Jamal.Mazrui@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Jamal Mazrui) (12/04/90)
Index Number: 12173
[This is from the Advocacy Conference]
Fellow Federationists,
Today at the state board meeting of the National Federation
of the Blind of Massachusetts, I will be resigning as your
Legislative Officer. I would like you to know why. This letter
presents the positions I have taken which have caused so much
controversy and ill will toward me by some of the constitutional
officers that I find it impossible to serve in this capacity any
longer. I have worked hard as Legislative Officer and done the
best job I knew how. Since there are planned attempts today to
distort my record and assassinate my character, I am attaching
for your information and consideration some documents related to
my participation in the movement over the last few years. Judge
for yourself about my dedication, integrity, philosophy and
actions. I wish to remain as a fellow member with you because I
subscribe to the philosophy and objectives of our movement.
Independent views I have publicly expressed and independent
actions I have openly taken have culminated in the national
president coming here today to seek to expel me as a member.
The views primarily concern the national scholarship committee,
unemployment of the blind, and matters of fair process within the
organization. The actions I took primarily are the organizing
of two blindness related groups, the Visually Impaired and Blind
User Group and the Visually Impaired Persons Employment Group,
which where not intended to be official affiliates of the
National Federation of the Blind. Naturally, there have been
some clashes between myself and those antithetical to my views
and actions, but it is these issues not the occasional heated
clash which lie at the heart of the attempt to expel me.
On the subject of the scholarship committee, the
controversial views I expressed can be summarized as follows:
1. Applicants who do not win as well as those who do should be
notified in writing of the scholarship committee's
decision. Considering the significant time, effort, and
emotional investment in putting together a scholarship
application, I think it is a matter of professional
courtesy to notify people either way as to the final
decision. Instead those who do not win endure an agonizing
suspense, often for a week, wondering if a letter was lost
in the mail or the phone rang when they were out. The
practice of notification is standard in all other
scholarship applications, grant applications, and school
applications I know.
2. The scholarship committee should place as much weight on
community service as on academic grades. Consistent with
the imperative for collective action to advance the day of
first class citizenship, we should be encouraging by our
scholarship criteria blind men and women who volunteer
significant portions of themselves and their time to
improving life for others. Such a balance of academic
grades and community service in the scholarship criteria is
not only in the spirit of our organization, but profitable
to our strength. I am dismayed at the number of
scholarship winners year after year whose grades were good
enough to be admitted to Harvard, but who have done little
to add to our cause after winning the scholarship. On the
other hand, taking into account service to the movement in
the scholarship decision would affirm its value and
encourage its growth.
3 I believe it was unethical, distasteful, and possibly
illegal to award a scholarship to my brother and then
retract it afterward because his wedding--which he had
notified the scholarship committee of in his application--
was to occur on the Saturday before the convention and
thereby preclude him from attending the first meeting of
scholarship winners. My brother had never been informed of
this pre-convention Saturday meeting and so could not plan
for it. He in fact planned his wedding for the day prior to
the convention so that he could take his bride there on
their honeymoon and introduce her to the movement.
Regarding my organizing of blindness related groups not
within the Federation, let me explain as I have publicly stated
before:
1. The Visually Impaired and Blind User Group, I believe can
most effectively serve blind people as an integral part of a
large and influential organization of computer users of all
types, the Boston Computer Society. The annual budget,
staff and equipment resources we receive from the BCS uphold
this truth. I believe we should participate in the
organized blind movement such that maximum gain will come to
blind people. It is often but not always the case that this
will occur by being the sole sponsors of program.
2. Likewise, I organized the Visually Impaired Persons
Employment Group as a cooperative effort between as many
consumer and professional groups as possible concerned with
unemployment of the blind, the most serious and troublesome
we face. From the beginning I have sought to ensure that
wherever the sponsorship resources come from, the
philosophy remains ours: a strong positive philosophy of
blindness, encouraging people to support one another in
seeking their career aspirations. The resources available
from our Job Opportunities for the Blind program were in
fact the topic of the first meeting.
