[Headline] SHOWDOWN ON PARADISE !
What happens when you combine over 400 ADAPT folks from
34 states, 10,000 plus AHCA (American Health Care Association)
members, a hotel that is still smarting from the Tenderhook scandal, and the raw energy of Las Vegas? Well, ADAPT hit the jackpot!

ADAPT's annual protest at the AHCA nursing home lobby group's
October 2 -7, 1994 convention was a great success. Three great days of actions, record numbers of ADAPT folks from more places, 486 arrests for acts of civil disobedience show that despite Health Care Reform's set backs, our momentum continues to grow.

[Subheading] THEY FEEL THE HEAT

AHCA tried to buy us off with a promise to support the idea of a
national attendant services program, but refused to include anything about redirection or other funding for such a program. (ADAPT hasn't just fallen off the turnip truck, and wouldn't fall for that old trick; services without funding -- equal no service.) Even as they tried to "negotiate", however, AHCA -- true to form —was conniving behind the scenes. Behind closed doors AHCA worked from day one to try and get a court injunction to stop ADAPT's protests.

[Subheading] DON'T GAMBLE WITH OUR LIVES

Just to raise the tension, Monday evening, a group of 25 ADAPT folks went over to the Hilton, where AHCA was staying, to mingle and "welcome" the convention-goers. AHCA was horrified to have to brush elbows with ADAPT.

[Subheading] FLUSH AHCA ROYALLY

Protests began Tuesday, October 4, 1994 with a march on AHCA. In single file, the troops marched down Paradise Street to the front of the Hilton, where we held a press conference explaining why ADAPT was in Las Vegas. Mark Johnson laid out ADAPT's demand: that 25% of Medicaid dollars currently going to nursing homes some $60 Billion is be redirected to fund home and
community-based attendant services. Then Cecil Rawlins and Monique Alexander spoke of their own experience with the personal cost of warehousing people. Cecil, who is dying to get out of a nursing home, spoke of the loss of dignity, liberty and hope. Monique, a vent user who recently has moved from a nursing home to her own apartment, spoke of the sense of freedom and worth she has found since she has her own home.

After the press conference the march continued on down Paradise to the Las Vegas Convention Center. For hours MICA members had to file past ADAPT's protest, confronted by the wrath of those they allegedly "care" for ADAPT, with chants and signs, held AHCA accountable for their oppression of people with disabilities.

[Subheading] RAISING THE ANTE

A pre-selected group of 75 people eventually left the larger group to deliver the resolution ADAPT has asked AHCA to address since 1990. Marching down the main drive, ADAPT brushed past
Convention Center officials who feebly tried to stop us. There was a rush on the doors which, surprisingly, were not locked. Many managed to get inside before security started to tussle and block.
Eventually all were arrested but not before some confronted AHCA establishment inside.

That evening a small group again slipped over to the Hilton to remind the AHCA folks of whose lives were being spent to
fund AHCA's fun.

[Image]
[Image caption] Diane Coleman, Alfredo Juarez and Alfonso Williams cry out for justice. Photo: Tom Olin

[Subheading] A SQUARE DEAL

Day two we used a Nashville technique, as all 400 ADAPT folks marched down in front of the Hilton and took over the crosswalks at Paradise and Riviera, the intersection right in front of the
Hilton. Old-time ADAPT member Rev. Willie Smith mastered a brief ceremony in honor of those who had escaped from nursing homes, those who had died there and those who were still
locked away. We erected a giant cross and hung a wheelchair from it to symbolize the sacrifice of lives of people with disabilities, young and old, for a nursing home industry which cares only for the profits to be milked.

[Subheading] VEGAS ACTION
The traffic snarl spread and spread, admittedly an inconvenience for the Las Vegas public, but a minor inconvenience compared with what people with disabilities have gone through just to try and live in their own homes.

Eventually the cops moved a They pulled on their latex gloves preparing for arrest, only to find ADAPT pulling on our latex gloves equally prepared. Over 200 people were arrested.

[Subheading] ALOHA AHCA

The last day ADAPT returned to the Las Vegas Convention Center. A little man littered the driveway as he tried to pass out court orders AHCA had gotten that morning forbidding ADAPT from going into the Convention Center. Again the cross was erected, ADAPT rallied and MICA members had to pass right by their ADAPT "fans" to get from one part of the convention to another. ADAPT had learned AHCA's next party designation was Hawaii so we all waived our leis as they skittered by. On a designated signal three groups moved out to the edges of the Convention property and simultaneously blocked each of the driveways to the Convention Center. Another 200 were arrested that day.

After processing, ADAPT went back into the Hilton to visit the one and two armed bandits.


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Tuesday 16 July 2013

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Friday 13 September 2019

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