- زبانAfrikaans Argentina AzÉrbaycanca
á¥áá áá£áá Äesky Ãslenska
áá¶áá¶ááááá à¤à¥à¤à¤à¤£à¥ বাà¦à¦²à¦¾
தமிழ௠à²à²¨à³à²¨à²¡ ภาษาà¹à¸à¸¢
ä¸æ (ç¹é«) ä¸æ (é¦æ¸¯) Bahasa Indonesia
Brasil Brezhoneg CatalÃ
ç®ä½ä¸æ Dansk Deutsch
Dhivehi English English
English Español Esperanto
Estonian Finnish Français
Français Gaeilge Galego
Hrvatski Italiano Îλληνικά
íêµì´ LatvieÅ¡u Lëtzebuergesch
Lietuviu Magyar Malay
Nederlands Norwegian nynorsk Norwegian
Polski Português RomânÄ
Slovenšcina Slovensky Srpski
Svenska Türkçe Tiếng Viá»t
Ù¾Ø§Ø±Ø³Û æ¥æ¬èª ÐÑлгаÑÑки
ÐакедонÑки Ðонгол Ð ÑÑÑкий
СÑпÑки УкÑаÑнÑÑка ×¢×ר×ת
اÙعربÙØ© اÙعربÙØ©
صفحه اصلی / آلبومها / Nashville - Free Our People Hearings, March 2006 37
ADAPT (1641)
[Headline] Protesters demand at-home health aid [Headline] Hundreds clog Capitol during rush hour, locking in lawmakers, state workers By Trent Seibert Staff Writer Thousands of state workers — and dozens of state legislators— found themselves prevented from retuning home after work yesterday when hundreds of protesters with disabilities descended onto the state Capitol, blocking streets and parking garage exits. The highly organized group included many in wheelchairs. Some carried banners critical of Gov. Phil Bredesen’s approach to health care. Most wore brightly colored ponchos while blocking downtown streets in a mist that hovered over Nashville. Their chief concern: Tennessee is too prone to ship disabled people to nursing homes rather than helping them get care in their own homes. “Just like a nursing home, you can’t get out," the protesters chanted, while many of the 2300 state employees who work in the Tennessee Tower waited in their cars for the protest to disperse. By 6 p.m. Metro police began making arrests on Charlotte Avenue so workers could make their way home. “We want to stay home, not be stored in a warehouse," said Don DuVaul, a 51-year-old West Point, Tenn., man who uses a wheelchair, and a leader in American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today, or ADAPT, the national group that organized the protest “We’re making our voices heard across the state and nation." Many state workers grumbled about the wait At least one state senator approached leaders of the group to inquire about their issues. "This was a little distressing to me when I drove in,” said Sen. Kathryn Bowers, D—Memphis.“But sometimes it takes something like this to get someone's attention." Bowers said she would take a list of the protesters’ demands to Bredesen, including a reversal of all TennCare cuts that either “resulted or will result in disabled and older Tennesseans being removed from their homes and forced into nursing homes” Bredesen did not retum a call seeking comment It was unclear by yesterday evening how long the activists would stay. If their demands are not met. “I guess we'll do it again," said Bruce Darling, 42. of Rochester. N.Y. [PICTURE] Conswella Padgett chants with olher protesters blocking Charlotte Avenue. Protesters in wheelchairs blocked several intersections around the state Capitol, not allowing state employees to leave work. [PICTURE] Tim Wheat is handcuffed and carried off by police.
