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.”

—Andreae Downs, “Once a slum, Nate Smith House has become a hub for activists,” The Boston Globe, July 27, 2008.

“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.”

—Steve Sprung, “Jack Sprung,” The Guardian (UK), February 9, 2009.

“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.”

—Amy Goldstein, “The rapid rise and fall of a Medicare buy-in: Fate of Senate proposal reflects high stakes of health-care negotiations,” The Washington Post, December 16, 2009, p. A04.

Links

Related on eAlmanac
The Black Panthers
Gray (Old)

Beyond eAlmanac
Wikipedia article on the Gray Panthers
The Gray Panthers official Web site