Even if you disagree with some of these or other positions
I have taken, are they enough to warrant removing me as an
officer or expelling me as a member? I hardly think so. Marc
Maurer said to me last April that he uses me as an example of the
democratic character of the National Federation of the Blind.
Unfortunately, it appears that this democratic expression has
proved too threatening to the desire of some for strict order and
central control. Are these the kind of organizational processes
that promote collective, considered action? No! I am convinced
that our movement would be stronger and more effective if there
were more open decision making and respect for differing views in
our united cause of first class citizenship for the blind.
Sincerely yours,
Jamal Mazrui
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89.0!Jamal.Mazrui
Internet: Jamal.Mazrui@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.orgGrant.Downey@p0.f9.n381.z1.fidonet.org (Grant Downey) (12/07/90)
Index Number: 12388
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
If the National board members and State Board members would spend more
time working on issues to help the blind instead of political
jockeying, writing political motions to expell people, and in general
creating disharmonythen the NFB would be living up to what it says it
is as an organization instead of setting out to display its vendetas
against those who may disagree with official polich. Grant
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!381!9.0!Grant.Downey
Internet: Grant.Downey@p0.f9.n381.z1.fidonet.orgJamal.Mazrui@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (Jamal Mazrui) (12/29/90)
Index Number: 12613
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
Hi Grant! I agree with your statement. If the public only know
how much of the NFB's resources were being devoted to fueling
vendettas against individual members as opposed to serving blind
people, I think the fundraising revenues would be significantly
less. I understand the the Federation spent several hundred
thousand dollars in court to expel a California affiliate of
3,500 members in the early 80's and in the last couple of years
spent three hundred thousand dollars to expel the Alaska
affiliate. In my case the sums have been relatively small so
far, but it is significant to consider that the Massachusetts
affiliate was required by the national office to pay for the national
president to fly down at short notice and without consultation
with the state board in order to appear at a state board meeting
at which he tried to get a motion passed to expel me. When this
motion failed at the state level, Iwas never offered a plane
fare to Baltimore to defend myself before the national board.
--Jamal--
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!101!460.0!Jamal.Mazrui
Internet: Jamal.Mazrui@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.orgGrant.Downey@p0.f9.n381.z1.fidonet.org (Grant Downey) (01/11/91)
Index Number: 12860
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
It is fortunate that I've never been asked about the use of NFB funds
or how I felt about it because I would have to be honest. Entirely to
much money is spent on expelling people, diciplining people, and and
diciplining individuals. Who is the NFB to diciplin individuals? In
my case I was forced to expell some of my best people in my chapter in
New Orleans. I didn't think it was right but if I wanted to keep the
presidancy of the chapter, my state board membership, and my P.R.
position state wide I had to do it as a direct order from the State
President. When these people were expelled it vertually gutted my
chapter, really accomplished nothing, and just made it difficult for
all envolved. The people I was forced to expell brought in quite a bit
of money in fundraising. Anyway what money the NFB receives from
contributions should be used to pay for the cases that would help the
blind. One of their slogans is "We are the Blind helping ourselves" In
many ways that is true but more could be done if more was spent on
important landmark cases that would untimately benefit all blind
persons in this country. That appears to be an unpopular view in the
NFB however. that appears to be an unpopular view in the NFB at
present. Grant
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!381!9.0!Grant.Downey
Internet: Grant.Downey@p0.f9.n381.z1.fidonet.orgTom.Gerhart@f210.n273.z1.fidonet.org (Tom Gerhart) (01/11/91)
Index Number: 12885
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
Grant, it is good to see how many of the people who have been expelled
by the nfb have continued to do what the nfb says they do and that is to
help blind people and to do it without any strings attached. I would
tell people that they should look at the philosophy of the organization
and then get the hell away from those people as soon as possible tom G.
