[nabs-l] How can NFB better include peoplewithmultipledisabilities mental illness
Kaiti Shelton
crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com
Fri Apr 4 04:10:47 UTC 2014
I think a good thing might look something like this:
A group and/or division led by a person with mental illness of some
sort, but also open for those interested in work with mentally ill
people. Even though I do not have a mental illness myself, I am going
into a profession where I will most liikely work with clients who have
mental illness throughout my career. I would love to support such a
group, and think that others in situations similar to my own might
want to do the same. Plus, this follows the division model a little
more closely. More people than those directly effected would be able
to join, but someone who is directly effected would serve as
president. I know in my affiliate student division, our constitution
states that the president and vice president must be planning to be
full-time students in the year following their election, and a
majority of the division members must be blind students, but as long
as those guidelines are met non-blind or non-students are free to join
and aid in the cause.
On 4/3/14, Carly Mihalakis <carlymih at comcast.net> wrote:
> Good morning, Sam, and everyone,
>
> A must! Hot line workers must themselves have mentle illness!
> for today, Car
>
> At 02:24 PM 4/2/2014, Sam Nelson wrote:
>>Hi Ariel,
>> I agree. I love the hotline idea! It would be true peer support. Which
>> is
>>such a big thing in mental illness recovery these days.
>> Sam
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Arielle
>>Silverman
>>Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2014 4:07 PM
>>To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] How can NFB better include
>>peoplewithmultipledisabilities mental illness
>>
>>I think the hotline idea is a great one. The human services division could
>>work on that, but it would be great to have a group or division that is
>> led
>>by blind people with mental illness.
>>Arielle
>>
>>On 4/2/14, Sam Nelson <nelsonsam68 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > Hi everyone,
>> > I'm not very much into the NFB in a lot of ways but one hundred
>> > percent agree that there needs to be more connection between support/
>> > services for the blind and for those that have other disabilities along
>>with blindness.
>> > Personally I've seen this disconnect with blindness and mental
>> > illness. I agree with everything Desiree said about therapists and
>> > them not understanding how blindness impacts mental illnessor how
>> > mental illness might affect blindness. I've also seen a lot of
>> > misunderstanding with blindness profesionals not understanding how
>> > mental illness might interfere with living on one's own getting a
>> > standard full time job ETC and so their scope of services don't allow
>> > for anything outside what they perceive to be normal.
>> > I do want to give a shout out that I run an e-mail list called
>> > blind-mentalhealth on yahoo. I've been running it since May and it is
>> > a very close knit community and we all support each other day to day
>> > with these struggles, providing encouragement and resources if
>> > possible and most of all just our friendship.
>> > Lastly I've heard of a center in NY that has the only psychiatric
>> > clinic and daytreatment program for the blind. Does anyone know
>> > anthing about this program? I've tried looking online everywhere for a
>> > contact person as I'd be very curious to know more about the program
>> > and how they do things.
>> >
>> > Sam
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Beth
>> > Taurasi
>> > Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2014 11:22 PM
>> > To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> > Subject: Re: [nabs-l] How can NFB better include
>> > peoplewithmultipledisabilities?
>> >
>> > Good ranting, Kaiti. As someone who could fall under the thing
>> > Desiree described, someone whose parents get guardianship because
>> > they're sighted and "healthy", I had contemplated suicide because of
>> > that
>>guardianship.
>> > Because of that, my parents tried to take me off MySpace, but they
>> > will not take me off Facebook. I am currently working to get a case
>> > against them because the guardianship is way too broad, and it affects
>> > lots of my man to woman relationships. Currently, my relationship
>> > with my friend Blake, a guy from Arizona, is rocky, but yet deep down,
>> > I wish I could swoop Blake up and take him back here to Denver. But
>> > alas, the guardianship prevents us from marrying. To say that such
>> > persons are "nonpersons" or in the case of Orwell's 1984 "unpersons"
>> > is wrong. The way to say it in Newspeak would be complicated, and if
>> > such a newspeak word was invented, it would sound harsh.
