[misc.handicap] Answer to Mazrui Letter continued

Jeff.Hawkinson@f778.n115.z1.fidonet.org (Jeff Hawkinson) (02/05/91)

Index Number: 13465

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

DAVID....I know this would not even take place in the Americaan Council
of the Blind (ACB).
         This is nothing but a media camplaign to try enhance the NFB in
their way of thinking.  We as blind individuals should not be harrassed
into the NFB world.  We do have ideas of our own and should have the
right to express them.
         This is a democratic society and each and everyone of us has the
right to express their feelings in an oral or written response.
         It seens to me that NFB is censoring the matterial that is put
into your publication called the "THE MONOTOR".  If that's the case, fine
you can have your damn magazine.  It's nothing but trash..
         By the way, you must remember, what comes arround...goes arround.
 Every dog has it's day, yours will be comming soon.  And if you are
lucky enough to be expelled for no reason what so ever, you won't get
sympathy from me.

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Ray.Campbell@f778.n115.z1.fidonet.org (Ray Campbell) (02/05/91)

Index Number: 13467

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

So what kind of trash is this?  My interpretation of this letter is that
a person who is to be expeled from the NFB doesn't have a prayer in the
world when it comes to getting his case heard.  I thought Communism had
been abolished!  If a person makes a mistake and violates his/her
organization's constitution, they should have a fair chance to have their
case heard.  It is clear to me that Jamal is wasting his time trying to
get re-instated because this undemocratic organization called the
National Federation of the Buttholes (OOPS) Blind doesn't give a damn!

Jamal, just remember one thing.  You will be welcome if you so desire as
a member of the American Council of the Blind (ACB).  Just think, if you
join us, you don't have to put up with this kind of BS.

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Jeff.Salzberg@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Jeff Salzberg) (02/05/91)

Index Number: 13476

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

I'm not the moderator of this echo, so the following comments have no
official standing; they are merely one person's opinion.

I guess that most of you know that I am not exactly a big fan of the
NFB, for reasons I have enumerated elsewhere.  With this said, I have to
express my concern over certain comments that have been made about the
organization, its members, and its agencies.

Folks, there is nothing positive to be gained by using inflamatory terms
such as "trash" or by employing gratuitous obscenities.  The members of
the NFB (at least the ones I've seen here) are not evil people; they
honestly believe that they are right (just as I honestly believe that I
am right).  We have everything to gain (and nothing to lose) by engaging
in dialogue (pun intended) with people of opposing philosophies;
inflammatory terms just get in the way of this.

... I was gonna change my tag line, but why bother?

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Gary.Petraccaro@f90.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Gary Petraccaro) (02/06/91)

Index Number: 13535

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

-> In a message to David Andrews <01-20-91 10:06> Jeff Hawkinson wrote:
->
-> JH> be comming soon.  And if you are lucky enough to be
-> JH> expelled for no reason what so ever, you won't get sympathy
-> JH> from me.

     He will from me.  That's when he'll need it most, and that's the point
of sympathy, right?

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Ray.Campbell@f778.n115.z1.fidonet.org (Ray Campbell) (02/06/91)

Index Number: 13545

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

OK OK.  Let me make a feeble attempt to clear a few things up here.

There are a couple things I strongly disagree with working here.  First,
I must say I have never met either Jamal Mazrui or David Andrews
personally.  I can't stand to see anyone treated as unfairly as Jamal is
being treated by the NFB.  He should at least be given a chance to have
his case heard.  I don't know what he did to violate the NFB Constitution
and bylaws, but the point is he made a mistake.  Shouldn't he have a
chance to make up for that?

Secondly,  I don't think it was appropriate for Mr. Andrews to post the
answer to Jamal's letter in this echo for all the blind community
assembled here to see.  This is a private matter between Mr. Mazrui and
the NFB.

My strong, somewhat inflamatory reaction to it was provoked both to attempt
to show the unfairness with which Jamal's case is being handled, and to
show that this matter shouldn't be made public.  I can't speak for
Jamal.  Maybe he wanted the public display of the answer to his letter.
Personally, I wouldn't want that.

