Ending Institutional America: William Bronston, PUBLIC HOSTAGE, PUBLIC RANSOM

07/27/24 • 57 min

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. William Bronston, a renowned advocate for disability rights and social justice.

Dr. Bronston shares his incredible journey from a young medical student to a leading figure in the fight to protect the rights of people with disabilities. He discusses his experiences working at the Willowbrook State School, his efforts in the deinstitutionalization movement, and the transformative impact of the landmark Willowbrook case.

His book is Public Hostage: Public Ransom: Ending Institutional America.

“Willowbrook was a turning point, not just for the people who lived there, but for the entire movement towards equality and human dignity.” – Dr. William Bronston

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Listen to Bronston read an excerpt from Public Hostage, Public Ransom

Key Words: William Bronston, Willowbrook State School, deinstitutionalization, disability rights

Show Notes

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Dr. Bronston’s early inspirations and motivations for pursuing a career in medicine.
His first encounters with disability rights issues and the profound impact on his career trajectory.

The Willowbrook State School Experience

Detailed account of Dr. Bronston’s work at Willowbrook State School.
Shocking conditions and human rights abuses witnessed at Willowbrook.
The pivotal role Dr. Bronston played in exposing these conditions to the public.

Advocacy and Legal Battles

The landmark Willowbrook case and its implications for disability rights.
Dr. Bronston’s collaboration with other advocates, lawyers, and journalists.
The process of deinstitutionalization and the shift towards community-based care.

Ongoing Efforts and Future Vision

Reflections on the progress made in disability rights since the Willowbrook case.
Current challenges and areas needing attention in the fight for equality and justice for people with disabilities.
Dr. Bronston’s vision for the future of disability rights.

Watch Geraldo RIvera’s documentary, Willowbrook: The Last Disgrace

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. William Bronston, a renowned advocate for disability rights and social justice.

His book is Public Hostage: Public Ransom: Ending Institutional America.

“Willowbrook was a turning point, not just for the people who lived there, but for the entire movement towards equality and human dignity.” – Dr. William Bronston

Listen to Bronston read an excerpt from Public Hostage, Public Ransom

Key Words: William Bronston, Willowbrook State School, deinstitutionalization, disability rights

Show Notes

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Dr. Bronston’s early inspirations and motivations for pursuing a career in medicine.
His first encounters with disability rights issues and the profound impact on his career trajectory.

The Willowbrook State School Experience

Detailed account of Dr. Bronston’s work at Willowbrook State School.
Shocking conditions and human rights abuses witnessed at Willowbrook.
The pivotal role Dr. Bronston played in exposing these conditions to the public.

Advocacy and Legal Battles

The landmark Willowbrook case and its implications for disability rights.
Dr. Bronston’s collaboration with other advocates, lawyers, and journalists.
The process of deinstitutionalization and the shift towards community-based care.

Ongoing Efforts and Future Vision

Reflections on the progress made in disability rights since the Willowbrook case.
Current challenges and areas needing attention in the fight for equality and justice for people with disabilities.
Dr. Bronston’s vision for the future of disability rights.

Watch Geraldo RIvera’s documentary, Willowbrook: The Last Disgrace

Previous Episode

Brad Wolf, A MINISTRY OF RISK, Noel Hernandez, SIMPATÍA, William Bronston on Willowbrook State School

In this episode of Writer’s Voice, we dive into the worlds of peace activism and literary translation through conversations with Brad Wolf and Noel Hernández-Gonzalez. Also, William Bronston, the doctor who brought instiionalization of the developmentally disabled to an end, reads from his book, Public Hostage, Public Ransom.

Brad Wolf discusses his work on Ministry of Risk, a collection of Philip Berrigan’s writings exploring themes of nonviolent resistance and liberation. Noel Hernández-Gonzalez shares insights into translating Simpatía, a novel by Rodrigo Blanco Calderón, depicting the devolution of Chavismo into chaos and poverty, through an effort to save Venezuela’s abandoned dogs.

Writers Voice— in depth conversation with writers of all genres, on the air since 2004.