>> > Beth
>> >
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: Kaiti Shelton <crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com
>> > To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> > <nabs-l at nfbnet.org Date sent: Tue, 1 Apr 2014 22:30:32 -0400
>> > Subject: Re: [nabs-l] How can NFB better include
>> > peoplewithmultipledisabilities?
>> >
>> > Hello all,
>> >
>> > In answer to Carly's question about connections between the blind, (we
>> > may call them "just blind" for the purposes of this conversation), and
>> > those with blindness and other disabilities, or other disabilities
>> > without blindness, I think organizational relationships are the
>> > starting point to working interpersonally. Much like the NFB is a
>> > huge group of blind people, and is often used as a catalyst for
>> > working interpersonally to accomplish tasks, other groups are the
>> > same. If we want to work interpersonally with the deaf, persay, then
>> > we need to go where the deaf are and start forming relationships with
>> > that group. Once repore is established, people from the various
>> > organizations can work interpersonally. Darian might have phrased it
>> > better than I did, but it's the same sort of view.
>> >
>> > I was admittedly not around for that episode that Desiree described,
>> > but I'm really sad to hear that it happened. Especially since, as
>> > Arielle pointed out, there are some pretty out there groups like the
>> > car one. I mean, it's okay for people to get together and discuss
>> > cars that we can't even drive (yet at least), so their discussion is
>> > purely based on mechanical and aesthetic knowledge of the cars rather
>> > than a personal user experience, but a support group for blind people
>> > who are seen as a minority for another reason is not okay? To me,
>> > that just doesn't make sense.
>> >
>> > I'm not particularly religious, and probably would label myself as
>> > unitarian even though I was raised catholic if I had to label myself
>> > at all, so I realize my personal views on things of that nature are
>> > more liberal than the views of others. However, conservatives aren't
>> > always going to be happy, just as liberals aren't, and it is important
>> > that we compromise. I was not under the impression that the NFB had
>> > any religious affiliation, and even remember asking someone what
>> > Invocation was, because I really didn't know the term. Even in this
>> > light, why is Christianity made such a prevalent part of convention?
>> > What about those who practice Islam, Judism, or anything else? I
>> > would hate for a majority faction within the NFB to shun double
>> > minority members, because after all, we're all minorities in the
>> > greater world, so to pretend that those who are different from us are
>> > less valuable or don't deserve the right to organize a group to suit
>> > their unique set of needs or circumstances doesn't seem right.
>> > Sorry for the rant.
>> >
>> > On 4/1/14, melissa R Green <lissa1531 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > Arielle once again. You are so right! I also hope that will never
>> > happen again.
>> > Another way to look at this is, many devisions get started and then
>> > they just fall by the waist side. Noone will keep it going. IMO the
>> > devisions are started by people that have to be in the spotlight and
>> > be the darling of
>> >
>> > the Federation and the devision suffers. The same happens with
>> > chapters and
>> >
>> > state devisions. Then everyone is shaking their head and wondering
>> > what happened and why this person didn't work out. I could give
>> > examples of backing the wrong person.
>> > Finally, I always felt badly for those children who were born and
>> > grew up in
>> >
>> > the federation. They have a lot of pressure on them to be the
>> > darling of the federation. Have a blessed day.
>> > Best Wishes
>> > Melissa R. Green and Pj
>> >
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: "Arielle Silverman" <arielle71 at gmail.com
>> > To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> > <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> > Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2014 5:37 PM
>> > Subject: Re: [nabs-l] How can NFB better include people
>> > withmultipledisabilities?
>> >
>> >
>> > I too was at the NFB convention when the LGBT group wasn't able to
>> > announce its meetings. I'm disappointed this happened, especially the
>> > symbolic exclusion it represented, and hope never to see something
>> > like that again as long as I am part of the Federation. I completely
>> > understand the leadership's desire not to have a division for every
>>special interest.
