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Avaleht / Albumid / Nashville - Free Our People Hearings, March 2006 37
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 (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.
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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
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[title] lT’S JUST PLAIN WRONG! Tennessee spends $160 on Nursing Homes for every $1 spent on the community! Community Services cost about 2/3 to 1/2 of institutional services, like nursing homes. Tennessee consistently ranks in the 10 worst states in the nation for its bias toward institutions in long term care. The Supreme Court ruled in 1999 that people have the right to services in the most integrated setting — but Tennessee is ignoring the court. Tennessee is planning to build more institutions for people with developmental disabilities, at $170,000 each, while no nothing goes to community services. TennCare cuts have forced people into nursing homes and other institutions. Some Tennessee Centers for Independent Living have had to create and “Underground Railroad" and move people out of state so they can get community services and not be forced into nursing homes or other institutions. Over 21% of people in Tennessee Nursing Homes (6,700) have told authorities they want to return to living in the community - but the state refuses to help them. AARP recently did a survey of Tennessee voters age 35 and over and found 75% of them want to get long term care services at home, when it is needed; Only 5% said they preferred a nursing home. [Subheading] TENNESSEE CAN DO BETTER! Tell Governor Bredesen and the Tennessee Legislature: Enough is Enough. Tell them you support community services and you want them to do the same.
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.
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[This page continues the article from Image 1645. Full text is available on 1645 for easier reading. ]
Real_People_Real_Voices_2006
Abridged version of testimony on getting out of nursing homes and how that changed people's lives for the better. 7 hours of personal stories were shared by people with many kinds of disabilities at ADAPT hearing in Nashville TN in 2006. This video just includes highlights. Original music by D4Dub and Ballad of Josie Evans sung by Johnny Crescendo.