David.Andrews@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (David Andrews) (02/05/91)
Index Number: 13437
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
A few weeks ago, Jamal Mazrui posted a letter that he had sent to Marc
Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind. Below is
the response to that letter.'
Mr. Marc Maurer
President
National Federation of the Blind
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, MD 21230
January 2, 1991
Mr. Jamal Mazrui
308 Summer Street
Apartment 1R
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02144
Dear Jamal:
I have the letter you sent dated December 18, 1990. In it you
list a number of demands. You want to be offered space in the Braille
Monitor. You want me to engage in a debate with you. You want the
debate to be circulated to radio reading services around the nation.
You want to have the names and addresses of all the officers of the
Federation at the state level, at the national level, and at the local
level. You want to circulate material to all of these people. You
want the Federation to pay your expenses to attend the next convention
of the National Federation of the Blind. You want a debate to occur at
the National Convention focusing on you. You say that it is your
intention for the members to vote to reinstate you as a member. If a
person is to be featured in the Braille Monitor, that person must do
something of significance. We do not print material in our magazine
simply to gratify the whim of someboedy who wants it printed. The
events reported in the Monitor may be significant because they are
especially constructive and good or particularly destructive and bad.
This is the standard to be used in determining what will appear and
what will not.
With this standard as a background, I seriously doubt that the
Monitor will be tempted to print your name at any time in the
foreseeable future. It doesn't merit printing. You have not complied
with the Constitution of the National Federation of the Blind.
However, your failure to abide by it (even though it may seem
significant to you) simply does not have the importance to merit space.
I suppose that I need not dwell on the other demands you make.
They are of a piece with the first. You have asked, for example, that
the Federation pay your espenses to the next convention. You suggest
that you are owed this special treatment because you would like to
engage in a debate concerning your conduct. The Federation did not ask
you to violate the Constitution, and it will feel no obligation to pay
you so that you may come talk about it.
Finally, let me comment on your recitation of certain provisions
of the Constitution of the National Federation of the Blind. The
convention has the power, as you correctly assesed, to consider your
expultion from the Federation. However, your interpretation of the
Constitution is quite inaccurate. Contrary to your statement, the
Convention is not required to consider the matter. It may do so if it
wishes, or it may decide that it will not spend the time and the
time and the resources necessary to rehash an old, unimportant
incident.
Very truly yours,
Marc Maurer, President
National Federation of the Blind
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89.0!David.Andrews
Internet: David.Andrews@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.orgJeff.Salzberg@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Jeff Salzberg) (02/05/91)
Index Number: 13439
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
DA> If a person is to be featured in the Braille
DA> Monitor, that person must do something of significance.
Obviously, Jamal HAS done something of significance...of at least
enough significance for the national leadership to expel him.
... Let's have more fun in '91
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89!Jeff.Salzberg
Internet: Jeff.Salzberg@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.orgRay.Campbell@f778.n115.z1.fidonet.org (Ray Campbell) (02/05/91)
Index Number: 13469
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
Mr. Mazrui has done something of "significance." He has come out and
exposed the sorry truth about the NFB. of course, the Gosip column called
the Braille Monitor will not print any of what he has to say because "oh
my god, we can't print anything that exposes our true colors." I go on
record in this echo heartily applauding Mr. Mazrui's efforts, even though
as I have said before, his efforts will get him nowhere in such an
undemocratic organization. Jamal, thank you for telling the truth!
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!115!778!Ray.Campbell
Internet: Ray.Campbell@f778.n115.z1.fidonet.orgWilliam.Wilson@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (William Wilson) (02/06/91)
Index Number: 13559
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
WW>> r interpretation of the Constitution is quite
DA>>> inaccurate. Contrary to your statement, the Convention is not
DA>>> required to consider the matter. It may do so if it wishes,
DA>>> or it may decide that it will not spend the time and the
DA>
WW>> David, who are we talking about when we say "the convention"
WW>> here?
DA>
DA> Willie, The "Convention" is the annual national convention of
DA> the National Federation of the Blind.
David,
I intentionally quoted most of our previous messages so I can make
my question clearer!
Mark, in his response to Jamal, says "the convention is not
required to consider the matter. It may do so if it wishes...",
insinuating that the convention has a mind all its own, much like an
individual.
So then, again, who is asked the question, "Do you want to consider
this matter?", when it is being determined whether or not "the
convention" will address the issue?
Willie
... BlinkTalk, Dr. Deb and Silver in Pittsburgh!
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89!William.Wilson
Internet: William.Wilson@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org