[Ohio-Talk] Why Is It Important to Join an Organization of the Blind?

[Richard Payne]

I thought for those who have extra time this would be great reading.
Why Is It Important to Join an Organization of the Blind?
Some Views from Our Lists 
>From the Editor: To find information that will be interesting and relevant
to our readers, I read a lot, including some of what is discussed on our
listservs. Occasionally I comment on these lists when I think it will help.
Recently a middle school student emailed the question to one of our lists
that all of us have to ask ourselves: why are some people involved in
organizations of the blind and others not? What appears below are some
thoughts on the subject; many articulate why they have chosen to join; one
explains why she chooses not to be a part of any organization and questions
the need for them. In the hope that this exchange will stimulate thought,
discussion, some new members, and an affirmation to those of us who are
already members, here, with limited editing, is the email exchange:
From: Chris Nusbaum
Subject: Why is it important to join an organization of the blind?
Fellow Federationists:


As I have become more and more active in the blind community and have met
blind people, I notice that a lot of them are not affiliated with any
organization of the blind. Some say they are put off by the political
arguments between the NFB and ACB; some say they don't want to be tied to
one organization; some say they don't agree with either organization's
philosophy and don't want to identify themselves with either.
I try to explain to them the value of the Federation in my life and how
joining an organization of the blind connects people with a diverse network
of resources who can help answer almost any question they would have related
to blindness. I also try to explain that, if they have any problems, being a
part of an organization would help them with their advocacy efforts; the
more people you have advocating, the more effective the advocacy is. But
they still don't want to be affiliated with an organization.
So I want to get your thoughts on these questions: Why do you think it is
important to be a member of an organization of the blind? Of what benefit or
value is an organization to its members and to blind people at large? Some
people have said to me, "Sighted people don't have any organizations
dedicated to their concerns as sighted people; why should I join an
organization dedicated to blindness?"
Still others have said, "Don't you Federationists want to be equal with
sighted people? If so, then why do blind people need to be organized by
joining some organization exclusively of the blind?"
These are some interesting questions; what would your responses be to such
people? I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this.
Chris
Here is a response from a person who sees no value in joining and rejects
the concept of the blind community. Since she is not a member, she will
remain anonymous.
Hi. Well I for one am one of those who don't want to join either
organization. I am on both NFB and ACB listservs to gain perspective about
what both organizations are doing and their thoughts on important issues. If
I have a question, I would probably write to the appropriate listservs
pertaining to my question. Admittedly I usually don't start threads, because
I am a very private person and don't particularly like broadcasting things
over the Internet. I respond to threads from time to time when I feel the
issue is important enough, as is the case here.
Now I don't know you personally, but here's what I think: have you ever been
asked to convert to a religion when you were perfectly comfortable with the
one you believe in? By constantly asking people to join an organization for
the blind, you're doing much the same thing. How do you know these people
are unhappy with the way they're living now? If it's more a question of
whether or not they've heard of such groups, one need only do a Google
search for organizations for the blind, and I'm sure the NFB and ACB
websites will pop up. I'm a firm believer in informed choice. If someone
wants to join either organization, they will find the info, whether it's
coming to someone such as yourself, or looking it up on the Internet. But no
one likes to be put in a corner.
As for staying on top of things that go on in the blind community--and I use
that term loosely because it truly disgusts me that such a term exists at
all-again it's as simple as following a few discussion lists. Some don't
like for their inboxes to be flooded, and, that's understandable, but you
can go into digest mode or access the list archives through the respective
sites. Let's not forget, also, wonderful resources such as the Fred's Head
blog which is run by APH, or the Internet Phonebook of Blindness Resources.
Information is really only a few seconds away in this day and age; if people
don't want to subscribe to a set of beliefs or deal with any political BS,
let them be.
One more brief point, and then I promise I'll stop. Speaking to other blind
people is not quite the same thing. For this I think it's great that there
are resources like NFB-link and the AFB Career Connect. There's nothing
quite like finding out you're not alone in the world; it's empowering,
particularly for people who have recently lost their vision, to be able to
speak to someone face to face or over the phone who understands what they're
going through and can give them advice, support, and encouragement along the
way. I attended a rehab center last year (non-NFB-affiliated), and, because
I've been blind since birth, many of the clients, some much older than
myself, came to me for advice, or simply watched or asked, depending on the
level of remaining vision they still had, how I did things naturally, such
as walking with a cane. It was a win-win situation: they felt more at ease
about losing their vision because they saw I was coping just fine, and I
felt good knowing I had helped people without even really trying or meaning
to.
