This post will not be about my day today. I spent almost all of it sleeping. However, I can update folks about some stuff that went down yesterday and last night and today, while I was sleeping.
I don’t think I mentioned how, yesterday, some HUD officials came uot and asked for a meeting with ADAPT leadership, probably because we were making such a ruckus. Word is that HUD told leadership that they could not comply with our list of demands for the following reasons:
1. They believe in incremental change rather than large scale reform (this is the excuse given to every activist in the history of the activism and is really code for “f off things are staying as they are”).
2. They are trying to deal with the hurricane right now (also a bogus reason, our demands were for systems change that can be implemented after hurricane season, all we wanted was a promise for action.)
3. We have a lame duck president (this may be a bit more plausible, but there are still a few months lefts in the administration and at least some of our demands could have been met in that time.)
At the end of the meeting, the HUD officials told our leadership “see you next year.” I’m sure they find it funny that uor people suffer while they sit on their hands and we return each year with our demands, trying to chip away at their opwer structure. I wish we all had time to stay in tent city indefinitely. At least they got some more today. Friends that were at the meeting tell me that the HUD building has thin walls and they heard our chants clear as day. For a time, we will be heard.
Yesterday, there were also 8 or 9 arrests at McCain’s office. 2 ADAPT teams (of 5 I believe) broke off and paid his campaign headquarters a visit. 8 or 9 chair users got through the door before they could lock it and were able to shut down an entire day of fund raising calls with chants. Then police moved in. I am always troubled by how rough the police are with ADAPTers that don’t appear disabled. “TABs” (temporarily able bodied), “uprights,” or “walkies” always get hit the hardest when the police come and it is hard for us to watch or hear about. One friend had his shorts torn up from being dragged.
The word is, there are more arrests today at Sen Dodd’s office. Senator Dodd is a co-sopnsor of Community Choice Act, so I find it strange that he would be an ADAPT target and that they would resopnd with police force. Apparently the arrests were not as violent as at McCain’s office, btu I still fiond it strange that the liberal senator from my home state of Connecticut would be an ADAPT enemy. I trust leadership because I know they use direct action only after many attempts at traditional negotiation, but am I am anxious to hear the story of how this all happened.
DUH City was calm last night. The police were present at our perimeter but everyone stayed cool and they let us spend the evening chatting and joking. It was actualyl quite a beautiful experience, if not exactly what I expected. We ADAPTers enjoyed each other’s company in our home made crip ghetto, talking about politics and love and life. We slept under the stars and were happy. I hope tonight will be the same, but am ready to defend our DUH City with non violent direct action if iot comes to it. This has all been a pretty profound experience.
