[Ohio-talk] NFB and ACB

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Kaiti,
I guess I maybe wasn't clear in my response either.  It  sounds as though 
she is pretty open and so my guess is, so long as you are  honest and share 
your thoughts and ideas without having the attitude of "its my  way or the 
highway"...I'm guessing you'll be just fine.  I think you'd run  into a 
problem if you are both strong-willed and only believe that what you say  has 
merit.  I think if you share what ideas you have and then listen and  respect 
hers as well, I see no reason why you couldn't incorporate programs from  the 
NFB.  As in any relationship, it's a give and take.  Maybe each of  you 
comes up with a list of four things you'd like to do....and they may or may  not 
have to do with a particular affiliation.  Then you discuss and pick 2  
from each of you.  That way, both of you are contributing to the  group.  
If it were me, I wouldn't avoid the topic though.....but  that's just 
me....I'm a pretty open and forthright person...I just share my 2  cents 
(diplomatically of course).....but realize that when I do, not everyone is  always 
going to agree with me....and I'm ok with that.  I just try to show  respect 
for their point of view as well, even if it doesn't match mine.  I  think if 
you aren't open about it, it just leaves an "elephant" in the room and  
you'll always feel like you're tip toeing around things...and that's no fun  
either.   I think some of the best things can come from people who  come from 
different platforms or philosophies....but come together for a common  
cause.   
Best of luck!
Nicole
 
 
In a message dated 4/20/2015 11:35:39 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
ohio-talk at nfbnet.org writes:

Hi,  all,

Barbara, sorry for the double email.  For some reason my  replies
aren't going through to the list like they should.

I'm  sending this on because the responses I've been getting on-list
aren't  along the lines of what I was hoping for.  I'm looking for
advice  about how to be amicable and productive with someone else who
is in the  ACB, but also reconciling that with my desire to do things
like Meet the  Blind Month or raise money for BELL (which are NFB
agendas).  What I  may see as a national campaign and a program to
promote braille literacy  (for children who could grow up and very well
decide to join either  organization) she might see as me using the club
to promote my own personal  affiliation, and that would not bode well.

