"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" — MLK
Patrick A from PunkTorah asked me to comment on parsha Emor, and here’s what I came up with. Everyone please turn to Leviticus 21, kthx. In this week’s parsha, Emor, Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses) tells us about some of the laws regulating kohanim (Temple priests). After the admonition for kohanim to not have contact with corpses, … Continue reading “Leviticus and Disability: My Take”
My last post on swine flu paranoia got some responses. Here’s why I think they are wrong. First, Eric: While I agree with the content of this article, I disagree with the intent. Wearing a mask may not be very helpful in keeping you from catching a disease, but it is quite effective at helping … Continue reading “No, Really, Swine Flu Is Not A Threat”
Nurse: did Alejandra give you this? Me: no, I gave it to Alejandra. Nurse: *props dolphin on my chest* this is Alejandra watching over you. And that’s how I stayed safe Saturday night and slept. That’s my dolphinsafe. Nick
This week, I was interrupted by hospital curfew, and our video work had to stop. Many thanks to Alejandra for stepping up and doing the vlog. I’m glad! — Nick May 3, 2009 Text as transcribed in the video For those of you keeping track, this is Nick’s 248th day of living in a hospital … Continue reading “Third “Nick’s Crusade” Video Blog: Alejandra Guest Vlog On Good Caregivers”
I don’t like Katy Perry. She’s another computerized, autotuned pop singer. And she should she get some sort of penalty, or perma-ban, for actually performing a song called “Ur So Gay” (the actual spelling she used). But I love this cover of Perry’s “Hot and Cold” by this polka influenced Ukrainian band on YouTube. It’s … Continue reading “Los Colorados cover of Katy Perry’s “Hot and Cold””
This post is for Blogging Against Disablism Day, BADD, 2009. As I noted here, ablism (discrimination based on ability) is one of the dumber forms of injustice. It’s dumb because it’s based on falsehoods. Just because someone is in a wheelchair, doesn’t mean they’re deaf or have mental retardation. That man in a wheelchair you … Continue reading “Ablism: Idiotic Comments From Idiots”
This post is for Blogging Against Disablism Day, BADD, 2009. There’s a dark part of America’s past (and present) that few are aware of: government taking children from their families and placing them in institutions. It usually goes like this: doctors and social workers identify a disabled child, and advise the parents to send the … Continue reading “Government-Sponsored Ablism and Segregation Tears Families Apart”
In recent days, I’ve been scouring the HHS email updates for anything of relevance to people with disabilities and our struggle for freedom. Yesterday, HHS put out its Progress Report, “a comprehensive report on the Department’s progress over the first 100 days of the Obama Administration.” (PDF file) It contains NOTHING about long term care, … Continue reading “Nothing About Long-Term Care In HHS Progress Report”
The hysteria over swine flu has spread much faster than the virus itself. People as far away from the disease as Malaysia and Spain are donning surgical masks in public. In Mexico City, the epicenter of the outbreak, troops are fanning out all over the city to give commuters surgical masks. The problem is, SURGICAL … Continue reading “Stop Wearing Surgical Masks, It Doesn’t Protect Against Swine Flu”
Remember, Blogging Against Disablism Day (BADD!) is this Friday, May 1st (though since it is on GMT–Britain–you might want to make your submission late Thursday). Ablism (discrimination based on ability) is one of the dumber forms of injustice. Speaking out against it is the right thing to do. Please blog about ablism/disablism this Friday. Nick
Transcription (as captioned): This is Nick, of Nick’s Crusade blog. This is day 243 of me being in an institution in this lovely blue hospital gown. Right now, ADAPT activists are protesting in Washington, DC to end unnecessary institutionalization, like I’m experiencing, and making care available in the community. 10 years ago, there was a … Continue reading “Second “Nick’s Crusade” Video Blog: ADAPT Action and the Olmstead Decision”
For Immediate Release: April 28, 2009 (Tuesday) For Information Contact: Bruce Darling 585-370-6690 Marsha Katz 406-544-9504 http://www.adapt.org 99 Arrested as ADAPT Blocks Independence and Constitution Avenues on the Hill, then Crawls Up the Capitol Steps Washington, D.C. — ADAPT, the nation’s largest cross-disability, grassroots disability rights organization, took the fight to include long-term services in … Continue reading “ADAPT Press Release: Tuesday’s Protest Blocks Independence and Constitution Avenues”
For Immediate Release: April 27, 2009 For information contact: Bruce Darling 585-370-6690 Marsha Katz (406) 544-9504 http://www.adapt.org 91 Arrested When ADAPT Told Obama Administration Won’t Support Inclusion of Long Term Services in Health Care Reform Washington, D.C.— Ten members of ADAPT met with Obama Administration officials in the White House today, and came away disappointed … Continue reading “ADAPT Press Release: Monday’s Protest at the White House”
I’ve been asked this many times over the years. The answer is this: I don’t know how to consistently write things that AREN’T about injustice. I’m driven to right the wrongs around the world, like the fire drives a locomotive. I’m, at my core, an activist for social justice; and I run a blog about … Continue reading ““Why Is Your Blog So Depressing?””
