50 disabled protesters arrested at governor's meeting

ST. LOUIS, August 10th - The American grassroots disability rights group ADAPT today concluded three days of protests at the annual conference of the National Governors Association (NGA) in St. Louis. Over 150 disabled activists from across the USA were participating in a protest against the NGA's preference of institutions over community based services.

ADAPT's demands, if implemented, would result in the implementation of the "most integrated setting" requirement of the American with Disabilities Act. The NGA has filed an amicus brief in opposition of this requirement.

Governor Jesse Ventura of Minnesota. (Photo NGA)

Four individuals, demands in hand, got out of their wheelchairs and attempted to deliver a message to the Governors, but the hundreds of police encircling the NGA conference location stopped the delivery.

The only Governor who spoke with ADAPT was Jesse Ventura of Minnesota (photo), who assured ADAPT members he would attempt to set up a meeting between ADAPT and the NGA.

50 arrested on first day

"I would rather go to jail than to die in a nursing home" was the chant which echoed through downtown St. Louis, as 50 members of the disability rights group ADAPT were arrested on the night of August 8th.

"A nursing home and a jail are very similar," said ADAPT organizer Michelle Steiger of St. Louis, "it's mainly that in jail your sentence has and end, while in a nursing home too often the only way out is a pine box. I've been in both jail and a nursing home was lucky I got out of there with my life!"

On the third and last protest day, 33 disabled protesters were arrested.

Related story
	Texas disability activists arrested over independent living protest (February 2, 1999)

Integration and Real Choice

Except challenging the NGA to support the most integrated setting requirement in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), ADAPT also wants to work with the NGA to implement the recent Supreme Court ruling in "Olmstead v. LC & EW".

In Olmstead v. LC & EW, the Supreme Court ruled for the first time in history that states must follow the ADA's integration requirement when they deliver ongoing long term community services and supports. The Court stated, "unjustified placement or retention of persons in institutions, severely limiting their exposure to the outside community, constitutes a form of discrimination.

ADAPT also wants the NGA to support national legislation, MiCASSA that would change the institutional bias of the current Medicaid long term care delivery system.

Equal opportunity

Michelle Steiger stated: "People with disabilities, young or old, want an equal opportunity to live in the community. We demand integration and real choices. The NGA has taken a position that would have taken away our civil rights. We are saying: `DON'T TREAD ON THE ADA'".

"Where do you want to spend your later years," asked Michelle, "in your own home, or stuck away in an institution?"