What I've Witnessed

photo by Joy Taylor


Robert E. Miller [speaking through a sign-language interpreter]

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On July 7, more than 250 protestors blocked the front entrance to the governor’s office in Sacramento for six hours in an attempt to force Schwarzenegger to speak with them. When he left the building by another door at the end of the day, twelve people, most of them with severe disabilities, refused to leave. Several were part of a similar civil disobedience action in San Francisco in June. The twelve were arrested, cited and released. Robert E. Miller was among them.

The People’s Day of Reckoning Coalition, which often includes unionized in-home health care workers, has been targeting the Governor’s many offices around the state for over a month. Among their demands is shared sacrifices by the wealthy -- that is, new taxes. Next week, Thursday, July 23, they plan to take their growing frustration to elected assembly members and senators at their local offices.

To find out more about the People’s Day of Reckoning Coalition, call Jessica Lehman at 510-881-5743. She’ll put you in touch with the group closest to you.

We're Here, We're Proud, Together and Loud

photo by Joy Taylor

More than 200 people with disabilities and their friends demanded to speak directly with Governor Schwarzenegger, Tuesday, July 7.

They blocked the front of his Sacramento office for more than six hours. Twelve protesters refused to leave the building at the end of the day. Each was arrested, cited and released.

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I depend on my Aids.

(Unidentified protester)

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The protesters were there to support In Home Support Services, full funding of Medi-Cal, and other state programs which enables people with disabilities to survive and thrive. They demanded that the Governor sign a budget with increased tax revenue.

"We are calling for a budget solution that is based upon shared responsibility and shared sacrifice -- not a solution that falls squarely upon on the shoulders of children, people with disabilities, elders, the chronically ill, the unemployed and the impoverished," they said in a written statement.