>> > However, we need clearer and more evenhanded criteria about what
>> > should constitute a division. It doesn't make sense to allow a
>> > division for car enthusiasts with its own annual activities and then
>> > not even allow an LGBT group to advertise informal meet-ups. We can't
>> > try to say we don't want LGBT because it's too politically
>> > controversial and then have religious invocations at all the general
>> > sessions. Has the general membership ever even been polled about
>> > whether
>>to keep having these religious invocations?
>> > In other words, unless we want to be in an organization that reflects
>> > the president's or the board's interests and political views alone, we
>> > really need to have some transparency about how divisions are formed
>> > and what kinds of characteristics are meaningful enough to justify
>> > forming a division. Furthermore, as Darian pointed out, a well-run
>> > group can probably be just as effective without a lot of the hassle
>> > associated with keeping up a division. I know at least some of the
>> > folks in the LGBT group would have been totally happy with just a
>> > group, not a full division, but even that wasn't supported.
>> >
>> > Arielle
>> >
>> > On 4/1/14, melissa R Green <lissa1531 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > what a good topic. I know that there is a blind rollers list.
>> > But the
>> > devision never came into being. I think that the committee of the
>> > under served is supposed to address these issues. However this is not
>> > occurring.
>> >
>> > I agree that nfb has a primary focus of blindness. Yet, we are a
>> > diverse population. So I believe that the nfb needs to become more
>> > diverse. I also
>> >
>> > believe that the leadership are going by their assumptions that if
>> > they have
>> >
>> > a devision dedicated to a certain grou that it will not do anything
>> > to assist blind people. For example, years ago, a group came together
>> > and wanted to form a devision for blind gay bisexual and transgendered
>>people.
>> > I was at the convention when doctor Maurer was reading the
>> > announcement and
>> >
>> > then he ripped it up in the middle of reading it. Many people left
>> > the federation because they felt that they were not wanted and that
>> > the leadership assumed that it would be a devision strictly for social
>> > purposes.
>> >
>> > Many people are hopeful that the new president will bring many more
>> > changes
>> >
>> > and lots of diversity to the federation. I am going to wait and see
>> > what happens.
>> > Have a blessed day.
>> > Best Wishes
>> > Melissa R. Green and Pj
>> >
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: "Arielle Silverman" <arielle71 at gmail.com
>> > To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> > <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> > Sent: Monday, March 31, 2014 3:53 PM
>> > Subject: [nabs-l] How can NFB better include people with
>> > multipledisabilities?
>> >
>> >
>> > Hi all,
>> >
>> > I'd like to start a separate thread to address an important issue
>> > that's come up recently. It's clear that more and more blind folks
>> > today also have other disabilities. For several reasons, the number of
>> > blind people with additional disabilities is likely to increase, and
>> > more than that, the number of blind people with additional
>> > disabilities who are getting educated and involved in advocacy is
>> > likely to increase. I do think that, for the most part, the NFB
>> > centers do a good job of tailoring training to the needs that people
>> > with other disabilities may have, but I also think that we as an
>> > organization have far to go in order to truly appreciate the
>> > contributions of all blind people. I think it's particularly true when
>> > we think about including people with intellectual disabilities and
>> > mental illnesses. These kinds of conditions are stigmatized in
>> > general, but especially since our leadership has tended to be highly
>> > educated and to stress academic excellence and consistent effort from
>> > the leadership, I can see how folks who have intellectual
>> > disabilities, mental illnesses or chronic health conditions can feel
>> > left out. I've known some blind folks who had trouble holding down
>> > leadership positions in the NFB due to the ups and downs of mental
>> > illnesses, for example, but who are still incredibly creative and
>> > passionate people with a lot of good ideas that are getting lost.
>> > Further, as several folks have pointed out, people with multiple
>> > disabilities can experience difficulties related to getting
>> > employment, education, etc. that the NFB hasn't really been able to
>> > help
>>them with.
