It's a pretty old story. The fact that I was surprised by it speaks only to my naivete, much as I realized that only a white person could be shocked that votes were not being counted in Florida in 2000. Remember watching the Black Congressional Caucus plead for support from the Senate for justice? Remember how you felt when there was none? And remember how you watched the consequences of that particular travesty unfold? Were you angry and did you fight on? Did you despair, and give up? That is the choice I'm facing now.
I live in the suburbs of Chicago. I in DuPage county, a heavily Republican county, where the changing demographics have not yet rid me of my congressman, Peter Roskam (Fascist, IL-6. And I don't use the term lightly).
In DuPage County, you don't get much in the way of government grants and government jobs without Republican connections. There is an agency, the largest in the county, which purports to help persons with disabilities live more independent lives. My late friend, Will, whom I wrote about here and a bunch of other places, was a "client" of this agency.
His family sent him there because the agency promised help in living an autonomous and independent life. They sent him with $300,000 in trust money, doled out to the agency to help with this goal. The taxpayers of the state of Illinois spent far more than that, also to pursue this aim.
And it didn't happen. Quite the opposite. The agency exploited him, emotionally abused him, failed on every level to help him become more independent. There is a significant financial disincentive to do so; the more dependent a "client", the more funds you are likely to get for their "care". Needless to say, these funds are not primarily used for anything resembling dignified care. Minimum wage exploited and undertrained staff are unable to provide anything resembling what the "higher functioning" clients need. But because Will was a man of great courage and perseverance, he fought back.
The agency fought back, too. Viciously. When he tried to leave to get into a more appropriate situation, one that would allow him to pursue his goals, they tried their best to prevent him from being able to do this. Will had friends who were fighting for him, and one of them had some connections, too - just like the head of the agency did. Only this time, the governor of Illinois was a Democrat, and his friend's connection allowed him to leave the agency. Unfortunately, by then, he was too ill to pursue those goals he'd spent a lifetime fighting for. He died six months later.
Will's friends took his case, and our documentation of some of the abuses perpetrated by the agency to our state rep, who forwarded it to the State's attorney general. But Will is dead and not a priority, and resources are limited. They were not able to do much. The former head of the agency quit and was appointed head of the DuPage Housing Authority, as corrupt an agency as you'll find outside of actual organized crime syndicates, a job she is now well equipped for. Stealing from the vulnerable is her expertise. The attorney we spoke to at the State Attorney General's office suggested we try to find an advocate or journalist or some other means to pursue justice. So far, my attempts to do so have not been successful. The agency has stacked most of the state oversight committees with "friendlies", a common practice (copied from pharmaceuticals, cigarette corporations, etc.).
So here's where I need help. I am looking for a journalist or disability rights activist who is interested in Will's story. It's an amazing story, but that's not primarily why I want to pursue this. He remained bitter, to the end of his life, that those who robbed him and oppressed him were never held accountable. "It must be nice to be Cathy C. and be able to steal and get away with it," he'd tell me, sarcastically. My son, who is an aspiring film maker, made a short Youtube piece featuring Will as part of a promotion for a fundraiser we were doing for another organization, this time one who'd actually helped him (and thousands of others) live lives of self-directed dignity. Here it is, please watch it and share it: The Life of Will French, "Ready for the Storm"
We're making another short film, this one names the organization (still getting awards and lots of hard-to-come-by state funds).
So if you know anyone who might be interested in this - please share it. Tell them to contact me. Help me pursue justice for Will. It's an imperative for me. "Justice, justice, thou shalt pursue...." I made promises I need to keep. Please help me. "Keep pushing 'til it's understood / and these badlands'll start treating us good...."