Blog September 28, 2015 – – Monday
I have never been part of a national
action before so I was really not sure what to expect. Oh, I have
been part of the local action scene years ago when we were striving
to make the local bus system accessible to people with disabilities
i.e. people in wheelchairs. In the past we have posted regional
actions where agitator/activists from other states have come to Utah
and we staged actions again for access to the local bus system as
well as local Medicaid trying to increase options for folks with
disabilities specifically dental and increase the Medicaid allotment
checks. And again, that is bringing into the community for five
people maybe a few more were supposed to be pros at direct
confrontation advocacy – – nonviolent see Martin Luther King. But
a national action that's way different. A national action is bringing
in as many people as possible and staging numerous actions over
numerous days.
Yesterday was the beginning of a
national action here in Salt Lake City from what I can tell the goal
of this action is to bring an awareness to the local electorate and
governor and other type bureaucrats up and down the food chain of the
need for more choice for people who are destined to live in nursing
homes against their well. As far as I can tell this action is being
hosted by the local DRAC folks, DRAC is what the local ADAPT became,
In my affiliation with the local Independent living Center I was
fairly active in ADAPT . In my Association with the local ADAPT I
found this organization and its affiliates to be a bit scatterbrained
but their motives are honest and true. Yesterday was the kickoff
event I wanted to be part of it for host of reasons but mainly to
show my support for local ADAPT and Barbara Toomer who is been the
director of this is that for years directly and indirectly.
In honesty I was a bit reticent I
didn't figure a lot of them show up is going to be another failed
project however I was surprised I got to the hotel saw how many folks
with disabilities had shown up. There may have been 100 or more which
is a lot when you think about It. Sadly there were only three or four
folks from Utah in the delegation. They have published the wrong
times and so I thought I had our before the events and actually there
were staging to begin event as I roll their. There is government
action role basically a serpentine wheelchairs from the hotel at 161
W. 600 S. six blocks north to the state capital. Utah has huge blocks
and that is a whole other story. I was really quite spooked at not
knowing if my chair would make the
roller not is not only do you traverse 6 to 8 blocksBut the last 2 to
3 blocks ours the uphill to the state capital. I was with my buddy
Andy was the director of a local Independent living Center here in
the state was a quadriplegic similar to me. And he has pretty good
upper mobility are in the line and pushes a manual chair Andy is also
a big lad and I knew this is going to be a near fatal push For Andy.
We started out and I was included in
the red group just the first group Barbara Toomer's group at The Head
the of the line. We were to roll in a tight single file line,
serpentine they had disability cowboys rolling up and down the street
to make sure we stayed in line. It was a okay experience a little
short of horrible but it was a long role. Andy held on to my chair
for a while trend give us aid but finally had to disengage is
restarted the upgrade. I made it to the top with about 60% charge but
I knew that would deplete quickly trying to get down the hill to
train a bus that I can use. I ended up calling Ute cab Became got me
and drove a couple blocks to the train for less than five bucks – –
I love this service.
ADAPT will be in town for the next 3 to
4 days and will be having actions during those days. I kind it would
like to take advantage of being part of his national action but my
power chair just is too painful and I still wait to see if the new
chair will be repaired it's all a challenge. I'll keep you informed
if there's any changes
