likely to be targeted as well. Last year, the
legislature exempted the Capitol from priority and claimed
that they would not pursue further locations in the future.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:20.0pt">It's time
to tell the Oklahoma Legislature they can’t make policy
about us, without us. Please join us Wednesday to be a
part of the blind push back.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span
style="font-family:"Cambria",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span
style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">Jeannie M.
Massay, President<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span
style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">National
Federation of theBlind <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span
style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">Of Oklahoma<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span
style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">505 Baker
Street<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span
style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">Norman, OK
73072<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span
style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">Phone:
405-600-0695<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span
style="font-family:"Cambria",serif"><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:Jeannie.massay@nfbok.org">Jeannie.massay@nfbok.org</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span
style="font-family:"Cambria",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span
style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">Live the life
you want!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span
style="font-family:"Cambria",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span
style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">The National
Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day,
we raise expectations of the blind because low expectations
create obstacles between blind people and our dreams.
Blindness is not what holds you back. You can live the life
you want.!. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span
style="font-family:"Cambria",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>