From: Bridgit Pollpeter
Chris, you pose very interesting and valid questions. Most of us have met
people who are blind and adopt an attitude like the people you describe.
There are many reasons why people do and do not join an organization, but we
must look at what the purpose of these organizations is.
First, sighted people do develop, promote, and advocate for many issues.
Most of these groups have a blend of people with plenty of diversity, but
many ethnic and racial groups have organizations dedicated to serving
minorities and the issues and causes important to them. As a type 1 diabetic
I've been involved in diabetic groups advocating for better care,
encouraging research, and providing education; I did this when I was
sighted. There are other health-related groups doing similar work, and the
list goes on and on. We often fail to see the other perspective especially
with blindness. People focus on this, forgetting many organizations exist
doing similar work. The Federation is not unique in being an advocacy group
promoting causes and initiatives.
The initial goals of the Federation were to promote independence, work
towards changing attitudes, and serving as a political platform for blind
causes led by those with the experience of being blind. First and foremost,
a group like the NFB is dedicated to political activism and advocacy.
Despite the growing number of divisions within the Federation catering to
various interests, the priority has always been to promote and advocate the
ideas and causes important to Federation members.
Having opportunities to network is essential to the growth and success of
the Federation because we need each generation to adopt healthy, positive
mindsets about blindness. The social aspect, however, is secondary to the
political element. Not everyone joins to be politically active. In my
experience a majority of people join the Federation purely for social
reasons, though many eventually come to understand the importance of having
an active voice advocating for equal rights and fair treatment of the blind.
So we stand up and demand equality.
That we have a chance to network and ask questions of those with experience
is a benefit to joining the Federation. You have a support system backing
you, ready to help in any way. We've heard a lot about law students denied
bar exams in an accessible format of their choosing. The Federation has
stepped in to take legal action, assisting those law students and others to
come. The couple in Missouri whose newborn was taken by the state's
children's services unit a couple of years ago for no reason other than that
both parents are blind is another example....
Many of us benefit from alternative techniques, techniques which far too
many refuse to learn or use regularly. In my experience, and having once
been a person with partial vision, often the alternative skills truly do
make one more efficient than using one's partial vision, and this is why the
Federation seems, at times, to be against sight, but it's actually the
contrary. If you're being independent, living your life, not caving into
stereotypes and negative attitudes, the Federation supports this way of
life. It expects us to grow and challenge ourselves as our peers challenge
us. This is one of the huge differences I see between the NFB and other
organizations of the blind; we're not expected to stay where we are; we're
urged to move forward, carving a path before us, challenging ourselves to
strive to reach new heights.
So why am I a Federationist? Because I'm not content to sit idly by, letting
others make decisions for me. I don't feel entitled to services,
legislation, and technology that I have had no say in, and to which I have
made no contribution in changing for the better. I don't want to watch a
chef cook; I want to roll my sleeves up and get my hands in the mix.
Networking with fellow blind people and learning what we are all doing is
great, but I want to effect change, and I want to be a part of that change.
It's not about isolating ourselves from society and forming an elite group
made up of people who are blind; it's in fact about encouraging and
fostering integration. We are people with dreams, desires, and interests;
that we are blind is but one attribute of our being. I wasn't always blind,
and, when I lost my sight, I didn't change who I am. My interests and goals
are the same; I now just accomplish certain things with different methods
and tools.
We all have to decide what we believe in and why. I believe it's important
to analyze and question beliefs and ideas in order truly to digest them.
Only then can we form decisions based on our own ideas and opinions rather
than any thoughts and opinions thrust on us, whether unwillingly or not. I
think we all need to understand that the Federation's priority is advocacy
and education; when we know this, it is easier to explain the Federation and
its purpose.
Sincerely,
Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
From: Sean Whalen
I don't think anybody is trying to force beliefs on people, and I really
don't see what is "creepy" about the question or topic. I think it is each
individual's prerogative to join any organization that represents his or her
interest, or none at all. It seems pretty clear to me, though, that the
lives of all blind individuals have been demonstrably improved by the
existence of the NFB, which, of course, wouldn't exist without joiners.
