[nfb-talk] what sometimes happens to new federationists

[Sherri]

Ray I totally agree with you. When I first joined the NFB,  way back in 
ancient times, I was I would say militant. I took my straight cane 
"everywhere" got on and off planes before anyone else and basically refused 
any help. I thought that to truly embrace the philosophy of the NFB meant to 
decline any kind of help from anyone. Several years later, I read The Nature 
of Independence by Dr. Jernigan. It changed how I felt about NFB and about 
blindness and the way I acted toward others. I have a much more "fair and 
balanced" attitude about blindness today.

Sherri

Please check out the link below and help blind people in your local area 
achieve their dreams by visiting
http://www.raceforindependence.org/goto/Sherri.Brun
Thank you.

Character is the side of yourself you choose to show the world. Integrity is 
what you do, what you say and how you act when you think no one is paying 
attention.
Sherri Brun
flmom2006 at gmail.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ray Foret Jr" <rforetjr at att.net>
To: "Jeanette Fortin" <jeanette at fortin-home.com>; "NFB Talk Mailing List" 
<nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 24, 2011 12:47 AM
Subject: [nfb-talk] what sometimes happens to new federationists


>
> Okay.  Perhaps it is time to change the subject line.
>
> Jeanette, in your message, you say, in part, "instead of being happy for 
> folks who have the opportunity to gain vision it seems sometimes folks are 
> angry about  it acting like it is a slam to blind folks".
>
> Aint that the truth.  To speak frankly, I think it's the consequence of 
> missplaced anger.  That's the very same missplaced anger that makes some 
> federationists say that blind people, (or sighted for that matter) 
> shouldn't laugh at anything blindness related.  Shouldn't laugh?  That's 
> not normal; and, that's another discussion too.  It's one I tried to start 
> some time back; but, as I recall, no one wanted to touch the subject. 
> Don't know why.
>
> Well, let's be honest with ourselves and each other shall we?  The simple 
> truth is this.  When some people, (not all mind you), find the federation, 
> they are so relieved, they begin eating, sleeping and breathing it.  The 
> federation becomes the very defenition of their lives.  They take 
> themselves so seriously that they lash out at anyone who doesn't 
> immediately adopt their thinking.  Those poor souls who get the short end 
> of that stick realize how much the blind person in question has changed 
> and no longer want anything to do with them.  So, what happens is that 
> they then break off.  That's how new federationist tend to lose friends. 
> I know.  I saw it happen.  It almost happened to me that way.  Then, what 
> tends to happen with the new federationist is that they get angry because 
> the world doesn't understand things the way they do.  Mind you, not every 
> new federationist goes through this; but, some do.  This anger becomes 
> badkly misplaced and they take themselves so seriously that nobody wants 
> even to be around them anymore.
> Sincerely,
> The Constantly Barefooted Ray!!!
>
> Now a very proud and happy Mac user!!!
> Skype name:
> barefootedray
>
> Facebook:
> facebook.com/ray.foretjr.1
>
> On Apr 23, 2011, at 5:49 PM, Jeanette Fortin wrote:
>
>> instead of being happy for folks who have the opportunity to gain vision 
>> it seems sometimes folks are angry about  it acting like it is a slam to 
>> blind folks
>
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