[nfbmi-talk] FW: [Chapter-presidents] A Must-Read for All Federationists!

Wed Sep 23 01:31:11 UTC 2009

Hello,

I seldom spend any time on discussing, let alone thinking about the ACB.  I
have some good friends who belong to MCBVI and ACB.  We do not avoid the
topic, it just doesn't matter much.  Regarding ACB, the organization has
little interest to me.

Below is an article and some commentary from another list that explains in
their own words why I have so little interest in the outfit.  To Quote
Gertrude Stein (I think) "there is no there, there.)

Warmest Regards,

Fred

-----Original Message-----
From: chapter-presidents-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:chapter-presidents-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Loren Wakefield
Sent: Tuesday, September 22, 2009 8:27 PM
To: NFB Chapter Presidents discussion list
Subject: Re: [Chapter-presidents] A Must-Read for All Federationists!

For some, it may be a cult.  But I do not think that all involved with it 
believe it to be so.  But since Christ is my Lord and Saviour, I need not 
worship any human being.  That does not mean though that I cannot agree with

a philosophical viewpoint put forth by an organization. And I also am one to

speak up if I do not agree with something.  Some have even called me 
opinionated.  I call it knowing to whom I belong, being an American and an 
Iowan, and proud of it.

Loren Wakefield

"The best way to predict your future is to create it."  Dr. Forrest C. 
Shaklee

www.shaklee.net/ultimatehealthwithtlc

319-433-0145 866-433-3969

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marion Gwizdala" <blind411 at verizon.net>
To: "NFB Chapter Presidents discussion list" <chapter-presidents at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 22, 2009 2:35 PM
Subject: Re: [Chapter-presidents] A Must-Read for All Federationists!