On 4/20/15, Kaiti Shelton  <kaiti.shelton at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi, Barbara and  all,
>
> I need to clarify a few points.  I don't know if my  original email was
> somehow unclear or if the responses to it  misconstrued what I was
> really concerned about, but in any case I've  been away from my
> computer for most of the weekend and have not been  able to really
> respond.
>
> I am not seeking duel  membership.  I have no desire to join the ACB
> because I still  don't (and never have) agree with their positions on
> important  issues.  For example, I have a recording of the ACB general
>  assembly failing a resolution to support the Fair Wages of Workers
>  With Disabilities Act.  If that isn't evidence enough, I don't  know
> what is.  I was so against them that I never applied for  their
> scholarship program (though honestly I could have used the money  as
> any college student could).  It was Dr. Maurer who told me I  should
> have applied, and his thought to go along with that was, "The  best way
> for ACB people to spend their money is on NFB people," but to  be
> honest I didn't even apply for their program this year.  Old  habits
> die hard, I guess, even if a former national president gives  the
> go-ahead.  My personal thoughts on the ACB aside, I am in  positions
> within the NFB that I would not want to jeopardize.  I  am in those
> positions because I want to be a part of this organization  and to help
> to advance it.  I'm also involved in other active  organizations on
> campus, so I'd hesitate to add anything else to my  plate much less an
> organization I don't agree with.
>
> My  real concerns are more along the lines of what Barbara was getting
>  at.  I want to take advantage of national agenda items like Meet  the
> Blind Month, BELL, etc, but I want to remain amicable to my  partner so
> that our joint effort on campus isn't messed up by our  personal
> affiliations with opposing groups.  My real question is  how to
> encorperate my philosophy and be open about it to help those in  the
> club or who need advising from someone else with a disability  on
> campus while not stepping on my partner's toes or getting into  a
> philosophical sticky situation.
>
> I've always said  that the NFB philosophy doesn't just apply to the
> blind.  There  are those in the deaf/wheelchair/other disability
> communities which  are split along similar lines to NFB and ACB folks .
> Deaf people who  refuse hearing aids are similar to those who display
> the white cane to  some in the deaf community because they're not
> covering up their  deafness or trying to fit in with the hearing.  On
> the other  hand, there are also people in other disability groups that
> believe  there should always be assistance offered to them that is
> above and  beyond what they need (size-differentiated money, for
> example).   I mentioned that she really doesn't seem to have that kind
> of an  attitude, but I wouldn't want to say something that puts her and
> I in  positions where we disagree, especially as the founding members
> odds  are we will somehow be president and vice president of the
>  organization.  I'd really be interested in doing something to  support
> BELL, but the issue I mentioned in my first email is that  even
> something like that may put me in an awkward position because to  her
> it could appear that I'm using the club to promote an NFB  thing
> through the club, rather than raising money for children to  learn
> braille (who could join whichever organization as adults but  will be
> more independent and literate all the same).
>
>  This situation is very similar to the one Eric is in according to
>  Barbara's email.  Hopefully this answers the confusion.
>
>  On 4/20/15, barbara.pierce9366 at gmail.com  <barbara.pierce9366 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>> Dear  Kaiti,
>>
>> I am late to this discussion, but, as you might  guess, I have firm
>> opinions
>> on the subject. It is a  complicated matter. Eric, for example, is 
talking
>> with the  president of the ACB of Ohio about our effort to change the
>>  governance structure of OOD, and she has been very supportive. They  are
>> working together amicably and productively. So how do your  issues differ
>> from this example?
>>
>> As you  know, the ACB arose from the differences that opened up during 
our
>>  civil war. The ACB was composed of the folks who wanted state power and 
 a
>> relatively weak confederacy model at the national level. They  were
>> uncomfortable with conflict with the agencies that ruled our  lives, and
>> they
>> passionately believed that you attract  more flies with honey than with
>> vinegar. This last may be true,  but I have never been much interested in
>> collecting  flies.
>>
>> In any case historically there have been  significant differences between
>> NFBs and ACB stands on lots of  issues. For a long time you could pretty
>> much
>> look at  the NFB position and guess the ACB position because it would be
>>  opposite to ours. I have not read the Braille Forum for years, so I  
don't
>> pretend to know their stance on the big issues of the day,  but I think 
it
>> is
>> interesting that their positions are  not generally known. This suggests
>> to
>> me that they are  not doing a lot these days. Certainly in Ohio, when 
both
>>  organizations are present and asked for our positions, they mostly  say,
>> "Me
>> too," after we have articulated our  position.
>>
>> As for this business of belonging to both  organizations, are you aware
>> that
>> we have a policy of  no duel membership? We do not make much of it 
because
>>  we
>> do not want to prevent people from deciding to join the NFB if  they are
>> members of the ACB, but the policy is in place, and we  try to encourage
>> chapters not to allow members of the ACB to hold  leadership positions
>> because of the real possibility of conflict  of interest. We have not
>> always
