[nabs-l] Ending the NFB/ACB feud

Mon May 18 20:55:07 UTC 2009

Joesiph,
If we were to come together, then maybe there wouldn't be a reason for
them to venomize us.
Aziza

On 5/18/09, T. Joseph Carter <carter.tjoseph at gmail.com> wrote:
> Jedi, the ACB isn't so cohesive as that.  Some of the Southern
> affiliates of the time did want to segregate, and they allied with
> the faction that formed the ACB since the NFB leadership opposed
> segregation.  It wasn't really a factor in the split.  It was an
> incendiary thing that made lots of noise, but it had almost nothing
> to do with the split.
>
> Joseph
>
>
> On Mon, May 18, 2009 at 12:52:29PM -0400, Jedi wrote:
>> Joseph,
>>
>> I haven't yet been able to read People of vision, but it's definitely on
>> my reading list for this summer. I recently had to read Walking Alone and
>> Marching Together on Dr. Maurer's request. It was, forgive the pun, an
>> eye opener. Not just regarding the aCB, either.
>>
>> I figured that it was mostly a tit for tat issue regarding the split
>> itself. But racism? I'd heard, and I don't know how true this is, that
>> the aCB wanted segregation by race and that the NFB didn't given Jacobus
>> tenBroek's scholarly efforts in Constitutional Law. Can you confirm or
>> refute that? I doubt racism is an overt issue in either group. But given
>> that we're a cross-section of American society, it wouldn't surprise me a
>> great diel if both groups dabbled in institutional/accidental racial
>> bias.
>>
>> Respectfully,
>> Jedi
>> Original message:
>>> Jedi,
>>
>>> I'll add only that both versions of the history appear to be
>>> accurate, or close enough to it.  The composite effect is a tit for
>>> tat sort of escalation with one major systemic cause: Two factions
>>> were fighting for control of the organization.  The challengers were
>>> unable to wrest control from those in power.  The factions' various
>>> political alliances result in a large number of proximate causes for
>>> the split from racism to term limits, and everything in between.
>>
>>> Joseph
>>
>>
>>> On Sun, May 17, 2009 at 11:48:45PM -0400, Jedi wrote:
>>>> Jim,
>>
>>>> There is some long history between the NfB and ACB. It's not just about
>>>> disagreements on philosophy even though philosophical differences
>>>> certainly set the two organizations culturally apart.
>>
>>>> The first members of the ACB split from the NFB mostly because of
>>>> political banter. said individuals thought that Jacobus tenBroek and
>>>> others were dominating the organization. Certainly, they had a right to
>>>> their views, and they certainly had a right to leave. Unfortunately,
>>>> these individuals went about voicing their opinions in all the wrong
>>>> ways possible including undermining the organizational structure and
>>>> creating a lot of bad feelings between people who would otherwise be
>>>> friends.
>>
>>>> In the sixties and seventies, the NFB was under siege by agencies
>>>> serving the blind. these agencies were staffed by well-connected people
>>>> with a lot of money and a lot of power, but not a lot of positive
>>>> philosophies and knowledge about the blind. These agencies often
>>>> subordinated the blind through threats and bad dealings. The NFB called
>>>> these folks out, and the agencies used the ACB like an ever-loving meat
>>>> shield to say "See Federation! Not all blind people agree with you!"
>>>> Naturally, it was much easier for the aCB just to go along with things
>>>> because they were still angry with the NfB over past political issues.
>>>> And certainly, they weren't going to put themselves in the line of fire.
>>
>>>> Fast-forward to NAC. I don't know what you know about NAC, but it was
>>>> bad bombin'. Once again, the aCB never called NAC out, but we did. Once
>>>> again, NAC spoke of professionalism in services to the blind. Instead,
>>>> blind folks got left with a raw deal, threats to their livelihoods and
>>>> well-being (even their health in some cases), and all kinds of things. A
>>>> couple folks from ACB and a few other folks with a grudge against Dr.
>>>> Jernigan even brought the FBI to the Jernigans' and Maurers' doors on
>>>> trumped up charges of keeping weapons and possibly starting some kind of
>>>> military effort. It was insane. People were getting death threats and
>>>> the
>>>> whole bit. Remind me to tell the story of my own state affiliate's
>>>> frustrations with the ACB sometime.
>>
>>>> This isn't to say that the ACB is all evil and the NFB perfectly
>>>> innocent. I wasn't there to know everything. But from what I read and
>>>> have observed in current ACB/NFB behavior, there's good reason for a
>>>> split in the organizations. At this point, we can certainly say that
>>>> there are key factors in philosopy that separate the organizations to
>>>> the point where nothing good would ever get done because the two parties
>>>> would be constantly feuding. Better live and let live. Both
>>>> organizations have compiled their versions of history if you want these
>>>> facts for yourself.
>>
>>>> Respectfully,
>>>> Jedi
>>>> Original message:
>>>>> Terri and Arielle,
>>
>>>>> I just wanted to let you both know that one of the members of MABS is
>>>>> also VP of the National Student Division of the ACB. He is adamatly
>>>>> opposed to the (bordering on childish) feud that exist beteen the two
>>>>> organizations.
>>
>>>>> I am wondering if we can't use this oppertunity to somehow begin
>>>>> bringing the two organizations back together. After all, we will be
>>>>> then next generation leading these two organizations, and if we can
>>>>> sieze this oppertunity, maybe we students can set the example for the
>>>>> "adults" within the two national organizations.
>>
>>>>> I wonder if a join NABS/ACB student convention would be just the
>>>>> solution to begin ending this conflict?
>>
>>>>> Thoughts?
>>>>> Jim
>>
>>>>> Homer Simpson's brain: "Use reverse psychology."
>>>>>  Homer: "Oh, that sounds too complicated."
>>>>>  Homer's brain: "Okay, don't use reverse psychology."
>>>>>  Homer: "Okay, I will!"
>>
>>
>>
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