The Beautiful People

Zen Garcia

Praise the Most High
I have found others
united in voice
passioned in struggle
attentive ear cast
to suffering cries
of brothers and sisters
thrown away
dying
in cruel institutions

Strangely familiar
merging with others from afar
righteous cause
to impact a little history
with the Dead
it was the same kind
of motley hippie crowd
familiar Colorado plates

On lot
the DEA
in the streets
Atlanta's finest
briefed in how to arrest
people with disabilities
seems they're expecting
a little rowdiness
hate to let them down

Rally up International
to Olympic Centennial Park
where the bombing occurred
terrorizing peace time games
awesome spectacle indeed
a long slanking single row of wheelchairs
snaking to horizon view
mantric chants
cries for justice
a serpent of energy
breeds life
scaled in
fluorescent signs
inked in logos
promoting
rage for order

ADAPT poised in
strange tenselike anxiety
excitement
anger enflamed
for passioned cause

The theme
common sense
give people back their lives
options opportunities
right to life
and freedom of choice
at the same time
save the government
millions of dineros
salvaging
Medicaid
need for Welfare Reform

We knew this
in whatever way
we came to know
what mattered now
is that we knew
we were going
to do something
about it

And Newt was already scared
having heard ADAPT was in town
he evasively decided on
meeting with delegates
before more focus
was thrown his way
trying to prevent possibly
a siege of this regional offices
or home in Marietta
memories of Michigan
haunted his mind

A few met with him
and came back with words
we've heard before
same promises
good for a day
see where it goes from here

II Family

ADAPT was amazing
the Brotherhood,
Sisterhood
Familyhood
of all peoples gathered
beautiful stories
with beautiful friends
Deidre Wayne Weasle Grace

One man
blind to sight
perceptual expressions
knowing others by voice alone
He the personal assistant
hands
and means to action
of another man
equally as large
paralyzed from neck down

Trading hand for eyes
rooted in brotherhood
one pushes
one voices the way
together
they make their path through history

III. Gathering

Strategic effort
insight
created
the merging of forces
such as these
ADAPT
united in voice
with DNC
The AHCA
in town at the same time
let's have some fun

86 arrested at the DNC
after laying siege
to Congressional Headquarters
though not
Presidentially approved

Quick response
heard
as Presidential aide
flew in from afar
to assess the situation
word came from Air Force 1
Bill voicing promises for CASA
and long term care choices
wide media coverage
locked his words
to history

This would be a week
of staying up all night
waiting for buses
to take us to jail
overwhelmed as they were
by the sheer numbers
and complications

In the morning
sunrise
to a caravan of vans
awaiting our release
quick jaunts
back to the Hotels
for re-gathering
emerging
to loud applause
and shouts of praise

Warriors
returned from battle
needing food and sleep and dreams
to do it all again

There for the aftermath
100 or so
were locked up
in the take-over
of Memorial Drive
500+ in wheelchairs
swarming with friends
cameras flashing
3 hours
before polls were to close

Mid-afternoon traffic
shutdown completely
among wild cries of dissent
4 lanes of freeway goers
blockaded
unable to budge an inch
or do a thing about it
their secure little lives disrupted
by a forced change in routine

And on this day
when all of America
would be watching to see
who would serve them as President
into the new millennium
with looks of bewilderment
they would spy a scene
from helicoptered view
hawkeye
a dark sea of writhing
lights and people
wheelchairs strapped linked bound in cuffs

ADAPT didn't come to play
crossing 4 lanes of traffic
wide median
intermingled in effort
desperate attempt
to voice
bring focus
to our cause

The message is clear
the bullshit must stop
how far dot they want us to go???
people are dying
every 3 minutes
dying alone
in some hide-away
pissy smelling nursing home
finally relieved
of misery

The Nazis
pre-wartime Europe
used propaganda films
to justify genocide
proving it economically sound
to exterminate
people with disabilities
calling it
Existence Without Life
At least they offered
a quick gaseous death
as opposed to
a lifetime of hopeless stagnation

IV. Marriot Marquis

Off to the Marquis
for a little night action
confront the murderers
responsible
for nursing home death
when they killed Jesus
they didn't think it wrong either

Overwhelming defiance
no subtleties to this
act of civil disobedience
political gestures
loud yells of protest
people excited
top-floor rooms
to see what was up

Looking on with shocking disbelief
as people
flung themselves from their chairs
every 3 minutes
in remembrance and honor
to the forgotten soldiers
of the forgotten war
those alone
passing in a home
easing the suffocation
burdening
their suffering soul

Father bless these rainbow warriors
sacrificing themselves
standing proud
under the flag
of disability

These people
more real
more alive
than those full bodied souls
stagnating in routine
and every bit as fun
as any
i'd been around

Each unique
in ways
tendencies
doing things as they do
in peculiar style

I see the rest of America
complaining about this or that
complaining with empty words
behind the back
of the system
but not doing shit at all

America can learn from ADAPT
needs ADAPT
to get shit done
who else is going to do it
the politicians???

We've already tried that for 200 years

ADAPt is going to get something done
like the Apostles of Jesus
passioned in righteous cause
we have mission
right in the eyes of the Father

Like the grateful Dead
ADAPT my new family
a feeling of coming home
like being found all over again
true to my colors
Pissed Off And Ready To Get Shit Done

Zen Garcia is from Macon GA, and Atlanta was his first action