I agree with you Jeff, we are all free to express our opinions.  That's
what this is for.  If I have come on so strong, it's because I believe
what I am saying and I have always believed in calling a spade a spade.
I sincerely hope Jamal's case is handled in a just manner.  But I still
think he is wasting his time.  I enjoy this opportunity to discuss these
matters with everyone in this echo and hope to continue to do so.

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Jeff.Salzberg@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Jeff Salzberg) (02/06/91)

Index Number: 13561

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

 RC> First, I must say I have never met either Jamal Mazrui
 RC> or David Andrews personally.

 Nor have I; I talked on the phone to Jamal once - about a year ago.

 RC> He
 RC> should at least be given a chance to have his case heard.

 I agree.

 RC> Secondly,  I don't think it was appropriate for Mr. Andrews to
 RC> post the answer to Jamal's letter in this echo for all the
 RC> blind community assembled here to see.  This is a private
 RC> matter between Mr. Mazrui and the NFB.

 I, for one, would never stand in the way of your stating your position.
 My post was merely a suggestion that you do so logically and calmly, in
 an uninflammatory manner.

 RC> If I have come on so strong, it's
 RC> because I believe what I am saying and I have always believed
 RC> in calling a spade a spade.

 I recently read something that applies to many threads on this and
 other echoes:

 "The strength of one's beliefs is not necessarily a measure of their
 correctness."

... I was gonna change my tag line, but why bother?

--
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Ray.Campbell@f778.n115.z1.fidonet.org (Ray Campbell) (02/06/91)

Index Number: 13571

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

You got it Gary.  As I stated in an earlier message, I enjoy these
discussions.  Let me also say whatever I say here is my own opinion, and
not that of the American Council of the Blind (ACB).

--
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David.Andrews@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (David Andrews) (02/06/91)

Index Number: 13579

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

 RC> So what kind of trash is this?  My interpretation of this
 RC> letter is that a person who is to be expeled from the NFB
 RC> doesn't have a prayer in the world when it comes to getting his
 RC> case heard.

Jamal had the opportunity to present his case both the Board of his state
affiliate in Massachusetts and the national Board of Directors of the NFB.

... Your Sound Alternative

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Jamal.Mazrui@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (Jamal Mazrui) (03/14/91)

Index Number: 13915

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hi Tom!  Yes, the national office of the Federation is saying
that the issue of my expulsion is "terribly unimportant" (words of
Marc Maurer in a letter to me).  Yet the national president has
come to Massachusetts four times in the last two and a half
months to carry out the campaign against me and those who stood
up for my defense.  An "organizing team" was sent in December
specifically to rebuild the Boston chapter after valuable
members including the chapter president resigned in protest of my
expulsion.  It is not ordinary for the national president to be
part of a team to re-organize a local chapter, but he has come
twice for this purpose.  Rumor has it that Dr. Jernigan himself
is scheduled to attend the state convention of the NFB of
Massachusetts this coming April.  Terribly unimportant?  Let
people draw their own conclusions.

--Jamal--

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David.Andrews@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (David Andrews) (03/26/91)

Index Number: 14153

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

RC> personally.  I can't stand to see anyone
 RC> treated as unfairly as Jamal is being treated by the NFB.  He
 RC> should at least be given a chance to have his case heard.  I
 RC> don't know what he did to violate the NFB Constitution and
 RC> bylaws, but the point is he made a mistake.  Shouldn't he have
 RC> a chance to make up for that?

Jamal had the opportunity to present his case both to the Board of Directors of
the NFB of Massachusetts and to the national board of the NFB.

 RC> Secondly,  I don't think it was appropriate for Mr. Andrews to
 RC> post the answer to Jamal's letter in this echo for all the
 RC> blind community assembled here to see.  This is a private
 RC> matter between Mr. Mazrui and the NFB.

Jamal initially took this whole thing public by posting on the echo copies of
the letters he wrote to the NFB plus a detailed explanation of what happened
from his point of view.  Consequently, the posting of Mr. Maurer's letter was
not inappropriate.

... Your Sound Alternative

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