ADAPT (1645)
[Headline] Group takes protest to the streets Dozens of demonstrators arrested afler protesting for about seven hours near state Capitol A group of about 500 protesters. demanding more dollars for homebased health care services and an audience with Gov. Phil Bredesen, blockaded several intersections around the state Capitol Monday, disrupting downtown traffic for at least seven hours as about 80 of them were arrested. “Just like a nursing home — you can’t get out,” protesters fiom the national advocacy group ADAPT chanted outside of Legislative Plaza at the intersection of Sixth Avenue and Deaderick Street. The plaza houses many state lawmakers and their staffers. The protesters, many of whom were disabled and coming from across the country to attend the demonstration, were advocating that Tennessee give its citizens more choices, and dollars, on whether to be in a nursing home or receive medical care actually in their homes. “What do we want? Freedom! When do we want it? Now!” they chanted. To spread that message, the protesters requested a meeting with Bredesen, but the governor’s oflice dismissed those requests, adding that the protest’s organizers had endangered the disabled demonstrators by exposing them to Monday's frigid temperatures. “This is a national professional protest group and (Monday’s) action is an extreme publicity stunt that has created a serious disruption to downtown businesses and state employees,” said Bredesen spokeswoman Lydia Lenker. But while that “serious disruption“ took place, Metro Police, joined by a few troopers from the Tennessee Highway Patrol, allowed the protesters to block the streets from about 12:30 p.m. until about 5:40 p.m. Metro's decision lefl some state lawmakers, many of whom arrived in Nashville Monday. upset because the access to their parking garage in Legislative Plaza was blocked. “(Metro’s) scared of (the protesters).“ said Sen. Tim Burchett (R-Knoxville). “They're all gutless." Tim Wheat, a resident from Boulder, Colo. is the first protester to be arrested Monday by Metro Nashville Police Then, Metro Police decided enough was enough. At 5:40 p.m., a Metro Police officer announced to the intersection of Eighth and Charlotte avenues that anyone obstructing the roadways would be arrested, and they were. Some protesters then cleared the road, while others lingered in the middle of the street, blocking eager state employees’ cars from going home, all the while being cheered on by on-looking demonstrators. “Our home — not a nursing home,” they chanted. The Eighth and Charlotte avenues blockade caused dozens, if not more than 100, cars of state employees to be delayed rom leaving work. Some state employees wondered why they were being targeted by the protesters since they lack a direct public policy choice on home-based care. “I think they are trying to get the message to the wrong people,” said state employee John Douglas, who sat waiting in his car, which was blocked by others hoping to exit onto Charlotte. “I just want to go home.” A few of the bolder demonstrators actually laid down in front of state employees’ cars to plead for their cause. Those, and a few others who blatantly ignored Metro Police, were arrested at the intersection of Eighth and Charlotte. Metro then proceeded to the other intersections to see if other protesters were blocking the roadways. At about 8 p.m., state employees in Legislative Plaza were told they could go home. The demonstrators, many of whom said they wanted to be arrested, got their wish. At 8:30 p.m., Metro Police officers on the scene said about 80 to 90 protesters have been issued citations for blocking roadways. About seven to 10 of those were actually taken into custody, with one being charged with assault. A small group of about 40 demonstrators remained, huddled under what shelter was available while a cold drizzle smattered their ponchos.
ADAPT (1640)
[This page continues the article from Image 1645. Full text is available on 1645 for easier reading. ]
ADAPT (1619)
ADAPT (1620)
ADAPT (1622)
USA TODAY WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2006 3A [image] [image caption]. By John Russell, AP [Headline] Disabled people protest [Subheading] Day 2 of Tenn. demonstration: Police arrest Crosby King near the Capitol in Nashville. About 30 people were arrested after disabled activists blocked streets to protest the state's long-term health care program.
ADAPT (1627)
ADAPT (1631)
ADAPT (1644)
3 www.tennessean.com The Tennesseean Wednesday, March 22, 2006 3A Nation From Page 1A Police officials said they did not know of the roadblocking plans of the activists, who are members of the group American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today, or ADAPT. Nor did they make arrangements for wheelchair-accessible vans and buses to be used right at rush hour to arrest large numbers of ADAPT protesters Those vehicles didn't show up until later in the day. Metro Police Chief Ronal Serpas yesterday called the groups roadblocking “spontaneous,” and said in e-mail to The Tennessean that Metro “had no forewarning that this was going to be their behavior.” The ADAPT members. in town for a national meeting, made a mess of Monday afiemoon traffic for state workers by using themselves and their wheelchairs to block several key intersections around the Capitol. The streets they chose effectively boxed in drivers in several parking ‘garages and large surface lots designated for state workers. The Tennessee Tower, for instance, in the heart of the protest zone, is the workplace for 2,300 people. Many state workers left work late —- and angry. Secretary Carolyn Newman said she needed medicine at home that she takes for her epilepsy. “At 7:30, I was beginning to get a little frightened." she said She said she asked the protesters to let her leave and they refused That was stunning, she said. because the group was hurting many of the rank-and-file workers who joined state govemment to help people Now, this group was preventing many from picking up children at day care, catching planes, or getting medicine. ‘They said, ‘We don't have our medicine, either,‘ " Newman said. “Don't they know we are the people up here helping people?" The group blocked only one street yesterday, Charlotte Avenue, in front of the Capitol It prevented no workers from leaving Meanwhile, Metro officials appeared more prepared to make arrests yesterday and had the equipment on hand they needed to cart away numerous people in wheelchairs Starting at 4:30 p.m., police arrests began- 44 in all. On Monday, the people blocking the streets