[nabs-l] why is it important to join an organization of the blind?

[Joshua Lester]

That was my point.
Thanks, Aubrie, for shedding more light on it.
BTW, speaking of civil rights for the blind, can someone start a
thread, on the latest on the Fair Wages Act?
That is one reason, why people should join the organizations, for
legislative benefits.
Blessings, Joshua

On 1/16/12, Aubrie Lucas <aubielynn at gmail.com> wrote:
> Haven't minorities trying to achieve goals often banded together? (NAACP,
> NAWSA, for examples.)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Chris Nusbaum
> Sent: Monday, January 16, 2012 4:37 PM
> To: NFB Talk List; NFB Blind Talk list; NFB NABS list
> Subject: [nabs-l] why is it important to join an organization of the blind?
>
> Fellow Federationists,
>
> As I have become more and more active in the blind community and
> have met more and more blind people, I notice that a lot of blind
> people are not affiliated with any organization of the blind, for
> one reason or another.  Some say they are put off by the
> political arguments between the NFB and ACB; some say they don't
> want to be "tied" to one organization; some say they don't agree
> with either organization's philosophy and don't want to identify
> themselves with either organization and their philosophy, and
> there are other reasons as well.  I try to explain to them the
> value of the Federation in my life, and how joining an
> organization of the blind connects you with a diverse network of
> resources, who can help answer almost any question they would
> have related to blindness.  I also try to explain to them that if
> they had any problems, being a part of an organization would help
> them with their advocacy efforts; the more people you have
> advocating, the more effective the advocacy is.  But they still
> don't want to be affiliated with an organization.  So I want to
> get your thoughts on these questions; why do you think it is
> important to be a member of an organization of the blind? Of what
> benefit/value is an organization to its members, and to blind
> people at large? Some people have said to me, "Sighted people
> don't have any organizations dedicated to their concerns as
> sighted people; why should I join an organization dedicated to
> blindness?" Still others have said, "Don't you (Federationists)
> want to be equal with sighted people? If so, then why do we
> (blind people) need to be organized in some kind of organization
> exclusively of and for the blind and people associated with the
> blind?" These are some interesting questions; what would your
> responses be to those people? I look forward to hearing your
> thoughts on this!
> Thanks,
>
> Chris
>
> "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
>
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