Yesterday, I was among 40 ADAPT activists that entered the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in Washington, DC. Despite ADAPT’s deep anger with the democrats for establishing the institutional bias in Medicaid nearly 45 years ago and refusing to end that bias even today, things started off cordial enough. ADAPT’s demands were that the DNC facilitate meetings with Congressional leaders and senior White House staff and that the Democrats issue an apology for creating the institutional bias in Medicaid.

ADAPT spread throughout the DNC office, allowing space for staff to pass through. ADAPT leaders began meeting with staff, who relayed our message to higher level staff. While the chair of the DNC, Governor Tim Kaine, was not available, the DNC provided a meeting with a Senior Advisor – I think the name was Larry Roberts. ADAPT met with the advisor and that’s where the cordiality ended.

The staffer offered nothing and basically indicated to ADAPT that we needed to not upset the chairman, because he is a temperamental Irishman. He also suggested that ADAPT not be surprised or upset if this meeting was the end of what ADAPT received from the DNC. That put things on an edge.

Eventually, 5:00 p.m. came and the DNC summoned a good number more police than were already on scene. ADAPT’s leaders and the police began discussing the situation. The police were resolute that they would be removing people from the building, whether voluntarily or less so. A large number of the ADAPTers chose to stay. Anita Cameron, myself and David Doktor decided that if the police wanted to remove us, they were going to have to work for it. We each got down out of our wheelchair or scooter and lay on the floor. For David and I, this was our first time to be carried – Anita’s a veteran.

The police officers made an effort to persuade each of us to get back into our chair and go easily. We each declined with silence. One officer said to Anita, “You look like a nice person, why don’t you get up in your chair for me?” I’m pretty sure Anita’s nice whether or not she gets into her wheelchair for an officer. They carried Anita out with three officers.

They asked me to get back into my wheelchair. Silence. Four officers got in position to lift me. One they kept calling “Sarge” couldn’t get good position on my right shoulder. He kept referring to me as “frail.” Obviously, he’s never really seen me.

They tried three or four times to lift and finally got a good enough grip to start walking. The Sarge’s grip was slipping, so he grabbed my T-shirt collar to get a better grip! While this really didn’t help support me, it did manage to yank the back of my shirt way up. And as the two officers carried my legs, my pants, which were none too tight, snuck down just a bit. So, as the officers deposited me on the platform at the top of the stairs. ADAPTers came to me saying, “Hey Chris, I got a great picture of your crack!” Great… *SIGH* (the pictures have all been destroyed, I assure you)

With Anita and me removed, that left only David Doktor to contend with. The trouble for the officers is that David is self-described as being “on the petite side of 400 pounds.” The officers, David and ADAPT waited. ADAPT wasn’t totally sure what we were waiting for, but then we saw the fire truck pull up… and the ambulance. In went a team of police, EMT and firefighters. About ten minutes later, they came out with David strapped into a person carrying tarp, carried by eight strong first-responders! It was wild.

Unfortunately, my first big experience of being carried out of a protest was marred with a little indecency. David did however get an officer to later explain to us that under DC law, a person only needs to be covered below the waist on the front side! While my indecent exposure was more than a little embarrassing, at least I wasn’t violating any (unexpected) laws!