[Tall-Corn] Why should we go to the trouble?

[Mary McGee]

Bob, 
	I know no one has asked me for help with this, but I'm drafting
letters to some of the legislators and I'd attend the hearing if I knew
which entrance to the Capitol is the one we can use.  I didn't even know
that a group was going, or I would have offered to join it, even though I
know I'm not a part of the Chapter anymore.  
	Becky and I talked on the phone a while ago and she asked me if I'd
help with the legislative stuff.  I said I wanted to know exactly what would
be expected of me and I never heard anything more from her, so I assumed I'm
not wanted.  
	But, I'll help if I can.  I'll write the letters as planned.  Should
I attend the hearing or just stay home?  
	Please advise.  Thanks!
Sincerely, 
Mary L. McGee


-----Original Message-----
From: Tall-Corn [mailto:tall-corn-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bob Ray
via Tall-Corn
Sent: Friday, February 3, 2023 9:47 PM
To: 'NFB of Iowa Internet Mailing List' <tall-corn at nfbnet.org>
Cc: bray at nfbi.org
Subject: Re: [Tall-Corn] Why should we go to the trouble?
Importance: High

Wade, I appreciate many of the thoughts you expressed. This is the time for
all of us to start finding ways to let our elected officials know how we
feel about having an agency for the blind that is responsive to the needs of
the blind. This agency must also .  has the ability to work with us to see
to it that programs are the best they can be. There will be a chance for
people to get together, probably on ZOOM, very soon to get questions
answered and to help plan how we are going to accomplish the tasks ahead of
us. It will not be easy. It may have to be rather fast. We can only win this
one if we work together and all do our share.

In the meantime, if you have any connections with your legislators contact
them and make them aware the blind of Iowa, and you especially wish to keep
the Iowa programs for the blind as a separate independent agency. Remember
this Monday the joint legislative committee for the budget for the
Department will be meeting and the Governor has recommended a large cut to
the funding. Those of us that are available to do so need to attend this
hearing even though we will not be able to say anything. 

If there is anything that we may help you with, finding your Representative
and Senator, or anything thing else. Get in touch with Scott, or any other
officer or Board Member, or myself as part of the Legislative committee of
the NFBI.

Bob Ray
Member Legislative Committee
NFBI
Email: bray at nfbi.org
Phone: 515 334-7231
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Tall-Corn <tall-corn-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Wade Hemmelrick
via Tall-Corn
Sent: Friday, February 3, 2023 8:10 PM
To: NFB of Iowa Internet Mailing List <tall-corn at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Wade Hemmelrick <cheeriosandv8 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Tall-Corn] Why should we go to the trouble?

Live the lives we want, not what the church tells us, or the government, or
any political parties, but we as blind citizens have every Constitutional
right to stand up and speak up for ourselves.
Good-intentioned and well-meaning people want to control us because we
supposedly need help all the time. Borrowing from one or more of our past
leaders:  "We know who we are, and we will never go back." It is most
unfortunate of our having to oppose our supposed friends repeatedly like a
broken record in order to keep our agency as we the blind people want it.
Please pardon my slang when I say: "If it ain't broke, then don't fix
it!"--Wade Hemmelrick

_______________________________________________
Tall-Corn mailing list
Tall-Corn at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/tall-corn_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Tall-Corn:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/tall-corn_nfbnet.org/bray%40nfbi.org


_______________________________________________
Tall-Corn mailing list
Tall-Corn at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/tall-corn_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Tall-Corn:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/tall-corn_nfbnet.org/mmcatitude%40gmail.co
m