Patti's Blog - Advocate for Elders, People with Disabilities and Their Families

Former 'ER' Star Noah Wyle Arrested in D.C.

Excerpt from iVillage: (click for entire article)

Noah Wyle is the latest star to get himself arrested for civil disobedience. On Monday, the former star of ER (and current star of Falling Skies) was detained by police after a demonstration on Capitol Hill.

Wyle, 40, was one of between 76 and 100 protestors who occupied the rotunda of the Cannon House Office Building to urge Congress not to cut Medicaid. The protestors, some of them in wheelchairs, were representing ADAPT, a group that advocates for Americans with disabilities. (Specifically, they fight budget cuts that force Americans with disabilities to be confined to state-run facilities, rather than getting support to live on their own.)

CBS' 'Let's Make A Deal' Sued for Allegedly Not Providing Access to Disabled People

Excerpt from The Hollywood Reporter: (click for entire article)

A new lawsuit contends that it is very difficult for disabled individuals to appear as contestants on Let's Make A Deal, the TV game show that has been around for decades and now airs on CBS.

Two plaintiffs, Arnie Pike and Christie Rudder, both of whom use wheelchairs, are suing CBS Broadcasting, Fremantlemedia and other producers of the show, alleging they violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and California's civil rights laws in the way the show has allegedly failed to provide full and equal access to facilities and services.

The lawsuit filed on Friday in California federal court details the big obstacle course that those with disabilities have to go through in order to participate on Let's Make A Deal, which first aired in 1963, recently celebrated its 500th episode on CBS, and is famous for the way that the studio audience members wear costumes in order to get selected to be the "traders."

Not Dead Yet: Dr. Phil Show Promoting Killing People With Cognitive Disabilities

Excerpt from Planet of the Blind: (click for entire article)

Dr. Phil has been on the air for almost ten years. And he's shown a tendency to jump on headlinhttp://www.inclusiondaily.com/es and to exploit breaking human interest stories - and the people at the center of them with enthusiasm.

So I guess it wasn't really all that surprising when Dr. Phil and his staff took notice of the controversy -- and attention -- garnered by Global News in Canada with its 'Taking Mercy' show which promoted the idea that parents should be able to kill their children who have intellectual disabilities. The show centered around Annette Corriveau, who has two adult children who have a progressive genetic condition called Sanfilippo syndrome. It aired on April 13, 2012.

Actor Noah Wyle, Disability Advocates Arrested In DC Protest

Excerpt from Disability Scoop: (click for entire article)

Dozens of disability advocates — including actor Noah Wyle — were arrested Monday on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol while protesting possible changes to Medicaid.

The activists — many in wheelchairs — were participating in a demonstration organized by the disability rights group ADAPT. Members of the organization positioned themselves in the rotunda of the Cannon House Office Building and refused to leave prompting the arrests, according to ADAPT representatives.

Officials with the U.S. Capitol Police said they arrested 76 individuals at the protest who were charged with unlawful conduct and demonstrating in the Capitol.

Noah Wyle arrested during Medicaid-cuts protest in D.C.

Excerpt from Los Angeles Times: (click for entire article)

Actor Noah Wyle followed in George Clooney's footsteps Monday, becoming another "ER" alum to hit Washington, D.C., for a political protest, only to leave in handcuffs, arrested.

Wyle, 40, showed up to Capitol Hill on Monday with ADAPT, a grass-roots organization seeking to stop cuts in Medicaid. The "Falling Skies" actor was arrested with some 100 others who were fighting against budget cuts that the group says would reduce in-home medical services for the elderly and disabled, which in some cases head off the need for full-on nursing-home care.

"As soon as everybody saw me being led away, they let up a big whooping cheer, which made me feel really good," Wyle said while waiting to be processed in the basement of the building where the protest took place.

Matlin Discusses Overcoming Disabilities

Excerpt from Daily News: (click for entire article)

Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin was in Memphis Thursday, April 19, to discuss overcoming disabilities.

Her appearance was at a fundraiser for Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women’s Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU), held at the Hilton Memphis, 939 Ridge Lake Blvd.

Matlin, who lost her hearing when she was 18 months old, became the youngest actress and the only deaf performer to win an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her screen debut in “Children of a Lesser God.” Her numerous television appearances include “Seinfeld,” “The L Word,” “The West Wing,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Sesame Street,” “Celebrity Apprentice” and “Dancing with the Stars.”

Bullying of Children With Disabilities - Part IV

Patti's Comments:  Great information! Stop Bullying Now!

Excerpt from Special Education Law Blog: (click for entire article)

Bullying remains the hottest of hot button issues in special education law.  In the firstr installment, I explained the early cases laying the conceptual groundwork for the proposition that failure to react to bullying can constitute a denial of FAPE under IDEA.  In a later installment, I discussed the seminal decision of TK & SK ex rel LK v. New York City Dept of Educ 779 F.Supp.2d 289, 56 IDELR 228 (E.D.N.Y. 4/25/2011).

We Can End the R-Word in Movies and TV

Excerpt from Bella Online: (click for entire article)

March 7, 2012 is international Spread the Word to End the Word Day. In an effort to ban one word from everyday life, movies and television shows, individuals and organizations are speaking out about the effects of hate language on the safety, well-being, and opportunities of children, teens and adults with developmental delays and intellectual disabilities.

As citizens, customers, family members and neighbors, people with intellectual disabilities are encouraging all efforts to eliminate the use of this hate language from thoughtless neighbors as well as bullies in their environment. I believe we can make a stronger effort to raise awareness in the media, audiences and advertisers so that respectful language is substituted for hate language.

I am frustrated going to the movies with my son and being ambushed by the R-word when we are just settling in with our popcorn. When it happens, I go to the ticket booth and demand a refund. Using hate language in a movie does mean you are condoning the use of those words. Movies are vehicles for spreading the hate language among those who take on the language and attitudes of characters they admire or want to emulate - and many adolescents do identify with characters that the hate language fits. We have no lack of evidence that children, adults and the elderly also identify with characters who use hate language as part of their depiction of toughness or being 'cool.'

Videos: Outrage over Limbaugh’s ‘slut’ accusation goes mainstream

Excerpt from Essential Estrogen: (click for entire article)

Viewers tuned into morning news shows Friday learned about a controversy that has been raging among feminists for the past several days.

Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh has turned his ire on Sandra Fluke, a third-year law student at Georgetown University who was banned from testifying at a U.S. House committee hearing chaired by California Republican Darrell Issa on the ongoing debate of government rules regarding contraception. Fluke later provided testimony at another unofficial hearing on the subject that was organized by Congressional Democrats.

Limbaugh immediately went on the attack against Fluke, saying she testified “she’s having so much sex she can’t afford her own birth control pills and she agrees that Obama should provide them, or the pope.”

Ellen reaches out to bone marrow transplant sisters

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