> Jedi,
>    Well, as far as I am concerned, the NFB is a cult. "Cult" is defined as
> "a spiritual movement that follows a charismatic leader"! Sounds like the
> NFB!
>
> Fraternally yours,
> Marion
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Jedi" <loneblindjedi at samobile.net>
> To: <chapter-presidents at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, September 22, 2009 11:16 AM
> Subject: Re: [Chapter-presidents] A Must-Read for All Federationists!
>
>
>> Marion ,
>>
>> Actually, I thought that this article explains the ACB quite well from
>> what i can tell as an outsider. The ACB does tend to lean more toward
>> accommodating everyone regardless of their views on blindness. It's also
>> true (and I'm glad he was honest about it) that the ACB seems to see
>> blindness as much more than a nuisance. at least, this is what I've
>> gathered from my friends in the ACB. It's also true that the ACB tends to
>> feel that society needs to shift some in order to let blind people in, 
>> and
>> not just on a philosophical scale. And it's also true that many ACB
>> friends of mine don't know much about their own philosophy beyond what's
>> already been stated in the article. I thought it was interesting that
>> Edwards said that the ACB believes it's okay to be blind. While my ACB
>> friends would agree with Edwards that blindness is far more than a
>> nuisance and that adaptations need to be arranged for us, I've also 
>> gotten
>> the strong impression that many of my ACB friends really do believe that
>> it's okay to be blind on some level.
>>
>> As far as anti-Federation propaganda, i thought that article was rather
>> tame in comparison to some of the others I've read. Has anyone seen their
>> white paper on rehabilitation posted on their web site? But you're right.
>> There are some pretty subtle statements made about us. Apparently, we
>> expect conformity for everyone, we don't take people where they're at, we
>> penalize those who are different from the norm, we aren't democratic, we
>> don't argue because we don't disagree, and we invalidate those who 
>> haven't
>> yet found blindness to be only  an inconvenience.
>>
>> But then again, we are supposed to be some blind cult. Oh well. I'll be
>> sure to drink the punch next National Convention banquet.
>>
>> Respectfully,
>> Jedi
>>
>>
>> Original message:
>>> Dear All,
>>> While attending a recent Leadership Seminar, Dr. Maurer read an article
>>> from the Braille Forum, the publication of the ACB, written by their
>>> former President, Paul Edwards. This article appeared in the january 
>>> 1998
>>> edition of the magazine. I was very tempted to edit the piece slightly 
>>> to
>>> remove any reference to Mr. Edwards just to see what sort of response I
>>> would get from Council sympathizers on our lists who thought it was an
>>> anti Council propoganda piece! We really don't need to look far to find
>>> the differences between the NFB and the ACB. All we need to do is read
>>> the words of their leaders!I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! You
>>> really need to read to the end because the last sentence is the best!
>>> Fraternally yours,
>>> Marion Gwizdala
>>
>>> The following article can be found at
>>
>>> http://acb.org/magazine/1998/bf0198.html#bf01
>>> <http://acb.org/magazine/1998/bf0198.html#bf01>
>>
>>> THE QUESTION
>>
>>> by Paul Edwards
>>
>>> At the beginning of a new year, it's perhaps appropriate to pause for a
>>> little reflection. It's customary to do what I have done before with 
>>> this
>>> column
>>
>>> and look back at the preceding year and ahead to the next one. I am not
>>> going to do that! Instead, I want to offer some of my answers to the
>>> question I
>>
>>> get asked more often than any other as president of the American Council
>>> of the Blind. Can you guess what the question is? What does the ACB 
>>> stand
>>> for?
>>
>>> What is ACB's philosophy? What makes the ACB different from the NFB?
>>> Though this question has been posed in three different ways, it's really
>>> the same
>>
>>> question.
>>
>>> I have often thought of dealing with this issue here and have avoided it
>>> because many will disagree with whatever I say. Disagreement is good! 
>>> One
>>> of ACB's
>>
>>> hallmarks is its tolerance for people with divergent notions of who they
>>> are and what ACB is! That, in fact, is one of the organization's
>>> characteristics!
>>
>>> It is a fluid set of beliefs and assumptions that changes from state to
>>> state and from time to time. But, for me anyway, there are some core
>>> values that
>>
>>> are at the heart of what the ACB is! Here are some of them!
>>
>>> It is OK to be blind! That's a big one! It carries with it a whole set 
>>> of
>>> other ancillary values. First and foremost, people who have meaningful
>>> vision
>>
>>> loss are blind. Blindness is much more than just a nuisance. Blind 
>>> people
>>> can and should expect society to make changes that facilitate the
>>> inclusion of
>>
>>> people who are blind. These last two values may be areas where members 
>>> of
>>> the National Federation of the Blind would not agree with us!
>>
>>> Another core value of the ACB relates to expectations! We are absolutely
>>> convinced that there is not a one-size-fits-all "blind person" or that
>>> there should
>>
>>> be! I believe that ACB values diversity and is tolerant of people who 
>>> are
>>> at various levels of independence. Does that mean that we don't champion
>>> good
>>
>>> training or expect a lot of our members? I don't think so! It does mean
>>> that we embrace people at various levels of competence and try very hard
>>> not to
>>
>>> be judgmental about where people are! In a very real sense, I think that
>>> ACB has almost instinctively adopted the "People First" model by placing
>>> individuality
>>
>>> far above other values in seeing each other.
>>
>>> And then there is democracy! ACB, as most of you well know, was formed,
>>> in part, because those who created our organization believed that states
>>> and individual
>>
>>> members alike had to have substantial autonomy to express divergent
>>> opinions without being penalized. So, another core value of ACB is the
>>> notion that
>>
>>> there must be room for a broad range of beliefs within our organization.
>>> If this is a core value, and I think it is, it goes a long way toward
>>> explaining
>>
>>> why we have never been able to produce the kind of coherent, easily
>>> portable creed that all of our members must accept.
>>
>>> All of the divergence I have talked about so far has some real 
>>> drawbacks.
>>> It truly has impeded coherent, centralized decision-taking and probably
>>> always
>>
>>> will. That divergence has also made it difficult for us to arrive at
>>> positions sometimes. Where there is disagreement, we debate. This debate
>>> can often
>>
>>> take many years and can cause us to take positions that may seem 
>>> somewhat
>>> ambivalent to those who do not know us well. I choose to use a different
>>> word!
>>
>>> Our positions validate divergence by creating a place where the majority
>>> of our members are comfortable.
>>
>>> What I have written about here does not constitute a complete list of 
>>> our
>>> core values. It may well not be your core list of our fundamental
>>> beliefs. But
>>
>>> there is one more core value I think we can agree upon! That is that the
>>> ACB is much more than just a group of blind people meeting and working
>>> together
>>
>>> for common goals! It's much larger than the sum of its members! It's a
>>> hug when you're feeling sad! It's a belly-laugh at those in society who
>>> just don't
>>
>>> understand! It's arms around each other when we lose someone! It's a
>>> place where you can feel safe! It's anger distilled into action as 
>>> people
>>> die falling
>>
>>> off subway platforms! It's people arguing and hugging afterwards! It's
>>> 1,500 people singing the national anthem! It's help and hope and hands
>>> and holding
>>
>>> and happiness and hilarity. It's us, alone and together, divided and
>>> united, men and women, young and old! And it's the American Council of
>>> the Blind!
>>
>>> So when someone asks you what the American Council of the Blind is or 
>>> any
>>> of those other questions, you can show him or her this column! Will it
>>> tell him
>>
>>> or her who we are and what we believe? Not really. It might help, but 
>>> ACB
>>> is not a philosophy. It's a dynamic never-ending experience, and the 
>>> only
>>> way
>>
>>> you can truly understand us is to plunge right in among us and become 
>>> us!
>>> And then, if you fully understand who we are, tell me because I would
>>> like to
>>
>>> know too!
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>
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