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<p class="MsoNormal">Hey everybody,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I had a really great experience tonight, and I feel the need, for some reason, to tell you all about it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A few weeks ago, at the NFB of Louisiana State Convention, Roland asked me if I liked boxing. I wasn’t sure where he was going with that, and then he clarified: watching boxing. I told him I thought it was cool but never really made time
for it. He said, “you don’t have to make time for it. There’s a big fight coming up on the first Saturday in May, and we’re having a party at our house to watch it. We’d love it if you’d come.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I just got home from that party, and I have made real progress tonight in understanding something I was told a lot at the Jernigan Institute. When I was an intern at our national headquarters this past summer, everyone, especially President
Riccobono, Dr. Maurer, and Anil, talked a lot about the importance of having personal relationships with people in the core leadership of our movement. When I would see people holding each other’s children and little things like that, I got the understanding
of what it looked like when other people did it, but now I’m really starting to get it. Now, I’m really starting to understand what it feels like to be doing it myself.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We had such a great time tonight, and I don’t think I heard the word “Federation” at all. We had so much great food, drinks, cigars, conversation, and the fight was great, too. There’s something really special about hanging out with the
Federationists who are physically near you. If you aren’t doing it yet, I encourage you to do so.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When people ask me where I’m from, I will always tell them that I’m from Connecticut, but I do hope I get the chance to physically live in Connecticut again. If I can find a job in Connecticut, I hope to have these kinds of experiences
with many of you on this list. It’s always great to have a beer with Gary at a state convention or fall victim to Rob’s humor when I’m not expecting it at national, but I want to do these things outside of formal Federation events, too. I know I write to you
all about working together, but, man, playing together is good for the soul.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I wish you all a good night, my Federation family.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Justin Salisbury<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Justin Salisbury - Running Thunder Phoenix<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Graduate Student<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Louisiana Tech University<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Email: <a href="mailto:President@Alumni.ECU.edu">
President@Alumni.ECU.edu</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Twitter: @SalisburyJustin<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Because I was not a Socialist. <o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p> </o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Because I was not a Trade Unionist. <o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p> </o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— <o:p>
</o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Because I was not a Jew. <o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p> </o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Martin Niemöller<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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