From: David.Andrews@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (David Andrews)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: nfb bbs censorship?? You decide.
Date: 28 Jul 92 16:54:45 GMT
Reply-To: David.Andrews@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org
Organization: FidoNet node 1:129/89.0 - BlinkLink, Pittsburgh PA
X-Fidonet: Blink Talk Conference

Index Number: 23378

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

SB> I will give you a first hand experience where an item I submitted was
 SB> not  run in the Monitor.  A few years ago, I produced a small, spiral
 SB> bound Area Code Directory.  I sent a complementary copy to the
 SB> editors of The Braille Forum, Dialogue and The Monitor.  All of the
 SB> publications to which I submitted this announcement ran it with the
 SB> exception of The Monitor.  I received several nice thank you notes for
 SB> the comp copy as  well.  After waiting three or four months, (I do
 SB> understand publishing deadlines), I telephoned Dr. Jernigan.  He was
 SB> very complementary of my directory and even indicated he used it on a
 SB> regular  basis.  When I asked the question about my announcement and
 SB> if it was going to appear in The Monitor he said, "I would love to
 SB> run your ad, however, you have failed to tell me one thing I must
 SB> know."   I replied, "What is that?"  Jernigan then said, "Are you a
 SB> federationist?"  I said, "No I'm not."  He then replied, "Well, that'
 SB> that'swhat  I need to know and "no" we will not be able to run your
 SB> announcement."  He added, "End of conversation." and hung up.

There are those who will say that we should publish whatever is
sent to the Monitor.  However, there is obviously another view.

You belong to and are active in the ACB.  This organization has
opposed much of what we do and how we do it publicly and
privately.  You have said things against the NFB in this Echo, and
presumably other places too.  That is not to say that you aren't
entitled to your opinions.  You are of course as you are entitled
to state them where ever you like.  However, the Monitor is what is
known in journalism as a house organ.  It is primarily published
for our members.  It is also paid for by those members.  Why should
we use our funds and resources to support the activities of someone
who isn't our friend, someone who belongs to an organization that
would prefer to have us cease to exist.

There is a price to my belonging to the NFB as there is a price to
your belonging to the ACB.  One of those prices for you is that you
will have deminished access to the Monitor, your oppositions
publication.  This is a harsh political reality of life.

We do publish a variety of announcements from organizations,
however, here again, I doubt that we would publish something from
an organization who had attacked us publicly.  How often do you
turn the other cheek?  You may not agree with our thinking on this
matter, people seem to think we should do what it is that they want
us to do at that time.  We receive more than we can publish in the
Monitor and things have to be decided upon somehow.

David Andrews

... The Blue Wave echo, were suggestions are taken seriously!

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