Governor Bredesen Issues Life Sentences to Vent Users.
Before and after a media event Governor Bredesen, of Tennessee, was confronted about several issues surrounding the states TennCare cuts. Under a special category of TennCare there are around one hundred individuals who use ventilators that receive support services in there own homes. Governor Bredesens plan to cut TennCare includes cutting the TennCare coverage that allows individuals that are vent dependent to live independent lives. Some live in their own homes, some with family or friends but they are all free Americans. When asked directly by Randy Alexander what his plans were in relation to these specific cuts Governor Bredesen replied, Im not going to cut their services Im just going to put then in the nursing home.
So you are saying, you, will institutionalize people because they have a disability asked Randy Alexander? Yes, replied Bredesen, I care about them, Im not cutting their services Im going to provide their services in a nursing home, the Governor continued.
Are you going to sentence them to prison for the crime of having a disability? A nursing home is an institution, an institution is imprisonment and you are saying today, right now, you are willing to sentence them to prison for the crime of having a disability, asked Alexander. Governor Bredesen began to step away as he said, the state cannot afford to pay for the services of these one hundred people.
We are talking about basic human rights here, you have admitted today you, this state, is willing to imprison people simply because they have a disability, said Alexander before the Governor had a chance to walk away.
The Governors plan is to do just that, issue life sentences to those who use vents. He is willing to take away the freedoms of over one hundred people in this state simply because they have a disability.
Today Governor Bredesen was confronted by members of the Memphis Center for Independent Living, ADAPT of Tennessee and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. More info will be made available tomorrow.
Free Our People!
Randy Alexander
Memphis Center For Independent Living
1633 Madison Avenue
Memphis, TN 38104
(901)726-6404
(901)726-6521[fax]
randy@mcil.org
http://www.mcil.org
Governor Bredesen
Governor's Office
Tennessee State Capitol
Nashville, TN 37243-0001
Phone: 615.741.2001
Fax: 615.532.9711
Email: phil.bredesen@state.tn.us
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Forwarded by Mark Johnson, Mark_Johnson@shepherd.org.
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