Beyond Victim and Villains - Part I & II - Caleb Tracy

8/10/2019 Beyond Victim and Villains - Part I & II - Caleb Tracy

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Beyond Victims and Villains

A presentation in two partsBy Caleb Tracy



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Part I: History of Rightsfor the Disabled



It all started with one woman…

• For many years prior to the late 1800’s the

disabled were confined to institutions. They were

held prisoners. No one could escape. Many wererefused rights to work, not allowed to be

educated, and not allowed to be accepted as a

U.S. citizen. That all changed with the start of the

movement that lead to the Americans with

Disabilities Act. This realization of the horrible

treatment of the disabled was brought to light by

this one mystery woman’s statement.

“The insane asylum on Blackwell’s Island is a

human rat trap. It is easy to get in, but once there

it is impossible to get out.” – This was said by…



Nelly Bly!

S This movement was started by the famous

female NYC reporter, Nelly Bly.

S In 1887, She pretended to be insane in order togain admission to the asylum on Blackwell’sIsland, New York. There she would study hercase. She struggled to get out to even share herstory, that was her biggest reason to fight for thedisabled. She published many shocking storiesand a book, but they were not talked to heart. Sothe movement eventually dissipated.



Eugenics Movement

S Started to improve the genetic build-up of the population in the

1880’s.

S It was a cruel movement that passed laws to prevent peoplewith disabilities from moving to the United States, or those withdisabilities from marrying or having children.

S The laws were called the Eugenics laws. They led to theinstitutionalization and disabled people, both adults andchildren, were forced to be sterilized.

S All hope was lost for a long time until the disabled fought back.



Helen Keller

S She was born both deaf and blind. She

didn't’t let that stop her.

S Helen Keller studied at Radcliffe College.She became an author, advocate forpeople with disabilities. She was a hugepart in the fight for the rights of the

disabled.

S "No pessimist ever discovered the secretof the stars, or sailed to an unchartedland, or opened a new doorway for thehuman spirit.” -Helen Keller



The 20th Century and Abilities

S Still things weren't easy for the disabled at the stat of the

20TH century. Veterans were coming home from both

World Wars with injuries. More disabled people came to

be out of casualty.

S Laws were enacted after World War I.



The Smith – “” Acts

S The Smith-Hughes Act established the Federal-State Program invocational education and created a Federal Board of Vocational

Education with the authority and responsibility for vocational rehabilitationof disabled veterans.

S The Smith-Sears Veterans Rehabilitation Act (also referred to as theSoldier's Rehabilitation Act) expanded the role of the Federal Board ofVocational Education to provide services for vocational rehabilitation ofveterans disabled during World War I.

S In 1920 the Smith-Fess Act (referred to as the Civilian Rehabilitation Act)began the rehabilitation program for all Americans with disabilitiespatterned after the Soldiers Rehabilitation Act. It established the Federal-State program in rehabilitation and provided funds to states for primarilyvocational services, including vocational guidance, training, occupational

adjustment, prosthetics, and placement services.



Not Much Progress

S During the 1920’s The amount of disabledpeople that were being sterilized grew

significantly.

S In 1924, A law passed in Virginia allowed thedisabled to be sterilized without their consent. Any one who was “feebleminded, insane,depressed, mentally handicapped, and

epileptic,” were sterilized without their ownpermission.

S The U.S Supreme Court defended theprejudice handicapped laws when the case ofCarrie Buck cam about in 1927, Buck v. Bell.

After that. Twenty-seven other states begansterilization programs.Carrie Beck



Handicapped in the Movies

S With the outbreak of film, society took tofilming pretty much every idea imaginable.With the subject matter of the handicapped aparticular film broke out.

S Freaks was a 1932 “Pre-code” horror film thatstarred “carnival freaks,” handicapped peopleof all natures. So you can only imagine whatterrible things were done in the film. If youimagined a lot… you are exactly correct. Thisfilm plays with the line of victims and villainsin a very uncomfortable way, that leaves youasking… “Why?”

