[Home-on-the-range] Can Peace Prevail Amongst Blind Organizations?

Susan Tabor souljourner at sbcglobal.net
Wed Jun 19 02:15:04 UTC 2013


Hi, listers:

I would like to note that in my experience,  independent living centers in
Topeka and Lawrence have worked well with the blind community and have had
blind employees.

Nobody and no group is perfect.  20 years ago, Tim, I don't think you'd have
had blindness groups even acknowledge that blindness groups could
collaborate on certain issues.  Leadership in both organizations has
changed, and our current NFB president is much more inclined to dialogue.  

Having belonged to both major groups, I sometimes am pained that there isn't
more collaboration than there is even now, even though the climate is at
least somewhat calmer than it used to be.  It frustrates me when time is
spent in judgment of others, both within our organization and outside it.
Part of the power that we have is to educate and to share our journies.  We
have to understand, I believe, that everyone has his or her own reasons for
being where they are, and that much is based  on fear, for which, I believe,
it is incumbent on me to feel and express compassion if I intend to help
someone move into a less fearful and/or more confident place.  Just my two
cents' worth!  Thanks for posting, Tim! See you at the  August Jayhawk
chapter meeting, I hope.  We're not meeting in July because of the national
convention.
Peace,
Susan T.
-----Original Message-----
From: Home-on-the-range [mailto:home-on-the-range-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Dianne Hemphill
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2013 8:24 PM
To: NFB of Kansas Internet Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Home-on-the-range] Can Peace Prevail Amongst Blind
Organizations?

Hello Timothy...it was a pleasure to hear your review of those articles that
impacted you in the current journals for both ACB and NFB. Having both
consumer organization's journals easily available via fingertips, will help
us better understand the philosophy's and practical approaches used to forge
our road ahead. Just as every interest group out there, has their own
perspective, so do the blind. Progress is slow, as you noted, especially if
you're in the middle of situations that appear to be  otherwise simple if
the disability wasn't factored in...It is my perspective, and for those who
subscribe to home on the range, that the NFB has been able to make the most
sense and progress in "changing what it means to be blind" in the most
positive way... I do not know if the blind can "work together"  but I'm
willing to put my time and effort into the work that I fully support...and,
thus the federation. The Independent Living Center philosophy has generally
left the blind out of their "flat world" focus and I've never seen them
really make any meaningful positive impact on behalf of the blind...I was
once on the wichita ILRC board and had a lot of trouble following their
philosophy, which was one that focused primarily on housing and that
everyone should get the same thing - and that was determined by those who
had the largest number of a disability group. I felt their time might be
better spent on focusing on employment issues as once we are able to "get a
job" we can have the home and the life that can come with it...thank-you for
writing such an insightful and thoughtful note to us. I hope we'll hear more
from you. Dianne On Jun 18, 2013, at 10:16 AM, Timothy Hornik wrote:

> Happy Tuesday Everyone,
> 
> Last night I finally read over the latest Braille Monitor and ACB Braille
Forum. The pieces that stuck out for me from the Braille Monitor involved
the controversy with the Oklahoma "Vision Services" and Iowa's issues with
potential fraudulent spending by the former Director. Both of these makes me
reflect on the lack of services here within Kansas, and the numerous Federal
audits that swept through our CIL's and SILCK.
> 
> The ACB Braille Forum article that captivated my attention in balls a
letter similar to the title of this email. The brief summary is that they do
not feel the various blind organizations will ever be able to provide a
unified front as a whole, but maybe able to collaborate together on some
issues. Maybe I am a little naïve, but I hope this is not true.
> 
> At the last SILCK Board Meeting, yes I am a board member, I commented on
how I would love to see the date when all of the disability organizations
placed a representative in the seats behind me. Only then might we be able
to wield enough power to change the state's position on various issues. For
example, Voc Rehab and employment centers are truly hit or miss when
providing assistance for the visually impaired. However the Director feels
they are more than capable. We seen this with the overwhelming support
(sarcasm) VR showed in the planning leading up to the job fair in Lawrence.
Likewise as a Veteran, the VA's own Voc Rehab services only desired to aid
me so much based on limited power and the VA's own willingness to employ the
visually impaired outside of blind rehab services, and this is without
commenting on 508 compliancy issues faced by blind employees.
> 
> Here I sit, wondering whether the future will improve, and acknowledging
that only will it improve with our own actions. 
> 
> Like a tree growing from a mountain, progress is slow and steady. However,
the strongest weather and whipping winds fail to uproot the tree.
> 
> Thank you for your assistance,
> Timothy Hornik, LMSW
> President
> Kansas Regional Group
> Blinded Veterans Association
> Mobile: (785) 330-3503
> E-Mail: timothy.hornik at gmail.com
> LinkedIn Profile: http://tiny.cc/7bfa5 www.facebook.com/ksrgbva
> 
> 
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