Thank you so much for your response. Of course, I was not present at the
event and can only respond to all of the material about it which I received.
But there is one issue that seems to come up repeatedly when groups want to
express their first amendment rights by demonstrating which often means,
disrupting an event. It has become common practise for official bodies to
designate areas where they deem it acceptable for groups to demonstrate.
Invariably, these areas are far enough away from the main action so that the
demonstration will not disrupt the formal planned activities. I understand
why officials don't want their speeches and ceremonies disrupted. But the
point of demonstrations is to be disruptive. People carrying signs and
chanting in the distance, behind barriers, doesn't truly reach the public
consciousness nor the consciences of the officials being demonstrated
against. It's like saying to someone, "You have freedom of speech, but only
in that room over there with the door locked so no one can truly hear you".
Demonstrators, who are considered by the powers that be to be well behaved,
have never accomplished anything in this country. The people who wanted to
desegregate lunch coungters, did not carry signs about their goal in a march
across the street from the lunch counters. They sat down precisely where no
one wanted them to sit.
Miriam Vieni
-----Original Message-----
From: Sara Grivetti [mailto:sara@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, October 05, 2015 10:25 AM
To: Miriam Vieni
Subject: RE: Disabled People, Democracy, and sheltered workshops
Miriam,
Thank you for your e-mail.
To clarify, the event you are referencing below was designed to be a
peaceful event to celebrate successes since the passage of the ADA, educate
the attendees of the event on how far we still have to go for full enactment
of the ADA and encourage people to advocate for their rights. The protesters
were more than welcome to attend the event, and many did. However the
Facilities Management of the Michigan Capitol does not allow
counter-protests in the direct vicinity of an already scheduled event.
Therefore, many protesters were requested by the Facilities Manager to
remain behind a barrier, yet still on the Capitol property, if they wanted
to shout their message and potentially disrupt the event speakers and
performers.
The organization I represent is Disability Network/Michigan. We represent
the collective voice of Michigan's Centers for Independent Living, and are
opposed to the continued use of segregated settings, including segregated
employment setting, and have been advocating for many years to promote
competitive and integrated employment for people with disabilities.
I hope this e-mail clarifies that our event was open to everyone who wanted
to attend.
Regards,
Sara Grivetti
-----Original Message-----
From: Miriam Vieni [mailto:miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2015 2:51 PM
To: Sara Grivetti
Subject: Disabled People, Democracy, and sheltered workshops
I am a 78 year old blind New Yorker, a graduage of the University of
Michigan School of Social Work, and a retired social worker. I am writing
to register my distress at your refusal to allow disability rights advocates
to demonstrate their disapproval of Michigan's sheltered workshop policies
and its disregard of the rights and needs of disabled citizens. I was a
child and young adult at a time when agencies and schools saw themselves as
custodians of the disabled and when we, the disabled population, had to
plead and beg for accomodations which would make it possible for us to live
useful lives. I had hoped that in 2015, we were now seen as peers with equal
rights to the fully abled population, and that it was understood that we had
a right to make the case for equal treatment and accessibility.
Miriam Vieni
242 Maple Ave. #202
Westbury, Ny 11590