I was there . . .
Bob Liston
Lansing, 1995
Bob Liston reads his narrative.
ADAPT took on one of the ‘up-n-comer’ Republican governors, the bitter cold of
an unusual October day in Michigan, the betrayal of a disability rights
organization and incredible “multi-hit” targets in October of 1995.
To be quite honest, I was panicked that ADAPT was coming to Lansing, MI, my home
state at the time, for fear that those of us active in ADAPT in Michigan would
somehow let down the group or there wouldn’t be the “action” for a great
national action we had all come to expect. In reality, it was one of the best
actions I have ever been on (with some slight possible bias).
As part of the local leadership team, I was in the advance group driving around
trying to figure out just what we were going to do and how—what were the targets
to hit, and how would that be accomplished.
In advance of ADAPT coming to town, Verna and I had had several conversations
with various folks within the disability community who were not part of, or
particularly supportive of, ADAPT. Our hope was to get as much local support as
possible; as well as get any “inside information” we might be able to. In doing
this, we found out from a “leader of a state disability coalition,” who happened
to live in the same “hood” as the governor, where the Governor’s Mansion was. We
were able to get the address and we scoped out the location.
After our usual trainings and updates on Sunday, on Monday ADAPT set out to
tackle one of the first “double-hits” that I have been involved in. We split the
group in two, about 200 people each, and went to the two largest shopping malls
in the Lansing area. The target? Waldenbooks, which was promoting Gingrich’s
latest book, “To Renew America.” Folks were shuttled in the many vans that we
had, gathering in the parking lots before the malls even opened. Then very
shortly Waldenbooks opened, we all lined up and marched single file into the
malls and flooded the two bookstores.
The only ones moving faster than ADAPT members were the “senior mall-walkers”
and the store managers. These managers were quick to contact their headquarters,
which in turn faxed our demand to Gingrich that he introduce CASA. This was an
additional learning experience for folks, as many people picked up copies of
small books on the US Constitution and Declaration of Independence and read
aloud from them to the rest of the group. We imbedded our rights within
ourselves through these actions. The Waldenbooks hit went so well and so quickly
that we decided we had time for another hit.
Back to the vans, shuttling everyone to a church in the middle of town, just
next to the State Republican Headquarters. Sounds like fun to me. Once all
members got to the location, we swarmed into the Republican Headquarters and
COMPLETELY filled the building—actually quite small, but ADAPT has a way of
packing many wheelchairs into the smallest of areas. The demands—fax Gingrich to
introduce CASA, call Governor Engler and set up a meeting with ADAPT.
The messages were sent, but one of the scariest times for me was when, due to
how crowded we were, one “over-testeroned” young police officer, obviously
terrified at being surrounded by a tightly-packed crowd of crips, tried to force
his way through the building and was pushing people unnecessarily and viciously
out of his way. This caused one young woman from Michigan who worked as a
personal assistant to one of the members to try to protect and defend folks who
were pushed to the ground. Unfortunately, this led to her arrest for allegedly
“assaulting an officer.” Luckily the officer’s supervisor found out about his
roughness from our members as well as his fellow officers and things
de-escalated.
Three hits in one day…quite a feat!
Tuesday was our big test. We decided to go to Engler’s house because he had
refused to meet with us, including not responding to our letter requesting a
meeting that had been sent well in advance of ADAPT coming to Lansing. We were
acting on the “under-cover” information we had been able to gather, and I admit
I was scared to death that it might be the wrong address, which is always a
concern for ADAPT when going to personal residences. As it turned out, my fear
was misdirected. The address was correct, but as I found out later, the person
who gave me the info had a change of heart and ended up calling the Governor’s
office and telling him we were going to be there. But in true ADAPT style, the
“long-term care gods” were watching over us.
We had gathered our hundreds of troops in a park out of sight of the governor’s
house, freezing in the unusual frigid cold spell that had come in overnight. We
headed out in true ADAPT stealth mode at just the right time. I happened to be
up front and as we were getting closer, I turned to Stephanie on one side and
Linda on the other, asking for suggestions about getting through the closed gate
that came into view as we approached. In true ADAPT karmic fashion, just as we
got to the closed gate, as though on cue, a carload of staffers headed away from
the house, opening the slow moving gate - this was our chance! Everyone dashed
for the gate before it closed, some stopping to hold the gate for others. We got
well over 100 people inside the house grounds before the gate finally closed and
the state police arrived.
I happened to be right at the front door, which seemed to be six-inches thick
and solid mahogany or some other VERY hard wood. We knocked on the door,
bruising our knuckles and chanting continuously about getting a meeting with the
Governor until some of his staffers came to the house. They said the governor
would not meet with us, but they offered up other department heads instead.
As hard as that administration tried, their message to the media about us being
“terrorists of the Governor’s triplets” went unheeded by the press because they
were seen being taken out the back door earlier in the day.
By late afternoon, it was obvious that we were not going to get our demands met,
so we lined up and marched off of the Governor’s grounds, right through a
gauntlet of media that had congregated throughout the day. I was the last person
out and have never been so proud in my life. We had pulled it off in Michigan.
On the last day, when the weather turned back to a wonderfully warm fall day, we
marched the two blocks to the state capitol, and after a quick press conference,
ADAPT moved in every direction possible and completely shut down the building.
Folks could not get in or out, except the foolishly determined ones who were
“escaping” through ground floor windows.
This was a very proud day for me as a young friend of mine, who has a cognitive
disability, but strongly believed in what we do, along with his mother for
support, helped take over one of the side doors of the Michigan Capitol and he
held it all day long. I was so proud of his diligence and commitment. At the
same time, toward the end of the day, I experienced the opposite feelings as the
state police forced one door open so the senators could get in and get on the
floor. I watched many legislative friends and usual supporters decide it was
more important to take their seat in the Senate rather than support us and not
cross our line.
One of my less than fond memories of this action is remembering Bob K. and
myself both continually getting out of our chairs and crawling past the police,
only to have them carry us back each time to where we started. It seemed that
every time we got carried back, the lower our pants went (mine at least), which
my wife continues to refer to as the “two bare bobs.”
This particular action was a turning point in my life. It completely changed me
from committing part time to ADAPT and part time to wheelchair tennis to
committing wholly to ADAPT. It also proved to me the old adage—“Keep your
friends close, your enemies closer.” I was so outraged with those members of the
disability community in Michigan who either betrayed our confidence about
hitting the Governor’s house, or who suddenly distanced themselves from our
activism in the media that it took more than a year to get over. The power that
ADAPT Michigan gained as a result of the action, and our overall ADAPT successes
over the years since have left them in the dust, and more than validated every
action we took. It truly set the tone in Michigan for “Nothing About Us Without
Us!”