There was a protest in front of the White House yesterday in which a large crowd of protesters called on the President to support alternatives to nursing homes for the elderly and people with disabilities. Ninety-one of the protesters were arrested and other given citations. Most of the demonstrators were in wheelchairs. Read about it below and see photos and a video.
Disabled American Protesters
Something close to 400 protesters, almost all of which were in wheelchairs, protested in front of the White House yesterday. The angry demonstrators had gathered there from all over the country. They were protesting that Obama has not given support to the Community Choice Act as part of his health care reform package. The bill would amend the Social Security Act in order to provide disabled Americans with the ability to use federal funding to receive community-based care as opposed to having to be admitted to nursing homes.
The crowd chanted, “Shame on you, Obama is a liar! Shame on you, Obama is a liar!”
The demonstrators are members of ADAPT, a disabled rights group. They claim that Barack Obama made campaign promises to them to support the passage of the Community Choice Act, but since he has been in office he has failed to act on his campaign promises. Even worse, they have said that after meeting with White House health care czar Nancy-Ann DeParle, they were not able to secure any commitment from the Obama administration to include the bill in the planned massive health care overhaul.
Protesters chained themselves to a fence and refused to leave until the President fulfilled his campaign promises to them. Police used bolt cutters to cut the chains and arrested 91 of the demonstrators. Others were given citations and dispersed.
Disabled American Protesters - Photos
Disabled American Protesters - Video
April 28th, 2009 at 8:46 am
I am very upset over the apparent ‘lowering of standards’ in today’s world! You run into it every day…people not doing their jobs correctly or fully. No responsibility!!
BUT, I hope when it comes to reporting the news they could AT LEAST get that right! I see it that these protesters received a ‘citation’ and WERE NOT ‘arrested’…which is it?? BIG DIFFERENCE folks!!!
Wow, I hate all of the lying out there anymore … it’s everywhere! Such an INSECURE society.
April 28th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
I think the press issue is valid but so small to the protesters plight and fight. I think the problem with Americans is they don’t care enough about disabled people unless they become disabled them self. Let’s not forget the elderly in this as well. We will all get old and 20% of our population will suffer from a disability. Half of those will be severe. Its wrong how our society dismisses the need for better healthcare. More job opportunities and equal rights. The disabled are discriminated against on so many levels n No1 gives a crap. Until it happens to them. That’s one to grow on.
April 28th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Oh and by the way. A citation is an arrest. An arrest is defined as being charged with a misdemeanor or felony in which you must appear before a judge. Even a ticket is a form of arrest. When you don’t appear in court for your citation that is contempt and/or evading. That is a second charge. Not all arrests are based on handcuffs and jail cells. The problem in our society is that no one educates themselves to fully understand the law or anything for that matter. Everyone is on there own personal mission without knowing what the hell they are talking about.
May 1st, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Despite the ADA and much rhetoric about the rights, needs, and conditions of people with disabilities, we remain as the most impoverished, unemployed, neglected, abused, and illegally treated class in the United States.
Not only is it impossible for many of those with disabilities confined to nursing homes or other facilities to live independently, it is impossible for those with disabilities now living independently to get the in home care, training, transportation and other support services they need to continue to live independently without a daily struggle.
The US now has 1 million people who are disabled by mental illness in jails and prisons. These people are being blamed, charged, and incarcerated for their disabilities in essence. Instead of housing many in State facilities, they have been let go to live independently without adequate support and care and wind up not being housed in a mental facility but in a correctional facility. Is that progress ?
It will take a huge commitment and a huge public education campaign to raise the awareness of the vast majority of the US population about the conditions, needs, and rights of people with disabilities. Until then, it is true for the most part that people do not care about disabilities until they become disabled themselves and it is too late.