A press release from day two of the sit-in: the hunger strike begins, community support grows and a vigil begins outside.
For immediate release
April 7, 1977
Disabled citizens demand Human Rights
Any government which starves some of its disabled citizens into submission when they are peacefully seeking their basic civil rights is not legitimately concerned with HUMAN RIGHTS.
Our brothers and sisters in Washington D.C., were forced to leave the offices of HEW in Washington where they were protesting the lack of Civil Rights for the disabled. They did not choose to go. They were forced out under siege, they were starved out, they were denied food and supplies.
As a show of solidarity and in great sadness for them, several individuals here are going on a fast of demand. We demand that the long overdue civil rights guaranteed to disabled, under Section 504 be enforced through immediate issuance of regulations as those regulations were developed on January 21, 1977.
Due to tightened security, people in support of our actions can no longer join us inside the Federal Building. Therefore, a vigil has begun at United Nations Plaza to give visible community support for our actions. All persons concerned with basic human rights are urged to join the vigil which will offer support for those who are in the building.
For further information on the vigil, contact Dr. Norman Leach, San Francisco Council of Churches, or Cecil Williams at Glide Memorial Church, Swords into Ploughshares, the Grey panther Party, United Farm Workers, Black Pantherrty, and other community groups are also providing support for our actions.
Secretary Califano revealed in his recent press release that he has completely failed to understand the critical importance of the January 21, 1977, regulations agreed upon after three and one-half years of consumer input, negotians, and delay. We demand that he sign those regulations intact, without further delay.
For further information, contact Kitty Cone or Judy Heumann, 556-6746, 556-1961 (inside HEW).