[nfbmi-talk] Why Be a Part of the NFB?

[Elizabeth Mohnke]

Hello List,

Perhaps I should not be posting this in such a public forum, but I have so
many questions about the NFB that I can never really seem to answer. Trying
to find the answers to these questions has only led to more frustration and
confusion. So I am just wondering, what the heck is the point of being a
part of the NFB? Why should someone try to become a part of the NFB? And
what good comes out of trying to be a part of the NFB?

My overall experience with the NFB has been less than positive. I have been
trying to become a part of the NFB for about fifteen years now, and I have
always felt as though I am somehow always on the outside looking in wishing
I could truly be a part of things but never really being a part of things.
During these years I have worked really hard to be a part of the NFB, but I
feel as though all of my hard work was all for nothing given the way I am
constantly being treated by people within the NFB. For the most part, the
only real thing I have receive from the NFB is a lot of criticism rejection,
and negativity..

When I first tried to join the NFB, I was told that the NFB was a great
source of hope, encouragement, and inspiration for people like me who were
losing their eyesight. I was also told that there were so many great role
models within the NFB who could serve as mentors who would be willing to
help support and guide people like me along their path in life. However, the
NFB has never really been any of these things for me, and I feel as though I
was led to believe in something that really does not exist.

So what exactly is the NFB all about? Is it about all the bickering that
goes on to see who can throw the worse insults at each other? Is it about
forming special cliques that only keep others out? Is it about rejecting
people from serving on a project because they have yet to become the perfect
blind person? Is it about tearing each other down with harsh words of
criticism and insults? Is it about being the biggest man or woman in the
room which justifiably gives you some reason to treat everyone else as if
they are somehow less than you? 

This is what the NFB is to me. I think this is rather sad because I do not
believe this is what the NFB is supposed to be. If you believe the NFB
should not be this way either then I would encourage you to take a good hard
look at the way the NFB treats all of its members. I have been deeply hurt
by all of the criticism and rejection I have received by the NFB, but as
someone who has been shunned and ostracized from this organization, I am not
quite sure what more I can do to change the way NFB treats some of its
members. The NFB should be willing to accept anyone who wants to be a part
of it, and maybe by posting this message, someday this might actually become
a reality.

Warm regards,
Elizabeth