[nabs-l] Future of the NFB

Tue Mar 8 03:29:21 UTC 2011

Kirt,
I thought you were going to go on a vacation from the list to focus on your studies... I see your vacation was not vary long at all my friend! lol
Anyway I am glad your have not gone on vacation without posting your message because I think you made some good points.
I think it would help NFB and the blind people overall if as many of the disability organizations could work to together as much as we could and in my oppinion and just my oppinion I think there many areas where ACB and NFB have in common and could together advocate in behalf of the blind community. Doing so I believe would further our progress and more friendly policies to benefit the blind community could become reality. Now I am not saying that ACB or NFB should comprimise their principals or their identy or mission, but to often it seems that both organizations are out to benefit themselves andbring down the other, instead of advocating for blind community. An example where I think having two ceperate organizations has actually not been as helpful to the blind is during the Washington Cemenar when you have a group of blind individuals going to Capital to lobby fortwo or three legislation and two weeks you have another group of blind individuals going
 to Capital Hill lobbying for different two or three legislation. We have to realize that we as blind people are the minority in this world and we live in a society which is really uneducated about blindness and blind people. Therefore, our sighted congressional members really do not understand what is best for the blind community and how to best serve us. Some argue that we have two political parties, so why can we not have two different organizations to represent the blind? Well, unfortunately the blind community does not have the luxury that sighted people have to have two different political parties.
On another point, Kurt is right when he says that NFB's fear to work with other disability organizations in fear that our goals will be water down is not helpful. Organizations like National Council on Disability (NCD) and American Association for People with Disabilities (AAPD) are frankly much more powerful then the NFB or ACB and these organizations have much more clout with our congressional members then eather of the two major blind advocacy organizations. Moverover, yes we do have issues wich are important only to the blind community, but again this is just my oppinion the disability community actually have more issues that are important to all disabilities then ones which are just important to certain community.
So Kurt I agree with you when you say that when we meaning the NFB can work with other disability organizations such as NCD or AAPD.
Just my thoughts.
Anmol
I seldom think about my limitations, and they never make me sad. Perhaps there is just a touch of yearning at times; but it is vague, like a breeze among flowers.
Hellen Keller

--- On Mon, 3/7/11, Kirt Manwaring <kirt.crazydude at gmail.com> wrote:

> From: Kirt Manwaring <kirt.crazydude at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Future of the NFB
> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Date: Monday, March 7, 2011, 8:28 PM
> Bryce,
>   I agree with you to a point, we aren't the National
> Federation of
> the Disabled.  And we need to as an organization focus
> on advocating
> for the needs of most of our members.  But it becomes
> a real problem
> when we treat others the way we are too often
> treated.  Our
> organization as a whole isn't going to draft much legal
> language, for
> example, to help specificly the deaf blind.  I see
> that as something
> teh Deaf blind devision can work on though, as they're the
> experts in
> that area.  Just an example, but I think you see the
> principle.  And
> we're all hypocrits if we rail against the sighted public
> for abusing
> us and descriminating and stereotyping and judging, then we
> turn
> around and do the same thing.  Normal, maybe. 
> But we can be bettter
> than normal.  Will we?  That's another question
> entirely.
>   Now on to another point.  There is very little
> which irritates me
> about the Federation as a whole.  But our refusal to
> work with other
> disabled consumer groups, in fear of our purpose being
> "watered down"
> does bother me a little.  I'm not saying we do all our
> work with other
> disability advocacy organizations.  Some things need
> to be handled by
> us exclusively as a blind organization.  But when
> another group has a
> good idea that could help us, why do we too often ignore
> it?  And why
> do we generally not cooperate with other disability
> groups?  No wonder
> many think us arrogant and self centered.  I would, if
> I hadn't been
> in the Federation and seen firsthand the good we do. 
> But I guess the
> Reading Rights coalition was a step in the right direction,
> I hope we
> do more along that same vain in the future.
>   Best,
> Kirt
> 
> 
> On 3/7/11, Joshua Lester <jlester8462 at students.pccua.edu>
> wrote:
> > That individual was disrespectfull! I hope said person
> isn't on this
> > list. People need to understand that you have to
> depend on your other
> > senses, since you don't have sight. When you don't
> have the sense of
> > hearing, either, you definitely have trouble
> traveling. I can hear
> > just fine, but I had trouble navigating the hotel in
> Dallas. I'm a
> > great cane traveler, but i've never been out of
> Arkansas by myself.
> > This was a challenge, and I hope to be able to go to
> Orlando, but I
> > hope the hotel won't be a nightmare for me, like the
> one in Dallas
> > was. In new places, I get around better with a guide.
> It's good to
> > know certain routes, but when I've got a deadline, and
> I need to get
> > somewhere fast, a guide is the way to go for me. I
> have problems
> > getting around, and I need that help. It wasn't as
> much of a problem
> > then, as it is now. Blessings, Joshua
> >
> > On 3/7/11, Marsha Drenth <marsha.drenth at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >> Kirt,
> >>
> >> Very well said. And I agree completely. As a blind
> person, as a person
> >> with
> >> other disabilities, I never ever judge anyone for
> their abilities or their
> >> lack of skills, or the alternative ways they may
> do something. I do not
> >> judge others, because I do not want to be judged.
> >>
> >> Prime example, at the national convention. It's a
> huge hotel, I got a
> >> little
> >> disorientated. Granted I have been in this hotel 3
> times now. And when I
> >> asked for help, I was treated as though my skills
> were not "good enough".
> >> Its not my skills that need help, its my ears that
> do not work. And when I
> >> explained this to said person I asked for help
> from, they said I needed to
> >> go to a center for training. The hotel in Detroit
> was a nightmare for me
> >> to
> >> navigate.
> >>
> >> Okay, I'll get off my soap box now. I am not even
> saying any of you would
> >> be
> >> so judgmental, but people do need to think of
> these things.
> >>
> >> Marsha
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> On
> >> Behalf
> >> Of Kirt Manwaring
> >> Sent: Monday, March 07, 2011 8:27 PM
> >> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing
> list
> >> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Future of the NFB
> >>
> >> 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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