[nabs-l] Starting a political listserve

Wed Sep 21 12:16:07 UTC 2011

Ms Principato:
Speaking of blindness related stuff, how's your lawsuit coming along?
I'm glad to see you back on this list!
I'm praying for the best.
Please keep me posted.
Thanks, Joshua

On 9/21/11, Jamie Principato <blackbyrdfly at gmail.com> wrote:
> You're allowed to talk about all of that on an NFB list, though, as it is
> all relevant to blindness. The only thing you can't do is let dogmatism seep
> into the discussion in such a way as to let it derail into an off-topic
> shouting match about partisanship and which religions you think are
> "wrong".
>
> But hey, if that's what you guys actually want to talk about, I support your
> choice to make a separate list for it.
>
> On Tue, Sep 20, 2011 at 5:30 PM, Chris Nusbaum
> <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Hi Bridgit,
>>
>> Just to clarify, this will not be a Federation owned or sponsored
>> listserve.  Dave is the owner of all NFB-NET lists, and as such decides
>> whether to put a list on the NFBNET server or not.  He said no to this
>> idea,
>> and I respect that.  Therefore, I am creating one on the Google Groups
>> server, to prevent the problems you mentioned.  The Federation will remain
>> politically neutral, and our future Blind Politics list won't effect that.
>>  Why? Because it's not on the NFBNET server, therefore it doesn't have the
>> Federation's name attached to it.  It's on the Google Groups sforver,
>> which
>> anyone can start a group on.  So I don't think this will effect the
>> legislative efforts of the Federation at all, for the simple reason that
>> the
>> list IS NOT a Federation list.
>>
>>
>> Chris Nusbaum
>>
>> "The real problem of blindness is not the loss of eyesight.  The real
>> problem is the misunderstanding and lack of education that exists.  If a
>> blind person has the proper training and opportunity, blindness can be
>> reduced to a mere physical nuisance." -- Kenneth Jernigan (President of
>> the
>> National Federation of the Blind, 1968-1986.)
>>
>>  Visit the I C.A.N.  Foundation online at: www.icanfoundation.info for
>> information on our foundation and how it helps blind and visually
>> impaired children in MD say "I can!"
>>
>>
>> Sent from my BrailleNote
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Bridgit Pollpeter <bpollpeter at hotmail.com
>> To: <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> Date sent: Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:12:19 -0500
>>
>> Subject: [nabs-l] Starting a political listserve
>>
>> I've been following this thread and choosing to remain silent, but I
>> think something must be addressed.
>>
>> First, I believe Dave made a similar comment, but the political
>> "discussion" started here didn't read like a discussion or intellectual
>> debate in any sense of the meaning.  Rather, it was politically driven
>> agendas- both liberal and conservative- that turned into diatribes
>> pitting Fox news and MSNBC against one another.  No factual information
>> was given; no documented evidence was used to support any claims; no
>> real political issues and campaigns were mentioned in the posts.  It was
>> all opinionated, emotion-driven rhetoric that created more tension and
>> anger than any healthy debate or discussion.
>>
>> A separate listserve specific to politics would inevitably descend into
>> a similar situation.  It would be similar to a listserve catering to all
>> religions, but most of us would agree this would become about who is
>> right and will burn in hell rather than an intellectual exchange of
>> ideas and concerns.
>>
>> Based on how the discussion disintegrated on a student list, I'm not
>> sure why others think it could be something else on another list.
>>
>> Second, and probably more important, it is crucial the Federation remain
>> politically neutral.  We have multiple members with various backgrounds
>> and beliefs.  The Federation doesn't want to ostracize anyone, especially
>> potential members, because they feel the Federation supports one
>> political side over another.
>>
>> The Federation also doesn't want to ostracize politicians because of
>> assumptions that the organization subscribes to one group, or agenda,
>> over another.  We solicit support from all political sides for the issues
>> and concerns important to the Federation.  We can't appear to support one
>> party even though we expect individual support from all parties.
>>
>> A listserve specific to politics has the potential to come across as
>> predominantly supporting one political party over another.  Based on
>> recent political threads, I see this happening, placing the Federation
>> in a precarious situation.  If such a listserve existed under the
>> Federation name, it would be fundamental the list remain politically
>> neutral, but as already mentioned, the ability to remain neutral, or at
>> least appear neutral, is not likely.
>>
>> We also have to consider potential consequences of such a list.  What if
>> politicians were aware of negative comments made towards their party or
>> causes or themselves? Consider the implications.  How can we approach
>> politicians, expecting them to support legislation in our favor,
>> claiming this is what blind people want, when Federation members, or at
>> least Federation listserves, aren't neutral or appear to only focus on
>> negative back-and-forths? It's too great a risk especially  when
>> political online communities currently exist.  If you want to discuss
>> politics, it doesn't have to be done specifically with blind people.
>> Join any of the online, or local, groups that exist.
>>
>> In my option, if anyone initiates  such a listserve, it can't be
>> advertised as an NFB listserve.  Arielle has suggested a good idea for
>> those interested in politics; Google it and find online communities
>> dedicated to politics, and this way, you can find a group that mirrors
>> your own political views as well.
>>
>> I'm merely stating what the Federation itself states.  I understand the
>> desire to discuss politics, and I applaud you students taking an active
>> interest in politics, but creating a political listserve doesn't seem to
>> have a point, and I fear what ramifications may stem from such a list
>> especially if it appears to support a singular political view.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>> Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
>> Read my blog for Live Well Nebraska.com at
>> http://blogs.livewellnebraska.**com/author/bpollpeter/<http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/>
>> "History is not what happened; history is what was written down."
>> The Expected One- Kathleen McGowan
>>
>> Message: 39
>> Date: Sun, 18 Sep 2011 17:21:34 -0600
>> From: Arielle Silverman <arielle71 at gmail.com
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>        <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Off Topic Messages
>> Message-ID:
>>
>> <CALAYQJAkbk8iR8GWe43YD+5=h+**xCC3pJbQsO1xGSOb1LcT3hZQ at mail.**gmail.c
>> om
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>>
>> Hi all,
>> I'm sure there are lots of mainstream political discussion listservs
>> out there already.  Just punch "politics discussion listserv" or "young
>> Democrats/Republicans listserv" or some such into Google.  I don't
>> think we need separate listservs for blind folks to discuss politics.
>> As for list moderation, a new NABS board was just elected in July, and
>> is still establishing committee assignments.  I have been in discussion
>> with our new president, Sean Whalen, about listserv committee
>> structure, so I know he and his board are working on it.  If you would
>> like to assist with list moderation, send him an email and let him
>> know.
>> For the new people: David Andrews is the list owner, and has final say
>> over what is and isn't allowed on-list.  He has the authority to place
>> people on moderated status or deactivate their list subscriptions at
>> his discretion.  However, a student moderator or listserv committee is
>> often appointed by the NABS board to keep things running smoothly and
>> help defuse problems before they get up to Dave's level.
>> Best,
>> Arielle
>>
>>
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