Activists Hold Supreme Court Vigil

Chanting "ADA forever", singing freedom songs and lighting candles, a group of 60 disability activists held an all night vigil in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday, October 10, 2000. They came willing to endure cold temperatures and sleep on pavement in order to deliver the message that the fate of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is at stake.

Justin Dart, Jr. of Justice For All, kicked off the candlelight vigil. "We will never again accept segregation. Separate is not equal." Dart noted that the next President will most likely appoint several new Supreme Court Justices. He stressed the importance of voting in the November 7 elections. "Vote as if your very lives were at stake because they are," stated Dart.

On October 11, 2000, the Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in Garrett v University of Alabama, which challenges the constitutionality of ADA. The state of Alabama is claiming that Congress did not have the constitutional authority to impose ADA on state government. If the Court decides in favor of the State of Alabama, 56 million Americans with disabilities could lose the right to have access to the programs and services that state and local governments offer the rest of their citizens

In Garrett, the State of Alabama is making what is known as the "states rights" argument. Historically, it is the same argument made before the Supreme Court to justify the segregation and societal exclusion of African Americans.

"The State of Alabama is trotting out the same sad argument that was used in Brown v Topeka Board of Education to deny civil rights to those of us who are African American," said Bobby Coward of Capital Area ADAPT. "It did not work then and we are going to do everything in our power to make certain it does not work now," Coward told the crowd at the vigil.

There was strong cross-disability representation. Several deaf students from Gallaudet University attended. People with physical and mental disabilities came as well as those who were HIV positive. Many were from Washington, D.C. and nearby Maryland and Virginia. There were also those who traveled from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Connecticut. The vigil was organized by Capital Area ADAPT and the Maryland Statewide Independent Living Council.

Vigil attendees planned to stay through the night and then hear the oral arguments in the morning.

| Benefits | Info | Join | Other Sites | News | Feedback | Calendar | Home |