[blindlaw] Who does NFB really support?

[Craig Anderson]

Some commentators on the performance of Supreme Court Justice Clarence 
Thomas have reminded us of the old truth that the most pernicious form of 
racism is the Uncle Tom variety practiced by African Americans who 
themselves think blacks are inferior.  I don't suppose the NFB officials who 
are touting themselves as "self-reliant conservatives" on this issue 
explicitly take the view that the blind -- being blind after all -- should 
be content with whatever crumbs society throws them, lest the public become 
angry with their stridency and crush them down even more.  But if the 
Federation's position is to be taken seriously, it looks at least a little 
like the NFB takes that view. The government's sole contention on its appeal 
of this ruling appears to be that the currency modifications the decision 
will ultimately require will cost too much.  The district court rejected 
this contention as specious.  Two factors accentuating this speciousness are 
that the plaintiffs are not suggesting modifications to the design of the $1 
bill and are proposing that the changes prescribed by the decision be 
implemented as part of the next of the Departnent of the Treasury's periodic 
anti-counterfeiting currency modifications.  Even if this "excessive cost" 
argument were sound, the government wouldn't need the NFB's help to make it. 
Why that organization has decided to suck up to the Bush administration in 
this matter is beyond me.

Craig
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "dlb723" <dlb723 at comcast.net>
To: <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2006 4:12 PM
Subject: [blindlaw] Who does NFB really support?


National Federation of Blind Aligns with Bush Administration Appeal of 
Landmark Currency Ruling
by Randy Shaw, Dec. 13, 2006

When a federal judge recently ruled that the United States must follow the 
lead of 180 nations and modify its currency to accommodate the blind, the 
decision
was applauded by sources ranging from the New York Times to The Daily Show 
with John Stewart. But the Bush Administration had an ace up its sleeve---a
self-described advocacy group for blind persons that has repeatedly aligned 
itself against key civil rights measures for the blind. The National 
Federation
of the Blind (NFB) stood alone among major blind and disability rights 
organizations in publicly denouncing the ruling, and urged the Bush 
Administration
to appeal. On December 12, the NFB got its wish, and even issued a press 
release "applauding" the Treasury Department's appeal of the historic 
ruling.

As I wrote on
December 1,
the NFB, a controversial nonprofit with ties to Diebold voting machines, was 
trying to provide political cover for the Bush Administration's potential 
decision
to appeal a federal court ruling that would make US currency more accessible 
to the blind.

I received dozens of responses from blind persons and organizations to my 
article, and all supported the court's decision. But the NFB has made it 
clear
over its history that it thinks it knows the interests of blind people 
better than they do, and so it issued a press release condemning the 
landmark court
victory.

Many of these responses detailed questionable practices by the NFB that go 
well beyond what was detailed in my article. For example, I learned that the
NFB even opposes guide dogs for the blind!

Now the NFB is applauding the Bush Administration's decision to appeal a 
ruling that was lavishly praised across America.

The Bush Administration has had success finding African-Americans who oppose 
civil rights enforcement and affirmative action, Latinos who oppose 
immigration
reform, environmentalists who support Alaska drilling and labor staff who 
oppose unions.

The NFB fits perfectly in this collection, as it works hard to deny civil 
rights to those it claims to represent.




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