[nfb-talk] A few of my own observations

[T. Joseph Carter]

James,

I will only point out that much of your message is the same sort of thing
you accuse others of doing.  I don't see that as useful, so I'm not going
to discuss what they do and don't do.  I can say that one individual was
nearly removed from their students list for blatant NFB bashing and the
moderator isn't going to tolerate that sort of behavior on her list.  (And
good for her!  May we do no less.)

Regarding the court case, the Federation opposed the ACB and the judge
found as a matter of fact that the ACB was right and as a matter of law
that the government needed to comply with its own laws.  The government,
not liking this decision, appealed the decision.  It had every right to do
so, but without activist judges, they really have to prove that the
finding of law was in error and that the government is not bound by the
legislation in question.

Of course, in that appeal we stepped up to argue against the findings of
fact, hoping to sway an activist judge into overturning the decision for
the wrong reason.  It does make it more likely that this will eventually
wind up before the supreme court, which as I noted earlier is something we
were supposedly trying to prevent.

We're dealing with people here.  That means there are flaws.  It may
rankle some on this list and some others over on acb-l, but we have some
common ground upon which we must stand united.  Them and us, together.
Cars that cannot be heard while in motion pose a danger we all recognize,
and this is a problem that need not be.  We all recognize the need for
higher education students to have access to textbooks, on time, and in a
usable format.  We also agree that the transition of the NLS from cassette
to digital audio needs to be properly funded and pushed forward.  I think
we might even have agreement on the need to reform social security so that
the earnings caps match those allowed to seniors.

These issues have been on our collective plates for years now.  Why has
nothing been accomplished on these issues?  Let's take just hybrid cars to
start off.  If the NFB, ACB, some pedestrian safety organization, and
maybe some other groups (wheelchair users come to mind) start speaking
with one voice about the threat these things pose to pedestrians and call
for action, together, in a coordinated manner, we WILL start to see
results on the issue.

So why hasn't our national office been on the phone with the first and
most obvious nearest likely organization to begin that process?  What are
they afraid of?  Is it that the ACB would likely choose not to work with
us on this, or that they might decide that they should?  I can ask the
leadership of the ACB the same question.

It's no longer 1958.  It is now 2008.  Fifty some years is more than long
enough time to hold grudges--especially if those grudges are manifest in
not accomplishing a mutual goal that affects the safety of every single
person who will ever see this email, blind or otherwise.  Doesn't that
make questions of a few unfavorable messages on a mailing list seem
awfully small by comparison?