New York City’s hospitals, already strained and overcrowded, are experiencing a spree of closings, felled by the economic crisis. St. John’s Queens Hospital and Mary Immaculate Hospital have gone bankrupt and boarded up the entrances. This leaves Queens-dwellers with few options, and those few options in an awful overcrowding situation. “It’s a real failure of … Continue reading “More NYC Hospitals Lost To Economic Crisis”
Last night I spent lots of time filling up the blog’s sidebar with content. Added: Facebook badge with photo Text explaining the blog Media Coverage of Nick Links to web, newspaper, radio and TV stories about what I’ve done Sites I Read A list of my favorite blogs and news sources, but, unlike many blogrolls, … Continue reading “Lots Of New Links On The Blog’s Sidebar”
Might Tell You Tonight – Scissor Sisters Dedicated to my girl. “…want to burrow like a sparrow.” Nick
Americans are fed up with banks double dipping off them, pulling down billions in bailouts from taxpayers, while also squeezing us with increased fees and interest. The backlash is now being expressed in Congress: BAILED OUT BANKS U.S. banks that issue credit cards have received more than $120 billion in taxpayer funds since October, money … Continue reading “Public Rage At Banks And Bailout Expressed in New Laws”
Nick’s Crusade Blog – April 21, 2009 from Alejandra Ospina on Vimeo Transcription (as captioned): Hello, and welcome to Nick’s Crusade blog. This is a video blog of day 236 here in the hospital. I’m here in the hospital because I’m waiting for community services, and the [Medicaid] waiver that I’m on just seems to … Continue reading “First “Nick’s Crusade” Video Blog: Day 236 in Hospital”
I like Barack Obama; I voted for him because I wanted a fresh start beyond the stale 1960s debates, Olbermann vs. O’Reilly daily “hot button issue” and endless socialism vs. capitalism rock ‘em-sock ‘em robots that lead us nowhere and accomplish nothing. We can’t afford that crap in times like these. And I wanted a serious … Continue reading “Obama’s Blunder: Hiring Too Many Cooks”
How is Obama’s Afghanistan plan supposed to work, when similar plans were EPIC FAIL for the Soviets, British, Alexander the Great and others? Former CIA Mideast operative Robert Baer (played by George Clooney in Syriana) writes in TIME Magazine: The Pashtun are a big, sprawling, insulated tribal people. There are some 40 million of them, … Continue reading “Understanding Pashtuns Critical To Avoiding Afghanistan Quagmire”
Over the years, I’ve had gay friends and family and seen them struggle. It never seemed to me a path someone would “choose,” but what do I know? But this quote from TIME Magazine proves to me, it’s NOT a choice: I don’t care about the militias anymore because they’re going to kill me anyway … Continue reading “Proof It’s Not A Choice: The Gays Of Iraq”
Months ago, a serious incident happened on Unit A13. Suddenly, I heard the operator blast over the loudspeaker “CODE BLUE A-APPLE-13!! CODE BLUE A-APPLE-13!!” Aides frantically checked all the patients, coming to me first (because I’m in the first room). They ran up and down the hall. Everyone was fine. “WHERE’S THE CODE??” It wasn’t … Continue reading “Medical Personnel’s Hands So Tied By Liability Concerns They Hesitate To Save A Life”
peoplewhositinthedisabilityseatswhenimstandingonmycrutches.com is a hilarious blog that highlights people who won’t get up and cede the disability seats on the subway. I love it. It’s the kind of guerrilla citizen journalism that I would love to see more of from the disability community; don’t just gripe about barriers, document them! I’d like to do this sort … Continue reading “People Who Sit In The Disability Seats…”
Should people with disabilities be focused on curing their condition, or be proud of their differences and work for accomodations for them? I’m somewhere in the middle in this age-old disability debate. I would definitely appreciate a cure because of all the suffering and lack of supports I’ve experienced, but I’ve mostly focused on supports … Continue reading “Removing Disability Vs. Removing Barriers”
…to “World Trade Center.” Yep, they are reclaiming the old name. Since I’ll soon be living near the WTC site, I felt obligated to blog about this. Personally, I don’t really care what they name it (“a rose by any other name…”) but I am interested in the outcry the change has precipitated, and am … Continue reading “Changing The Name Of The New World Trade Center…”
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir is one the worst war criminals in recent history. His Janjaweed thugs have killed 300,000 people in Darfur, raped untold numbers, and caused over 2.5 million Darfuris to flee to perilous existences as refugees. Bashir makes Slobodan Milosovic (with an estimated 10,000 killed) look like small potatoes. Most recently, in response … Continue reading “Arab League Embraces Sudan’s Genocidal Dictator”
I’ve had an email and a few message board posts asking me “what the…” is going on with the economy. I’m not an economist (I was an English major) but I’m incredibly curious, and I read a lot. Here’s my take: A big part of this whole Wall Street collapse are something called “adjustable-rate mortgages” … Continue reading “What Went Wrong In The Economy”
From everything I see in the media, it looks grim, like we’re deep into a Great Recession. There are bread lines of sorts forming at food banks, and charities send 18-wheelers to small towns whose sole employers have closed shop. At the same time, states like Georgia have all but ended assistance to the poor … Continue reading “Observing The Economic Crisis First Hand”
Israeli scholar Rachel Elior has rocked the blogosphere with her allegation that The Essenes didn’t exist at all, and Josephus likely made them up to make Jews look tough to the Romans: Elior contends that Josephus, a former Jewish priest who wrote his history while being held captive in Rome, “wanted to explain to the … Continue reading “The Essenes: A Historical Hoax?”