[stylist] My thoughts- Kuell article in Monitor

[Eve Sanchez]

Bridget, As a paper explaining your views on a particular political problem
that repeatedly comes up and stalls any progress in the group affected; you
were well written. We need to grow as writers and the only way to do so is
to keep writing. I also find that sharing is a great tool. One type of
writing tha is always difficult for most people is the venting. Venting is
healthy and helps get things rectified. When venting is done in written
form, it reaches more people and is more affective. If you can not share
what you write, even venting or ranting, with a writers group then you
likely could not share it anywhere and no progress will ever be made. I
thought your post was well written without too much emotion tripping you
up. That is always the big danger for me. It should not matter if everyone
agrees or not. It is just, whether or not something was well written and
could be judged in that manner. Also, we are also a group that has its own
politics with officers and board members. We need to improve as best we
could and learn from issues in other groups. I am not going to censor you.
In fact, I applaud you for addressing a subject that seems taboo to so
many. Politics is like religion; people are scared to talk about it. I do,
however, notice religious references that are made on this list serve quite
often and no one says anything about it. Must be acceptable. Keep writing
and being passionate. Eve

On Wed, Apr 3, 2013 at 7:44 PM, justin williams
<justin.williams2 at gmail.com>wrote:

> True.  It happens.  It's kind of like if you don't walk the straight and
> narrow, you don't get heard.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bridgit
> Pollpeter
> Sent: Wednesday, April 03, 2013 5:07 PM
> To: stylist at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [stylist] My thoughts- Kuell article in Monitor
>
> 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!)
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Writers Division web site
> http://www.writers-division.net/
> stylist mailing list
> stylist at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> stylist:
>
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/justin.williams2%40gmai
> l.com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Writers Division web site
> http://www.writers-division.net/
> stylist mailing list
> stylist at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> stylist:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/3rdeyeonly%40gmail.com
>