[nabs-l] Future of the NFB

Sun Mar 13 19:05:50 UTC 2011

Jedi,
(as a reply to your reply to David),
  I think the more we separate ourselves, or portray ourselves as
different from our sighted peers by virtue of our blindness, the
harder it will be to integrate.  Just my opinion.
  Best,
Kirt

On 3/13/11, Kirt Manwaring <kirt.crazydude at gmail.com> wrote:
> Jedi,
>   I think the problem is our different definitions of culture...you,
> as far as I can tell, are coming at it from a sociological prospective
> of a culture being any shared belief, value, or characteristic that
> binds people together.  I'm looking at it more from the vernacular
> standpoint- a culture is a large set of values that lots of people
> have in common, and use to define themselves.  Two very, very
> different things.
>   I do not live my life by the precepts of the Federation, except I
> believe that the NFB philosophy helps me succeed in the rest of my
> life.  For me Federationism (I hate that word, makes it sound like a
> religion or political idiology or something) is not an end in itself.
> Were I to condense my personal version of blindness philosophy in one
> sentence, it would be something like "If I get quality training, and
> have a positive atitude, blindness won't stop me from doing whatever
> the hell I want."  Sounds a lot like the "with propper training"
> statement you quoted above...but that doesn't make me part of an NFB
> culture in the vernacular sense of being part of a tight-nit group
> that shares a lot of common beliefs and a lot of underlying
> assumptions about life.  That's just one belief, one assumption, that
> doesn't make a culture in the commonly understood sense.  I mostly
> don't hang out with NFB people and, from what I've seen, the NFB is a
> cross-section of all sorts of different cultures and lifestyles and
> philosophies.  I see blindness as a characteristic, not a cultural
> identity.
>   Best,
> Kirt
>
> On 3/13/11, Jedi <loneblindjedi at samobile.net> wrote:
>> You're absolutely right. It is possible to belong to many blindness
>> cultures at the same time. As far as I'm concerned, it would be quite
>> difficult to do so because there are radical differences between each
>> of them, so it would seem very difficult to belong to several of them
>> because they often contradict each other on some very deep levels.
>> That's not to say that they don't share certain aspects in common; they
>> most certainly do.
>>
>> In a given culture, there are artifacts, values, and assumptions.
>> Artifacts are things that a culture uses like language or customs.
>> Artifacts also include things and processes for daily living. So in the
>> NFB, our artifacts include the special phrases we use like "With
>> training and opportunity, a blind person can do the average job in the
>> average place of business and do it as well as a sighted person
>> similarly situated." Another artifact might be the characteristic long
>> white cane that many of us use. Artifacts also include symbols; the
>> Louis Braille coin and even the Blind Driver Challenge are symbolic in
>> a way; other examples include the original NFB seal with the circle and
>> triangle or Whozit. All of these artifacts point to some value or
>> assumption that we make about life and our place in it. We share some
>> common artifacts with other cultures like Braille and the cane or guide
>> dog, but we also have some pretty unique artifacts.
>>
>> We have some values that are are unique to us in the blindness
>> community, but they share much in common with values held by the
>> greater American society to which we belong. I suspect this sharing of
>> values is what allows us to have discussions about integration. In this
>> context, values have mostly to do with a blind person's place in life,
>> but can also be applied to life in general. Some of our values include
>> independence in the world outside the organization, togetherness in the
>> world inside the organization, innovation, punctuality, human
>> relationships, etc. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and many of
>> these values are easily found in other blindness cultures and cultures
>> broadly speaking. But the combination of independence, collective
>> action, and innovation are pretty unique to our sector of the blindness
>> community, especially when one considers the assumptions from which
>> these values are derived.
>>
>> Assumptions are taken-for-granted principles that we all agree on at
>> the most basic level. These are the beliefs that shape and influence
>> everything else in our culture. They're the things we come back to no
>> matter what we argue about. So these are "of course" statements. For
>> example "Of course blind people can be independent." or "Of course it's
>> respectable to be blind." There are many more assumptions that we have,
>> this is by no means an exhaustive list.
>>
>> If you want to know a culture's artifacts, values, and assumptions,
>> just look around. With ours particularly, these can be found in our
>> literature, at our conventions, and anywhere else where a good number
>> of us get together.
>>
>> Respectfully,
>> Jedi
>>
>> Original message:
>>> Jedi,
>>>   Fair enough...I'm not up for arguing, especially when lots of it
>>> would probably involve semantics.  I forfit, you win.  :)  All I will
>>> say is that your analysis seems a little too cut-and-dry to me, and
>>> there's very much a grey area between your four cultures.  Maybe I
>>> belong to all four...heck, I probably do.  But that seems like it
>>> excludes me from one or the other, because I'm not committed enough to
>>> any particular organization and I'm not really "anti" any of them.  In
>>> your definition, we're all part of all sorts of cultures...which begs
>>> a very important question and, I would say, brings this thread full
>>> circle.  You said culture is a set of shared common beliefs that
>>> members adhear to.  What, pray tell, are the common beliefs of the
>>> NFB?  I'm not sure that question's as easy to answer as it used to be.
