[nabs-l] Ending the NFB/ACB feud

Tue May 19 23:27:26 UTC 2009

Peter!
   Well said.
   Nijat

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2009 1:05 PM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Ending the NFB/ACB feud

> Hello Arielle and listers,
>
> The NFB all ready has that. Why reinvent the wheel?
>
> Peter Donahue
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Arielle Silverman" <arielle71 at gmail.com>
> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2009 10:22 AM
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Ending the NFB/ACB feud
>
>
> Hi Peter and all,
>
> Peter and Nijat raise some great points about forming unaffiliated
> groups. Just to clarify, I don't think these unaffiliated groups
> should attempt to replace the local NFB and ACB chapters, but just
> provide another avenue of support for those who don't want to join a
> consumer organization, as well as an additional common ground for
> blind people who are already members of either consumer group. I also
> think it's just as important in unaffiliated groups as it is in
> consumer groups to have competent leadership and clear goals for
> existence. While these groups may or may not be affiliated with a
> parent organization, they can and should still develop bylaws, a
> democratic leadership structure and a concrete mission statement.
>
> Arielle
>
> On 5/19/09, Jess <jessica.trask.reagan at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Dave and all,
>> ACB is generally made up of older folks for the most part. Although when 
>> I
>> was living in Utah the UCB did have a pretty strongly organized student
>> affiliate. Of which I was involved in.
>> Jessica
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "David Andrews" <dandrews at visi.com>
>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2009 12:24 AM
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Ending the NFB/ACB feud
>>
>>
>>> As I said in another message, we offered in early 90's, they refused.
>>>
>>> I was at the ACB national convention a couple years ago, and it was
>>> sparsely attended -- when compared to NFB convention, some of the
>>> meetings
>>>
>>> I attended were not well organized, exhibits were not strong and not
>>> staffed by companies strongest people, and I heard my share of ranting
>>> against NFB, and why ACB was better.  Finally, there were very few
>>> students and young people noticeably so.  About all the ACB has is
>>> opposition to the NFB, and it doesn't mean anything to younger
>>> generations, so they aren't attracting members.
>>>
>>> Dave
>>>
>>> At 11:18 PM 5/17/2009, you wrote:
>>>>Jedi,
>>>>I understand the historical problems between the two organizations,
>>>>but I still do not understand why some NFB members are unwilling to
>>>>try this out.
>>>>
>>>>This may be a far fetched example, but here goes nothing. Blind people
>>>>were once put away because we were different, never saw the classroom,
>>>>or the work force. Someone wanted to change that, so he made Braille
>>>>for all of us to read, from there things picked up, and even now we
>>>>make progress. There is a long history betwenen blind and sighted
>>>>individuals, philosophically, politically and others, and yet, we
>>>>strive to make ammends, teach, compromise, understand and be
>>>>understood. If we can do this with the sighted, why not attempt to
>>>>with our own kind... other blind individuals?
>>>>
>>>>It does not hurt to try.
>>>>
>>>>Aziza
>>>>P.S. Thank you for that explanation, it did answer some of my
>>>>questions about the fued it self.
>>>>
>>>>On 5/17/09, Jedi <loneblindjedi at samobile.net> 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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>>
>>
>>
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