Wheelchair-Bound Protesters Chain Selves to White House Fence

On my way in to yesterday's White House press briefing, already running late, I was unable to enter the White House at the North Entrance, and had to lug my 637lb briefcase in the 900º heat all the way to southwest entrance. The reason for this monumental inconvenience? Some protesters had chained themselves to the White House fence, so the entire street was closed.

I found this out after walking through a sea of electric wheelchairs. The security guard at the southwest entrance told me that they had had a meeting, they went in happy, but then they "went bad."

Daily Dose's Alex Villanueva went down to find out what made them go bad:

Yesterday afternoon, senior citizens, many of them in electric wheelchairs, had handcuffed themselves to the fence outside the White House in protest. No, really. The issue in question was the Community Choice Act, which the President co-sponsored in his senatorial days. Apparently ten of these senior activists met with members of Obama's staff, and were told that the President would no longer support the bill. They did not take this development lying down. Many of them staged an impromptu protest and ninety-one protesters ended up handcuffing themselves to the White House fence. After being given three warnings by the police, they were arrested, and released with a summons.

I have to say, I've got mixed feelings on this one. First and foremost, I support their right to protest, no matter how big of a pain in the ass it is to me personally. I give them props for cuffing themselves to the fence, but I was a little disappointed to hear that they just left after the police issued them citations. That's not so much fighting the power as waiting for the power to scold you before you give in.

I expect it is cold comfort to these folks, but the political reality here is that in order for the President to enact the kinds of changes needed in this time of crisis, some things have to be postponed. I'm sure the Community Choice Act won't be the first, or last, worthy idea to be deferred.

And again, with all due respect to their passion and hard work for their cause, I couldn't help but think of the disabled veteran, Tanonnah Tyson, that I met during inaugural week. While these folks are protesting to get care in their homes instead of a nursing home, she lives in a homeless shelter despite working a full-time job. We shouldn't have to choose, but since we must, there are those with greater needs.

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