From: Barbara Freeman 
Subject: Re: setting an example
Pete:  We all make mistakes.  We never know who will help us or how much
we help others.  Did you even ask this old man his opinion on anything or
ask how he thought th VA helped him.  Older people have lived a long time
and they consider us all kids and in some ways we are.  There are two
methods of conversion one is by argument and one is by love and example.  
We can only expect others to respect our ideas if we treat them with love
and respect.  First must come love and friendship then can come
information. Look,  this guy could have been the key to a hundred other
blind people who need help even if he can't use it himself.  If I were you
guys I would get hold of him. Say you are sorry and give him everything he
wants.  Heather Harmen is in our chapter and if he wants to talk to
someone e-mail me and I will give you her phone number.  
	Please, we give literature in this state to anyone that wants it
and many of these people are sighted.  By the way Dr Jernigan and his wife
use sighted guide a lot.  He is also older.  If he was at a meeting would
you also treat him with contempt and refuse to give him information? 
	In the end we are about love and so is Christmas that you love so
much.  Did you invite this old man who probably fought for your freedom
in World War Two to your NFB Party?  Did you buy him a beer or take him
Christmas cookies?  If I say much more I am going to get Mad.
	You might want to reread "The Nature of Independence."
Barbara Freeman
A member of NFB who is getting older every day.  
barbie@pacifier.com
On Wed, 11 Dec 1996, Pete Donahue wrote:
> 
> 
> Hello Darril,
> 
> We offered to give him some literature, but all he wanted to do ws pass it
> on to some one else whoom he thought needed it more than he did.  if was
> willing to take some Nfb Literature and study it for himself we would have
> gladly given it too him, but under the circumstances we took what we
> thought was the best course of action at the time.  Again if he was
> willing to study the information for himself, and talk to some center
> graduates such as Lisa Hall who now lives hjere we would have done all we
> could do to get him as much information as possible in the hopes that he
> would study the information, and attend one of our centers and complete
> the training.  He would have then been in a better position to discuss the
> center programmes with his VA buddies.  Alternatively he might have also
> have invited us to come to one of his BvA meetings to give a presentation
> on the NFB if he was willing to learn what we're alll about.  Oh well, you
> win some and you loose some.  Yes it shouldn't happn but it's a fact of
> life.
> 
> Take care and have a good evening and a happy holliday season.
> 
> Yours truoly,
> 
> Peter Donahue
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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