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!273!210!Tom.Gerhart
Internet: Tom.Gerhart@f210.n273.z1.fidonet.orgJamal.Mazrui@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (Jamal Mazrui) (01/11/91)
Index Number: 12906
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
Hi Grant! That message was quite telling about the destructive
lengths taken by the national and state presidents of the NFB in
order to secure a loyal following. The expulsion action taken
against me has similarly been very destructive to the
Massachusetts affiliate. Two members who are "seminarians"
(trained under Dr. Jernigan at a national leadership seminar in
Baltimore) resigned out of protest. More than one chapter is on
the verge of collapse because of the outrage of members as to
the undemocratic conduct against me as well as other unsettling
actions that have been taking place in the affiliate for years.
I am interested to know what were the grounds for which they
wanted you to expel certain members of your New Orleans chapter?
--Jamal--
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!101!460.0!Jamal.Mazrui
Internet: Jamal.Mazrui@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.orgGrant.Downey@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Grant Downey) (01/11/91)
Index Number: 12909
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
You know that is what it's all about. One of the reason I'm
envolved with computer training is because of the good feeling I
get when someone gets on the job and is able to fit in so well
with his sighted coworkers. I could do other things that would
makemoremoney, but I love what I'm doing both with Radio Reading
and with the Computer Training Center and if there is anything
else I can do to help I will. That is what I call individual
effort and that does a lot of good. However there comes a time
that organizational effort is needed for the big issues. It is
unfortunate that the NFB is so hung up in diciplinthat they are
loosing the picture of the founder. Grant
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89.0!Grant.Downey
Internet: Grant.Downey@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.orgGrant.Downey@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Grant Downey) (01/11/91)
Index Number: 12910
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
The main reason that the state President wanted particularly
thefundraising chapr person expelled thus the people who
followed him went to, is because he maintained that a certain
ammount of the money we raised should stay in thechapter
treasury for use in our local area. At that time we had a lot
of projects going and needed these funds to maintain. Any money
raised was put into our projects. The state President insisted
that all monies go to the state office thus the funds raised
could be divided among the less fortunate chapters. Arguments
insued and so I was directed to expell the people who didn't go
along with the State President against my best judgement or be
kicked out along with them. It was an awful situation one
I'llnever forget. What stays with me though is that a roaring
good chapter of over seventy to eighty members was deminished to
a chapter of seven, the fundraising opportunities were lost,
thus the projectswe were working on died. It is really
something how an expulsion can hurt a chapter in fact distroy it
and it certainly makes for a lot ofhurt feelings, resentment,
and unnecessary, for the most part, and the damage that is done
usually far surpasses the problems that existed before the
expulsion. Grant
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89.0!Grant.Downey
Internet: Grant.Downey@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.orgGrant.Downey@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Grant Downey) (01/11/91)
Index Number: 12911
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
I was directed to expell the people who didn't go along withthe
state president's ideaof sending all fundraising monies to the
state office and thenthey would be redistributed. Therewere
some racial overtonesto. The california situation was
disasterous and I'm sure is still regretted today. In an
organizationthere has to be accounting, there has to be
diciplin, but puting such emphasis on that sort of thing to the
exclusion of other activities tome is just wrong, harmful, and
can be disasterous tothe organization. In my case if the state
president hadjust stayed out of it we could have stayed the
course, done what we were supposed to as good NFB members
andkept things going. Grant
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89.0!Grant.Downey
Internet: Grant.Downey@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.orgWalter.Siren@p18.f5.n396.z1.fidonet.org (Walter Siren) (01/15/91)
Index Number: 12944
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
GD> that organizational effort is needed for the big issues. It is
GD> unfortunate that the NFB is so hung up in diciplinthat they are
GD> loosing the picture of the founder. Grant
Well, Grant, you are partly right. However, this discipline
started with the founder. First in 1957, when the convention was
here in New Orleans, with Michigan being discipline for a
disaggreement, and then the big purge in Miami in 1959. It has
never stopped since, I guess. It is too bad because a lot more
good could be done if all of this humbug would stop.