S Trailer for Freaks (ignore the backgroundsong) :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJVXTKkjsxA

S “The movie shocked audiences and createdsuch backlash that MGM was forced to shut itdown.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJVXTKkjsxA






Progress Arrives

S In 1935 President Roosevelt, who was secretly

hadicapped by polio, came out with his New Dealeconomic programs in response to the Great Depression

S Congress passed the Social Security Act this year. It

established: – the establishment old-age benefits funded

by the government – the funding that went to states forassist the blind – there were funds that provided care for

disabled children



1940’s A Dark and Light Time

S In this decade a lot of advancements were made in favor

of the handicapped because of the World War and theNazi’s propaganda campaign and acts of Euthanasia of

the handicapped.



The 1940’s Progression Timeline

S In 1940 the National Federation for the Blind formed to advocate for legislative reforms to benefit the blind.The American Federation of the Physically Handicapped was the first cross-disability national politicalorganization to urge an end to job discrimination and lobby for legislation.

S The 1943 LaFollette-Barden Vocational Rehabilitation Act added physical rehabilitation to the goals offederally funded VR programs and provided funding for some health care services.

S In 1944 Howard Rusk began a rehabilitation program for disabled airmen at the U.S. Army Air ForceConvalescent Center. Rehabilitation medicine became a new medical specialty.

S The 1946 Hill-Burton Act authorized federal grants to states for the construction of hospitals, public health

centers and health facilities for rehabilitation of people with disabilities.

S The National Mental Health Foundation was founded by conscientious objectors who served as attendants atstate mental institutions rather than in the war. The Foundation exposed the abusive conditions at facilitiesand became an impetus towards deinstitutionalization.

S President Truman’s National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week was an impetus for disability rightsadvocacy activities.

S In 1947 Paralyzed Veterans of America organized and took a leading role in advocating for disability rights.




S Social Security and Vocational Rehabilitation amendments expanded federal funding forpeople with disabilities.

S Disability issues became more prominent in government: The President’s Committee onNational Employ the Physically Handicapped Week became the President’s Committeeon Employment of the Physically Handicapped, a permanent organization reporting to thePresident and Congress.

S The 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka striking

down school segregation launched the Civil Rights Movement.

S The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program was created in 1956 for disabledworkers ages 50-64. In 1958 it was extended to dependents of disabled workers. In 1960age restrictions were lifted.




S President Kennedy appointed a special President’s Panel on Mental Retardation.

S President Kennedy called for the deinstitutionalization of people with disabilities and increase in community

services.

S The 1963 Mental Retardation Facilities and Community Health Centers Construction Act authorized federalgrants for construction of public and private nonprofit community mental health centers. "We can say withsome assurance that, although children may be the victims of fate, they will not be the victims of our neglect."JFK’s Remarks upon signing the Maternal and Child Health and Mental Retardation Planning Bill, 10/24/63

S The 1964 Civil Rights Act signed by President Johnson prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, religion,

ethnicity, national origin and creed, further advancing the Civil Rights Movement.

S In 1965 Medicare and Medicaid were established through passage of the Social Security Amendments of1965 to provide federally subsidized health care to disabled and elderly Americans covered by the SocialSecurity program.

S 1965 Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Amendments authorized federal funds for construction of rehabilitationcenters, expansion of existing VR programs and creation of the National Commission on Architectural Barriersto Rehabilitation of the Handicapped.

S The 1968 Architectural Barriers Act prohibited architectural barriers in all federally owned or leased buildings.



American Disabled for Public

Transit (ADAPT)

Protest for proper public transportation for the Disabled in the early 1980’s.




S The 1980 Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) authorized the U.S. Attorney General toinvestigate the conditions of state and government institutions such as prisons, jails, correctional facilities,nursing homes and institutions for people with disabilities and bring a civil suit when there is evidence ofharm or violation of constitutional rights or civil rights.

S In 1984 the Social Security Disability Reform Act required that payment of benefits and health insurancecoverage continue for terminated recipients continued during appeals of continuing disability review (CDR)decisions, which had been implemented under the 1980 amendments.

