From: Jamal.Mazrui@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Jamal Mazrui)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: "Blind Loyalty"
Date: 21 Jul 92 15:55:44 GMT
Reply-To: Jamal.Mazrui@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org
Organization: FidoNet node 1:129/89.0 - BlinkLink, Pittsburgh PA
X-Fidonet: Blink Talk Conference

Index Number: 23204

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hi David!  Let me say for the record that I don't think Jernigan
could have made a finer selection than you as sysop of the NFB
board.  You are competent, committed, and articulate.

One statement you made that I think deserves discussion is your
explanation of why you dis-allowed the "Blind Loyalty" article
after it had been uploaded to NFB-NET.  You told Tim Cumings
something to the effect that members' hard-earned money would not
go to supporting a forum of attack against the NFB.  The critical
forum part I think you meant.  Bringing members' money into it was
I think insincere.  Given the hardware resources of that board, the
volume of traffic, and the nearly 10 million NFB annual budget, the
financial cost of posting that article is clearly negligible.  The
exceptional act of dis-allowing a mainstream article about
blindness for undoubtedly interested users of the board to read is
more sincerely explained, I think, by what I heard Mike Freeman
essentially state.  NFB-Net exists to promote the NFB and its
philosophy.  Therefore posting material that may raise questions
about this in the minds of readers is counterproductive to the
purpose of that board.

Perhaps you now defend your action with this line of reasoning and
keep claims of monetary burden out of it.  Your original
explanation reminded me of the rational Jernigan gave last summer
for not allowing me to publicly defend myself on the floor of the
convention against my expulsion by the national board.  He gave a
long-winded analysis of how much it would cost members per minute
of their time if I were allowed to speak.  He then proceeded to
attack me and Stevie Wonder who had sent a supportive written
statement on my behalf.  The amount of time he spent in this one-
sided attack on me, the amount of time he takes for whimsical
stories he wishes to tell the convention, the amount of time spent
drawing door prizes and giving repetitious PAC, DIG, and Associate
reports all belie the sincerity of his rationale for preventing my
case to come to the floor.  The real reason, which he could not
admit because it contradicts the NFB constitution, is that the
convention podium exists to promote the NFB and its leadership.

Therefore allowing someone to speak who might raise questions in
the minds of members about the integrity or wisdom of that
leadership is counterproductive to the purpose of that podium.

David, as long as you do not claim that NFB-Net is an open forum
for discussing blindness issues, you can selectively determine what
users of the board are to consider.  The fact that Jernigan and the
NFB constitution speak of the convention as a democratic forum for
the membership to make decisions expose the hypocrisy of his
actions last summer.  This was clearly a case of censorship in a
matter of organizational significance:  the right of a member to
appeal the retraction of his membership by the national board.  I
think you can understand why those actions by Jernigan and the NFB
board are difficult for me to forgive.  To make a simple,
emotionally charged analogy, it would be like Jews forgiving
Hitler.  Let me be clear that I am not suggesting and do not
believe that Jernigan has perpetrated physical violence on anyone.
He has committed psychological violence, however, and assured the
extermination of memberships of thousands of blind people over the
years--memberships which were to many of them not simply paper
associations but political, social, and spiritual bonds to fellow
blind brothers and sisters in the organized blind movement.

Once again, David, let me be clear that for what I have seen in
you, I respect your work and humanity.  I hope that someday I can
know you again without your being subject to the reprisals any NFB
staff member faces for hints of disloyalty to the administration.

Regards,

Jamal

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