Pushing Limits

Jan. 6 Insurrection Through a Disability Lens -Pushing Limits – January 29, 2021

Mitch Jeserich from a video by Sandy Sanders

Once more around the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol Building – this time through the eyes of disability.

The uprising threatened particular individuals in a building with a lot of history. Some of those individuals live with disability and some of that history is intertwined with accessibility struggles and successes.

Mitch Jeserich worked in and around the Capitol Building for several years as a wheelchair-using reporter. He joins us for a description of the physical structure of that edifice and some stories about what it was like for him to be inside the building.

 

A man from one of the many protests by the disability community. Quite a difference from the Confederate flag carrying insurrectionists! (Photo courtesy of ADAPT.org)

We hear a clip of California Congressmember Jackie Speier who lives with PTSD because she was shot five times in an ambush in Jonestown. Representative Speier was in the capital gallery when the rioters breached the doors.

Support the deaf community’s call to replace Trump supporter Heather Mewshaw who has been hired as the ASL interpreter for the daily White House press briefings.  Sign here.

This program comes surrounded with the insight, wit and jibes of our host, Shelley Berman.

If you are trying to get an appointment in Sonoma or Contra Costa counties for a covid-19 vaccination, try Optum Serve. Currently appointments appear to be limited to those 75 or older.

The U.S. Capitol

Produced by Shelley Berman with help from Mark Romoser, Sheela Gunn-Cushman and Adrienne Lauby.

The sound byte from Jackie Speier is from an interview with Stephen Colbert, on The Late Show from CBS.  January 28, 2021