not "practicably possible" month after month. You seem to be threatening us by saying that you will carry out your "reassessment" only when you are assured that an atmosphere "conducive to calm reasoned deliberation has been established." It you are saying that the blind have no right to urge you to cease your association with NAC and that (regardless of the right or wrong of the matter) you will not cease that association unless the blind promise to be "good," you have failed to understand the temper of the blind or the climate of the times. Yes, we think Recording for the Blind has done good and constructive work. However, we think you behaved irresponsibly in seeking accreditation from NAC, and we think there is no disgrace in admitting it. In fact, quite the contrary. If you wait a little longer, your deliberations and investigations will be unnecessary, for NAC will be dead-and the blind of the nation will doubtless remember accordingly. Until such time as NAC's death occurs, the atmosphere is not likely to be "conducive to calm reasoned deliberation." In view of the tone of your letter I am not sure why you wrote it at all. The blind of the nation wish Recording for the Blind well and think highly of its work, but we also wish it to get out of NAC since NAC does damage to the lives of the blind. Surely this is not an unreasonable attitude, or one that is difficult to understand. You have the data and the evidence, and we know that you have it. Further, you know that we know that you have it. Therefore, we await your decision and hope that you will work with us, not against us. After all, your avowed purpose is to help the blind, not fight us. Very truly yours, KENNETH JERNIGAN, President. Mr. LEHMAN. Thank you, all three of you-Mr. Krents, Mr. Carothers, and Mr. Gashel. Your testimony was certainly interesting, and it brought to my attention questions that I didn't even know existed, and it has certainly been informative. I don't feel that I should get involved with the question of jurisdiction of the different agencies that deal with the problems of blind, but I just want to let you know they will be cognizant of them as this bill works its way through the legislative process, that we will certainly keep in mind all the implications, the comments, and the concerns that you gentlemen showed us today. As far as the kind of amendment that you are proposing. I really can't comment on that, but I will be happy to take a look at it and see just how we do or do not involve such language in the bill. If there are no other comments, and the timing is perfect, I am on my way to the quorum call, which I hope is the last week of legislation this year, barring the callback because of the Presidential vetoes. Thank you for coming. [Whereupon, the subcommittee adjourned at 12:15 p.m.] |