I am a member of the NFB of Dane County (Wisconsin) and it's great. I
have met the most unbelievable people in that group. You know the
saying, "Get knocked down 9 times, get up ten"? Try get knocked down a
thousand times and get up a thousand and one. I used to think I had no
reason to hang out with other blind people. We happen to be blind but
other than that we have nothing in common. But I've never met a better
bunch of people in my life. Not only do I really enjoy it, it helps me
keep my perspective.
PS: It was probably really stupid of me to start this thread. I didn't
intend to start an NFB vs ACB debate. I deliberately titled the thread
NFB *and* ACB as if that would matter. Stupid.
-- John Heim
On 04/26/2017 06:28 AM, Linux for blind general discussion wrote:
Tony Baechler here. I don't know who you are, but I thank you! I
couldn't agree more! I went to the LCB. That was the worst month of my
life! They tried to take my SSI (I guess I shouldn't be allowed to
manage my own money), wouldn't help me learn even basic tasks and told
me to sink or swim. Huh? What about training? I'm a cane user and I
don't like dogs out of preference. Guide dogs were absolutely forbidden.
Too bad if you have some vision as you weren't allowed to use it. Oh,
you need help in cooking class? Too bad for you! I was very much a
believer in the NFB until then, but no more! I was a member at large of
the ACB, but am not currently a member of either. Of the two, the ACB is
far more welcoming and friendly. I would join them just for that reason,
but I think their structured negotiation method of getting things done
as opposed to suing the pants off everyone works much better and makes
the blind look better. The NFB has benefitted from what the ACB has
done, just as the ACB has. I'm starting to see those few, rare times
when both worked together. I predict that within 20 years, they merge.
Also, the ACB split off the NFB in 1961.
On 4/25/2017 4:05 PM, Linux for blind general discussion wrote:
NFB members at a training center alienated me through their rigid
insistence on straight canes and failure to account for the
multiply-disabled or congenitally blind in training methods. I also
couldn't stomach their idea that I should run all my words and actions
through the "how does this make all blind people look" filter, or that
becoming normal should be my ultimate goal. Several of us in here
would have to lose a bunch of IQ points to be considered normal. And,
I hate the Borg.
That was over a decade ago. I'm on some of their mailing lists and I
have some of their folding) canes since those are useful things. I
won't join, but I've met some interesting individual members.
On 4/25/17, Linux for blind general discussion
<blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
The ACB's lawsuit against the U.S. Department of the Treasury to make
them make money accessible was already flawed to say the least.
According to the United States Constitution, the power to design money
has been delegated to Congress, and the Department of the Treasury is
only responsible for carrying out the orders of Congress. Therefore, the
best way to make money accessible would have been for any and all
so-called advocacy organizations to lobby Congress and get a bill passed
and signed by the President of the United States that would redesign our
money in an accessible way. Do I think the ACB's lawsuit was a publicity
stunt? Absolutely, as if they wanted us to have accessible money for
sure, they would have gone through the proper channels and we would have
had it by now. Instead, where are we? No closer to truly accessible
currency than we were when this whole sleighride begen nearly 10 years
ago. Thank you, ACB and NFB for being such advocates for the needs of
blind and visually impaired citizens of the United States. Without your
petty bickering and your "We're not them" attitudes, the world would
certainly be a better and more friendly place for all of us.
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