[stylist] My thoughts- Kuell article in Monitor

[David Andrews]

Bridgit, there is politics everywhere -- we are not immuned in the 
NFB.  However, I would add two things -- first, this list probably 
isn't the most appropriate place to hash this out, and secondly, 
there are generally two sides to every story, and we are only hearing 
one.  I am not trying to impugn the character or reputation of Chris 
in any way.  However, things are often more complex than we first might think.

Dave

At 04:06 PM 4/3/2013, you wrote:
>I hear all the time the motto, "Federation family and friends," but in
>my experience, it's more like exclusive family and certain friends who
>will play our game and follow our agenda. Anyone willing to speak up, to
>voice opinions and concerns, to actually think outside the box, is
>placed at arms length on the sidelines. Politics is a bitch, and I've
>seen a lot of bitchiness.
>
>I wish I could be more positive about this stuff like you, Robert, but
>take Chris's situation for example. He didn't even go outside the
>Federation, but he merely voiced concerns with a board he sat on, and
>he's been kicked off a listserve and has had to resign two positions he
>held. When he had a different view, he was shut up.
>
>I've seen this happen in a lot of groups and organizations I've been
>involved in, but I've seen some of the worse practices of this nature
>right in our own happy little Federation organization. It really sucks
>because it gets in the way of truly helping affect any change.
>
>I see so many strong, competent leaders leave or take 10 steps back from
>the organization because when they questioned something or held a
>different view, they were met with similar situations like Chris. I've
>experienced it myself, and my own affiliate keeps me at arms length,
>rarely using me for things I could actually be good at. During my first
>national convention, while speaking with an affiliate president, they
>divulged that they had been given a stern talking too because they voted
>against the nominating committee's choice for a national board member.
>Apparently we aren't allowed to think differently.
>
>So where's the camaraderie? Why can't we hold different opinions? No one
>in these cases is trying to change the Federation or lessen the cause,
>yet they are censured nonetheless.
>
>Okay, sorry for my rant. I just wish things were as amicable as you
>state, Robert.
>
>Bridgit
>Message: 14
>Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2013 07:10:01 -0500
>From: "Robert Leslie Newman" <newmanrl at cox.net>
>To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
>Subject: [stylist] My thoughts RE:  Kuell article in Monitor
>Message-ID: <013501ce3064$2b79aba0$826d02e0$@cox.net>
>Content-Type: text/plain;       charset="us-ascii"
>
>I too think and appreciate a person who will speak their mind --- then
>hang
>in there and work it out. That means that both parties do not
>preemptively
>band the other guy. In a family, as we often within the Federation tout
>that
>we are --- Yaa, putting up with some behavior is unpleasant, difficult
>at
>times to sort out, and to even make some changes on one or both sides.
>But
>hey, reality is, in a large family, there can be small factions that may
>can
>be at times more fractious then the larger whole.
>
>(Gee Chris, we are going to miss your editing of that fine affiliate
>newsletter! And as for Tom using your article and not asking-thanking
>--- on
>the editors list we have discussed that in the past --- it has "always
>been
>that we borrow from one another --- I've said, good but let a guy know,
>it's
>a good feel to be appreciated by use of our stuff!)