Joseph,
Trying to avoid getting hit by a hybrid bus


On Wed, Apr 23, 2008 at 09:57:31PM -0600, James Aldrich wrote:
> hello all!
> 
> here are a few of my thoughts for whatever they are worth!
> 
> When speaking about New York's Governor, he is definitely managing and that 
> is about it!  Perhaps with what he knows, he isn't doing half bad at times, 
> but then if he did have proper training or were open to it, who knows what 
> difference it might make!  I for one will give him a benefit of a doubt, we 
> certainly know where he is coming from!
> 
> I was on the ACB-l list for a time and has anyone observed how poorly it is 
> run compared to our various lists?  I never saw such negativity as I did on 
> that list!  Mercy!
> 
> Well, the accessible money judge certainly isn't a God and his decision is 
> being appealed so we'll see where all of this goes!  I'm also amazed that 
> people blamed ACB shortcomings on the NFB!  They can't seem to get things 
> accomplished because the NFB constantly opposes them!  What a bunch of you 
> know what that is!  They can't get anything done because of who and what 
> they are!  The blame should be placed squarely in their camp!  I certainly 
> would give them some credit for a few things but to blame the NFB for what 
> they failed to accomplish is nonsense! We the NFB manage to accomplish a 
> good many things despite the fact that ACB opposes us much of the time so 
> why can't they or don't they do the same?  It is certainly a fascinating 
> question!
> 
> There were two speeches which went together on one of those 10 inch talking 
> book records, Blindness, Handicap or Characteristic and Blindness, Concepts 
> and Misconceptions.   I'm certain one could download them as a text file or 
> via audio!  I'd read those two speeches along with the nature of 
> independence.  On one of those two speeches, I believe it was Blindness, 
> Handicap or Characteristic, he said, "it has been wisely observed that 
> philosophy bakes no bread!  But then it has also been wisely observed that 
> without a philosophy no bread is baked"!  One might say a philosophy is a 
> way of thinking and accomplishing!  The ideas of Dr. TenBroek and Dr. 
> Jernigan were certainly revolutionary in those early days in our movement! 
> They were then and one might say quite often still are in opposition to the 
> common thinking of people when it comes to blindness!  I certainly  have 
> heard some people say they'd rather be dead than blind!  I've heard it quite 
> often!  I believe we know much better that blindness isn't the worst thing 
> which could happen to anyone!  It really is a matter of one's attitude 
> towards it!  I don't feel the NFB tells anyone what to do!  Anyone can live 
> like a bum or hermit or however they wish to live!  We certainly have the 
> freedom to live as we would like in this country!  We certainly have more 
> freedom in this day and age than we did as blind persons many many years 
> ago!  I've heard it said the world isn't perfect and never will be!  Or, the 
> world isn't fair either and never will be!   I think we must make the best 
> of our situations and if we have the power to change something as 
> individuals or as an organization, we should do so!  I too have used the 
> debit card, traveler's checks on occasion rather than that cold hard cash 
> which if lost is truly lost!  A banker once told me many years ago that 
> people are generally honest with money!  This was his experience!  Yes!  I 
> think we all have been ripped off at times but this ripping off doesn't just 
> happen to blind persons!  It happens to everyone!  I think the elderly which 
> I'm becoming more and more a part of are victimized by being ripped off than 
> working blind persons!  I think this needs some better study but 
> unfortunately being ripped off, having one's home broken into and a host of 
> other disasters is unfortunately a part of life and how sad it is  some 
> persons tend to get more than their share of bad at times!  All of us could 
> feel we have the world by the tail only to find out it could run us over! 
> This is why we have organized and are there for each other during times of 
> good and bad!  Having a positive philosophy which raises the bar is indeed 
> encouraging to me!  This isn't easy but then is anything worthwhile easy 
> Just learning how to work this PC hasn't always been easy and I have had 
> times I'd want to throw it out the window!  I'm still learning!  Those of us 
> with PCS and notetakers as well as other technology are a unique crowd! Many 
> blind persons don't have what we do!  Some may not want to be bothered with 
> it either!  It is a matter  of perception!
> 
> I've heard both good and bad video description!  It really isn't an exact 
> science and one cannot mandate something which isn't exact much of the time! 
> Quite often one's perceptions, prejudices which affect interpetation could 
> get in the way of what actually happens in a movie!
> The SA Mobile Network has quite a collection of described videos!  Consider 
> joining that network for a truly wonderful computer interface and a network 
> with wonderful features.  I'd rather say the cup is half full than half 
> empty!  Yes!  There will always be problems but that is a part of life!  How 
> will each of us address our problems which may come upon us!  Then again, 
> how might we address our successes!  Some can't handle success at times! 
> Study lottery winners and that certainly is evident!
> 
> The discussion thus far is healthy really but none of us have a handle on 
> what is truly best for the blind as a population!  What may be good for one 
> may not be great for another!  We need to strive to work for the best we can 
> for the good of all blind people!  We certainly are not in agreement on 
> whether accessible currency would be good or not!  For now, I'd say, let's 
> see how things come out in court!
> 
> We do have a democratic organization!  Many in the leadership were pushing 
> the United English Braille Code or whatever it is called!  The general 
> membership during one convention wanted braille to remain as it is now 
> rather than go to this uncertain unknown code!  The membership certainly 
> voted against those who felt the United English Braille Code was the best 
> solution!  I'm certain others here could point to other examples where there 
> has been a difference between the leaders and the membership.
> 
> Okay! I'm going back to my corner!  Just some thoughts to ponder!
> 
> Jim Aldrich 
> 
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