In Our Book, Justice at the Library is Overdue!

The Demands:

1. Install a power door opener at the Front door of Hartford Public Library.

2. Work must begin by July 1st, 2008.

3. We must have in our hands a copy of the work order with date of start.

4. The Mayor of Hartford Eddie Perez must sign a letter committing to a start date.

On Tuesday May 27th Claude Holcomb of ADAPT will once again go to city hall with the demands that were drawn up at the meeting. We will also be pursuing legal remedies with supportive attorneys and reaching out to the anti-discrimination coalitions.

On May 30th at high noon the coalition that has formed under ADAPT’s leadership to address this problem, will hold a press conference at City Hall. 

The following is Claude’s summary of his dealings with City Hall and the Hartford Public Library over the issue as presented at the May 23rd meeting.

“I want to thank you for coming today, to talk about the stupid way the City of Hartford tried to get out of complying with an anti-discrimination law.

Seven months ago, when they re-opened the front part of the Hartford Public Library on Main Street, I went there but I could not get in because they have no power door. I had to wait until someone opened the door for me. I went in and asked the building supervisor why the outside main door was not a power door. They told me they have to find a grant for a door opener for the main door to the library. They told me to use the back door. They said the back door is powered and accessible for people who need a power door. Then I hit my talking computer on the door frame on the main front door, trying to get out of the library. On March 13, 2008, I tried to set up an appointment with Louise Blalock, the Director of the library, to discuss the front door issue. Instead of contacting me directly, she had the nerve to have a staff member e-mail me to tell me that I had to go to the Public Works Department in Hartford. I had to think about the next step to get the door accessible for all people to use it, if they want to go in or out the front of the library, because no group should be told they have to use the back door. I went to the Common Council Office in Hartford and told them about the problem with the front door at the library. Then I went to Congressman Larson’s office and talked to an aide about the accessibility problem with the front door of the library, because the federal government gave Hartford a grant to do the library over. An aide there then wrote to the mayor on my behalf. To date, Congressman Larson’s aide has not received a response back fro the Mayor. I was getting sick of the run around so I told the City Council I would give them six weeks to put an opener on the door. Ten weeks have now passed and the door is still without an opener. Three weeks ago, I started talking to Susan McMullen, Director of Constituent Services in the Mayor’s office. At first Susan did not want to hear what I was saying abut the library. I told her the facts about the door not being accessible for people who use wheel chairs. She told me to come back the next day, “let me check with Public Works to ask them why they did not put an opener on the front door.” She asked me if I could use the back door. Yes, but it is a code to have the main door accessible where the people come into the library. It is not 1954. I went back the next day, and she told me they said the library is up to code for the A.D.A. (the Americans with Disabilities Act). I told her yes it is in compliance with the A.D.A, but it is not in compliance with the State building code, which is stricter. Some of the Mayor’s staff think I am doing this for myself, but I am doing it for all the residents of the disability community of Hartford and everyone else who does not want to be told they have to use the back door. This is wrong!

Two Saturday’s ago, I saw Richard and told him about the problem with the library. I told him I am going to lock myself to the library door on the 30th of May at high noon. He offered to help.” …Statement of Claude Holcomb, ADAPT, May 23, 2008.

That is where we are at folks. A meeting was convened and we discussed our plans for this week and for the 30th of May. We ask all people who believe that discrimination is wrong, being lied to and given the run around is wrong, being told to go around to the back door is wrong to come out and join us on Friday May 30th at 12:00 noon. We have 1 Hartford City Council person, 1 U.S. Congressman, and one State Senator who have promised to work the channels on our behalf. We invite you the activist community to come out and and stand with ADAPT and say this is wrong. “Seperate but equal access can not be tolerated.”..Jerimarie.  For a previous posting on this issue click here.

Here is a song appropriate to this struggle which I would like to share with you. I sang it years ago when a group of us were arrested at the U.S. Post Office in downtown Hartford after Jimmy Carter reinstated the draft.

This just in from the Undercurrent site. Susan McCullen responed to a posting over there by Jeri Marie. Her comment follows.