Ten year waiting lists...abuse in state schools...where is the outrage? What has happened to our willingness to get fighting mad? In Michael Moore’s most recent documentary “Sicko,” many things stand out, but one question he poses is particularly powerful. Why don’t Americans get outraged enough to do something about the injustices we know exist? What happened to our integrity and our courage?
In countries in Europe, South America and other parts of the world, mass protests take place when the people believe their government is taking them in the wrong direction. Why have we become so complacent, so accepting of the status quo? What happened to our sense of responsibility for righting the wrongs?
As a child in the 60’s I remember the riots in Washington. I could see the smoke of the burning city from across the river where I lived in Virginia. I didn’t really understand at the time how the people could be so angry that they would burn their own city. Now I do. African Americans were rightly outraged at their lack of civil rights and demanded change. They had the courage to risk it all. I also remember the campus riots, especially Kent State. The youth of our country could no longer accept a war that the elite were thrusting on them, a war they didn’t believe in. They were mad enough and had the courage to fight back. They were willing to take risks for what they believed in.
Today, injustice abounds but our reactions are terribly tempered. The tax breaks for the rich, the lack of adequate health care for millions, the young soldiers dying everyday in a war most of us don’t believe in, the genocide in Darfur. Closer to home, we have long waiting lists for services for both children and adults with disabilities, abuse and neglect in our state schools, lack of low income housing,, insufficient accessible transportation and the list could go on. Why are we not fighting mad?
Speaking of injustice, Geraldo Rivera recently did a segment on his show, “Geraldo At Large” featuring a young man, Haseeb Chisty, who resides at the Denton State School. This young man was horrifically beaten on the state school premises by an employee. The injuries and disabilities he sustained in the attack are permanent. A young man who has intellectual disabilities, but could walk and run and enjoy his life, can no longer do so. He now spends his days in a wheelchair and must be fed through a tube in his stomach as a result of the beating. Four years after the incident he remains in the facility where the crime took place. Until just recently, the state had denied Haseeb sufficient home-based community services that would allow him to leave the state school and return home to his family. In four years, no feasible offers of home services were made until Geraldo made Haseeb’s case national news.
Our state spends over $111,000 per year, for each of the 5,000 residents in 13 state schools while more than 80,000 individuals with disabilities are on waiting lists for less expensive community services. Where are the voices of the 80,000 people who are waiting? Where is our outrage and what will it take to bring it back?
We can’t give Haseeb back the life he had, but for his sake and the sake of all our children waiting for services, we can begin to have the courage to stand up, make noise, and challenge the system .
Two things you can do today!
- Contact Lt. Governor Dewhurst to request that he appoint a joint select committee to study the abuse at Texas state schools, as requested by Senators Deuell and Lucio. (512/463-0001)
- Contact your state senator and representative and let them know that people with disabilities are waiting far too long on the Medicaid waiver waiting lists to get the services and supports they need.
For more information, you can contact me at colleen.horton@mail.utexas.edu
Editor’s Note: There are groups who are getting ready now for the next legislative session. If you have time and/or interested in making changes for people with disabilities, I suggest you contact Texas Parent Advocates Consortium. They are a “virtual” group who communicate via email and have an annual rally during the legislative sessions, have about 80 members across Texas, parents of children ages birth through 30, cross disability. To join, email: txpacs-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and explain who you are & why you wish to join. TxP2P also has an advocacy listserv which you can join – just call or email Susan Prior (512-458-8600 or 866-896-6001 or susan.prior@txp2p.org) and ask to join the TxP2P Advocacy Listserv. |
