[nabs-l] Reflecting upon the March 4 day of action.

Tue Mar 9 13:17:49 UTC 2010

In my state our transportation is totally being cut in arieas and in others
the bus and train service is being reduced. Unforchenitly in my ariea it is
being cut totally.
Rania,

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Darian Smith
Sent: Monday, March 08, 2010 8:20 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Reflecting upon the March 4 day of action.

Elizabeth,
   Very good points for sure.
 I know that one question you have  to ask  yourself as a californian
(speaking in general terms) is what can you afford to have taken  away
from you by way of taxes?  If you are one of those people who are
working and barely get enough to make things work as it stands, how
can you be asked to give  that little bit you do have?   a  point
that was  brought up during the rally was  something  along the lines
of... when   the government wants to go to war; the money is there.
When  the government wants to bail out the  banks; the money is there.
 Seems to not be the  case for education. To me that makes some sense,
but I also can  understand  that  you could argue for the money to be
spent on these things.
 Without making  this too much of a political discussion, I guess I
just would  say that if people  live in a state that is  making  noise
much like california's  students and  teachers are doing; I would
encourage you to  join the fight because this effects you too.
Budget cuts effect the level of services you get from rehab or school
( Private institutions  not withstanding).   I know that I   plan on
making my way up to sacramento  twards the end of the month when the
rallys take place at the capital.    I think that  the biggest thing
to keep in mind in regards to your state and where it may  or  may not
be in regards to budgetary considerations is to remember that  this is
 as much a blindness issue as it is  anything else.  In fact, I would
argue that  this is bigger than blindness or  the   important issues
of g blind students, because if you think about it we all are students
and we all feel this. If you live in  a state where this is not such
an issue I would hope that you see that it does not become one (at
least as best as one can).  This is a matter of civic responsibility
as well, and we have that responsibility to uphold as citizans of this
country- we look to become integrated into  society in a level equil
to that of   our sighted peers and  here's  a good  oppertunity to do
that.
  Respectfully,
  Darian

On 3/7/10, Elizabeth <lizmohnke at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> It is interesting to hear about how the people in California have reacted
to
> the budget cuts made to the education system. I have not heard of any
> rallies to protest any such action here in Michigan. Although perhaps
being
> a bit ahead of the curve in terms of the economic crises and a declining
> population may help, explain a different reaction when compared to that in
> California. All I can say is that I'm glad I'm not the one who has to
decide
> on how the government chooses to spend what little money they have right
> now. If they are not cutting funding from schools, then they are cutting
> funds from library services, and when they are not cutting funds from
> library services, they are cutting funds from local road projects. And the
> list goes on and on. I think the only reason why things here in Michigan
are
> not as bad as they are in California is our declining population. If not
for
> this decrease in population, it is quite possible that things here in
> Michigan would be even worse then they are in California. I understand
these
> cuts may be difficult, but it is also equally difficult to raise the
revenue
> needed to sustain these services at their current levels. So if you do not
> want to see these services go, then perhaps you should be willing to
support
> an increase in taxes to preserve the current levels of these services. But
> no one wants to see their taxes go up right now which makes it difficult
to
> preserve the current levels of funding to all of the services state and
> local governments provide. So basically it boils down to the lesser of two
> evils. If you were the government, which one would you choose?
>
> Elizabeth
>
>  > Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2010 13:24:19 -0800
>> From: dsmithnfb at gmail.com
>> To: cabs-talk at nfbnet.org; nabs-l at nfbnet.org; nfbc-info at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: [nabs-l] Reflecting upon the March 4 day of action.
>>
>> In much of the state of california, as well as other states across
>> the nation Students, teachers and other supporters took part in a
>> "day of action" this past thursday. This Day of action was aimed to
>> organize and educate people to the harsh reality that state budget
>> cuts present to all of those who believe that Education is not a
>> privelege but a right.
>> In California, many schools up and down the state from K-12 up
>> through graduate schoolmade their voices heard and their numbers seen
>> in a very major way. In the Bay area, masses of frustrated victums
>> of the budgetcuts marched in the streets and on the freeway (arrests
>> soon followed) to bring more attention to their causes. Armed with
>> very creative Costumes and sighns, these peaceful demonstrators
>> eventually made their way to San Francisco's Civic Center where a
>> major rally much resembling a civil rights gathering of decades gone
>> by took place. Union workers, school board members, and even a
>> state senitor were present. there were featured; passionate student
>> speakers from high schools and colleges as well as very thoughtful
>> performances by many gifted students and student groups.
>> I have to say that the energy in these rallys was really
>> amazing- I couldn't help but to get goosebumps walking through the
>> sea of people unified in fighiting for the same cause.
>> I honestly hope that my fellow students found their way to their
>> own demonstration no matter where you all are in this country. If
>> there was a rally near you, I hope you made your voice heard, because
>> when these cuts take place, they effect each and every student. It
>> effects our teachers/instructors, it effects our classes, our
>> disabled students offices, our rehabilitation services and other
>> programs we enjoy/rely upon.
>> I certainly plan to take up the cause and work along side my
>> sighted peers- I have friends and family that this effects, their
>> education, their jobs and to some extent their quality of life.
>> I hope that you find the passion within you and organize within
>> your student divisions, with in your communities, and within your
>> colleges and schools.
>> Thank you for your time.
>> Warm regards,
>> Darian
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Darian Smith
>> Skype: The_Blind_Truth
>> Windows Live: Lightningrod2010 at live.com
>> The National Federation of the Blind has launched a nationwide teacher
>> recruitment campaign to help attract energetic and passionate
>> individuals into the field of blindness education, and we need your
>> help! To Get Involved go to:
>> www.TeachBlindStudents.org
>>
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-- 
Darian Smith
Skype: The_Blind_Truth
Windows Live: Lightningrod2010 at live.com
The National Federation of the Blind has launched a nationwide teacher
recruitment campaign to help attract energetic and passionate
individuals into the field of blindness education, and we need your
help!   To Get Involved  go to:
www.TeachBlindStudents.org

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