The headline will read something like “Disability Activists Arrested at McCain HQ”, but that’s such a vague silhouette of the reality of what took place in Washington, DC, today.

At about 4:30 AM, 500 ADAPT activists took over the plaza in front of the headquarters of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). There were no cops in sight… ADAPT was up too early and had been too secretive about what they were doing and when they’d be doing it. The one security guard at HUD reportedly tried to get ADAPT to not set up shop on his watch, but he was one little speck in a swarm of ADAPT.

This fall’s action for ADAPT is different. It’s all about housing. That makes HUD the perfect backdrop for the action, but not a great target considering the impending change in the White House. So ADAPT constructed “DUH City” in front of HUD, then got ready for the rest of its action for the day.

It feels a little like a child’s rhyme, because some of our little piggies went this way, some went that way, and some stayed home. There were ADAPTers ‘tending the homefires’ at DUHcity, two color groups went to the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and two other color groups went to John McCain’s campaign headquarters, just outside DC.

At the DNC, the ADAPTers were able to meet with staff and deliver the ADAPT Housing Platform (see the platform and more at www.DUHcity.org). Staffers agreed to communicate the platform with the candidates.

The reception at John McCain’s HQ was less friendly. Staff refused to accept the platform and refused to share it with the candidate. Ultimately, eleven ADAPTers were arrested including a staffer from CDR who, before the action, said there was no way he was going to get arrested. A good ADAPT protest has a way of helping people find something inside themselves that they didn’t know was there. And next thing anyone knew, Aemon was being dragged out of McCain’s HQ face down.

But really, could we expect anything different?

Last month, when Candidate John McCain was asked how many houses he owns he COULDN’T ANSWER! He didn’t know. He didn’t know how many houses he owns? How could he not know?

Here’s why… John McCain owns SEVEN houses!! SEVEN!! SEVEN houses with a total value of about THIRTEEN MILLION DOLLARS!!
(http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12685.html)

Or, wait… it’s EIGHT?! (http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/635/)

And while there have been some novel efforts to explain away his ability to remember how many houses he owns (http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/a3be6630cf), the simple fact remains that anyone who cannot even remember how many houses he OWNS, is not likely to begin to understand the dire need for the most simple housing that is experienced by people with disabilities.

People with disabilities are trapped in nursing facilities because there is not enough housing that is accessible, affordable and integrated. We live in houses with no ramps. We live in basements that we have to be carried into. We live with family because we have no jobs with which to pay rent. We live in group homes because that’s the only place that we could get in, not because we need the services. ADAPT has developed a platform that would substantially address this housing crisis and we need leaders in office to act on the platform.

But John McCain wouldn’t understand. And apparently, won’t even try to understand. So of course John McCain’s staff would not even accept, or look at or share the platform with McCain. Why should he be concerned with housing, he has seven houses.

Or is it eight?

I forget.