[nabs-l] Ending the NFB/ACB feud

[T. Joseph Carter]

Ashley,

You understand why then I essentially gave up.  It was not a good use 
of my time, and things that should not have been controversial were 
seen as such--primarily through my association with the NFB, I remain 
convinced.  There just wasn't an interest in an intellectually honest 
discussion with a Federationist.

Standard responses include that I was clearly too intelligent to 
allow myself to be "brainwashed" by the NFB, and misrepresentation of 
the Federation's position in intentional, derisive ways.  I don't 
know how many times I got some snide comment about how the NFB does 
not believe in disability accommodations or that Kenneth Jernigan was 
allowed to use a sighted guide, but nobody else was, or similar clear 
nonsense with no purpose except to inflame.

Those I accepted.  They're fallacious arguments, but they come up in 
debates.  I drew the line at allegations of fraud, bribery, and 
embezzlement, etc.

The thing is...what's changed?  I tried to discuss issues, but tried 
to "get beyond" the only issue that mattered to far too many of them: 
I am a member of the NFB, and I'm not ashamed of it.  I thought I 
could be a part of the ACB as well, but I could not as long as it was 
going to condone baseless allegations of criminality.

That remains my sticking point.  Not even that the accusations were 
made, but that when they were called into question, the powers that 
be decided that the posters had a right to make the allegations, and 
that I was not entitled to challenge the assertions on the lack of 
evidence offered.

Joseph


On Fri, May 22, 2009 at 01:07:41PM -0400, Ashley  Bramlett wrote:
> Good grief.  Joeseph how do you and others have time to post on ACB lists 
> being a full time student?  I say its a waste of time!  You think your 
> way and they think theirs.  If they choose to flame you and attack you 
> then its really not worth your time.
> Now that summer is here I've thought about resubscribing to ACB-l but 
> I'll mostly be a lerker.  I have no desire to debate debates that cannot 
> be won. In the past when I was on ACB-l I commented to say something of 
> common ground or ask questions about them as a means of educating myself 
> about their group.  I only recieved one or two flaming remarks and those 
> were off list.
>
> Joseph I generally believe what you think that we can
> do what we set our minds too.  But there are times when things don't go  
> right when I
> feel sorry for myself and do feel the world is unfair and discriminatory. 
>  I saw this negative attitude on ACB-l that the world was simply unfair 
> and we need society to do everything to help us.  One lady said the 
> library did not provide the newsletter in braille so she discarded it 
> rather than asking a reader/scanner to read it.
> Since I do get down when things don't go well like readers don't show up 
> or cancel last minute and I flounder to get work done or run into 
> inaccessible web sites etc, I do understand where they're coming from.  
> But I am able to pull myself together and go on with life.  It helps that 
> I have supportive family.  My father has filled in as a reader/driver for 
> me when needed.  Its a blessing to have family you can count on when 
> fellow sighted people don't follow through to be your eyes in an 
> activity.
> I strive to get on with life and not stay down.
> "Play hard or go home."  How true.
> I don't think Sara Blake was suggesting your view was inappropriate for  
> ACB-L.
> But perhaps you should frame your tone in a gentle way.  My father says 
> "if you don't have nice things to say, don't say it."  If you throw out 
> things they'll dislike then yes you'll stir controversy and get a 
> reputation.
>
> As for me my life is often too busy to defend positions and debate like a 
> broken record on lists.  I have friends in both organizations and those  
> unaffiliated and intend to keep them all.  Its your choice whether to be 
> on ACB-l but it sounds like its not worth your time to fight fires that 
> arise from your views.
>
> Ashley