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From: David.Andrews@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (David Andrews)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: NFB/ACB differences
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Date: 20 Jul 90 20:21:49 GMT
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Index Number: 9381

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

LC> Throughout the 50th aniversary  
 LC> convention, Kenneth Jernigan and NFB president Marc Maurer and  
 LC> founder Hazel ten Brook kept talking about the Civil War that  
 LC> caused a split in the NFB during the early 1960s. Can anyone  
 LC> tell me why the split occurred and why are people dwelling on  
 LC> it after 30 years? Lloyd and Phil can probably shed some light  
 LC> on this for me. Also, is it true that if you are an NFB member  
 LC> then you cannot join the ACB? I wish the two groups would shove  
 LC> their differences out of the way and work together to improve  
 LC> our lives. I like the philosophy of the NFB, but I'm really  
 LC> turned off by backstabbing of other organizations. Wish I could  
 LC> have gone to the ACB convention as well. 
 
Liz,  While I was not there, I think that the "civil war" is still talked about
because it was such a cataclysmic event for the organized blind movement.  It
tore the group in half.  We still talk about the civil war the United states
went through.  Basically, there was a group of people who disagreed what was
being done, and/or how it was done, and saw no choice but to go elsewhere.  If
the second group, the ACB was necessary, inevitable, or whatever, then how can
you belong to both.  The analogy has been made, and is probably a good one, it
is like Democrats and Republicans.  You can not belong to both if you truly
believe in the philosophy, goals and approach of one group.  
I certainly do not support or condone the back stabbing which has and is going
on, however, it is unrealistic for us to think that everyone will join together.

We all have different approaches and styles, and are at different places in our
acceptance of blindness and views of the world around us.  What one person sees
as discrimination, another will ignore or call something else.  
While you could pay dues to both groups, and be on the membership roles, you
couldn't function as a participating member of both without some contridictions.
David Andrews

... Your Sound Alternative

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