Belonging to an organization does not mean that one endorses everything that
organization does, nor does it mean that an individual has a particular set
of beliefs. It simply means that one sees enough benefit in the organization
and its work to decide to support it. I don't agree with the NFB on
everything, nor do I agree with the Democratic Party on everything.
Nonetheless I count myself as a member of both. If somebody thinks that
dictates my thoughts and beliefs, they would be wrong. My thoughts and
beliefs dictate which organizations I choose to join, support, and work for.
As for the ridiculous notion that sighted folks don't have organizations,
they surely do. They have organizations for virtually every interest under
the sun. Trade groups, unions, interest groups allied with political and
public policy issues of all stripes exist to unify the voices of folks with
common interests. That is the way our system of government, and indeed the
world in general, works. Refusal to join with others who have similar
interests is acceptance of having no voice on issues that affect you. That
is, by the way, completely fine. Some folks don't have any interests
pressing enough to give up their time, money, and resources to attempt to
influence outcomes, but their lack of interest in doing so doesn't somehow
equate to the moral high ground. Of course there is no National Association
of the Sighted, but this reflects the fact that the vast majority of people
are sighted. There is no issue around which to rally. You had better bet
that, if half the population were sighted and the other half blind, and if
the interests of the sighted and blind clashed in any meaningful way, the
sighted and blind alike would have organizations allowing them to speak with
one voice on issues of import.
In addition to being a vehicle for collective action, the NFB is an extended
network of support. It is extremely valuable to have folks to consult with
when faced with an issue related to blindness. It keeps each of us from
having to reinvent the wheel each time something new comes up for us. This
of course is not a model at all unique to the blind. Analogous networks
exist for people in certain trades, with particular diseases, or with
similar interests and hobbies. Nearly anywhere you find a diffuse and
relatively small group of people in similar circumstances or in need of
similar information, you will find an attempt at a support network like that
which we enjoy in the NFB.
So, lest anybody buy into the line that says those who join the NFB or any
other organization are mindless automatons without their own beliefs,
opinions, and convictions, please remember that organizing to share
information and influence events in the world is in no way unique to the
blind. If people don't want to join anything, and blind people in particular
don't want to join NFB or ACB, that is 100 percent all right. But let's not
accept the misguided notion that their refusal to do so is rooted in some
moral superiority, rugged individualism, or strength of conviction. The
refusal to be a joiner simply indicates that a person has other things going
on in his or her life which are more important. Again, A-OK, but never doubt
the value of the work done by the organized blind movement. Even those who
have never given a thought to involving themselves are presumably grateful
when social services doesn't take their babies, they have the opportunity to
attain meaningful employment, and their rights to travel and participate in
society are protected.
Sean Whalen
From: David Evans
It is important to be a part of an organization because it is usually
organizations that get things accomplished in this world. It goes like this.
There is a game going on, and in every game you have four components: two
sides on the field that push back and forth to win their point and advance
the game toward a goal and referees that enforce the rules of the game,
award points and penalties, and make calls about the conduct of the game.
The fourth part, which is also the biggest part, is the spectators in the
stands who watch the game, root for the two sides, and most often benefit
from the outcome of the game on the field, but take little part in winning
it. The people in the stands often wish that they could stimulate their side
to win but can only shout encouragement or discouragement from their safe
seats in the stands. They have very little to do with the outcome of the
game and only watch the toil of the players on the field. They sometimes get
upset at a call by the referees or a bad play by one of the team members,
but they can only express their opinions, positive or negative, from a safe
distance.
The people on the field are the heroes and the villains. The players on the
field make the play or get their noses bloodied. In life there is always the
possibility that one of the spectators in the stands can come down and put
on a helmet and get in the game on one side or the other and begin making a
difference in the game's outcome. If the game is Tug-of-War and the sides
are evenly split, the game may be a tie or take a long time for one side or
the other to prevail. If, on the other hand, half of the people in the
stands come down and take up the rope on only one side or the other, the
contest is going to be over very quickly. Games are won or lost by the
players on the field, not the people sitting safely in the stands.
In this game of life getting involved in an organization can help to make
our lives better. There is an old saying, "Many hands make light work." 
As the Florida Lotto puts it, "You have to play to win."
I have seen us advance the goals of our organization since 1987, and I know
that I am in a better place because of it. As my generation use to say in
the 1960s, "If you aren't part of the solution, then you are part of the
problem." In which group are you going to be: the people who sit on the
fence and in the stands or the people who compete for the gold ring?
