I think it's safe to say. . .

that folks in wheelchairs have the edge in creating successful sit-in protests. Not that it's all about sitting around, but we do bring extra immovable objects with us everywhere we go. Immovable if we choose to make them immovable, that is.

This post is to notify feed readers of updates to the post just below on the ADAPT actions this week in Chicago. Specifically, the local Chicago TV news coverage links at the bottom of that post should be easier to access now.

Here's another video, this one from Chicago's Fox TV on Tuesday's protest and blockade of the Thompson Center.

The image above is another photo from Tim Wheat, showing dozens of people in wheelchairs filling a city sidewalk and the entrances to the offices of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), a union that persists in putting their members' incomes above the freedom of the disabled people housed in the institutions they serve. You can read Tim Wheat's diary of Wednesday's events at the ADAPT site.

Also check out the blog coverage of Galen Smith, an activist at his first ADAPT actions. He writes of Wednesday's action against the union:

We got periodic updates from our negotiators and learned that it was not going well. First AFSCME tried to counter the letter we gave them with a letter of their own. They expected us to sign a letter saying that nursing homes should stay open!! Then they said they would call their national office. Eventually they left the table and said they weren't coming back. When negotiations broke down the police moved in to start arrests.

AFSCME had 120 ADAPTers arrested today - for picketing. The irony was not lost on us as we chanted...

The People United Will Never Be Defeated!

...a chant that has long been used by striking unions.

The arrest process extremely relaxed. An officer approached me where I was standing blocking the alley and warned me that if I didn't move I would be arrested. I didn't move. Then he told me to follow the line of people heading for arrest. There was no police escort as we walked about a block and a half to line up on a sidewalk and wait for our citations. ADAPTers chatted with the officers as they wrote up our citations who laughed and joked with us. When the officer handed me my ticket he smiled and said, "You've been very bad. Here's your ticket" as he patted me on the shoulder and sent me on my way with a chuckle.