[Home-on-the-range] From your monitor

[Rob Tabor]

Greetings listmembers and Maryse.

I wholeheartedly agree with Susan Tabor's insights into the 2010 national convention experience, but I'll add my oown perspective by addressing each question as presented.

  1- What did going to the convention mean to you

  When I first joined NFB in 1985 after defecting from ACB, I did not know the importance of having a positive philosophy of blindness until I began reading the vast reserve of NFB literature which I acquired at my first convention in Louisville that year. Although it is essential to communicate the NFB philosophy at the state affiliate and local chapter levels, I am persuaded without reservation that participation at our national convention is of paramount importance in moving the NFB philosophy across the 18 inch road from head to heart. This I believe is the driving force that brought about the creation by our national board of directors of the Journigan fund, a scholarship fund to help Federationists on SSI and similar low and fixed income sources to come and to be involved in our national convention and with the aid of excellent veteran Federationists as mentors who help new convention delegates deal with the frequently overwhelming effects of large crowds, megalithic hotels and convention centers, busy schedules, etc. A declaration by our colleague Parnell Diggs is spot on in his assertion that the best reason for raising funds is to bring new members to national convention. In case Mr. Diggs monitors this list I apologize if I've misquoted him.

  2-What did you learn?

  It will take more time to process the subtle aspects of lessons I have learned from the 2010 convention. I suggest that a helpful way to assimilate lessons learned is to apply a sine qua non test. In other words, we may ask ourselves what we know in retrospect that we would not have known had we elected to stay home or to go elsewhere during convention week. With this in mind, I have come to recognize that the growth in membership, assets, projects and programs, and influnce of our organization are directly attributable to the outstanding leadership of Dr. Maurer and his executive leadership team and board. Dr. Maurer's leadership has evolved to this point in a two fold manner. First, he has grown tremendously in his leadership and management style and approach, then he has grown the organization itself. To offer but one example, the strategic initiative projects were launched and continue to experience remarkable growth on his watch. Last but not least, we have made positive strides in our collective ability to offer support without judgment and in some ways I think we are reclaiming the grass roots energy and robust spirit that marked the early days of our social movement.

  3-Was it a life changing experieence?

  To address this question honestly, I must say the jury is out as lasting change often comes about so gradually and in such subtle and incremental fashion that others notice change before we are cognizant of it. However, I sincerely hope the real answer turns out to be an unmitigated Y E S. As this question is linked to the last one below, one, I will endeavor to develop my response by addressing it.

  4-what are you bringing back to apply to your life and to help change another's?

  The NFB 2010 convention has rekindled my all ready strong desire to strive to do my best at whatever I endeavor to do and to make dilligent and conscious efforts to improve in areas where my best is not good enough. I recently told a colleague in Federationism that my bonds to NFB are permanently sealed by its inspiration to excellence and its disdain for mediocrity and absolute contempt for poverty of effort. Part and parcel is my renewed desire to extend my knowledge and experience to assist my blind colleagues, Federationist and otherwise, on the journey toward first class citizenship and interdependence equal to that of our sighted peers. But such commitments are not a one and done proposition. They are like a battery that must be periodically recharged and National Convention does exactly that.

  Should the mighty and unseen forces be willing, I look forward to seeing all of oyou in Orlando in 2011.

  Best to all
  Rob Tabor and White Cane Raúl
  DID  DEEP.
       Thus, I sart with me.  Going to Dallas to attend my first NFB convention was a life changing experience at many levels.Let me explain.  I am legally blind and fall in the category described, at the banquet ,by Dr. Maurer as a middle-of-the-road blind. I then realized  I never really deep down accepted this new challenge of 6 yrs. ago. Therefore I desperately tried to function as a sighted person,only to experience but mediocre results,impatience and frustration.

     The convention taught me that I can function as a bi-visual person.(no other connotation meant!)  Yes, I am a bi-vsual person.  In other words,when I need some sight it is there and when I need blindness skills,they are there.  This in essence makes me a confident and competent individual better able to serve my NFB family and enter a new career with knowledge and poise.
  Thank you Kansas Federationists for having adopted this new American citizen
  Sincerely
  Maryse



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