[nfb-talk] progress or divisiveness

[Kathleen A. Millhoff]

hi,
i've been reading over the past few days comments on both nfb and acb lists
about accessible bills, reactions to the relevant court ruling, and
reactions to reactions.
there seems to be a little current of thought that the two blindness related
organizations should unite in efforts to do many things - presumably achieve
success for blind people.  I, for one, appreciate the wishes for unity; I'm
a very strong proponent of unity.  But I wonder that something, amongst all
of the vitriol, acrimonious comments, jeers and cheers, gets overlooked.  It
seems to me that the two organizations are completely different, but not
necessarily in philosophy, as many would have it, but in goals and
approaches.  No, that's not philosophy.
Is NFB a civil rights group? Certainly.  I'm old enough to remember the
civil rights movement in the U.S. involving African Americans: sit-ins,
marches, clubs and tear gas.  There were different approaches there too and
if there was discussion about SNYCC, SCLc, NAACP and all the rest uniting, I
don't recall it.  Lots of vitriol, though, as groups jockeyed for national
attention.
So, who cares, you might now be wondering, as you contemplate hitting the
delete key on this message.  Well, it's not that someone needs to care, it's
just this:  NFB has been at the forefront of change for decades.  Does this
court ruling, or a few snide comments on an ACB list, or a national debate
change all that?  As the president of this organization offered to those who
would care to listen, we have a huge way to go in the civil rights  and
activism for blind people.  Kids still don't get their books on time (yes,
someone derided the braille Santa letters in their frustration at something
fun being done);  employers are still noticeably short-sighted in
perspective; I still get asked for extra ID, much as any minority group
member (I read earlier on this that people are involved in successful money
transactions, but many who aren't can't speak up on this or any other list;
many still live below poverty level with little access to any opportunity
for change; many actually live in some kind of weird housing for blind
people.

I thought we'd always stood for blind people setting the tone and the shape
and the scope of how things ought to be, based on what's good for us all.
And, acb has its particular agenda, too, different, but not necessarily at
odds - just different.  Let's see, i think i have it here:"strives to
increase independence, security, equality of opportunity, and improve
quality of life..."
I guess they say for all blind people in that statement; I guess that means
me and all of us who read this; so, i wish them well in every rant, but hope
we ourselves, on this and other NFB lists, can just continue to move on to
the things we know still really matter.
I won't b satisfied until all the blind kids are equally educated, and
though it's getting better, there's still a long way to go.
best to all,
kat