Save TennCare Protest Inside the Capitol: Occupation Day #4 Wrap-up

Chris Lugo at Tennessee Indy Media provides more outstanding coverage:

Tenncare Enrollees Say They Aren't Going Anywhere
Governor About to Address National Press Club on Health Care,
Calls Occupation a "Circus"

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Karl Meyer, a Civil Rights veteran who has been an organizer of this demonstration doesn't think the Governor is going to arrest people in wheelchairs, although he would favor stepped up action, "It is a lot less rigorous here than in a holding cell in the 'justice center' ie the Davidson County Jail. I don't think anyone is going to get arrested if they stay the course. The Governor has said it is public property and you are welcome here. I think they realize they have more resources and energy than we have. They have staff people and salaried people who do whatever they are told. As I understand people are going to spend the weekend here.

The press has been focused on things like people are sleeping overnight and they are avoiding the fundamental issues, so the general public remains ignorant of the underlying issues, so all the public knows is 'the Governor is saying he is doing all he can' and there is a group saying 'the Governor isn't doing all he can.' So it is a case of 'he says, she says' with no attempt by the press to find out the truth of the matter."

Casey Mann, a family physician, said he was there because he was concerned about the affect on his patients of losing Tenncare,

"I am a family physician and have patients who are on Tenncare. . . We have people who could lose their lives literally and that is what I am trying to prevent. I want the Governor to meet with us publicly to discuss this in a public forum so that we can discuss these issues."

Glenn Barnhill, who is in a wheelchair and needs the assitance of a ventilator to breath, said he would like to stay overnight, but the police will not let his home health care nurse come in at 8pm to spend the night. Nonetheless, he is optimistic, "We are still in hopes of having an open meeting with the Governor, a meeting that would be open to the press. . .

I plan on staying for the duration until we can, you know, the community and the government can raise some type of agreement that will satisfy both sides so we can get these people the health care coverage they need. I am hopeful that this will be a positive thing and I am not here to be an enemy of the governor. I would like to become his friend and work together."

Randy Alexander, a principal organizer with ADAPT, an advocacy group for people with disabilities, said that the Enrollees are not going to leave until the Governor meets with them. .

We are here standing in vigil because we believe every Tennessean should have health care and we should stand here in vigil until we have that. We have asked for conversations in public. How long are we going to be here? We are here for health care for Tennesseans, however long that may be.

Stop the cuts, let's get together and talk about what we want to save right now. This is Thursday, we have been here since Monday, this is building, the National Press is beginning to pick up on this. National SCLC is putting out a press release on this. I am here as a citizen of Tennessee to keep the Health Care we have and to fix it. The people in Tennessee are supporting us and that support is going to grow and it reaffirms why we are here."

Read the whole thing . . .