>> > I agree that NFB can't be expert about all disabilities, just
>> > blindness, but I think there is a definite place for more divisions
>> > and groups within the NFB that focus on other conditions. There is a
>> > deaf-blind division, but I have not heard many great things about its
>> > effectiveness. I have heard about efforts to possibly start a
>> > blind-rollers division, and it makes sense to me that blind wheelchair
>> > users might have unique concerns they'd want to discuss with each
>> > other. But to my knowledge such a division has not been formed.
>> > I
>> > would love to see a division for blind people with mental health
>> > conditions. This is a huge segment of our population, and there are
>> > probably unique concerns there. I am not sure if such divisions don't
>> > exist because the national leadership opposes them or if there just
>> > hasn't been enough interest or momentum to get them going. But I think
>> > having such divisions could help folks who have additional
>> > disabilities obtain leadership positions within the organization, and
>> > also to provide a vehicle for collective action and education about
>> > issues affecting these groups specifically, even if the NFB as a whole
>> > should just focus on blindness. I hope that makes sense. I would be
>> > interested in other suggestions from you about how members with
>> > multiple disabilities can feel more valued. While there is something
>> > to be said for going ahead and running for leadership positions in
>> > order to change things, change also needs to come from the
>> > organization as a whole if folks with multiple disabilities are going
>> > to be elected and welcomed in these positions.
>> >
>> > Best,
>> > Arielle
>> >
>> > On 3/31/14, Steve Jacobson <steve.jacobson at visi.com> wrote:
>> > Joe and others,
>> >
>> > It is not my position that anything said about the NFB that is
>> > negative is wrong. Organizations are made up of human beings and we
>> > are not perfect so our creations are not likely going
>> >
>> > to
>> > be perfect. Still, some of what one
>> > person may seem as wrong isn't so much a matter of right or wrong as
>> > perspective and opinion. We embarked a good while back now on an
>> > expansion that has resulted in the need to raise more funds than we
>> > used to have to raise. I do not think I am alone among NFB
>> > supporters in recognizing that this is a risk. When you look at our
>> > budget and that of the ACB and then compare legislative successes as
>> > you did, Joe, it is certainly clear that legislative successes are
>> > not proportional to one's budget. Whether I completely agree with
>> > legislation ACB passes or not, I recognize that the ACB has made
>> > contributions. However, I have felt for some time and I feel
>> > particularly more so now that our problems can't be solved by
>> > legislation alone. Let's take accessibility, for example. There is
>> > a lot of emphasis on getting more legislation passed that will force
>> > software to be accessible, for example. I happen to believe this is
>> > necessary, but it isn't going to make everything better for us,
>> > particularly on the job, all by itself.
>> > If we are going to make any serious gains, we need to understand the
>> > limits of current technology and explore ways of getting information
>> > that is new. I am not one who got all excited about being able to
>> > drive a car, although I certainly hope that blind people can do that
>> > at some point.
>> > However, I
>> > got
>> > very excited about the fact that as a result of looking at the
>> > problem, we experimented with a number of ways of getting information
>> > that had not been explored before. A significant portion of our
>> > budget went into the KNFB reader. At the time, it was something
>> > nobody was doing, and it was a moving experience when I held up a KNFB
>> > reader to the lists of registered people at a national convention
>> > that were just hanging from a crossbar and have it start to read the
>> > content. There have probably been over a thousand kids who have
>> > attended science camps of one kind or another through our efforts.
>> > We have been able to sponsor other gatherings as well for blind
>> > lawyers, teachers, and major players in the technology field. We
>> > couldn't have done any of this in the 80's or 90's, and much of this
>> > would not have been done even now if we hadn't tried it.
>> >
>> > So what's my point, I'm not saying anything new, you know all this.
>> > My point is that a lot of this is about risks and perspectives. We
>> > won't know for a long time if some of these efforts will make a
>> > difference.
