[nfbmi-talk] Oklahoma

Sat Dec 7 22:15:38 UTC 2013

We are going to miss you both. sniff
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Terry D. Eagle" <terrydeagle at yahoo.com>
To: "'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List'" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, December 07, 2013 3:35 PM
Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] Oklahoma


> Congratulations Doug and Christine on Doug's appointment.
>
> Once again, the environmental climate here in Michigan, and I don't mmean
> the weather or global warming, has taken another fine couple from the 
> State
> of Michigan.  Another loss for the citizens of Michigan, especially we the
> blind citizen, and of course, another loss to our state affiliate.  The
> people of Oklahoma are the beneficiaries of a wealth of talent and
> inspiration in Doug and Christine, and surely it will show in positive
> action in short order for the blind and NFB affiliate there.
>
> I had just gotten over the loss of a great and vast talent bank of blind
> persons living out the NFB philosophy, as evidenced by other states
> siphoning off the vast talent and experience from Kalamazoo, Michigan, and
> our chapter there.  Now we are once faced with another wave of talent and
> experience saying farewell to us and leaving behind the lack of 
> opportunity,
> hostility toward the NFB, and a lack of a philosophy that has confidence 
> and
> support for blind persons, other than the support offered through welfare
> and poverty income programs, promoted by this state, the governor, and a
> token blind director and advisory commission, intent on keeping blind
> persons poor, uneducated, and dependent on state and federal welfare
> assistance, not to mention dependence on family and parents, no matter how
> elderly, to read to their blind adult child or relative, the printed
> material the BS4BP and other agencies put out, to inform and assist the
> blind person in fulfilling the BS4BP and welfare agencies mission--to keep
> blind persons unemployed, poor, uneducated, on welfare programs, and
> dependant upon the sighted among them.  Oh yes, I acknowledge that that is
> not the written or legal mission of BS4BP, other agencies, and the office 
> of
> the governor, but as my wise late mother taught and demonstrated as a
> vibrant and independent blind woman, "actions speak louder than words any
> day.". .
>
> To see that actions of the BS4Bp and governors administration do not 
> match,
> or even come near, the written and legal mission, one only need look at 
> the
> sighted person "merchandising" holiday ornaments in our state Capitol
> Randolph-Sheppard business to raise funds for training programs so blind
> persons can get a job, while millions of vocational rehabilitation dollars
> are not spent each fiscal year; ,the sighted BS4BP staff hired and paid 
> more
> than their blind counterparts doing like jobs, a Randolph-Sheppard 
> cafeteria
> in a legislative office building, celebrating this week the 24th 
> consecutive
> month of closure and non-operation of that cafeteria  by a well qualified
> blind person, NFB affiliated nonetheless, with a proven track record of
> cafeteria and catering success, and training of and employment of persons
> with blindness and persons with various other disabilities; not to mention
> the ongoing operation and destruction of other Randolph-Sheppard 
> operations
> by sighted persons, while better trained and qualified blind persons sit
> home available for employment.
>
> In the meantime, the token blind agency director jets around the united
> states, while growing his near retirement monthly payments, based on 
> taking
> the position for which he knows little about vocational rehabilitation of
> the blind, and has demonstrated even less, as his agency has posted a
> half-dozen Randolph-Sheppard ficilities that will, if lucky, make a blind
> person slave profits of perhaps $5,000 to $10,000, a year, for a 55 hour
> work week, as required by the slave labor license.   I thought slavery 
> ended
> in the 19th Century?  The law requires that Randolph-Sheppard businesses 
> in
> Michigan have at LEAST a profit potential of 120 percent of the federal
> minimum wage, based on a 40 hour work week, or about $18,000 income per
> year.  Based on the required 55 hour work week under a license to operate
> the business, that income should be at LEAST $27,000 per year.  However,
> based on the disparate pay between sighted and blind employees, could or
> should we anticipate anything different for blind vendors?
>
> In Michigan, it appears that to go from state Work-to-Welfare programs for
> blind persons, to the ticket-to-Work is through the Kalamazoo waiting room
> to out-of-state employment.  Anyone know the time of the next bus or train
> to Kalamazoo from Lansing?  Perhaps I can get one of those  $1 Mega-bus 
> fare
> tickets, paid for by BS4BP?  And BS4BP would gladly pay any one-way fare
> ticket for me to leave the state!  After all, the agency would not pay for
> BEP training for me, or $1500 for travel and training in the use of a 
> screen
> reader program. I guess they figured that denial would assist me in not
> being outspoken, by being unable to use the screen reader program.  I 
> guess
> I fooled them, and the joke is on the agency.
>
> Again, Congratulations Doug and Christine.  I will miss you.
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfbmi-talk [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Larry
> Posont
> Sent: Friday, December 06, 2013 8:54 PM
> To: nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Oklahoma
>
> National Federation of the Blind of Michigan
> 20812 Ann Arbor Trail
> Dearborn Heights, MI 48127
>
> December 6, 2013
>
> Dear Michigan Federationists:
>
>     I wanted all of you to join with me in congratulating Doug Boone
> as the head of Visual Services in Oklahoma. It will be Michigan's loss
> and Oklahoma's gain. I am including a letter about this that I wrote
> to the Affiliate Presidents below my letter.
>
> Sincerely,
> Larry Posont
> President
> National Federation of the Blind of Michigan
> (313) 271-3058
> Email: president.nfb.mi at gmail.com
> Web page: www.nfbmi.org
>
> Vehicle Donations Take the Blind Further Donate your car to the
> National Federation of the Blind today!
> For more information, please visit:
> www.carshelpingtheblind.org
> or call 1-855-659-9314
> November 24, 2013
>
> Dear Affiliate Presidents:
>
>     Oklahoma has gained a fine Administrator of Visual Services in
> Doug Boone. It is a loss for Michigan and an  asset for Oklahoma.
> Congratulations Doug and Christine!! We will miss you here in
> Michigan, but things will certainly be better in Oklahoma than they
> are here.
>
>
> Sincerely,
> Larry Posont
> President
> National Federation of the Blind of Michigan
>
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