[Ct-nfb] FW: ACB Resolution on H.R. 3086

[ntwales]

Rich - Thank you for your excellent message.
Chris - I couldn't disagree with you more on several points.  First, 
though, I should state that, like Justin, I too received a national 
scholarship from ACB while an undergrad and attended their national 
convention.  I did meet many pleasant, articulate, and successful 
members there--and most were pleasant and welcoming to me even though 
they knew clearly that I was an NFB member.  I spoke a couple of months 
later with President Maurer about this, and he was glad I went, and he 
showed no animosoty towards the ACB during our conversation.  Also 
before moving to Connecticut, as an NFB leader in California I worked 
closely with ACB leaders on a handful of joint issues, including 
establishing a separate rehabilitation agency for the blind and 
increasing availability of public transit, and I found everyone pleasant 
to work with and, on other matters such as the level of access to public 
rights of way, pleasant to disagree with.  Now:
1. You wrote, "I've met people at national convention who are members 
of both NFB and ACB--although Dr. Maurer [you gave him the title doctor; 
he himself does not and I endeavor not to; his brother interestingly 
enough holds a doctorate] would certainly excommunicate them if he found 
out."  While President Maurer would support excommunicating these dual 
members, it isn't about him.  The NFB constitution forbids such dual 
membership.  This is an organizational constitutional matter, and I 
think most members would agree that, just like you can't be registered 
as a Republican and a Democrat, you can't be a dual member--and, as we 
practiced at our state convention, our NFB could vote to change that 
about our constitution if we ever changed our minds.
2. You wrote, "ACB's decision not to support HR 3086 is hardly 
comparable to Hitler gassing the Jews or the English exterminating 
Native Americans."  While Hitler gasing the Jews (he also gased the 
disabled) and the English killing Native Americans on their face seem 
like extreme examples, they are both predicated upon the same belief 
that some human life is less valuable than other human life.  ACB 
deliberating to be silent is more properly comparable to those in Nazi 
Germany who remained silent while the Holocaust went on around them, 
while trains and marches of prisoners passed their towns and woods and 
churches.  How Nazi Germany rose to such power personally fascinates me, 
and maybe we've heard a small insight into how.  Who will be left to 
stand up for the ACB...
3. You mention the statistic that few blind people are paid less than 
the minimum wage under the infamous Section 14(c).  This is a tired 
argument, and with Rich's public admission I now know of three NFB of CT 
leaders who were devalued by this provision.  And it's not just 
Goodwill, of course, like Semens and Phillips weren't the only users of 
concentration camp labor in Nazi Germany, but they are the worst--they'd 
have you think they're a charity!  The other two NFB of CT members were 
devalued at shops not affiliated with Goodwill.  Knowing so many blind 
people who have been devalued by this provision, in the context of this 
clip from the ACB convention I, as a thoughtful Republican and regular 
viewer of Fox News (I knew it was over when they called it for Obama!), 
will never think of the 99% and the 1% the same way again...
Best,
Nathanael

On 09.11.2012 11:03, Richard McGaffin wrote:
> --- On wrote:
>
>> From: Chris Kuell <ckuell at comcast.net>
>> Subject: Re: [Ct-nfb] FW: ACB Resolution on H.R. 3086
>> To: "NFB of Connecticut Mailing List" <ct-nfb at nfbnet.org>
>> Date: Friday, November 9, 2012, 8:33 AM
>>
>> I know many ACB members who are capable, competent blind people.
>> They believe in independence, Braille, and the right of all blind
>> people to become active members in the workplace and society. Marcia
>> dresser, who used to live in Connecticut and was the first VP of the
>> ACB here, worked with us to help pass a Braille bill back in 1999. I
>> was on several BESB committees with her, and I admire Marcia and her
>> husband Steve, also blind and an active ACB member, very much. I've
>> met people at national convention who are members of both NFB and
>> ACB--although Dr. Maurer would certainly excommunicate them if he
>> found out. Again, these are capable, competent, admirable blind
>> people, who are networking and not judging people by affiliation,
>> but rather by character.
>>
>> I see the ACB and NFB as completely analogous to republicans and
>> democrats. Both groups have a vision for our country, but they have
>> different ideas on how to get there. Neither side is evil, although
>> I have my doubts about the folks at Fox news, but for some reason,
>> people get fired up when they feel they have an enemy, which is how
>> far too many NFBers and ACBers react. I've studied both
>> organizations, and choose to be an NFB member because I think our
>> philosophy best matches my own personality. But I don't think the
>> ACB is wrong, just different. I would summarize this way: The NFB
>> wants training and opportunities for blind people, while the ACB
>> wants understanding and accommodations.
>>
>> I listened to the ACB audio clip, twice, and I find it fascinating
>> how different people react to the same stimuli. I didn't hear any
>> slamming of the NFB, I just heard a single sentence saying 'it's an
>> NFB bill'. The sentence wasn't said with love or enthusiasm, and in
>> fact probably held a little disdain, but I certainly wouldn't call
>> it slamming.
>>
>> ACB's decision not to support HR 3086 is hardly comparable to Hitler
>> gassing the Jews or the English exterminating Native Americans. It's
>> a decision based on facts, math, and mission. NIB doesn't pay blind
>> workers below minimum wage. Good will does, but by my
>> calculation,it's very few blind people. The large majority of the
>> few hundred disabled workers who receive below minimum wage are
>> multi-disabled, almost all with severe cognitive disabilities. And
>> the small percentage of blind people who are included in this class
>> are also multi-disabled, with blindness the least of their troubles.
>> Traditionally, the NFB has not fought on behalf of other
>> disabilities, and DR. Maurer himself told me personally that 'it
>> dilutes our message'. The NFB has decided to fight on behalf of
>> people with other disabilities in taking on HR 3086, while the ACB
>> has decided that they won't. It's not evil, it's simply a different
>> viewpoint.
>>
>> Deb, are you sorry you asked? Smile.
>>
>> chris
>>
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