My Pledge To You

To my Fellow Advocates and the General Public:

I've been reading the papers and following stories on various Listserv's for several year's regarding our health care system. It's obvious that everyone wants to be Independent, have adequate health care benefits, access to caregivers, and be eligible to receive the services that we are entitled to under the law. (Olmstead Decision)

My observations and my own personal experience shows me that all this may never happen. Why? Because we are too fragmented as a group in all of our efforts to demand and receive our rights. The ACLU, DRS, DSB's, CSB's, CIL's, and all the other agencies are ALL operated under STATE / FEDERAL guidelines and can just give us a fraction of the help that they could be giving us because they must follow certain protocol to maintain their funding.

I have a timely solution that WILL work. We have PAC's (political action committees) that have the strength to see that their favorite legislator's and legislation are passed. But we, as fragmented individuals, fighting in small cluster groups, just get tossed a bone now and then to try and keep us appeased by the state and federal government. We'll never be a force to be reckoned with if it remains that way.

Since I've founded DAC (disabled action committee) about 7 years ago many groups have united and stood up against the system that fails us. ALL the elderly, disabled and NON disabled in this state(s) were urged to come together and form one large VOTING block that HAS been recognized. There is/was a potential for over 15 million voting voices if we just united all the MR, MI, MS, Disabled, Elderly, non disabled and every other group that require assistance in one way, shape, or form and we have succeeded in electing our last two VA governors with Governor Kaine being our current Governor.  We've even got more readers/voters counting the baby boomers and NON-disabled than at anytime in our history. We are powerful and have proven it.

A million votes can elect a Governor, Senator, Delegate, or Congressman and this is just the beginning. Lets get rid of Directors appointed to various government agencies by the Governor, or President's that haven't a clue as to YOUR real needs. DAC has gone nationwide and worldwide now and just think of the political clout that we have on both the state and federal government levels! We first united in Virginia, and led the way for changes in Richmond and now we're on to Washington, D.C.

Don't ever fear of losing your government jobs (or any job) if you have one, because you'll be a silent voice behind ONE large voting block. With all of us uniting we can persuade our representatives to follow through on the necessary legislative changes they promise, but fail to keep. DAC has become a real power, as strong, if not stronger, than any PAC in existence today.

I've spent years fighting as a lone crusader not stymied upon what I could or couldn't say, because I didn't work for any government sponsored agency. I've helped lead you to fight for YOUR rights, to see that WE are treated as human beings and not to be taken lightly. If YOU can muster the courage to register to vote, and then vote, we'll demand pledges and/or letters from our representatives stating that our agendas will be passed or we won't vote for them again.

Is this a form of blackmail you ask? Why not at all. Our Politico's make deals behind our backs everyday while making boldface lies to us in person, that's why we remain 3rd rate citizens in a 1st rate country. Refugees and people from foreign countries receive better services than you or I, but not if we UNITE.  Listserv's, organizations/groups and DAC are the perfect forums to let each other express our needs and allow the many politicians to read what you want and expect to receive from them. It really has worked. Look at N.J., Al., VA, CA, OR, N.C., S.C., and others that we advocated for and don't forget that Virginia led the way in being the first state to offer a state "eugenics" apology followed by four other states. 

This state along with other states waste millions of dollars every year out of complete ignorance when it could be put to good use. Who else knows your needs better than YOU? Certainly not some special political flunky appointee that did some favor to have the opportunity to collect a handsome check for making stupid decisions directly affecting you or me.

Today is our day as we continue to unite together and this has also become the beginning of the end to putting people into institutions because the health care industry and other special interest groups pad the politicians coffers. DAC is about helping each other while maintaining each of our own identities as individuals or groups.

With the high technology of computers we don't need million dollar office buildings and can easily reach each other or millions in just a matter of seconds. We have the power, the numbers, and the voices to be truly effective and "we have been effective." 

If you're interested in becoming stronger and those of you that know me, also know that I never give in until I get what I want.  It took me 6 months and 124 continuous daily faxes to get Governor Glimmer's attention (below) in 98' but the end result, was, that I got results!

(L) Governor Glimmer, (C) Del. Michelle McQuigg, (R) Keith Kessler
(December 06, 1998 meeting with Governor Gilmore, which ended my faxcapade of 124 continuous workday faxes over 6 months to the Governor which he ignored, big mistake)

Let DAC (disabled Action committee) continue to help unite everyone and let's DAC the heck out of Richmond, D.C. and all of the other states where systems change is needed.  Remember, it's ALL or NOTHING, so the choice is up to you.  We can fight together and win or remain fragmented and lose. It's your choice, simple as that. What do you wish to do? I'm all for uniting together how about you? Let our voices be heard by our united VOTES!

Thank you.

Keith Kessler - Founder of DAC