[nfbmi-talk] Excerpt From "To Man The Barricades"

Mon Feb 27 05:01:40 UTC 2012

Hey Fred, I get your point with the speech, but if you push the all or 
nothing attitude then you do push some people away. There should be room in 
the Federation for those who can only make it to a chapter meeting and are 
learning to be comfortable in their skin as a blind person. I see what you 
are trying to say, but it leaves no room for having other priorities at any 
given moment and leads to more judgement and condemnation of one another. 
Not every one is cut from the same mold and I say that it would be a boring 
place if we were. Thanks for listening, Donna
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Fred Wurtzel" <f.wurtzel at att.net>
To: "'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List'" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2012 11:29 PM
Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Excerpt From "To Man The Barricades"


> Hello,
>
>
>
> As I reread "To Man The Barricades" a speech which I first read in the 
> early
> '70's just after it was delivered, I was put in mind of some of the recent
> traffic on this list.  Dr. Jernigan clearly set the bar for all blind 
> people
> and put our obligations to one another in plain English.  Given the nature
> of our present situation, there is no excuse for staying on the sidelines
> and catcalling every time those of us who actually are trying to make a
> difference do something that is objectionable, even though the catcallers
> did not lift a finger to help.  Here is what Dr. Jernigan has to say about
> that.
>
>
>
>
>
> Next, I want to say something to those blind persons who are aware of our
>
> movement and who have had an opportunity to join it but who have not seen
>
> fit
>
>
>
> to do so. In this category I also place those blind persons who are among 
> us
>
>
> but not really of us, who (technically speaking) hold membership in the
>
> Federation
>
>
>
> but are not really part of the movement. The non-Federation and the
>
> noncommitted blind are a strange phenomenon. Some of them are successful 
> in
>
> business
>
>
>
> or the professions. I have heard them say, "I really don't need the
>
> Federation. Of course, if I could do anything to help you people, I would 
> be
>
>
> glad to
>
>
>
> do it, but I am independent. I have made it on my own." I have heard them
>
> say:
>
>
>
> "You really can't expect me to go down to that local meeting of the blind.
>
> Nobody goes there except a few old people, who sit around and drink coffee
>
> and
>
>
>
> plan Christmas parties. I am a successful lawyer, or businessman, or 
> judge;
>
> and I am busy. Besides, they never get anything done. They just talk and
>
> argue."
>
>
>
> I have heard them say: "I don't know that I necessarily have anything in
>
> common with other blind people just because I'm blind. Almost all my 
> friends
>
>
> are
>
>
>
> sighted. My life is busy with bowling, hiking, reading, or my business or
>
> profession." I have heard them say: "You people in the Federation are too
>
> aggressive.
>
>
>
> You are always in a fight with somebody, or bickering among yourselves. I 
> am
>
>
> an individualist and never was much of a joiner."
>
>
>
> I have heard some of them say: "I am an employee of a governmental or
>
> private agency doing work with the blind, and I think it would destroy my
>
> professional
>
>
>
> relationship with my clients if I were to work actively in the Federation.
>
> Anyway, we all have a common concern, the betterment of blind people; so
>
> I'll
>
>
>
> make my contribution by working as a 'professional' in the field. Besides,
>
> not all blind people agree with you or want to join your organization, and
>
> as
>
>
>
> a 'professional' I have to represent and work with all blind people."
>
>
>
> I have heard them say all of these things, and to such blind persons I say
>
> this: You are patsies! Not only that but you are also deceiving yourselves
>
> and
>
>
>
> failing to act in your own best interest. Further, you are profiting from
>
> the labor and sacrifice, and are riding on the backs, of the blind who 
> have
>
> joined
>
>
>
> the movement and worked to make it possible for you to have what you have.
>
> Some of you feel superior to many of the blind who belong to the 
> Federation
>
>
>
> (especially those who work in the sheltered shops or draw welfare), but 
> your
>
>
> feelings of superiority are misplaced; for collectively these people have
>
>
>
> clothed you and fed you. They have made it possible for you to have such
>
> equality in society and such opportunity as you now enjoy. Resent what I 
> say
>
>
> if
>
>
>
> you will, but it is the truth, whether you like it or not and whether you
>
> admit it or not. It is true for those of you who work in the agencies as
>
> well
>
>
>
> as for those of you who work in private endeavor.
>
>
>
> If you think this movement should be better or that it should be of higher
>
> caliber, then join us and help make it that way. If you think the local
>
> meetings
>
>
>
> or the State conventions are dull or uninspiring, then do your part to 
> make
>
> them different. Even animals in the jungle have sense enough to hunt in
>
> packs.
>
>
>
> The blind ought to be at least as intelligent.
>
>
>
> We need you, and we want you as active participants in the movement; but
>
> until you will join, we must do the best we can without you. We must carry
>
> you
>
>
>
> on our backs and do your work for you, and we will do it. The fact that we
>
> say you are patsies does not mean that we resent you. Far from it. You are
>
> our
>
>
>
> brothers, and we will continue to look upon you as such, regardless of how
>
> irresponsibly you behave. We are trying to get you to think about the
>
> implications
>
>
>
> of your actions. We are trying to get you to join with us to help make
>
> things better for other blind people and for yourselves. We are trying to
>
> get you
>
>
>
> to stop being patsies.
>
>
>
>
>
> Warmest Regards,
>
>
>
> Fred
>
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