couldn’t be arrested because Metro had no way to carry them to jail until traflic had been blocked for hours. “In order to accomplish mass physical arrests of wheelchair bound individuals, we would need specially equipped vans and vehicles such as those used by MTA and the school system,” Serpas said. ‘These vehicles were in use and were not available until late in the day.” ADAPT has chalked up a history of civil disobedience since its founding in 1983, and has gotten results: The group was crucial in getting wheelchair lifts installed on buses nationwide. The group, which has offices in Austin, Texas, and Denver, has chapters throughout the US, including Tennessee, and can mobilize activists to meet at cities to protest for the rights of those who have disabilities — and, at times, get arrested doing so. indeed, almost a year to the day after the Tennessee State Capitol shutdown, the group, using wheelchairs, canes and bodies, blocked a budget committee room at the Colorado state Capitol in Denver. Protesters stayed until a lawmaker agreed to listen to their demands Also last year, the group staged similar actions in two Pennsylvania cities, Lebanon and the capital, Harrisburg And 104 ADAPT members were arrested in September when they occupied congressional offices in Washington The protesters’ point, the group said, was to show people what it is like to have trouble going from place to place. “People have ignored us," said protester Bob Kafka, 60, from Austin, Texas. “You don't understand the urine, the feces, the bedsores.” In the 1993 Nashville protest about 100 members of the group were arrested at the Opryland Hotel They tried entering the hotel to confront officials of the American Health Care Association, a national nursing home group that was meeting there A news release from the group on March3 announcing its meeting in Nashville — to listen to testimony — alluded to civil disobedience. It said “People have been asking me. ‘Why Nashville?" as the site for this hearing,‘ wrote Randy Alexander, Tennessee ADAPT organizer. ‘I tell them, where better? After all, Tennessee has a history of being the site of some of this country's seminal civil rights demonstrations'“ [image] [image caption] Blocked in. Protesters from the group ADAPT barred state workers from getting out of downtown Monday evening after shutting off key key intersections near parking garages for major state office complexes. [image] [image caption] Protesters from American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today, or ADAPT, block Charlotte Avenue yesterday. Metro police brought in buses to carry many of the protesters to jail. Sanford Myers/ Staff
ADAPT (1646)
[Headline] Protest shuts down downtown [image] [image caption] Members of the health care group ADAPT block streets demanding a meeting with the governor and creating havoc for drivers. Page 3 [boxed text] Is blocking traffic a valid way to protest? Vote online at Nashvillepaper.com
ADAPT (1618)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2006 [Headline] State, Metro feud over protesters BY JOHN RODGERS jrodgers@nashvillecitypaper.com While more health care demonstrators were arrested downtown Tuesday, a high-ranking state official and Metro Police traded blame over the disruptive protests that occurred Monday. The dispute between interim Department of Safety Commissioner Gerald Nicely and Metro Police occurred after Nicely sent an e-mail to state employees Tuesday morning. Nicely's e-mail expressed appreciation to state employees for their "patience" Monday evening while they were being blocked by the demonstrators from leaving work. And he said the Metro Police Department knew about Monday's disruptive protests in advance. "Metro Nashville Police — which has sole jurisdiction over all city roads — was well aware that they were coming and well-versed in the actions they planned to take," Nicely wrote. "The traffic tie-ups you experienced [Monday] evening were a Metro issue." Metro Police officials, however, deny they ever knew anything about the protests and deny that their department met with state government in "planning meetings" prior to the demonstrations, an allegation Nicely states in the e-mail. "I know what the facts are" said Metro Police Chief Ronal Serpas. "The fact is that all afternoon [Monday], no one had any idea that this was going to be their behavior [Monday] afternoon." In addition, Metro Police spokesman Don Aaron pointed out that the demonstrators secured a state permit to protest at Legislative Plaza, which perhaps alerted the state to the situation. Serpas said he had not spoken with Nicely Tuesday. But when asked if Metro was doing anything to refute Nicely's e-mail, Serpas responded, "It's being worked on." "The facts didn't matter to him [Monday] when he wrote it," Serpas said. Nicely, who also serves as com-missioner of the Department of Transportation, could not be reached for additional comment Tuesday. While the protesters blocked several intersections Monday, they returned for a second day to block Charlotte Avenue in the shadow of the state Capitol. This time, however, they were not granted the same leniency as they were the first day. Monday, about 500 protesters from the group ADAPT were allowed to blockade several down-town intersections for about five hours before Metro Police started arresting the demonstrators, who were advocating for an audience with Gov. Phil Bredesen to express opposition to nursing homes and support of home-based health care. [image] [image caption] Todd Jackson uses a megaphone to lead a chant on Monday. Photo by Josh Anderson Tuesday, as soon as about 30 protesters blockaded Charlotte Avenue to state the same message, Metro Police started arresting the roughly 30 protesters, most of them disabled and in wheelchairs. "We accommodated them [Monday,]" Aaron said. "The message is out. This is totally unnecessary [Tuesday]." And this time, Metro took all of the demonstrators into custody. In contrast, about 70 citations were issued Monday while about only seven to 10 demonstrators were arrested. Bredesen's office denied meeting requests both Monday and Tuesday, saying ADAPT's move was a "publicity stunt." On Monday, some lawmakers were critical of Metro's allowing the protetsers to block the intersections for several hours. One of them, state Sen. Tim Burchett (R-Knoxville), called Metro's leadership "gutless" Monday. In response, Aaron didn't reference Burchett by name, but said "the lawmaker who has been overly critical from another city in Tennessee" had not been in police work before.
