[nabs-l] Future of the NFB

Tue Mar 8 03:28:24 UTC 2011

Good point; its difficult to focus on just blindness exclusively without 
excluding other disabilities.

-----Original Message----- 
From: Brice Smith
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2011 9:00 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Future of the NFB

Kirt,

While I think everyone can agree with your message in principle,
reality and common sense tell us it's not always so easy.

Advocacy and nonprofit organizations must, above all, align their
resources and programs with their mission and beliefs. Our
organizations purpose states that we "Help blind persons achieve
self-confidence and self-respect and to act as a vehicle for
collective self-expression by the blind." It's great if we can help
people with additional disabilities in this framework without
compromising our own beliefs. Unfortunately, that cannot always
happen.

Certainly we must embrace diversity and balance the common good with
our own individual interest. But, our legislation and advocacy speak
directly, often exclusively, to blind people in America. What do we do
when these are not always compatible, and what should we do in the
future if we want to stay relevant to Americans and on the
cutting-edge?

As Darian has said, there are no easy answers. Still, it's a question
that we need to consider as we move forward.

Brice

On 3/7/11, Kirt Manwaring <kirt.crazydude at gmail.com> wrote:
> Darian, George, Brice, Joshua, Marsha and all,
>   I would hope that us as blind people wouldn't judge those with other
> disabilities.  We understand what it's like to be judged, doubted and
> ignored.  Would we want any of our multi-disabled friends, especially
> within our organizations, to feel that same judgment?  In that regard,
> we seem to share an eary resemblence to the sighted public so many of
> us love complaining about.
>   True other disabilities doubtless pose challenges.  So does
> blindness, and we overcome those inconveniences as best we know how.
> Why shun or belittle someone whose other disabilities make it
> impossible, or at least more difficult than practical, to use the same
> techniques we do?  Our alternative techniques should never be seen as
> a one size fits all kind of system.  Because others, and I'm talking
> about people like Marsha who have disabilities in adition to
> blindness, may use a different approach.  I'm disappointed in anyone
> who thinks their way works for everyone.  As Batman said, "it's not
> who we are that defines us.  It's what we do."  So let's all help each
> other to do the best we can with all our various challenges and
> disabilities, not just blindness.
>   Best,
> Kirt
>
> On 3/7/11, Jorge Paez <jorgeapaez at mac.com> wrote:
>>> Marsha:
>> I think in that regard we have the same issue as the sighted.
>>
>> Just as some sighted judge us on our sight, or lack thereof, I think we 
>> as
>> the "vanila blind" to use your words, have a very similar issue.
>>
>> Jorge
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mar 7, 2011, at 7:58 PM, Marsha Drenth wrote:
>>
>>> This is a very interesting question. Lets take those of us who are
>>> hearing
>>> impaired and blind. Now blindness is my primary disability, but I am 
>>> hard
>>> of
>>> hearing. Yes we have a deafblind division, but is it promoted as much as
>>> say
>>> the parents, or the students? No, not at all. Are these disabilities any
>>> less than our blindness? No, not at all. But then my question is that 
>>> why
>>> are those of us who are hard of hearing, deaf, hearing impaired, or
>>> whatever
>>> you want to call it, second class to those vanilla blind persons in the
>>> NFB?
>>> Why are those vanilla blind people so quick to judge those of us who
>>> can't
>>> do things in the same as everyone else?Its the judgement of people, that
>>> has
>>> kept some away from the NFB. I feel like a broken record in this matter.
>>> But
>>> frankly blind people are very quick to judge others who are blind for
>>> their
>>> abilities or the lack of skills. And its those same people who judge
>>> others
>>> for the additional disabilities they may have.
>>>
>>> Just my two cents,
>>> Marsha
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>> Behalf
>>> Of Brice Smith
>>> Sent: Monday, March 07, 2011 7:26 PM
>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>> Subject: [nabs-l] Future of the NFB
>>>
>>> I spoke to one of my old VI teachers last week who gave me some
>>> interesting observations to consider. At least from the perspective of
>>> this professional, more and more students who are blind often have
>>> multiple disabilities. She suspects that medical advancements have
>>> made it so that children who previously did not survive are now living
>>> longer lives, but often  with more profound impairments. She notes
>>> that it is a "rare treat" for VI professionals to work with students
>>> who are simply visually impaired. Please understand that I do not have
>>> any hard data or research to back up any of these observations.
>>>
>>> I realize the NFB respects and values other disabilities. there are
>>> many divisions within the NFB including the Diabetes Action Network.
>>> However, I think most people can agree that our organization is
>>> concerned primarily with blindness and not other physical or mental
>>> disabilities.
>>>
>>> This is not meant as a criticism of the NFB. Advocacy organizations
>>> simply cannot be everything to everyone, and I think it is a testament
>>> to our strength that we gather thousands of blind people and raise a
>>> unified voice that might otherwise go unheard. But if the number of
>>> people with blindness as their only disability is shrinking, what does
>>> this mean for our future?
>>>
>>> There has been discussion on this and other NFB lists about the future
>>> of the organization with regards to membership recruitment and
>>> legislation and advocacy. If more and more people with visual
>>> impairments are born with multiple, "profound" disabilities, I'm
>>> curious what, if any, impact would this have on the NFB in the future
>>> and years to come.
>>>
>>> Any thoughts are welcome.
>>>
>>> Brice
>>>
>>> --
>>> Brice Smith
>>> North Carolina State University, Communication - Public Relations
>>> Brice.Smith319 at gmail.com
>>>
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>>
>>
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-- 
Brice Smith
North Carolina State University, Communication - Public Relations
Brice.Smith319 at gmail.com

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