[nfbmi-talk] ooObservations From A New Member
joe harcz Comcast
joeharcz at comcast.net
Tue Jun 28 12:32:58 UTC 2011
I'm so glad you had a good first day Chris. Blind folks in Michigan need
your leadership and your love, which in my mind is pretty much the same
thing...Smile...
You might mention to some of the staff that I grew to love and respect
there; and whom I worked side by side with performing my practicum or was a
student of that I fight for them too.
I know that many students have some issues with the center as do some
professionals. I had a good experience because I wanted one and also because
frontline staff were so good if not perfect. No one is after all.
It is sad that because of all the early outs so many great people have left.
But, many are still there. I hesitate to use names here because this is a
public list serve and some might think I'm damning them with feint praise,
or worse, with association in the eyes of the hierarchy.
I hesitate to say I love and respect you for the same reason...Smile...But
that cat is already out of the bag.
I know that you'll gently remind those folks who value their code of ethics
that the first mission of good VRTs, O and M instructors, is to advocate for
students. That term includes, of course teaching one to fish as the saying
goes and, of course defending one's core civil rights.
Finally, the staff need not fear talking with me about issues for your case
proves that one can prevail over retaliation and the dark shadow of a
Director who uses the threat of losing one's employment to deny one of his
or her right to communicate with advocates and members of the public. The
First Amendment, the one I cherish the most in all of its aspects is still
alive and well albeit under threat in this country and this agency.
We also, of course have the fundamental right to know the workings of our
government in all aspects just like other citizens. I see no exclusion of
blind folks from those laws and those fundamentals in statute or regulation.
On the contrary, civil rights laws like the ADA and Section 504 supposedly
gives us the same rights to access our government from all perspectives just
like anyone else who cares to be an active citizen in this
Democratic-Republic.
For long the NFB has fought the frightful era of "custodialism" or
"paternalism". So have righteous members of ACB for that matter as well as
other blind individuals.
Anyway sorry for the digression. Welcome back!
Peace, Love and Justice,
Joe
----- Original Message -----
From: "Christine Boone" <christine_boone at comcast.net>
To: "NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 9:46 PM
Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] ooObservations From A New Member
> Joe and Larry, You guys rock! you are the heart and soul of what is best
> in all of us.
> For anyone who might be interested, today was my first day back on the job
> as director of the MCB training centerF. I found the center staff to be
> cheerful, warm, welcoming and kind. Only 2 invididuals failed to come
> forward to greet me. Well, even they will get a second chance from me.
> After all, am I not getting a second chance to do right by the blind
> citizens of Michigan? All is well on this lovely summer's night. I
> thank you all for your continuing love and support! I could not have hung
> in during this long time without you.
>
> Love,
> Christine
>
> On Jun 25, 2011, at 3:11 PM, joe harcz Comcast wrote:
>
>> Thank you Larry.
>>
>> Listen I'm a tired old dog and that is a fact. I've also got some health
>> issues to deal with right now and have some parental health issues that
>> I'm literally sitting by the phone on...So if I interupt this message I'm
>> sorry to you and all...
>>
>> This is not meant to be self serving but all of us will be impacted by
>> these events.
>>
>> More and most importantly the next genereation of people who are blind or
>> otherwise disabled are in my mind for my time has come and my time on
>> this planet is finite. In fact, by that I mean I don't ask for anything
>> for myself in this process.
>>
>> I am fighting, for lack of better words for not only the staff of MCB but
>> most importantly for the customers of it.
>>
>> If people only knew the tears, literal tears I've shed over the abuses of
>> process and power...Oh my I digresss...
>>
>> I have held substantial polocy disagreements politically speaking with
>> some on this list including Fred Wertzel. But, I'll never say that Fred
>> unlike some in MCBVI like Donna do not care for all blind folks. In fact
>> Fred like myself whether right or wrong have put ourselves foward beyond
>> our personal gain for the benefits of others. I must state that this is
>> why I "Love' in the best sense of that term "Fred" whether or not I have
>> disagreed with him on this or that. The focus and the love has always
>> been the same.
>>
>> We care about the situation of our blind brothers and sisters regardless
>> as to pay and all that.
>>
>> The focus on these political situations is tedious. I know that. It
>> frankly and in a word, "sucks".
>>
>> Man, it drives me crazy and I understand it must after all drive others
>> crazy too.
>>
>> But, one thing most over looked in my comments at the last meeting and in
>> others is a sort of future perspective. I do have an agenda.
>>
>> It isn't a job or anything like that. I have RP in my family and I want
>> my nephews to have the full promise of all in life afforded to anyone
>> else, and I wish for an MCB to be effective, in tact and to be rightious
>> when he and they need it.
>>
>> I know that the likes of Lydia, and Larry and John are geared towards a
>> better future for our next generation of those who are blind.
>>
>> We might not be able to "save" this one but by all that is right and Holy
>> what I do is to save the next generation from the clutches of Cannonand
>> similar ilk.
>>
>> Peace and Thanks for Kind Words,
>>
>> Joe
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Larry D. Keeler"
>> <lkeeler at comcast.net>
>> To: "NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Saturday, June 25, 2011 1:26 PM
>> Subject: [nfbmi-talk] ooObservations From A New Member
>>
>>
>>> Those Who know me will accknowlege that I am quite new to the political
>>> arena. I finally got tired of all of this inaction concerning blind
>>> citizens in this stat and joined the NFB because we are actually trying
>>> to change things and get our rights back. At heart, I am a pacifist. I
>>> find several things interesting however. 1. Donna Rose's coments about
>>> Mr. Harcz. Afraid of him because he's a member of the NRA? I took that
>>> comment from Joe to mean that he is a blind member and proud of it! 2.
>>> Some of the comments from Jo Ann about public comment. Public comment
>>> is just that, public and if you don't like it, well, That's your
>>> probblem. I did aggree that some of us were kind of boysterous during
>>> the meeting. But, I think that comes from frustration with the way that
>>> a certain commissoner and a certain director want to derail what we are
>>> trying to accomplish. On the up side I'm glad I got to meet some of you
>>> personally. Especially, Lydia and Joe Harcz. Meeting y'all puts a
>>> person to the posts that I've been reading. That, In turn, helps me
>>> realize and digest your posts with beetter understanding. Especially
>>> you, Joe. After meeting youu and talking with you I get a better
>>> understanding of where you come from and how strongly you will fight for
>>> it. Finally, I know that if you have more than 2 folks in a room, I
>>> know they won't play nice! I'm Tired of hearing folks like Donna and Jo
>>> Ann telling us to play nice! After meeting Jo Ann, I thaught she was
>>> full of herself anyway. As for Donna Rose, I actually personally like
>>> her but that doesn't mean I like her politics! I aggree with most of us
>>> on this list though, If you can't play nice, then at least play fair!
>>> That's the big issue! Mr Cannon and Mrs Polarski from my observations
>>> are not playing fair and even a political dult like me can see it! And
>>> I'm not saying this out of NFB Loyalty but our NFB commissoners are
>>> doing a great job! Also, good job Joe!
>>> Intelligence is always claimed but rarely proven!
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nfbmi-talk mailing list
>>> nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nfbmi-talk:
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org/joeharcz%40comcast.net
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nfbmi-talk mailing list
>> nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nfbmi-talk:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org/christine_boone%40comcast.net
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nfbmi-talk mailing list
> nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nfbmi-talk:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org/joeharcz%40comcast.net
More information about the NFBMI-Talk
mailing list