Colors

The Gray Panthers

How It's Used

“The 55 residents of the Nate Smith House, named for a Gray Panther and neighborhood activist for affordable housing and the elderly, are holding a cookout Aug. 1 to celebrate the 44-unit building's first decade.”

“In 1990 Jack 'retired'. At 77 he became the oldest registered Amateur Boxing Association coach and published a book of poems. In 2000, agitating for 'grey panther power' he was elected the British Pensioners and Trade Union Action Association's general secretary. In 1999, brandishing a placard demanding 'An End to the Great British Pensions Robbery', he confronted the House of Commons Speaker Betty Boothroyd, en route to the chamber. Thus he was arrested, for what would be the last time, and banned from the Commons for life. Jack's final, wheelchair-bound protests were against the Iraq invasion.”

“The letter to [Sen. Harry] Reid said the senators 'fear that provider shortages in states with low reimbursement rates such as ours will make such a program ineffective, or even worsen the problems these states are experiencing.' One of its authors, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who early in his career founded a Gray Panther chapter that fought for better health insurance for older Americans, said in an interview that he has long been concerned about coverage for people ages 55 to 64. But the proposal, he said, would have worsened a climate in Oregon in which some doctors restrict the number of Medicare patients they will treat.”

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