Discussion Topics

Discussion Topics

  • An overview of the movie
    • What’s their main take-aways
  • Their thoughts
  • How they felt about the camp
  • Opinions on the people in the documentary
    • Have they ever heard of any of those people
  • What my parents remember from that time period
  • Did they every witness discrimination against the disabled community when they were younger
  • Did they know anyone who had a sibling taken away or disappear

 

CRIP CAMP NOTES – 

  • 1971 – the Catskills, camp Jened
  • “a utopia”
  • Director of camp – Larry Allison
  • Environment where kids can get away from stereotypes and discrimination
  • Problems with parents
    • Overprotective
    • “Sometimes they are too great”
    • At times they remind their kids that they are in wheelchairs or are handicapped
    • Different treatment to various siblings
    • Feel there is a major problem with privacy, alone time
  • Were brothers and sisters there
  • Took ideas home that their community wasn’t okay with
  • “at camp I was in a whole different world”
  • Judy Huemann
    • President of Disabled in Action
      • A political organization of the handicapped
    • The status quo was not what it needed to be
  • Willowbrooks
    • Horrifying
    • 3 mins per child per feeding
      • Consequence – death from ammonia
    • One attendant to 50 kids 
  • Nixon vetoed The Rehabilitation Act in 1972
    • section 504
  • “Paraplegics stop traffic in Manhattan”
    • 50 people
  • Eventually, Nixon caved in to all the political pressure and he signs the Rehab Bill
    • But does nothing to enforce section 504
  • The Center for Independent Living
    • Run by the handicapped for the handicapped
    • Provided transportation, support, housing
  • “Traveling Camp Jened Show”
  • Accuse Califano of delaying progress of Rehab Act, Section 504
    • Protest outside his office
  • Sit-In at HEW headquarters
    • Had supporters, Black Panthers
  • Went to Washington
    • Went to Califano’s house
    • Protested outside White House
    • New Laws
      • regular schooling for everyone, aids, ramps, jobs
      • public and private businesses/buildings
      • took years
  • Camp Jened 
    • 1951 – 1977, shut down due to financial difficulties