>>>   Best,
>>> Kirt
>>
>>> On 3/12/11, Jedi <loneblindjedi at samobile.net> wrote:
>>>> Yes, you are missing the mark. A culture has little to do with whether
>>>> or not you believe you can achieve within the greater society, unless
>>>> that is one of the questions that founds your culture as it is with
>>>> ours.
>>
>>>> The blind community actually has at least four cultures that I can
>>>> identify: the NFB, the ACB, the unaffiliated consumer base, and the
>>>> unaffiliated professional base. Professionals affiliated with one of
>>>> the organizations are likely to build their professional values on the
>>>> foundation of their affiliation's values. The unaffiliated
>>>> professionals (and consumers) will have their own cultures, but that
>>>> could be considered a major cultural grouping.
>>
>>>> A culture is a group of individuals sharing similar beliefs regarding
>>>> human nature, relationships between time and space, traditions, values,
>>>> etc. Just because one individual belongs to one culture, that does not
>>>> mean that the same individual cannot belong to other cultures
>>>> concurrently; this principle is called intersectionality. It is true
>>>> that an individual can belong to multiple cultural groups, but strongly
>>>> identify with some of their cultural markers over others for just about
>>>> any reason under the sun.
>>
>>>> I would be happy to argue the NFB as a culture, but that would take
>>>> some time and a lot of analysis. And frankly, I'm just not up to the
>>>> task at the moment. The bottom line is that, anthropologically
>>>> speaking, the NFB is a culture and that you can certainly belong to
>>>> such a culture and maintain your cultural identity outside of the NFB
>>>> without compromising any and all of your cultural identities. Does that
>>>> make sense? The disability community also has multiple cultures, and
>>>> these may or may not have anything to do with a specific disability,
>>>> but may have more to do with how disability is defined. There are some
>>>> disability cultures that the NFB would most certainly not identify
>>>> with, others with which we would identify with some, and others with
>>>> which we share much in common in terms of our core values related to
>>>> the role of disability in our lives.
>>
>>>> Respectfully submitted
>>
>>>> Original message:
>>>>> Jedi,
>>>>>   I'm still not sold on the idea of a "disability
>>>>> culture."...although, I think in the context of working with other
>>>>> disability groups with a similar mindset to us, it makes sense.  But,
>>>>> for me, the point of the NFB is empowering us to be part of whatever
>>>>> culture we feel like with blindness being as minimal a factor as
>>>>> possible.  I recognize that others have different interpretations of
>>>>> how to apply NFB philosophy, but that's what it means to
>>>>> me...blindness will not keep me from any of my goals in the world,
>>>>> even though it places some limits in the way I have to overcome.  If
>>>>> part of assessing our future is examining what NFB philosophy means to
>>>>> each of us, that's probably a good place for me to start.  Thoughts,
>>>>> anyone?  Am I missing the mark?
>>>>>   Best,
>>>>> Kirt
>>
>>>>> On 3/12/11, Jedi <loneblindjedi at samobile.net> wrote:
>>>>>> There are a number of disability communities that share similar
>>>>>> beliefs
>>>>>> to our own regarding disability. So, the thing we must do is ally
>>>>>> ourselves with disability cultures similar to our own.
>>
>>>>>> Respectfully Submitted
>>
>>>>>> Original message:
>>>>>>> Joe,
>>
>>>>>>> Something must eventually give. I do believe the NFB's prominence
>>>>>>> may
>>>>>>> gradually fade if something is not done. You have touched on the
>>>>>>> arrogance of our organization's leadership in earlier posts, and I
>>>>>>> think that arrogance and NFB snobbishness may slowly destroy us
>>>>>>> unless
>>>>>>> we learn to be more inclusive.
>>
>>>>>>> But while it might sound cold, I did not join the NFB four years ago
>>>>>>> because I wanted to fight specifically for the disabled community as
>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>> whole. I am weary of watering down our policies and core beliefs,
>>>>>>> assuming we would even need to, to cater to people with multiple
>>>>>>> disabilities besides blindness. I believe that quality is more
>>>>>>> important than quantity, and yet our quantity will fade if we don't
>>>>>>> do
>>>>>>> something in the future.
>>
>>>>>>> to lead on the cutting edge, I believe we need to recognize
>>>>>>> diversity
>>>>>>> and develop working relationships with other organizations. But at
>>>>>>> what cost, and is our national leadership willing to do this? Can we
>>>>>>> protect our own core beliefs while becoming more inclusive, or is it
>>>>>>> time we change the entire philosophy and structure of the
>>>>>>> organization?
>>
>>>>>>> I cannot tell you what we should do. I am not even sure myself.
>>
>>>>>>> Brice
>>
>>>>>>> On 3/8/11, Joe Orozco <jsorozco at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>> Brice,
>>
>>>>>>>> You are the future of the NFB.  What do you think the organization
>>>>>>>> should
>>>>>>>> do
>>>>>>>> about its operations if you think blindness might not be the only
>>>>>>>> disability
>>>>>>>> affecting the membership?  Don't speculate about what may happen.
