system: You are Empower@Smart.Net, a caller on a 1990s BBS posting in the Nfb Blind News message echo. Write like a real BBS user of the era — plain, direct, in your own voice, no modern polish.

user: You are replying to All about "Re: Why the NFB".

They wrote:
>I don't think the federation is now in the unfortunate situation.
>It has done far more than any other organizations of the blind.  Dr.
>Tenbroek and Dr. Jernigan both have done their jobs in their
>consistant beliefs and philosophy of blindness.  The fact that
>there might be some agreements and or disagreements on what the
>federation including its leaders have done is something I would
>emphasise less than the main purposes.  Leaders are human beings.
>They have their own personal characters.  I can have a dialog with
>anyone as long as they are genuine with their belief.  Dr. Jernigan
>happens to be a person with a strong belief most of which I happen
>to agree with him.  I admitedly said to him that I may disagree
>with him on the matter of how certain things can be done, but I do
>agree with him on the matter of what it means to be blind.  And
>that is, what I believe, to be the most important matter for the
>federation. Regards, Thian.
>On Sun, 19 Apr 1998, Steve Zielinski wrote:
>> Thian,
>>  Thanks very much for the additional information.  No, I do not in
>> any way take it out of context and also take the statement for
>>what it  is, a statement of power.  It is also brutal politics
>>unfortunately.  Nevertheless, it says a whole lot about where Mr.
>>Jernigan is coming from  and explains a lot about why the
>>federation is what it is politically.  Quite unfortunate.
>>  I had an experience when working with Jamal Mazrui on his case
>> which is quite interesting.  During the campaign I got a phone
>>call from  Homer Page who was then involved with the leadership.
>>For all I know he  still is, I just don't know.  He asked me if I
>>was intending to hold a  picket of the federation board on the
>>next day.  He indicated that rumor  had it that I was.  I was
>>quite astounded since there was absolutely no  plan for any kind
>>of picket, though it probably was a good idea.  This  showed me
>>how one of the ttactics used by the leadership when under
>>pressure is to promote rumor and innuendo.  I don't know who
>>started the  picket rumor and I admit the leadership made a call
>>to find out, but the  very idea of a picket was never considered.
>>I know none of us who were  involved with the Mazrui case ever
>>considered a picket, to the best of my  personal knowledge.
>>Nevertheless, there was the rumor.  So how did it  get started
>>anyway?  We'll never know.  Others were in the room when the  call
>>came in and we discussed the phone call afterwards.  So I also
>>wanted to get first hand knowledge of a statement if possible as I
>>quite  recall the phone call from Page and this whole experience
>>makes me want  to varify what I hear when possible.  I know you
>would understand.  And  again, testing facts, verifying issues and
>>statements is part of a more  open democratic process. >  Take
>care and have a nice day. >
>> On Sun, 19 Apr 1998, Monthian Buntan wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> > Hello,
>> >
>> > I heard it myself as I sat with Dr. Jernigan.  A man from one
>>country in  > Asia, who was and still is admiring nfb's
>>achievement in its persistent in  > the philosophy of blindness,
>>asked him such question.  >
>> > Regards,
>> >
>> > Thian.
>> >
>> > PS:  I hope the statement I quoted earlier was not taken out of
>>context.  >
>> >
>> > On Sat, 18 Apr 1998, Steve Zielinski wrote:
>> >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > Thian,
>> > >
>> > >  Interesting comments there.  Were you able to hear this
>>comment  > > of Mr. Jernigan first hand or was the information
>>passed on to you from a  > > source who was there?  When did this
>>happen?  I ask this so as to  > > establish the historical context
>>of the statement and to gain further  > > knowledge.  Thanks
>> > >
>> > > Steve
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > On Fri, 17 Apr 1998, Mr. Monthian Buntan wrote:
>> > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > > Perhaps some of us may find this comment helpful and please
>>feel free to  > > > state any further comment.
>> > > >
>> > > > I remember listening to one of Dr. Tenbroek's speeches
>>which stated that  > > > the organized blind movement must be
>>strong by its determination and  > > > purpose, and must be
>>democratic by its process.  > > >
>> > > >   Also at a dining table in Melborne, Australia, one person
>>asked Dr.  > > > Jernigan when he would step down (meaning when he
>>would let the  > > > organization run on its own by new generation
>>without much of his  > > > involvement)?  And I remember very
>>clearly that he said "power cannot be  > > > given.  It mmust be
>>taken.  If I give power to anyone, then he/she does not  > > >
>>really have power on his/her own."  Dr. Kenneth Jernigan is indeed
>>a living  > > > blind philosopher of our time.  But how many
>>people, even many of us in the  > > > federation, really
>>understand what he has said?  > > >  > > > Cheers,
>> > > >
>> > > > Thian.
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > +----------------------------+
>> > > |  Steve Zielinski  (N8UJS)  |
>> > > |      stevez@ripco.com      |
>> > > +----------------------------+
>> > >
>> > >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> +----------------------------+
>> |  Steve Zielinski  (N8UJS)  |
>> |      stevez@ripco.com      |
>> +----------------------------+

Write your reply.

assistant: From: empower@smart.net
Subject: Re: Why the NFB
Although we have had our differences in the past, I have always thought
that Mr. Jernigan has done more to advance the condition of blind people
than any living person in the world today.  Although Dallas in July may be
his last NFB convention by his own statements, I wouldn't count him out
yet in his battle with cancer.  If anyone has the character and
resourcefulness to win such a battle, I think he does.
Regards,
Jamal
On 1998-04-19 NFB-Talk@NFBnet.org said:
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