[nabs-l] Ending the NFB/ACB feud

[Ashley Bramlett]

Jon,
A lot think as you do.  I have blind friends of neither group.  They did not 
join for the same reasons.  They did  not want to be part of political 
controversies.  They say they agree with some of what ACB says and some of 
what NFB says.
not want to
They are open to both philosophies and pick and choose to live life and 
march to the beat of their own drum.
So I see what you're saying.  An advantage to picking and supporting one is 
you're part of a civil rights movement and if you say to congress I support 
something as a member of blank group you have more weight than fighting as 
an individual.  It is numbers in this society that often change laws, 
policies and attitudes.

If you choose not to be part of either, I hope you will make blind friends 
since you'll identify with common struggles.  Playing a blind sport like 
goal ball or beep ball is a good way to have fun and meet blind people.
Some local areas have events for the blind sponsored by a lighthouse for the 
blind.  For instance the columbia lighthouse in DC has a summer day camp for 
kids and youth, holiday party and family picnic  to name a few things.

Ashley


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "jonathan matte" <jmatte28 at comcast.net>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, May 18, 2009 7:40 PM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Ending the NFB/ACB feud


> okay I have to jump on to this post band wagon I haven't read every post 
> dealing with this but here are my thoughts.
> People have said to me Jon why don't you try joining the ACB NFB or both.
> and with all due respect here's what I think.
> I think that both organizations are well meaning and have very interesting 
> points of view, however because of the political nature of both 
> organizations i've kept away from them and consequently it has actually 
> helped me to maintain some very close friendships over the years.
> I have a close friend of mine who graduated from Perkins School For The 
> Blind with me who happens to be a member of the NFB and even he agrees 
> with me that sometimes both of these organizations can be a bit over the 
> top and get a bit preachy/ coughs for affect and some people do actually 
> get on to a bit of a soap box so I've found that maintaining some distance 
> while being open to both philosophies and yet marching to the beat of my 
> own drum which I call the Jon Matte drum has served me well
> Just my thoughts.
>
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