From: Keith.Bucher@hnews.fidonet.org (Keith Bucher)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: vendor favoritism
Date: 28 Jul 92 17:02:53 GMT
Reply-To: Keith.Bucher@hnews.fidonet.org
Organization: The Handicap News, Shelton CT (203) 337-1607
X-Fidonet: Blink Talk Conference

Index Number: 23399

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Quoting Carl Zebooker To Keith Bucher              02-Jul-92 02:19pm

 CZ> Let me be sure I understand what you said. A business made a
 CZ> tax-deductible charitable contribution by loaning some adaptive
 CZ> equipment to the NFB without making an identical tax-deducible
 CZ> contribution to the AFB. Is the statement above correct?

Not entirely.  I don't believe Deane Blazie loaned 50 BNS's to NFB in
order to get a tax deduction.  It was only a loan for a few days to
what might have been several different people, and tax deductions
aren't the question here.  Mr. Blazie, for years, has been a member
of NFB, I have nothing against that, it's his choice.  But taking in
to consideration the political climate within the blind community, it
becomes not merely a matter of his right to do this, but instead good
business practice.  In other words, we're not talking about Dean
Blazie, personally, but his company, Blazie Engineering.  And it's
not that I'm picking on Dean or NfB, for that matter.  No company
whether it be Blazie Engineering, GW Micro, Omnichron, tSI, Artic, or
who ever, should put themselves in the situation of favoring ACB or NFB
by going so far as to loan their products at one national convention and
not the other.  Especially when we are talking about high ticket
items which most people might not otherwise get a chance to try.

 CZ> If so, do you believe that every person who contributes to the NFB
 is required to make an identical contribution to the AFB and vice
 versa?

Certainly not.  But in the first place, Blazie Engineering is not a
person, and loaning a few items at a convention isn't what I'd call a
contribution.  By the way, after reading my original message on the
subject, (At least in my opinion this is what may have caused old Deane
to have a change of heart), beginning Monday July 6, there were indeed
Braille N Speaks available for loan in Phoenix. But take these things in
to consideration, Carl. First of all, there was never any mention in the
Forum about this as there was the Monitor, leaving me to believe that it
wasn't anticipated, thus my good old BlinkTalk message once again.  God
may still perform miracles now and then, but sometimes these BlinkTalk
messages can do their part as well, believe me. Second, they never had
it mentioned on the Public Address System.  Nor was it advertised in
the daily convention newsletter. In other words, if you wouldn't have
stopped by their booth, you might not have known about it. And last but
not least, Mr. Blazie opted not to appear in phoenix even though the
conventions were held on different weeks this year.  I have nothing
against the NFB, matter of fact, I like their BBS and frequent it every
once in a while. But what do you suppose Jernigan and NfB would say if
he had announced in the Forum and not in the Monitor about the BNS's?
And what would they have said if he hadn't even announced plans to loan
them at their convention at all, while instead making it known that
they'd be available in Phoenix?  They wouldn't have liked it at all,
and rightly so, but of course they aren't saying anything, because
the shoe's on their foot, and it fits very well.  I could give other
examples, but I believe this should clarify my position.

 CZ> Mr. Blazie freely chose to do something admirable for the NFB. That
 CZ> seems more than fair to me. You called this bias; I call it free
 CZ> choice.

It's not really a question of doing something admirable for the
organization itself, but those members who just happened to be at the
convention.  Vendors will not prosper if they continue to take sides
in this way.

 CZ> Why no-one has come forward to do the same for the AFB is
a question AFB should ask itself.

No Carl, ACB shouldn't ask itself, all blind people, whether on
either side of the aisle, or whether they're on the aisle at all
should ask Deane Blazie.

 CZ> Mr. Blazie surely is not the only person
 CZ> capable of making such a contribution; if none of the others choose
 CZ> to do so, that is neither Mr. Blazie's fault nor the NFB's.<

I'm not blaming Mr. Blazie for other's actions, nor am I blaming
NfB.  I'm simply saying that this sort of practice should be
deplored by all the blind and it should not be allowed to continue.
If I had enough money to be such a Vendor, I believe I'd at least
be smart enough not to favor one organization over
another, but Deane probably sells enough BNS's that he doesn't care.
Keith.

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