"Capitol Police remove a protestor in a wheel chair from a Senate Finance Committee hearing about the Proposed Graham-Cassidy healthcare bill" (Image via ABC News)
Scores of disabled protestors were removed from the Graham-Cassidy healthcare bill hearing on Capitol Hill after shouting "No cuts to Medicaid! Save our liberty!" The session had to be adjourned because of the noise, which angered many of the representatives, including Senate Finainance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, who exclaimed "if you want a hearing -- if you want a hearing, you better shut up."
The majority of these protesters were disabled persons, including blind individuals and individuals in wheelchairs. In a statement after the event, it was reported that "'fifteen demonstrators were arrested and charged with disruption of Congress...143 individuals were arrested after refusing to cease and desist with their unlawful demonstration activities in the hallway. Twenty-three individuals were charged with crowding, obstructing, or incommoding and resisting arrest.'"
The chambers of the Senate Finance Committee are now prepared to consider the Graham-Cassidy healthcare bill, which would have drastic impacts on the livelihoods of disabled individuals across the nation. In its current state, the bill would be set to retract the insurance that many individuals have under the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare), which helps insure those who cannot afford insurance from privatized companies. This insurance helps to cover the various medical expenses of those with disabilities, and without it, it is difficult to imagine what position individuals with disabilities would be put into.
Solely focusing on the events at the protests, I believe that this piece of news is related to disability rights, which was a topic that was explored in the Civil Liberties/Civil Rights presentations that some of us conducted in class. Specifically, I believe that this event is connected with the 1st and 14th Amendments, which protect freedom of speech and equal protection, respectively. Under the Equal Protection Clause, disabled individuals are allowed the same constitutional rights as otherwise "normal" individuals, and this includes the freedom of speech that is outlined in the 1st Amendment. While it seems for the most part that the disabled protesters there were able to exercise their right to free speech, they were eventually removed and restricted from protesting. Now, I do not know the full extent of what the protestors were doing, and they very likely could have been violating the law, but if they were not, then the police have no right to arrest them for protesting. Furthermore, it seems inhumane for an individual in a wheelchair, such as the one pictured above, to be dragged in their wheelchair by a police officer against their will, especially since they have no little to no means of resistance. Once again, I do not know the complete circumstances of the protests, but it just seems incorrect for someone in that situation to be dragged against their will, without any physical way of putting up against it.
In my opinion, the disabled protesters had a right to be at the event to protest the healthcare bill, regardless of whether or not they abided by the law. I do not know all of the details of the Graham-Cassidy bill, but what I do know is that it would have huge ramifications for disabled individuals if passed. This issue hits home for me, as I have a disabled brother, and I am sure that if he could, he would be protesting this bill because of the impact that it would have on him.
What are your thoughts?
2 comments:
While the details of the protest aren't very clear in the article, the article did mention that the hearing itself was an open hearing, which means that the public should be allowed to speak their opinions during the hearing. The article says that these protesters were arrested during the pre-hearing, meaning that it was illogical for the protesters to act in a "rowdy" way if they were allowed to be heard during the hearing in the first place. I imagine that there is probably a law in place regarding acting disruptively inside legislative buildings, and while it seems unjust for these disabled individuals to be dragged out against their will, I'd imagine that non-disabled individuals would also be dragged out if they were resisting arrest.
I believe that this is an abuse of power, especially because the government and authorities are mistreating those with disabilities and disregarding the 14th Amendment and equal protection. They are simply disregarding respect and equal treatment just because these individuals who are disabled are standing up for what they believe in, just like how everyone else would. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 seems to not play a role even though it prohibits discrimination against all individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life. It is shocking that if the Graham-Cassidy Bill was passed, it would create a multitude of problems for disabled individuals who rely on Medicaid for treatment, medication, etc. and would ultimately cause more harm than good. I think the government should acknowledge that if it were passed, their decision would not be beneficial for the majority and would discriminate against those who are disabled. And in the end, it could cause backlash against the government, leaving them with more problems than they anticipated.
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