[nfb-talk] Notes about NFB News Line

Sun Jul 23 19:44:33 CDT 2006

William and others,

Those of you who have been on a number of our lists should be used to Mr. Mills style.  If you look closely at his notes, 
the only thing that is specifically stated to be wrong with NewsLine is that the NFB runs it.  He also says NewsLine is too 
big, but he doesn't say what constitutes the right size.  You will notice that he has 
picked a subject line that is design to draw a conclusion.  For example, each of us, until this note, repeats Mr. Mills' 
contention that NewsLine is failing because we use his subject line.  That's a pretty cute trick.  Yet, Mr. Mills never even 
specifically says it is failing.  In fact, what seems to bother 
him is that it is succeeding.

What he has consistently done over the past few years is to use provocative language and subjects to make people 
angry.  On more than one occasion, angry responses to his notes have then forwarded to ACB lists.  In a few cases, 
responses on ACB lists are then forwarded to our lists.  The bottom line is that his intention seems not to engage in 
meaningful discussion, but rather to stir things up, trying to increase tension within the blindness community.  We have 
enough honest disagreements within our community and we really don't need any help to find more.  Still, responding to 
him, especially with anger, is exactly what he hopes to get.  I would strongly urge everyone not to be manipulated in this 
way.  Further, we attempt to permit open discussion on our lists, but referring to the NFB as the bully on the block does 
not constitute meaningful discussion of the issues.  We would take the same position, and in fact we have, if similar 
language was used while referring to the ACB.  Let's either turn this discussion toward a meaningful one or let it drop.  

On Sun, 23 Jul 2006 17:13:34 -0400, Wm. Ritchhart wrote:

>PUT UP OR SHUT UP!  You claim NFB Newsline is doing something wrong.
>All you have said so far is that it is big.  Largeness is not a crime.
>I agree with David.  You just want to try to cause trouble.   

>William
> 

>-----Original Message-----
>From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>On Behalf Of Tom Mills
>Sent: Sunday, July 23, 2006 2:34 PM
>To: 4alabama at nfbnet.org
>Cc: alabama at acb.org; nfb-talk at nfbnet.org; NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List;
>acb-chat at acb.org; rsva-l at acb.org; acb-l at acb.org
>Subject: [nfb-talk] Notes about NFB News Line

>Excuse me!  regardless of what has been traditional practices for the
>NFB
>News Line service such as bulletin boards for advocate groups like the
>National Federation of the Blind, News Line should never be considered
>anyone's own personal fiefdom or still worse yet just another domicile
>for
>every
>blind brown noser and NFB hack that comes along! The reason that I
>continue
>to grace you with my presence is quite possibly because like you I
>believe
>that continued persistence will bring about much needed reform.  The
>intended purpose of News Line and its professed mandate to deliver
>accessible News papers to the blind community simply rings hollow when
>dominated by a biggest bully on the block attitude.  Sir: I beg your
>pardon!
>Tens of millions dollars have been contributed by
>many other government and private partnerships to News Line.  But even
>if
>every single penny were donated by the many generous federation members
>I
>still would have the right to raise my concerns about the operation and
>administration of News Line.  I think the NFB News Line news paper
>service
>has quite possibly over-reached
>its intended purpose. I do not know of any other organization like NFB
>News
>Line. It is apparent to me that information based on your Email that
>News
>Line has become to big and powerful that is in need of a major down
>sizing.
>I feel that my criticism of News Line is justified and Appreciated by
>the
>National Office of the National Federation of the Blind.    -----
>Original
>Message -----
>From: "David Andrews" <
>dandrews at visi.com
>>
>To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <
>nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
>>
>Sent: Saturday, July 22, 2006 10:29 PM
>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Blind people deserve a library experience
>readingthenewspaper! NFB News Line Fails that!
>> Tom:
>>
>> As usual you are trying to create a problem, th4en use it to beat on
>the
>> NFB.  As William said, if we are so evil, why do you stick around.
>You
>> make yourself a nuisance on one list, get moderated, then move to
>another.
>> Is NFB-talk your latest target?
>>
>> And, as for Newsline, each state has a local channel where a variety
>of
>> publications can be put.  In MN for example we have newsletters from
>both
>> NFB and acb state affiliates, the Library for the blind newsletter,
>> transit news, and the schedule for our radio reading service.  We will
>add
>> Minnesota Monthly soon.
>>
>> This is the only potential place on Newsline where stuff other then
>> newspapers would be.  The only people politicizing Newsline are the
>ACB
>> who use it, but oppose it at every turn because it is from the NFB.
>If
>> you take away opposition to the NFB from the ACB, little is left.
>>
>> Dave  For goodness sake since when did the members of the National
>> Federation of
>the Blind begin to use your rival blind group the American Council of
>the
>Blind as a standard of comparison and excellence?  The NFB has not
>proven
>itself worthy to be the sole organization in the world I know of
>that Distributes over two hundred main stream daily and weekly news
>papers.
>With
>that responsibility comes an enormous need to remain above any suspicion
>of
>fishing and grabbing subscribers from News Line for other purposes. The
>National Federation has had a long history accusing other organizations
>in
>the blind community of that!  Once upon a time, the American Foundation
>for
>the Blind was with out
>question the richest blind organization in existence.  They held a
>virtual
>monopoly on the sale and distribution of aids and appliances for blind
>people in the world. estimates of the AFB's wealth ranged upwards of 250
>million 1970 dollars.  Many blind leaders of that time long ago believed
>that AFB gained most of their wealth by charging usury prices for aids
>and
>appliances for sale to blind people. Also the AFB and many other
>organizations working on behalf of blind people used their considerable
>prestige to obstruct fund raising efforts by the National Federation of
>the
>Blind in particular. I happen to think that the Federation's  cocky
>attitude
>toward those blind people who have learned from past experiences would
>always remember to remind all of us the lessons
>of history.
>  The only information offered by the NFB News Line Service should be
>limited to those news papers in the News Line Library. Remember that the
>whole concept of NFB News Line is a most rarest of privilege granted to
>the
>blind community by many contributing news organizations in the news
>paper
>industry.  And the blind should respected as such.
>  I too wonder where the blind community is when they turn their backs
>on
>decency and respect for an unbiased library experience while reading the
>Alabama NFB News Line Service. The Federation is more interested in
>promoting its blind advocacy program; like filing frivolous law suits
>mostly
>for the sake of publicity and all the while knowing that most government
>agencies and big business concerns will quietly settle crappy law suits
>in
>the legal settlement mill. Remember I am talking about the National
>Federation of the Blind! The NFB News Line should never be used to
>promote
>NFB's advocacy positions and federation policies. Also, the Alabama
>chapter
>of the National Federation of the Blind should not be permitted to use
>the
>NFB News Line Service to advance the reputation of Mister J. Michael
>Jones,
>the Alabama affiliates state NFB president.  NFB President Doctor Marc
>Maurer has said that the NFB News Line Service has "A Special
>relationship
>with the news paper industry publishers participating on News Line." Let
>me
>tell you something all you girls and guys, that frightens me!  I believe
>that the NFB News Line Service should be held above any and all politics
>for
>the sake of the blind community and most of all to provide         blind
>news paper
>Readers an honest library experience!  note unless otherwise specified
>all
>of these remarks were written by
>Tom Mills.  Thank you for allowing me to express my opinions about the
>NFB
>News
>Line Service

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