She came to mind when I learned about "coffee chat" at the Oklahoma State Capital scheduled for this coming Thursday morning between 7:00AM - 9:30AM, which I was happy to be a volunteered for, representing NAMI Oklahoma - Edmond North-OKC.
I can recall my first time going with this lady to another state capital. As soon as we stepped in to the Dome, off she went to get a published schedule for today's agenda. I told her to wait up as I was going to go with her. She obvious knew her way around the limestone building, which included a tunnel in the basement and special elevators to use. We rushed up to a Representative's office, who I had never of heard before. Out comes this huge cinnamon roll, apparently the Rep's favorite homemade kind. The assistant said the house was in session but after she thought about it for a second, she phoned the Rep. He told his assistant to let her come in to the floor, as he had been waiting on her for this happy breakfast delight. In she goes. I stayed behind. She thought it was a cool thing to be allowed to do. Little did I know she was a registered independent lobbyist, working on mental health issues for children. She had the same illness as mine, her quality time was around my time frame, had to take medication that knocked her out, just like mine as well. She knew exactly where each rest stop was on I-70 and was self-aware when it was time to get off the highway. I learned to do the same.
On a windy day, she crossed the middle line of the highway near a city that had a huge stigma problem and a large number of officers along the interstate. She was pulled over and was arrested for being under the influence of prescription drugs. She was handcuffed, finger printed and thrown in to a jail cell. To make the issue worse, she was on her way to visit her son who was an inpatient in a mental health hospital. Instead she spent the night in jail.
I went with her to the hearing, getting to meet her lawyer ahead of time. We went outside to have a smoke and discuss the case. I asked her if she could make the charges go away. She said she probably could but she and the defendant wanted to plea not guilty and have a jury trial. An activist event was taking shape, just like the 2 wanted. I left shaking my head, wondering why the two wanted to risk a trial. An activist does what an activist does. They wanted the case to go before a jury, and they got what they wanted. The lobbyist/advocate/activist left with a big smile on her face. My Mott's mind could not imagine what could possibly be the intent. I knew what her consequences would be, but she wanted to take the risk like she and her lawyer had planned.
Weeks went by and no trial date had been set. Months went by, violating her rights to a swift and just trial. Still, that was not their goal. I shook my head. Time continued to pass by, week after week, until the case was dismissed. Now they were happy. The court could not find a jury for the case. Stigma was so bad in that area of the state, no one was willing to sit on the jury.
The Activist won!
The news was spread around the region. Simply, no one wanted to talk in the open about mental illness. It seemed best to keep the subject hidden behind closed doors and placed in the very back of people's closets.
The Mott motto once again prevailed, "Let us be know by our deeds as we will be judged for those deeds."
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