David Evans 
From: Gary Wunder
Dear Chris:


Please understand that what I am about to write is my opinion and not some
official position of the Federation. I will try to avoid offering other
disclaimers such as "in my opinion," or "it is my belief." I want to be firm
in stating what I believe but humble enough to acknowledge that it does not
represent any particular wisdom or any claim to be the one true way.
I am a member of the National Federation of the Blind because I believe that
collective action is required if blind people are to continue to enjoy the
programs and services we now have and to further the goal of integration we
all seek, in which we gain jobs, play active parts in our communities, and
are no longer limited by artificial barriers not imposed by blindness but by
the reaction to it by blind and sighted people alike. As an individual I
have a responsibility to think about my options and opportunities and to
decide whether or not to pursue or shy away from them; in other words, I
have choices to make. But individually I do not always have the creativity,
the expertise, and the power to make those choices real and achievable.
Right now blind people are engaged in a battle to determine whether we have
a right to demand that computerized technology, with all its power and
promise, be harnessed to help us as it helps others, or whether, because we
are a small population, this same computer technology will be used to
exclude us. The outcome of this struggle is as important as my ability to
compete at a job, my ability to enjoy entertainment at home, my ability to
check in at airports and check out at supermarkets, and even my ability to
live at home independently. Take away my independent access to home
appliances--my ability to set the temperature on my oven, regulate the
temperature in my house, and operate the controls on my washer and dryer,
and soon I will require the services of a personal care attendant or be
forced to live in a nursing home because I will be unable to take care of my
most basic needs. Even the option of a home care attendant or a nursing home
may depend on whether or not I can afford them.
My job as one human being is to educate myself; my more difficult job is to
embrace the education of society to the potential technology brings and to
the problems it can create if not properly managed. Individually I must be
an informed voice, but only collectively do I have a voice capable of
reaching the nation and the world. Individually I do not know how to bring
about the changes in design and engineering that make things talk, produce
Braille, or provide a way for me to navigate using touch or voice;
collectively I can be a part of giving scholarships to young people, some of
whom will dedicate their professional careers to learning about such things
and being a part of developing technology that includes me and others who
are blind.
Individually I do not know how to craft laws to help us, but collectively I
can help to nurture and employ the expertise of those who do. Individually I
do not know how to execute a successful lawsuit on behalf of me and others
who suffer from technological discrimination; collectively I can be a part
of hiring that help and articulating to the legal system the goals and
aspirations of blind people who are committed to the progress we have
enjoyed and to reject categorically the idea of once again being consigned
to idleness and inactivity. It is argued that sighted people do not unite as
a group, and that, if blind people truly want equality, we must turn away
from the reliance on a group and the expectation that other blind people
will join with us. Because of their numbers and a society which will quite
reasonably be oriented to them, sighted people have no need to unite on the
basis of sight. They do, however, unite for other reasons. Wealthy people
unite with others to see that policies do not encourage and support the
taking of their wealth. Those less wealthy unite for a whole host of reasons
when individually their voices are not sufficient to start a national
discussion about the things they need. Doctors, as educated and prestigious
as they are, unite when it comes to representing their interests and, for
that matter, the health interests of the American people. Farmers form
organizations to try to increase their prices and protect against what they
see as overly burdensome regulation. Many from all walks of life unite to
protect the environment by reminding us that some of the things we want for
enhancing our creature comforts come at a cost that may jeopardize the
well-being of the earth for our children and our children's children.
The concept of organizing for collective action, to amplify the voice, to
share the load, and to bring disparate groups with talent and expertise to
serve a cause is not unique to the blind, nor is it unique to America. It is
the longing of people everywhere to better themselves and the realization
that not every good that needs doing can be accomplished by one human being,
no matter how strong her determination or skill or drive. It is the
understanding that true independence often involves the more complicated
concept of interdependence and that learning to work together does not
detract one bit from our individuality, our ability to make choices, and our
ability to influence the world.