>> > Frankly,
>> > I am a believer that one learns almost as much from what doesn't work
>> > as one learns from what does, because if you make a mistake you can
>> > eliminate or refine that approach. Will some of those thousand kids
>> > get into math or science because of what we did? Is the OCR in the
>> > new HIMS product a little better because of what we did with the KNFB
>>reader?
>> > Will we see a really good reader on the iPhone? Might we ever see a
>> > reader that could use artificial intelligence to interpret software
>> > on a computer screen instead of having
>> >
>> > to
>> > educate every person who writes
>> > software? Will some of our efforts mean that there might be a way
>> > for us
>> >
>> > to
>> > control the Google self-driving cars
>> > because of some of the work we did on our own car? I hope that at
>> > least some of the answers are yes, but at this point I can't really
>> > say. What I do know is that the smaller dynamic grass roots
>> > organization that we were in the 80's couldn't have had any affect on
>> > some of what I've listed above, nor was it the right time for that.
>> > But it also means that we change.
>> > Not only do we change, but we make mistakes as we adjust to change.
>> > Joe, what you see as a downward spiral, I see as the challenges of
>> > change. I'm not satisfied to say that it has to be that way,
>> > though. We can and must learn how to do better, as individuals and as
>> > an organization.
>> >
>> > Joe, I think you are right that getting training at one of our
>> > centers won't miraculously make life better, and the marketing does
>> > sometimes imply that. However, you are wrong to draw conclusions
>> > about such training based upon the marketing. Discussing and
>> > exploring the uncertainties and challenges of seeking employment as a
>> > blind person is a big part of what is addressed at BLIND Incorporated
>> > here in Minnesota and I assume by our other centers. Some of the
>> > point of such training is to encourage the idea that you have to have
>> > a set of tools to approach a given situation and not just one tool.
>> > Still, we have to do more than run people through training.
>> > This is true of any single aspectof our challenges, though.
>> > Legislating
>> > that software must be accessible and that one cannot discriminate
>> > based upon a disability was and is still needed, but it won't matter
>> > much if we don't have training. Legislation and even training won't
>> > matter all that much if we don't get a good basic education.
>> > Requiring that school districts teach braille won't fix that problem
>> > if there are no braille instructors in a given area. You can't pick
>> > any one thing out and say that it can lead to success by itself, and
>> > you can't see any given issue as completely standing on its own.
>> >
>> > I feel that we are in a better position as an organization to impact
>> > the complex challenges we face with a larger budget than we were.
>> > However, it is more important than ever that we understand where we
>> > are going and how our philosophy fits in. The question of what can
>> > we change to address the challenges of the world and what do we need
>> > the world to change is more important than ever, and I don't see
>> > anyone asking questions like that outside of this organization.
>> > With our strengths and our failings, I think our understanding of
>> > asking for help and looking for our own solutions is what has set us
>> > apart in my mind, and while it is risky, I think that branching out
>> > is a risk worth taking to try to have a wider impact. We need the
>> > help of all members, though, to handle change.
>> >
>> > Best regards,
>> >
>> > Steve Jacobson
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > On Sun, 30 Mar 2014 12:57:22 -0600, Jamie Principato wrote:
>> >
>> > Arielle,
>> > That was a very thoughtful and politically sensitive response.
>> >
>> > Joe,
>> > I am pleased to see I am not alone in making these observations
>> > furring my own relationship with the NFB. while I deeply respect the
>> > organization's history and truly appreciate the raw potential the
>> > organization has moving forward, the passion I joined with back in
>> > high school has turned to cautious cynicism. I don't think this
>> > perspective is bad, though. I think the NFB desperately needs members
>> > who can see past the smoke and mirrors of PR, and who are willing to
>> > discuss issues of blindness and politics in a no-nonsense way that
>> > isn't always easy to hear. It is a shame though when those of us less
>> > willing to toe the line and pander to those with political power
>> > are treated with hostility by some at the national level, and more
>> > still within our local chapters.