Walter
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!396!5.18!Walter.Siren
Internet: Walter.Siren@p18.f5.n396.z1.fidonet.orgGrant.Downey@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Grant Downey) (01/15/91)
Index Number: 12962
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
When I was really hot and heavy into the NFB several years ago I
heard about the things that went on during the fifties and
sixties and thought it extreme. However when everyone around is
agreeing with what is going on and when you are modivated by
trying to do the best you can to make the organization at your
level work not much attention did I pay to that sort of thing.
If anyone had asked me at that time I think I would have said,
well if that is what it took to keep the NFB going it was okay.
I've sure changed my views now. People have to stand up for
their own convictions andnot just follow along like sheep
resiting the party line. That isn't always easy, popular, or
even right but when it gets to the point in an organization
where when the PRES says Jump and you jump without thinking
there is a problem. Grant
There is a Serious problem and when people are diciplined for
not reciting and following the party line and expressing their
own views then there is a severe problem. Grant
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89.0!Grant.Downey
Internet: Grant.Downey@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.orgWalter.Siren@p18.f5.n396.z1.fidonet.org (Walter Siren) (01/15/91)
Index Number: 12974
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
GD> When I was really hot and heavy into the NFB several years ago I
GD> heard about the things that went on during the fifties and
GD> sixties and thought it extreme. However when everyone around is
GD> agreeing with what is going on and when you are modivated by
GD> trying to do the best you can to make the organization at your
GD> level work not much attention did I pay to that sort of thing.
Grant, I can understand that. What I can't understand, is that
some of the folks who were around then, and witnessed it, and then
went back for more, it does not make sense to me. One I could
think about off hand, and I guess you new him, was Jack James. He
witnessed it, and now I don't think that he is in there any more.
I just can't figure out how he witnessed that, and later went back
for more. He was at the convention, when the big purge took place
too.
Walter
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!396!5.18!Walter.Siren
Internet: Walter.Siren@p18.f5.n396.z1.fidonet.orgGrant.Downey@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org Walter.Siren p18.f5.n396.z1 Linda.Iverson p0.f33.n130.z1 (Grant Downey) (01/15/91)
Index Number: 12980
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
Jack James was a tremeodous worker but I think he just got tired
of it. Jack, Hank, Sam, Johny Cook, ya they were a real tem
throughhot and heavy, good and bad. However I think they got
burned out. However things weren't that bad. The Fernandez
presidency was the time when things really started getting bad
in the state of Louisiana. Not all bad mind you but that is
when the dictatorship began. Hank would have never tolerated
the things that went on after the Fernandez people took over.
Walter I think's jack's modivation about coming back is he like
me wanted to work to improve things for the blind inthe state
and boy he sure did it. Grant
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89.0!Grant.Downey
Internet: Grant.Downey@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org
From news Sun Dec 30 09:12:19 1990
To:
From: Walter.Siren@p18.f5.n396.z1.fidonet.org (Walter Siren)
Newsgroups: blinktalk
Date: 25 Dec 90 14:15:42 GMT
Sender: ufgate@hnews.fidonet.org (newsout1.25)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:396/5.18 - From news Mon Dec 31 14:26:04 1990
To:
From: Linda.Iverson@p0.f33.n130.z1.fidonet.org (Linda Iverson)
Newsgroups: blinktalk
Date: 29 Dec 90 10:05:00 GMT
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Lines: 14
Bill, glad things are going well for you, and I certainly wish
you the best. I guess the silver lining behind things going
awful is that you know they have to get better. I read a book
once titled "I've Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up To Me", so
I have no doubt that there will be more fun in '91!
Take care,
Linda
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!130!33.0!Linda.Iverson
Internet: Linda.Iverson@p0.f33.n130.z1.fidonet.org