I want a piece of the American dream. That means more than Supplemental
Security Income because I am deemed too disabled to work. That means more
than food stamps and subsidized housing because I am considered so
impoverished that only through a government program can I eat and have
shelter from the elements. I want the right to information, and that means
more than a book of fiction in which I live my life through the words and
stories of others. I have benefited from and support each of these programs
and do not write to throw stones. Forces in the world conspire to keep me in
this place, a place of continual dependence. It is not a harsh place with
physical bars but a place built by a compassionate America trying to do good
for people they perceive as having a significant need. It is not a jail;
neither is it a zoo; but it is a cage, albeit one with radios and
televisions and devices to produce music on demand. It is a place where we
may play but not a place where we may grow. Programs intended to provide us
with a staircase to upward mobility have too often become the means for
lifelong support. The tragedy is that life is so much less than it could be
for us who are blind and for our country that gets so much less from good
minds and overflowing hearts who long to find a way to contribute
meaningfully.
The alternative path requires more training, more perseverance, and perhaps
even more good luck. The process is rehabilitation, and by rehabilitation I
mean much more than accepting the help to go from high school to training
school or college. For me rehabilitation means entering into a contract, a
sacred pledge to make good on the goodwill and the investment of taxpaying
Americans by turning education and equipment into productive work. It is
more than accepting as a matter of course this government program for the
blind that can sometimes be little more than a transition from education to
more education to lifelong dependence. At its best, rehabilitation is the
power of people to help people, the way a society helps some of its members
move from needing a meal to earning a meal. It can, at its best, be an
example of government truly serving and at its worst an example of raising
expectations only to crush them. We, the blind people who organize and work
in the Federation, help determine which it will be.
Several months ago I watched a Republican primary where a candidate was
asked what should be done about an uninsured twenty-nine-year-old man lying
in a hospital following a motorcycle crash. Should he be allowed to die was
the timidly advanced question, and, before the candidate could answer, a
disturbingly loud minority in that audience began to clap. The America I see
is no longer in a place where she believes she can extend benefits to those
who do not pay for them. If this is true for something as basic as medical
care, how long will it be before we see America questioning whether there is
money to support her disabled citizens who have been offered rehabilitation
services but who continue to remain on the public dole? How many people must
succeed in the rehabilitation process to convince an ever more skeptical and
belt-tightening America that this magical contract between blind people and
the rest of America's citizens should continue? Partly that answer depends
on us, how well we make the case for what we need, and how much we publicize
the wonderful things that happen when rehabilitation works. Partly it
depends on how well we make the case to other blind people for moving beyond
our comfort zone and actively addressing those areas in which we are weak or
scared or paralyzed by our inexperience with the world.
I am a member of the National Federation of the Blind because I realize it
has been an important part in helping me live a bit of the American dream. I
am a part because I want to pay it forward and to share the blessings I've
been given with others. I know that, as important as a positive mental
attitude and philosophy are, they are little more than words if there isn't
some kind of active effort to transform them into actions. Wanting to feed
the starving is more than wanting--it is doing something to advance that
cause--donating money, growing food, building roads, and buying vehicles.
None of this is accomplished by remaining on the sidelines and being an
observer, even if an informed one; it is accomplished by a resolution to do
something and then by following through on that resolution.
The Federation, for all the pride I take in her, is not a luxury liner
capable of being guided and run by a few, on which many may ride in comfort.
Instead my Federation is a canoe, a craft that can carry a few passengers
but needs every person who can to be at the oars pushing us along, steering
us in the direction we want to go, and helping us avoid the obstacles that
would break our frail craft if not maneuvered with skill, intelligence, and
the support of God and a public who want the best for us. Blind Americans,
just like sighted Americans, can make the choice whether or not to be
involved, but the choice they make has consequences for all of us. The more
people we have who are active rowers of our canoe, the more each of us who
row have time to do other things and the more likely we are to succeed.
Our mission is a noble one that argues for our own independence and for the
continued prosperity of our nation. I believe it is so important that we
dare not sit on the sidelines. I have spent enough of my life being told to
observe and wait. When I have a choice, I will choose participation,
service, and the knowledge that, come what may, I have tried. This is why I
am a part of the Federation. This is why I unashamedly ask others to be a
part of it too. I don't want to whine or preach. I want to be grateful for
what I have, to repay those who have helped to make what I have possible,
and to pay it forward for those who want the same kind of future I want. I
ask for the energy that others can bring in charting this course and then
helping us travel it.
Gary Wunder
	

Richard Payne,  President
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
937/829/3368
Rchpay7 at gmail.com
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 want;
blindness is not what holds you back


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