In the world of cars, Cadillac’s were the ones that Elvis was particularly fond of. He bought his first Cadillac after his first #1 record. Bob Neil, his former manager, remembered that Elvis was so thrilled with the car that he stayed up all night at the hotel where he was staying, just looking out of the window to see it in its glory.

However, it wasn’t always glory that this first car brought him. It caught fire whilst Elvis was driving, leading to a near death experience. By the time Elvis noticed the flames, the whole rear end of the car was ablaze. Elvis tried to fight against these, but he soon got dragged away by a bus load of people who had stopped to help. His words at the time were: “Man, I loved that car”, so he was clearly devastated by what had happened.

It wasn’t long before his first Cadillac was replaced though; he soon bought his famous pink Cadillac, which was later given to his mother. This wasn’t the only time; giving away cars as present was something that Elvis frequently did. In fact, he donated around 150 cars to his friends and family over the course of his life. These friends and family were dubbed the ‘Memphis Mafia’ as they spent a great deal of time around the singer; so many of these cars were simply fringe benefits of playing a practical role in his life.

Fans can still experience Elvis’s love of cars at the Elvis Presley Car Museum in Graceland. The pink Cadillac is there, amongst another 32 of his favourite cars. Also featured are the red MG from Blue Hawaii, Harley-Davidson motorcycles, Stutz Blackhawks, a 1975 Dino Ferrari, and a 1956 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible.

ADAPT (American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today) in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who are languishing in nursing homes and whom are in fact homeless have decided to likewise render ourselves homeless through the creation of DUH city—a homeless tent city. Established in the shadows of the Housing and Urban Development Offices and built on a foundation of HUDs broken promised (see the following articles), we expect that DUH city will highlight the plight of nursing home inmates—why we consider those in nursing-so-called homes homeless, what HUD has failed to do about this and what they can do about it.

Along with the founding of DUH city we are proud to announce the establishment of the DUH City times. Published daily throughout our protest we will provide background information on the incarceration of thousands of our brothers and sisters in nursing homes for the crime of having a disability. We will also provide updates on our daily protests. We hope this newspaper will go beyond enlightening and will serve as a call to action to Congress and all who care about individual freedom and dignity.

Randy Alexander (901) 359-4982

Marsha Katz (406) 544-9504

www.adapt.org

Who: ADAPT Community (500 disability rights activists from all over the country.) ADAPT is the nation’s largest cross-disability grassroots disability rights organization.

 

What: News conference to announce opening of DUH City.

 

When: 10 a.m. on Monday, September 15, 2008

 

Where: The plaza outside the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,

451 7th Street S.W.,=2 0Washington, DC 20410

 

Why: The 2008 election campaigns have included rhetoric about tax breaks for middle income families, and media coverage has included stories about families who have children with disabilities.

 

Left out of all the election rhetoric are the candidates’ positions on and commitments to those babies with disabilities who grow into adults with disabilities who all-too-often survive on extremely low incomes (less than 30% of the median income). These extremely low incomes are often the fixed benefit amounts of SSI and Social Security.

 

In 2006, according to Priced Out in 2006, the federal SSI benefit was $603/month and the average cost nationally of renting a studio/efficiency apartment was $633/month.

 

There are not enough AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE, INTEGRATED housing units to handle the current demand in communities across America. When the Community Choice Act (S 799, H.R. 1621) passes, and older and disabled people can choose to live in their own homes instead of being forced into nursing homes and other institutions, the need for affordable, accessible housing will increase. And as the baby-boomers continue to age, the demand will grow exponentially.

 

HUD, Congress and the Administration have broken promises, cut funding for housing stock and housing subsidies and enforcement of anti-discrimination housing laws, and simply ignored the nation’s low-income people with disabilities altogether.

 

ADAPT has established “DUH City” (reverse of HUD) to bring attention to and document the struggle of low income people with disabilities. When the average rent for even an efficiency apartment is more than your monthly income……where do you wind up? All too often you’re forced out on the street or into a nursing home or other institution.  DUH!

 

ADAPT’s tent city will be typical community complete with its own newspaper, TV coverage, and other services.

Washington, D.C.—Over 500 ADAPT disability rights activists committed to getting the Community Choice Act passed during this Congress are coming to town September 13-18 to exert some pre-election pressure on policymakers. The Community Choice Act (S. 799, H.R. 1621) would allow people with disabilities and older Americans to choose to live in their own homes and communities instead of being forced into nursing homes and other institutions by the current institutional bias in the nation’s Medicaid program.