>> >
>> > Sent from my iPhone
>> >
>> > On Mar 30, 2014, at 12:00 PM, Arielle Silverman <arielle71 at gmail.com
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> > Hi Joe,
>> >
>> > Thanks for sharing your experiences. I have not been following the
>> > Braille Monitor that closely but I can understand what you are saying
>> > about the increased emphasis on fund-raising. I have also felt like
>> > the national convention is turning into more of a carnival with all
>> > the exhibitors and prizes being given away, and much of banquet that
>> > used to focus on philosophy and NFB spirit is now taken up with prize
>> > drawings and the like.
>> > To be fair, NFB was stronger financially when we joined than it is
>> > now, and I understand that some national programs have been cut due to
>> > a decrease in revenue from what used to be steady reliable income
>>sources.
>> > So
>> > NFB may be pushing fund-raising more, but the alternative could be a
>> > loss of programs and resources.
>> > I have not heard of anyone being blatantly turned away or refused
>> > membership in an NFB chapter. If that ever happens it is truly
>> > shameful. I do think that sometimes prospective members choose not to
>> > join because they perceive hostility from the organization or judgment
>> > of their lifestyle choices. I think part of that is perception only,
>> > and part of it is reality. The NFB is stereotyped as a radical
>> > one-size-fits-all organization, and new members expecting to find that
>> > could be especially sensitive to cues of hostility. However, there
>> > probably is some real lack of acceptance among certain segments of the
>> > organization, which, again, is unfortunate. I will say that I am not
>> > the most graceful blind person and was relatively unskilled when I
>> > first joined, and I still felt completely accepted. But I know not all
>> > of us are so lucky. I would encourage prospective members who have a
>> > negative experience to try again in a different chapter or division
>> > and perhaps they will find acceptance there.
>> > But at the same time, this is something we need to be sensitive to in
>> > the organization.
>> >
>> > Arielle
>> >
>> > On 3/30/14, Michael Capelle <michael.capelle at frontier.com>
>> > wrote:
>> > Hello all.
>> > This is why I am not apart of any "blind movement." I live my own
>> > life, live my own philosophy, ETC. I do not believe in a one size
>> > fits all mentality, which is unfurtunately what the NFB does.
>> > Thanks.
>> > Mike
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: RJ Sandefur
>> > Sent: Sunday, March 30, 2014 11:51 AM
>> > To: jsoro620 at gmail.com ; National Association of Blind Students
>> > mailing list
>> > Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Success and Why I Left the NFB
>> >
>> > Joe, I agree with you. I had to attend both college, and Seminary
>> > without the NFB's help, although it would have been nice to have a
>>mentoor.
>> > RJ
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: "Joe" <jsoro620 at gmail.com
>> > To: "'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'"
>> > <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> > Sent: Sunday, March 30, 2014 12:25 PM
>> > Subject: [nabs-l] Success and Why I Left the NFB
>> >
>> >
>> > 2006 was the last year I attended a national convention. While there
>> > I was caught up in the ra ra of the movement and felt glad to be in
>> > the company
>> >
>> > of
>> > so many people who could relate to the challenges that awaited me as
>> > a recent college graduate. I left convention, finished up my summer as
>> > a counselor in Iowa, and set off for DC to begin my business with the
>> > real world. I would never take away someone's enthusiasm from
>> > attending a national convention or Washington Seminar or one of the
>> > weekend leadership seminars in Baltimore. They are very well-suited
>> > to boost a person's spirit, but I believe too many people fall
>> > through the cracks when faced with reality outside of those infrequent
>>gatherings.
>> >
>> > To be fair, the organization is no different from any other
>> > nonprofit business. It needs money to sustain itself, and in turn it
>> > needs more members to help raise the money. Still, I found it rather
>> > disappointing that so much of the board meeting I tuned into listen
>> > to last summer was dominated by calls to raise money for this fund or
>> > that
>>effort.