ADAPT (1617)
[This page continues the article from Image 1618. Full text is available on 1618 for easier reading.]
ADAPT (1655)
ADAPT (1656)
[Headline] Real People-Real Voices ADAPT has come to Nashville, Tennessee to document the impact of the institutional bias in the American long term care system on the lives of REAL PEOPLE. Tennessee highlights the failure of policy makers in our state and federal governments to bring REAL CHOICES to people with disabilities and their families who are in need of long term services and sup-ports to live in the community. ADAPT's Day of Testimony will record "Real Voices" of "Real People" who have experienced the isolation of be-ing warehoused in the institutions of the United States. These REAL VOICES will provide evidence of the need to reform the institutionally biased long term care system. Their voices must be heard and no longer be ignored by our State Legislatures and Congress. [Subheading] Sponsors Permobil Inc Tennessee Disability Coalition SEIU Delta Resource Center for Independent Living Arc of Tennessee Nashville Peace and Justice Coalition Special Thanks to the AAPD for providing Sign-Language Interrupters. [Subheading] Schedule 9:30 am Introduction of the National Panel 10:00 Lois Curtis Introduced by Cassie James Johnny Crescendo--Josie 10:30 Testimony – Tennessee 12:15 pm Diane Coleman – Free Our People! 1:00 Testimony – National 2:30 Break 3:00 Testimony National 4:45 Closing Stephanie Thomas Johnny Crescendo—Tear Down The Walls. Panelists: American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), ADAWatch, National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), National Council on Disability (NCD), Department of Health and Human Services-Office on Disabilities www.adapt.org
ADAPT (1657)
Testimony [ADAPT logo] Randy Alexander, Tennessee Glen Barnhill, Tennessee James Boyd, Tennessee Marvin Boyd, Tennessee Kurt Breslaw, Colorado Tameka Caleb, Pennsylvania Mike Clark, Kansas Connie Cummings, Ohio Sheila Dean, Colorado Margaret Peggy Dougherty, Pennsylvania Phyllis ElDahouk, Maryland Earl Ellison, Tennessee Bob Fesel, New Jersey Kari Foland, Georgia Roberta Gallant, NH Cathy Garber, Utah John Gladstone, Pennsylvania Oneda C Gordon, Georgia Dawn M. Green, Wisconsin Teresa Grove, Illinois Ken Hauser, New Jersey Charlie 'Buddie" Homiller, PA Rick James, Colorado Jeffrey Johnson, Wisconsin Chris Jones, Tennessee Rick Leotard, Colorado Devoe Mack, Colorado Lori Marabry, Tennessee Michelle McCandless, PA Mike McCarty, Colorado Frank McColm, Colorado Linda Merkle, Maryland Albert Metz, Texas Angela Miller, Washington DC Richard Miller, New York Samuel Mitchelle, Georgia Shelly Perrin, New York Daniel Remick, Wisconsin Elizabeth Richter, Connecticut Dorothy Ruffin, Pennsylvania Larry Ruiz, Colorado Eileen "Spitfire" Sabel, PA Danny Saenz, Texas Steve Schaefer, Illinois Rebecca Schefer, New Jersey Dane Scotin, Georgia Jean Searle, Pennsylvania Dan Smith, Utah Gene Spinning, New York Rance Stewart, Tennessee Floyd Stewart, Jr., Tennessee Pam Stover, New York Gordon Sunny, Indiana Greg Sutton, Georgia Mike Taylor, Tennessee Daryl Teague, Pennsylvania Zella Tegtmeier, Texas James JT Templeton, Texas Lype Vasquez, Texas Erik Von Schmetterling, PA Sarah Wendell, Vermont Jamie Ziegler, Illinois [next page] ADAPTs Day of Testimony Documenting the Institutional Bias in the American Long Term Care System. Real People, Real Voices Sunday, March 19, 2006 Nashville, Tennessee Hilton Hotel Volunteer Ballroom [ADAPT logo]