From: Richard Webb 
Subject: what is a movement? was Des Moines Register, was something else
Hello Andy, and everyone.
Recently, Andy wrote as follows:
   >Okay friends. We have all stated our opinions, and I don't think
   >any minds have been changed. Let's let this go and look forward to
   >New Orleans. I know that I am.
Would love to be there but I have work that week which keeps me from being
there, but I  must get this off my chest.  Please read on before you hit
the reply key.  Hopefully, I'll make myself understood.
Andy, you likened the reorganization in California to the Russians storming
Czekoslovakia (I know I misspelled that one ) but that cuts to the
heart of what we are.
We are a cohesive national movement.  Anything which undermines that
cohesiveness, as the Acosta Nemmers situations did, is not good for the
movement.
A movement where local leaders won't follow policy cannot work for
constructive social change, which is what we're about.  Such a movement no
longer has a voice which is taken seriously by those to whom we must speak.
This is not my opinion, this is fact.
If one believes that local leaders  can decide their own policy and not
follow that which is determined to be national policy by the board, and the
supreme authority of the movement, (in our case, the National convention)
then such leaders should be replaced.  It is like surgery to remove
cancerous growths.  Such cancers should be removed before they deplete the
body's resources.  I, for one, wouldn't have it any other way.
My commenhts to Ron were rather strong, but, strong comments were
warranted.  I'm an Iowan, and benefitted greatly from the work of such
leaders as Doctor Jernigan.  I was a student at the adult orientation
center at the Commission for the Blind in 1975, and learned much from him
in the short time I was there.  I give our national leaders today the same
support I gave him when he was our National president.
There is a time and place for political and philosophical debate.  That
time and place is within our organization, in our local, state and national
meetings.  Those who are irresponsible in either handling their feduciary
duties or in following duly chosen policy no longer deserve positions of
leadership in our movement.  This was the case with Acosta and Nemmers.
Use whatever analogy you wish, I guess, but let's try another.
A militia group takes over an area the size of a state in the U.S. and no
longer affords citizens the protections of our constitution or
representation.  I would hope that our national government would bring all
resources at its disposal to bear on removing these people from their
positions, and restoring those protections to the people in that area.
The same is true for our movement.
Obviously, you need to do some more reading of the literature of our
movement to understand who we are, and why we've come together.  I don't
say this to flame you, but to help you understand what it is you're part
of.  I hope you will take the time to do so.
One last item.  Doctor Jernigan was not fired by the Governor of Iowa or
the Commission board.  He resigned.
The Register articles were promulgated out of a grudge.  The Minneapolis
Society for the Blind was notorious for exploiting blind people in their
sweatshop.
You can read all about it in old Monitors.  Michael Gardner was acquainted
with leadership of that organization, and was used by them to do a hatchet
job on Dr. Jernigan and the Commission.  Mr. Gardner was hoping to use it
as a steppingstone to greater things.  I would suggest to anybody
interested, especially Mr. Smith, that he reread some issues of the Monitor
about the Minneapolis society and the proxy fight, along with other
details, from the mid to late '70's.
There again, blind people were being mistreated by the society, and no
consumers were represented on the Society's board.  We did what we should
have done, and didn't waver.  To say the least, leaders did suffer, but
they did not waver, because they had right on their side.
To bring it up again in the context of this echo, and parrot the slanderous
trash  as fact, is unconscionable for any member of this movement.
Ron, too, should do some more reading before he takes up his pen in such a
manner again.  I hope that he will.
I hope that I have stated this clear enough to cause us all to think about
what we are as a movement, and why we're part of it.
Regards,
Richard Webb,
Electric Spider Productions
Library music, music on hold, voice-overs, jingles & demos.
Email for voice and postal mail contact info.
Amateur call kb0ruu
[The above doesn't necessarily reflect my opinions, since
by the time you read this I may have changed my mind.]
Net-Tamer V 1.08.1 - Test Drive
---
---------------