>> > I
>> > found
>> > it
>> > even sadder that a recent issue of the Braille Monitor, our monthly
>> > dose of inspiration, featured several articles just to the focus of
>> > generating more ways to drum up more financial support, but perhaps
>> > the most frustrating byproduct of this new NFB are the e-mails from
>> > so-called friends from whom
>> >
>> > I
>> > have not heard in years but boldly ask me to contribute to their NFB
>> > fundraising campaigns.
>> >
>> > In short, at some point the NFB embraced enterprise and forgot about
>> > the movement. Between 2006 and 2012 I went on to help lead development
>> > efforts for other nonprofits outside of the blindness field, also
>> > national in scope.
>> > They too made fundraising a priority, but it never felt like the
>> > top, or the only, priority. It gets tiresome when we focus on
>> > recruiting new blood and raising new money and forget about
>> > strengthening the members and resources we've already had.
>> >
>> > Nowadays I have the privilege of knowing some excellent blind
>> > professionals.
>> > I think they would do well in the NFB. They are smarter than I ever
>> > will be and have accomplished more than I may ever achieve, but they
>> > shun the organization because they were turned away or because they
>> > were never welcomed in the first place. It's something I should have
>> > kept in mind when I had my brief taste of leadership in the
>> > organization. I had too much of
>> >
>> > a
>> > mouth on me to ever be anyone's golden child, but I was reliable
>> > enough to get the job done. But, getting the job done should have
>> > really meant attracting and pulling in these men and women who could
>> > have made the NFB lots better, listening to new ideas, and most
>> > important, remaining true to the cause and not some
>> > multi-million-dollar institute we find ourselves incapable of
>> > sustaining.
>> >
>> > So, what does any of this have to do with the original post? I don't
>> > want
>> >
>> > it
>> > to ever be said I was a hypocrite. The leadership may as well know
>> > what I think of them, but more importantly, to the college kids on the
>> > verge of spreading their own wings, I want you to know the NFB banner
>> > will only guide your way so far. Take what's great about the
>> > organization and leave the political drama and marketing ploys
>> > behind. In the end it will be your own wits and talents that will
>> > earn your pay check. The NFB will never give you anything new. The
>> > philosophy merely helps you uncover what you always had
>> >
>> > to
>> > be successful. Anything could happen with the new NFB president, and
>> > I will be the first to retract my words if he is brave enough to
>> > reverse this downward spiral. You see, we no longer live in a world
>> > where the NFB is necessary for collective momentum. Technology has
>> > seen
>>to that.
>> > Whether
>> > or
>> > not the movement sticks around largely depends on how badly we want
>> > it to exist.
>> >
>> > Is the ACB doing it any better? That's debatable, but you know what
>> > I've found from the people I've met on that side of the house? They
>> > seem happier, and that's something we can't seem to figure out in our
>>camp.
>> > The
>> > few
>> > victories they celebrate they do with even less money. Let that be a
>> > lesson in financial management to you.
>> >
>> > I don't know what the hell I'm doing back here. I told myself I
>> > would never become one of those bitter former NFB members. My only
>> > goal was to provide different perspectives to the new generation of
>> > leaders coming up through the ranks. After all, if you never taste
>> > the real world, you have no business leading. That's like the teacher
>> > who teaches because they couldn't cut it, and believe it or not, I
>> > want to see more and more of you excel at whatever it is you want to
>> > do. The more of you there are, the greater our strength.
>> >
>> > Moving forward I reckon I'll keep my opinions to myself here lest I
>> > be the rotten apple that spoils the bunch, but in some lame attempt
>> > to answer the original question, my answer would be this:
>> >
>> > The characteristics of a successful blind person are humility to
>> > consume what they need to be successful, fortitude to turn away what
>> > will not, and wisdom to recognize the difference.
>> >
>> > Joe
>> >
>> > --
>> > Twitter: @ScribblingJoe
>> >
>> > Visit my blog:
>> > http://joeorozco.com/blog
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
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>> >
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>> >
>> > --
>> > Kaiti
>> >
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