>> succeeded in this  effort, but we try. This is because ACB members in 
good
>> standing  should be opposed to many of our positions. For example, a
>>  couple
>> of years ago the ACB refused to join us in support of the  TIME act
>> because
>> they said that the issue of  subminimum wages did not affect many of 
their
>> members, so they saw  no reason to take a stand on it. Surely you can see
>> that an  officer with that position would not be eager to take a stand
>>  against Goodwill.
>>
>> I think you are right to have  reservations about affiliation with the
>> ACB.
>> Your  friend is a good colleague for you on campus issues, but, if she
>>  knows
>> anything about her organization, she will have philosophical  differences
>> with you. Maybe she does not know enough about  national politics to have
>> differences with you. That may mean that  you will bring her across to
>> your
>> way of thinking.  Certainly if she does think like you about 
independence,
>> she  belongs with us. The ACB has a long history of not wanting to hurt
>>  people's feelings by suggesting that they push themselves out of  their
>> comfort zones and try new things. You can see that this fits  with be 
nice
>> to
>> the agencies and always look for the  accommodations that will make 
things
>> easiest for us, like marking  the currency.
>>
>> I have gone on long enough. I am sure  that I have made some people angry
>> with this position, but it is  important that we be clear at the 
beginning
>> of
>> a new  national administration that our policies have not changed even
>>  though
>> our president has. We will work with the ACB when our  interests 
coincide,
>> but we will not join their organization. We  are strongly opposed to NAC
>> and
>> opposed to agencies  that accredit with NAC. These have been our policies
>>  for
>> decades, and they continue to be our positions today and into  the 
future.
>>
>> Barbara
>> Barbara  Pierce
>> President Emerita
>> National Federation of the  Blind of Ohio
>> Barbara.pierce9366 at gmail.com
>>  440-774-8077
>> The National Federation of the Blind knows that  blindness is not the
>> characteristic that defines you or your  future. Every day we raise the
>> expectations of blind people,  because low expectations create obstacles
>> between blind people and  our dreams. You can live the life you zwant;
>> blindness is not what  holds you back.
>>
>>> On Apr 18, 2015, at 9:52 PM, Kaiti  Shelton via Ohio-talk
>>> <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org>  wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>>  One of the things I've been working on this semester, and talked  a
>>> little bit about on the list recently, is an organization  for students
>>> with disabilities and allies on UD's  campus.  My partner in crime in
>>> this is another blind  student, and it is interesting how things have
>>> worked  out.  We seem to have very similar attitudes about  independence
>>> and are in agreement on how to work to make  disability less of a taboo
>>> topic of conversation on campus,  but I'm a Federationist and she's an
>>> ACB member.  It's  interesting because sometimes in conversations we'll
>>> dance  around mentioning the different organizations.  For example,  the
>>> other day she said, "I went to a conference in October  and-something
>>> about BSVI."  I know it was the ACB  convention, so I'm wondering why
>>> there needs to be the secrecy  about it.  I doubt she's intentionally
>>> doing it-it's  probably passed down through the generations.
>>>
>>>  I'm guilty of this, too.  Though I have not been shy about  my
>>> allegiance and have specifically said things like, "I heard  this at an
>>> NFB thing," I have not done it as much as I  normally would.  I am also
>>> guilty of not wanting to do  anything with the ACB.  Until Dr. Maurer
>>> made a comment  telling me I should apply for ACB scholarships at the
>>> last  conventions I never applied simply because I didn't agree with
>>>  the organization's approach.  I also heard horror stories of  NFB
>>> people being announced as "The other camp" as they entered  ACB
>>> functions, and didn't want to be treated like that so I  never thought
>>> of attending anything they  sponsored.
>>>
>>> It really got me thinking about how  the organizations are still at
>>> odds with each other  today.  It's funny, too, because when I've
>>> mentioned  things like, "We could do something for Meet the Blind
>>> Month,"  the reaction is just like, "Oh, an NFB thing."  I  wouldn't
>>> quite describe it as disappointment, but definitely  something along
>>> those lines.  While I personally don't  agree with the approach the ACB
>>> takes as an organization, I  won't judge someone who does.  I know a
>>> few people who  have had membership in both organizations
>>> simultaneously and  like them.  I don't think I've ever met a full ACB
>>>  person, though, so this is something new.  I really like her and  her
>>> attitude about things is very similar to mine, so this is  puzzling me.
>>> I would love to use opportunities in the club to  promote things like
>>> Meet the Blind Month, or use a fundraiser  to possibly get some funds
>>> for BELL as a service event, but in  this instance I feel obligated to
>>> keep it neutral.   Thoughts?
>>>
>>>   --
>>> Kaiti  Shelton
>>> University of Dayton 2016.
>>> Music  Therapy, Psychology, Philosophy
>>> President, Ohio Association of  Blind Students
>>> Sigma Alpha Iota-Delta  Sigma
>>>
>>>  _______________________________________________
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>>
>>
>
>
>  --
> Kaiti Shelton
> University of Dayton 2016.
> Music  Therapy, Psychology, Philosophy
> President, Ohio Association of Blind  Students
> Sigma Alpha Iota-Delta Sigma
>


-- 
Kaiti  Shelton
University of Dayton 2016.
Music Therapy, Psychology,  Philosophy
President, Ohio Association of Blind Students
Sigma Alpha  Iota-Delta  Sigma

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