[nFBMI-Talk] article referenced in presidential release

[Terry D. Eagle]

Evelyn's summary is very accurate.

As a teenage NFBer I attended "NAC Tracking" rallies to with the goal of
doing away with NAC once and for all times, however as Evelyn points out it
did not kill NAC, and only remained dormant.  Unfortunately, here in
Michigan, the attitude and philosophy of several within NFB of "go along to
get along", when Governor Snyder reformed the Commission for the Blind,
reducing it to a bureau and silencing the blind community only added to the
resurgence of NAC.  

History has a way of repeating itself, as demonstrated by reversal of civil
rights gains achieved during the 1950s through the 1990s, for the blind and
other disadvantaged groups of citizens.  These reversals have taken place in
the courts, board rooms, and executive offices of government, and unless and
until citizens of disadvantaged groups understand that as times change, the
previous advances and gains also needs change to adapt to the changing
societal environment, as the fight for a voice and equality never ends, and
unless and until disadvantaged citizens and organizations that advocate for
them are willing to take whatever action is necessary to preserve and adapt
gainsd made in the past, whether in the streets, such as was done with NAC
tracking, in the legistures, or in the administrative hearing rooms and the
courts, action must be taken.  The silent voice is the one that loses.
Those in power only desire to hold on to their power over the disadvantaged,
and go along to get along only reinforces their goals and objectives to keep
the disadvantaged citizen their silenced, ruled and manipulated subjects
rather than equals in society!          



-----Original Message-----
From: NFBMI-Talk [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of evelyn
weckerly via NFBMI-Talk
Sent: Saturday, January 06, 2018 11:14 PM
To: NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: evelyn weckerly <weckerly at i2k.com>
Subject: Re: [nFBMI-Talk] article referenced in presidential release

Hi, Michael and all,

I attended my first NFB convention in 1966.  At that convention Dr.
Jernigan went into extensive discussion about what was then known as
COMSTAC, the commission charged with organizing what became NAC.  The
principal sponsor of all this was the American Foundation for the Blind.
Dr.  Jernigan had been invited to join COMSTAC.  After considerable
reflection and analysis-a main part of his presentation-he told us that he
had accepted the invitation because he felt that the NFB needed to know
firsthand what was going on and to try to influence the direction of
COMSTAC.  Eventually, he found that the effort to change this outfit's
direction was futile and that it had to be fought and destroyed because of
what it would do to the quality of agencies serving the blind.  By 1973,
when we met in New York, there was a major demonstration in front of AFB
offices.  For many years, whereever NAC met, the NFB was there demonstrating
and providing literature to the public.  NAC tried to hide the whereabouts
of its meetings, but the NFB was always there.  I'm not sure just when, but
finally NAC came to one of our conventions and made what was a feeble
attempt to establish some kind of communication and harmony.  Their
presentation left me with the impression that NAC was almost dead and rather
desperate.  Obviously, the Federation didn't kill it.  I suspect (but cannot
prove) that the demise of our state school for the blind may have been
related to its having become accredited by NAC.

On a different note, I had to miss both the national convention and the
state convention in 2017 because of more health problems.  
I hope that 2016 will not turn out to be my last convention.

Cordially,

Evelyn
 ----- Original Message -----
From: Michael Powell via NFBMI-Talk <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
To: "'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List'" 
<nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Sat, 6 Jan 2018 21:05:13 -0500
Subject: [nFBMI-Talk] article referenced in presidential release

Hello To all on this list.  As you have seen from a previous posting
President Riccobono, in the January Presidential Release, asked us to read
the article in the January Braille Monitor concerning the efforts to
reestablish accreditation of agencies for the blind with a new emphasis that
does not replace, but rather builds on the model of the old system that
excluded the blind and their elected representatives which our organization
opposed in the70's, 80's and the 90's.

I am attaching the article for your convenience.  I ask chapter leaders to
become familiar with this material and its history and be prepared to
discuss it with your members.  Those of us who were around in those times
will recognize some very disturbing patterns.

If the new professionals in the field of work for the blind really believe
this is a new beginning that is in process you sure wouldn't know it in how
forthcoming they were  in only responding when they were asked about it
rather than offer all potential stakeholders the opportunity to get involved
in discussions from the start.

So review this information.   I urge you to read, discuss and 
learn.

Michael Powell

President

National Federation of the Blind of Michigan

(586)754-1325

Mpowell7583 at yahoo.com

president at nfbmi.org



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