“We are coming up on an election,” said Chris Hilderbrant, ADAPT organizer from Rochester, New York, “and one of the two candidates for president, Sen. John McCain, has blatantly refused to endorse the Community Choice Act even though he says he supports community services. On the other hand, Sen. Obama and his running mate Sen. Biden have both signed on to this legislation. Maybe Sen. McCain needs some more convincing.”

ADAPT will be in D.C. to confront a variety of policymakers and systems that continue to put up barriers to community living for disabled and older Americans. Home and community-based services, housing, transportation, hospital discharge planning, and managed care of long-term supports and services are all on ADAPT’s list of possible targets.

ADAPT celebrated 25 years of activism in Washington, D.C. in April of this year, closing down both the Republican National Committee offices and Sen. McCain’s office in the Russell Senate Building demanding that Sen. McCain, himself a person with a disability, sign on to the Community Choice Act.

“Not only does Sen. McCain have a disability himself, but he has an aging mother,” said Randy Alexander, ADAPT organizer from Memphis, Tennessee. “You’d think he’d understand our issues, but maybe having all that money and all those homes puts him totally out of touch with the reality that older Americans and Americans with disabilities live everyday. Being able to live free in the community shouldn’t only be available to the ultra-rich. Civil rights are not based on income!”

Since its inception in 1983, ADAPT has fought for the right of people with disabilities, old and young, to live in their own homes and communities. ADAPT efforts have resulted=2 0in a significant shift toward community of the Medicaid dollars formerly directed overwhelmingly to institutions. ADAPT has also been credited by former federal Medicaid officials with creation of the Money Follows the Person portion of the 2006 federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. ADAPT is the nation’s largest cross-disability grassroots disability rights organization.

During the week of September 15, 2008, ADAPT will debut internet tools that will help the disability community across the country stay closely in touch with ADAPT action activities as they happen. ADAPT will widely publicize these tools as soon as they are available to the public.

Little is known of the origins of the Gray Man but there are several theories of his identity that has made themselves legend. The most widely known theory is one of a young couple during colonial times that became separated. The woman lived with her family on the island. When the young man returned to see his heart’s desire he became so excited that he tried to cross the marsh instead of using one of the causeways. This turned to be a fatal decision. During his trek across the marsh the man became stuck in mud and drown. Days later after the funeral the young woman took a lonely stroll on the Pawleys Island beach. During her walk she saw a strange grayish figure appear that look remarkably like her long lost love. He told her to leave the island at once. She immediately ran home and told her family of what she witnessed. They left Pawleys Island the next day and stayed at a house on the mainland. That same day a horrible hurricane swept on Pawleys Island and destroyed many of the houses there except for the house of the girl and her family. For residents and visitors alike the Gray Man serves as a legendary folk story.

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There are several accounts to the story of Alice Flagg that have be able to captivate the residents of Pawleys and surrounding areas, but the basic premise is that of a love stricken young woman kept from seeing her true love. Alice Flagg lived with her brother and mother at the seashore home of the owners of Wachesaw Plantation in 1849. Today this home can be found in Murrells Inlet and is known as “The Hermitage”. Alice fell in love with a young man that her family did not approve of. Lacking social stature and wealth, the young man was advised to stay away from Alice, by her family. Despite this he proposed to Alice and gave her a ring. Knowing to well what her family would think of the engagement Alice kept the ring hidden on a string around her neck. Attempting to pry Alice from love’s grasp, her family sent her away to Charleston to attend school. While in Charleston Alice became very sick. When word of Alice’s condition reached Murrells Inlet Alice’s brother went to Charleston to retrieve his sister. However, due to the conditions and length of colonial travel Alice’s condition got worse on the way home. Soon after Alice reached Murrells Inlet she slipped into a comma and died. During the funeral preparations Alice’s engagement ring was found. Disgusted at the thought of Alice being engaged to “a commoner” her family threw the ring out and tried to hide the engagement. Legend has it that to this day Alice is still searching for her ring. Visitors to Pawleys Island can visit Alice’s grave site where many say that if you walk around the grave 13 times Alice will appear to study your ring.

Stay tuned for our next story about the mysterious gray man…

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