S In 1986 the Employment Opportunities for Disabled Americans Act allowed recipients of SupplementalSecurity Income and Social Security Disability Insurance to retain benefits, particularly medical coverage,after they obtain work.

S In 1988 the Civil Rights Restoration Act counteracted restrictive case law by clarifying Congress’ intentionthat the Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination in any part of any program or service that receivesfederal funding – not just the part that directly receives the funding.

S In 1988 the Fair Housing Amendments Act prohibited discrimination in housing against people withdisabilities and provided requirements for architectural accessibility.

SThe Technology-Related Assistance Act for Individuals with Disabilities was passed authorizing federalfunding to state projects designed to facilitate access to assistive technology.



The 21st Century Progression

Timeline

S Congress amended the ADA in 2008 to restore the civil rights of Americans with disabilities and overturnfour Supreme Court decisions that had inappropriately narrowed the protections of the ADA. The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act, signed by President Bush on September 25, 2008,emphasizes that the definition of disability should be construed in favor of broad coverage of individuals tothe maximum extent permitted by the ADA and generally shall not require extensive analysis.

S On October 8, 2010 President Obama signed into law the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) to update the Communications Act and expand safeguards and accessibility incommunications for people with disabilities. The CVAA resulted from advocacy efforts of AAPD and otherleading disability organizations such as National Association of the Deaf, American Council of the Blind,Communication Services for the Deaf, Hearing Loss Association of America, American Foundation for theBlind, and others.

S The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) enacted in March 2010 is the health care reform lawthat makes major changes to current health care and insurance and includes many provisions that willaffect people with disabilities. It addresses accessibility and nondiscrimination, affordability, coverage,home and community-based services, equipment, training and data collection and Medicaid.

S In December of 2011, President Obama and the U.S. Labor Department issued a proposed rule that wouldrequire federal contractors to set goals that 7% of their work forces be individuals with disabilities. TheProposed rule would implement Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which requires federalcontractors to promote employment opportunity for people with disabilities. Although Section 503 was

enacted almost 40 years ago, it has never been enforced or clarified to the extent necessary, requiringemployers only to make a “good faith” effort to hire people with disabilities.



How This Research Impacted Me

S I never new there was a struggle or a movement. I thought things

just were resolved when a problem arose. The protests and thedemands were all new to me.

S I still couldn’t believe the fight is still going on. Even to this day.

S I Was amazed at the history. The victims and villains that were

made out of this group of people. I new that the plays expressed

it, but the history put it into reality for me. I never knew the

horrible state of living for the disabled was so bad in the past. I

couldn’t believe some of the things I read.



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Part II: The PlaywrightsCharles L. Mee, Susan Nussbaum, Mike Ervin, John Belluso, & Lynn Manning.



Charles L. Mee



Charles L. Mee’s Plays

-The Trilogy: Imperial Dreams

I. Iphigenia 2.0

II. Trojan Women: A Love Story

III. Orestes 2.0

- Solos

The House of Cards

Life is a Dream

Salome

- Duets First Love

Limonade Tous les Jours

-Tragedies and History Plays

Agamemnon 2.0

The Bacchae 2.1

Bedtime Stories

Full CircleGlobal Warming

Comedies and Romances

Big Love

Cardenio

Fetes de la NuitFire Island

The Mail Order Bride

A Perfect Wedding

Paradise Park

Summertime

Wintertime

- Dance Theatre Pieces

Another Person Is a Foreign Country

Café le Monde

Coney Island AvenueDaily Life Everlasting

Eterniday

The Four Seasons

Heaven on Earth

The Life Of George Washington

Memory PalaceNight and Day:

Our Times: On the Street Where I Live

Queens BoulevardTunnel of Love

Vienna: Lusthaus

A Walk in the Park

Jesus

The Rules

Time to Burn

True LoveUtopia Parkway

The War to End War



Susan Nussbaum



Mike Ervin



John Belluso



Lynn Manning

Beyond Victim and Villains - Part I & II - Caleb Tracy

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