Jamal.Mazrui@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (Jamal Mazrui) (01/18/91)
Index Number: 13064
Space in The Braille Monitor
I challenge you, Mr. Maurer, as the elected President of the
National Federation of the Blind to a public debate on whether I
as a member was expelled with good cause and due process. Since
the National Federation of the Blind represents itself to policy
makers and the public not only as the voice of its membership,
but as the democratically representative voice of the nation's
blind, the issue of my censorship and expulsion is broader than
an internal, organizational matter. I pledge a commitment to
focus on issues not personal attacks, and I hope you would do the
same.
One possible public forum would be a taped debate
distributed to radio reading service stations around the country.
I specifically request equal space within The Braille Monitor
before the next convention in July 1991 in order to present my
case against whatever you wish to write as the case for my
expulsion. At a minimum, I ask that the written defense I
submitted to the national board be printed alongside your letters
of November 19 and 27, 1990.
The motto of The Braille Monitor, the NFB's newsletter,
states as follows:
The National Federation of the Blind is not an
organization speaking for the blind. It is the blind
speaking for themselves.
If this statement is sincere, then I wish to speak for
myself in the pages of this publication, distributed widely to
blind people around the country, whose opinions I value. Travel and Accommodation Exp
enses of Trip to Convention
I request that my trip to the convention for the purpose of
presenting my case to the delegates there be paid by the
National Federation of the Blind. Since funds of the National
Federation of the Blind paid your expenses, Mr. Maurer, in coming
to Massachusetts specifically for the purpose of lobbying the
state board to pass a motion to expel me, and since --that
motion having failed--funds of the National Federation of the
Blind paid the expenses of the members of the national board to
attend a meeting at which they voted to expel me, I think it fair
and reasonable that my expenses should be similarly paid to
present my case at the convention.
Sincerely yours,
Jamal Mazrui
--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!101!460.0!Jamal.Mazrui
Internet: Jamal.Mazrui@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.orgJamal.Mazrui@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (Jamal Mazrui) (01/23/91)
Index Number: 13166
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
Space in The Braille Monitor
I challenge you, Mr. Maurer, as the elected President of the
National Federation of the Blind to a public debate on whether I
as a member was expelled with good cause and due process. Since
the National Federation of the Blind represents itself to policy
makers and the public not only as the voice of its membership,
but as the democratically representative voice of the nation's
blind, the issue of my censorship and expulsion is broader than
an internal, organizational matter. I pledge a commitment to
focus on issues not personal attacks, and I hope you would do the
same.
One possible public forum would be a taped debate
distributed to radio reading service stations around the country.
I specifically request equal space within The Braille Monitor
before the next convention in July 1991 in order to present my
case against whatever you wish to write as the case for my
expulsion. At a minimum, I ask that the written defense I
submitted to the national board be printed alongside your letters
of November 19 and 27, 1990.
The motto of The Braille Monitor, the NFB's newsletter,
states as follows:
The National Federation of the Blind is not an
organization speaking for the blind. It is the blind
speaking for themselves.
If this statement is sincere, then I wish to speak for
myself in the pages of this publication, distributed widely to
blind people around the country, whose opinions I value.Travel and
Accommodation Expenses of Trip to Convention
I request that my trip to the convention for the purpose of
presenting my case to the delegates there be paid by the
National Federation of the Blind. Since funds of the National
Federation of the Blind paid your expenses, Mr. Maurer, in coming
to Massachusetts specifically for the purpose of lobbying the
state board to pass a motion to expel me, and since --that
motion having failed--funds of the National Federation of the
Blind paid the expenses of the members of the national board to
attend a meeting at which they voted to expel me, I think it fair
and reasonable that my expenses should be similarly paid to
present my case at the convention.
Sincerely yours,
Jamal Mazrui
--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!101!460.0!Jamal.Mazrui
Internet: Jamal.Mazrui@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org