[nabs-l] re post. my experience here at Friedman

[Carly Mihalakis]

'Evening, Robert William,

Very well said! Those are exactly my reasons of not signing my life 
away to either camp and, I find much diverse knowledges from reading 
both the NFB, and ACB listservs. After all, despite which stripes we 
wear, in the end, we are all united by the same trait, varing degrees 
of sightlessness. I love your thoughts on independence and feel if 
the organization could change its thinking in that regard, and not be 
so consumed with the obvious, literal shades of independence or lack 
there of, and to give people that often illusive nod, because they 
have vulted to some illusive, 1-size fits all state of independence 
wich does in fact, remain illusive to many. Seems to me what would 
change the face of this organization exponentially,  might be the 
embracing of being free, and happy.
for today, Car37 PM 4/9/2013, Robert William Kingett wrote:
>I am very sorry but I am not sure if I posted this correctly or not. 
>below are my thoughts on Friedman. If you have read it then just 
>delete this message.
>
>I too am a member of Friedman place and a competent member of the 
>blindness community, even if I have someone cook for me. I've raised 
>money to donate to the NFB and ACB to help their cause, even 
>supporting my fellow peers with advocacy related matters. I believe 
>that Friedman place is just the right fit for me. What I don't agree 
>with is the notion that people, and yes, I've looked at the 
>archives, have tried to make others do what they deem as 
>independent. I have to ask this very simple question. What is 
>independence anyway? I believe independence is freedom, 
>individuality, liberation. I believe that it is freedom from 
>dependence on or control by another person, organization, or state. 
>I'm both a member of the NFB and ACB, and I have been nominated to 
>be president of the LGBT chapter in the ACB, even though I live in a 
>place that fosters stereotypes and makes people think blind people 
>can't take care of themselves, apparently. Independence, as stated 
>above, is very different for people. Someone who's independent is 
>free, and that, I believe, should be celebrated and applauded. Since 
>a lot of people have said that the NFB is the optimal way to live I 
>don't understand something. This is my understanding of the NFB, and 
>correct me if I'm wrong. The mission of the National Federation of 
>the Blind is to achieve widespread emotional acceptance and 
>intellectual understanding that the real problem of blindness is not 
>the loss of eyesight but the misconceptions and lack of information 
>which exist. We do this by bringing blind people together to share 
>successes, to support each other in times of failure, and to create 
>imaginative solutions. Acceptance is a key part of showing sighted 
>people, and people who have stereotypical perceptions that the NFB 
>are a powerful organization and not just an organization to adopt a 
>one size fits all policy. Instead, as I have said before and state 
>again, independence should be celebrated. We're paying our bills and 
>we're paying for our food. When we rise in the morning to brighten 
>up the world we choose, with care, the clothes we wear even if we 
>have help with washing them. No one dictates my path and I have 
>achieved my level of independence that I'm very satisfied with. Ii 
>have my own apartment and I'm a very strong advocate for both the 
>LGBT community and the blindness community as well. When I hear that 
>someone is living on their own and paying their own bills, even if 
>they have someone cook for them. There independent and it makes me 
>happy. Why? Because that's a blind person that has broken down the 
>stereotype of living at home with their parents all of their lives, 
>and I celebrate that with congratulatory words all the way. They're 
>an independent person, living how they want to live. It sure does 
>feel good. As I have said, that's something to be celebrated 
>because, they're changing what it means to be blind, those 
>beautifully independent people.
>
>
>
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