>>>>>>>> Instead,
>>>>>>>> tell us what you think should happen.
>>
>>>>>>>> I don't know that I agree with this notion that people are made to
>>>>>>>> feel
>>>>>>>> inferior because they have secondary disabilities.  There have
>>>>>>>> always
>>>>>>>> been
>>>>>>>> similar observations made about guide dog users in the NFB, but the
>>>>>>>> people
>>>>>>>> who disliked and looked down on me before I went and got my guide
>>>>>>>> dog
>>>>>>>> were
>>>>>>>> going to dislike me and look down on me regardless of my choice of
>>>>>>>> travel
>>>>>>>> tools.  I think part of me went and got Gator to show these people
>>>>>>>> where
>>>>>>>> they could stick their condescending views.  Anyway, I guess
>>>>>>>> Eleanor
>>>>>>>> Roosevelt was more polished when she said "no one can make you feel
>>>>>>>> inferior
>>>>>>>> without your consent."
>>
>>>>>>>> But, seriously, what's this nonsense about the deaf-blind division
>>>>>>>> not
>>>>>>>> being
>>>>>>>> as promoted as the student or parent division?  They all get equal
>>>>>>>> access
>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>> the convention program, and if you hear about it more, it might
>>>>>>>> simply
>>>>>>>> be
>>>>>>>> owed to the size comparison between the groups.  If divisions that
>>>>>>>> focus
>>>>>>>> on
>>>>>>>> conditions other than blindness feel as though they're being left
>>>>>>>> out,
>>>>>>>> it
>>>>>>>> might be owed to the fact that the division is not doing anything
>>>>>>>> worth
>>>>>>>> promoting?
>>
>>>>>>>> Mind you, I think the whole concept of divisions in the NFB is
>>>>>>>> bogus.
>>>>>>>> First, a vast majority of them do absolutely nothing between
>>>>>>>> national
>>>>>>>> conventions.  Second, they create rifts in the membership when
>>>>>>>> power-hungry
>>>>>>>> members view elections in these divisions as a badge of importance.
>>>>>>>> Third,
>>>>>>>> they distract us from the more important task of chipping away at
>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>> fundamental challenges facing the blindness community.  If I were
>>>>>>>> president
>>>>>>>> of the NFB for a day, my first order of business would be to
>>>>>>>> eliminate
>>>>>>>> divisions in the way they exist today.  There are so many
>>>>>>>> professional
>>>>>>>> organizations out there that we shouldn't create mirror groups
>>>>>>>> within
>>>>>>>> our
>>>>>>>> ranks to create little havens for blind people.
>>
>>>>>>>> My point is this:  The NFB cannot exist without members like you.
>>>>>>>> You
>>>>>>>> are
>>>>>>>> the current youth and will be the future leader.  NFB members spend
>>>>>>>> so
>>>>>>>> much
>>>>>>>> time accepting and not enough time questioning and even less time
>>>>>>>> acting,
>>>>>>>> and that is why several months ago I advanced the controversial
>>>>>>>> idea
>>>>>>>> that
>>>>>>>> if
>>>>>>>> the NFB keeps going down its current path, it will virtually cease
>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>> exist
>>>>>>>> in 50 years.  More on that point in a future post, but to answer
>>>>>>>> your
>>>>>>>> question:  The way you accommodate people with secondary
>>>>>>>> disabilities
>>>>>>>> is
>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>> encourage them to get involved.  Get on the boards and make the
>>>>>>>> organization
>>>>>>>> recognize and react to what may be a change in demographics.  A few
>>>>>>>> years
>>>>>>>> ago when a group of people proposed the idea of establishing a GLBT
>>>>>>>> division, they were told that with enough support, the division
>>>>>>>> would
>>>>>>>> be
>>>>>>>> established.  I think we're still waiting on this group to get
>>>>>>>> their
>>>>>>>> act
>>>>>>>> together about drumming up support.  It's not enough to complain
>>>>>>>> about
>>>>>>>> what
>>>>>>>> you, you in the general sense, think the NFB leadership is or is
>>>>>>>> not
>>>>>>>> doing
>>>>>>>> to accommodate certain members.  Just like the NFB as a whole has
>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>> make
>>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>>> good case to the general public that certain issues need to be
>>>>>>>> addressed,
>>>>>>>> blind people with secondary disabilities need to come together and
>>>>>>>> make
>>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>>> case for why we as a whole need to be more conscious of their
>>>>>>>> unique
>>>>>>>> needs.
>>
>>>>>>>> Just my twenty dollar's worth,
>>
>>>>>>>> Joe
>>
>>>>>>>> "Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their
>>>>>>>> sleeves,
>>>>>>>> some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all."--Sam
>>>>>>>> Ewing
>>
>>
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>>
>>
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> Brice Smith
>>>>>>> North Carolina State University, Communication - Public Relations
>>>>>>> Brice.Smith319 at gmail.com
>>
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