Repealing the 20th Century, Part the Infinity.

Pancakes.

It was his birthday and he wanted pancakes. His sister had sent him $10 for his birthday and his friend took him to a restaurant in Portland, Oregon to get pancakes. In 1970. To celebrate his 30th birthday.

The man’s name was Art Honeyman. He was a semi-successful writer and poet. But most of the time, by 1970, he was a vagabond. He was born in Massachusetts, but after his mother died when he was young, his father moved the family all over.

But that night, on his 30th birthday, he wanted pancakes. So his friend Richard Pimentel, took him to a local diner for pancakes. Except, once they got there, they weren’t served.

Why?

Because the waitress was scared of “the guy in the wheelchair.” Honeyman had Cerebral Palsy, a rather pronounced case of it and was in need of almost round-the-clock care. She called the police. They came and escorted both Art and Pimentel out and arrested them under an archaic law known as the “circus freaks” law.

Pimentel, a Vietnam War vet, was also disabled, due to the war. A mortar had exploded a few feet away from him, temporarily making him deaf, but leaving him with a lifelong case of tinnitus. For the better part of his life, he has been advocate for the disabled and employment for both disabled veterans and people with disabilities. He was credited with changing the Veterans Administration’s policies as well as pushing through the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Which, of course, the Libidinous Dotard wants to repeal.

Since many of the ADA’s statutes fall under two departments, Education and Health and Human Services (and to a lesser extent, HUD) this administration’s cuts to these departments affect the ADA. They want to make it, once again, legal to deny employment to people like me based on the way we look or if we’re in a wheelchair or a senior with an oxygen tank at Bob Evans.

The “circus freaks” laws were developed in the period between 1880–1910. Mostly local ordinances, they were aimed at traveling circuses who would be performers for a week or so. They were welcome to enthrall the locals, but not mingle with them or patronize local businesses. That is why the circus’ had to stay on the outskirts of the places where they performed. These laws were later applied to vaudeville and acting troupes.

In the 1950–60’s, these laws were applied to the Beatniks and Hippies. Pretty easy targets.

But the disabled? Or “crippled” as we were referred to back then? Even in supposedly ‘progressive’ Portland, Oregon? In 1970, yes. Even today, people still can refuse service to anyone for any reason. Both Honeyman and Pimentel went on to become activists for the disabled, Honeyman pushing his wheelchair from Portland to the state capitol of Salem, 54 miles, to protest the lack of public transportation, per his Wikipedia biography.

Twenty years later, on the date that George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act, Pimentel took Honeyman to that same diner where he had been refused service. They were served.

That the Orange Menace and Company want to dismantle the administrative state is scary enough, but to try and erase every civil rights law passed is a clear and obvious danger to everyone. Except to those who are doing it.

Art Honeyman died in 2008. He was 68.