[HPN] Fw: Protesters at Bush Mansion.

[Thomas Cagle]

From: Justice For All Moderator <jfa@metrocil.mwcil.org>
To: justice@jfanow.org <justice@jfanow.org>
Date: Monday, February 14, 2000 23:21
Subject: Protesters at Bush Mansion.


          
                      Justice For All

                      jfa@jfanow.org

                 Protesters at Bush Mansion 

PRESS CONFERENCE AT COURTHOUSE ANNEX

DISABLED PROTESTERS APPEAR FOR PROTEST AT BUSH MANSION

The 17 disabled protesters who were arrested at the 
Governor's mansion last February head to court on 
Tuesday February 15th at the Travis County Courthouse 
Annex.  At 12:30 pm they will hold a press conference in 
the courtyard between the Annex and the Courthouse at 
11th and San Antonio Sts.

The 17 were among those protesting Governor Bush's 
states rights stance in opposition to the federal civil 
rights law the Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA.  
Governor Bush, despite repeated pleas from the 
disability community, refused to take Texas' name off a 
Supreme Court amicus brief filed on behalf of states in 
the case Olmstead vs. LC and EW.  Although 25 states 
originally had signed onto the amicus brief, all but 
seven eventually removed their names.  Texas, under 
Bush's leadership, was one of the seven who staunchly 
refused to give up their pro-states rights, and anti-
civil rights stance.

Ultimately the Supreme Court ruled, in June of 1999, 
that the state of Georgia discriminated against the 
plaintiffs LC and EW by unnecessarily segregating them 
in institutions even though the state's own experts had 
said the two women would be better served in community 
settings.  The Olmstead decision, as it has come to be 
called, is considered by many the Brown vs. Board of 
Education for the millions of Americans who are 
unnecessarily segregated in institutions, nursing homes 
and similar large congregate facilities.

According to the Health and Human Services Commission, 
as of September 1, 1999 there are 98,000 disabled 
Texans in institutions.

"If the right to liberty is not worth protesting over, 
it is hard to imagine what is" said protester Stephanie 
Thomas.  "Almost a decade after passage of the ADA, 
thousands of Texans still can not exercise that right 
because this state refuses to do the right thing."

"I was in a state school for 30 years" added JT 
Templeton.  "Now I live in my own home, with attendant 
services.  I fight for others to be able to be free."

Bob Kafka/Stephanie Thomas     
512-442-0252 or 512-482-8543

--
Fred Fay
Chair, Justice For All
jfa@jfanow.org
http://www.jfanow.org                    

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