Key words: nonviolent activism, peace activism, Philip Berrigan, Brad Wolf, Noel Hernández-Gonzalez, William Bronston, Willowbrook State School, Venezuela, Chavismo, podcast, nonfiction, podcast, book recommendations, author interview, book podcast, book show, history, writer’s voice

Episode Highlights

Brad Wolf on Philip Berrigan

Introduction to Philip Berrigan’s background and his journey from a WWII soldier to a nonviolent activist.
Exploration of Berrigan’s writings and philosophy centered around resistance, revolution, and liberation.
Discussion on Berrigan’s civil rights and anti-war activism, including his actions with the Baltimore Four and the Catonsville Nine.
Wolf’s personal connection to Berrigan and his inspiration to edit and publish Ministry of Risk.

Noel Hernández-Gonzalez on Translating Simpatía

Overview of Simpatía, set in present-day Venezuela under Nicolás Maduro’s regime.
Examination of the novel’s title and its nuanced meaning in Spanish.
Discussion on the abandonment of pets in Venezuela as a metaphor for societal issues.
Insights into the characters and plot, focusing on characters Ulysses Khan and General Martín Ayala.
The translation process and collaboration with co-translator Daniel Hahn.

William Bronston reads from Public Hostage, Public Ransom

Next week, we talk with the man who ended institutionalization of the developmentally disabled in America, Dr. William Bronston. In his book, Public Hostage, Public Ransom, Ending Institutional America, he tells the spellbinding tale of how he and shut the Willowbrook State School down and what that long ago fight means for all Americans facing our privatized system of warehousing the disabled and elderly. This week, Bronston reads an excerpt from his book for Writer’s Voice.

Next Episode

Policing Women’s Bodies: Seema Yasmin, UNBECOMING + Jordan Elgrably, STORIES FROM THE CENTER OF THE WORLD

In this episode of Writer’s Voice, we sit down with Dr. Seema Yasmin to discuss her prescient YA novel, Unbecoming. Dr. Yasmin, a physician, journalist, and director of the Stanford Health Communication Initiative, brings her multifaceted expertise to the conversation. Her new book, set in a dystopian near-future America, explores the challenges faced by two teenage girls, Leila and Noor, as they navigate a society where abortion has been heavily restricted.

Listen to a clip from the interview on YouTube

Then, we talk with Jordan Elgrably, editor of a new collection of stories from the Middle East, Stories From The Center of The World. The stories originally appeared in the Markaz Review.

Writers Voice— in depth conversation with writers of all genres, on the air since 2004.

Key words: abortion, reproductive rights, Seema Yasmin, Jordan Elgrably, Middle East, fiction, podcast, podcast, book recommendations, author interview, book podcast, book show, history, writer’s voice

Dr. Seema Yasmin

The Story Behind Unbecoming

Inspiration for the novel, including real-world events and personal experiences.

The setting of the novel in a dystopian Texas where abortion laws have become increasingly restrictive.

Themes and Real-World Connections

The prescient nature of the novel given recent changes in abortion laws.
The broader implications of controlling reproductive rights and bodily autonomy.
The impact of these laws on various aspects of society, including IVF and fertility treatments

Personal Reflections and Broader Implications

Dr. Yasmin’s thoughts on the current political climate and its impact on women’s rights.
Reflections on the process of writing the novel over several years.

Book Bans and Censorship

Discussion on the “soft bans” faced by “Unbecoming” and her children’s picture book, “The ABCs of Queer History.”
Dr. Yasmin’s perspective on the power of literature to foster empathy and challenge the status quo.

Listen to an excerpt from UNBECOMING Other Writer’s Voice Episodes About Abortion Rights

Jordan Elgrably Explores the Rich Tapestry of Middle Eastern Literature

“If you look at maps of the U.S., you would think our American continents are the center of the world, but we are far away from the rest of the world... The moniker of center of the world probably applies better to the region we call the Middle East.” – Jordan ElGrably

Introduction

Host Francesca Rheannon sits down with Jordan Elgrably, editor of the new anthology, Stories from the Center of the World: New Middle East Fiction. The collection opens a window into the rich and diverse literary traditions of the Middle East, a region often misunderstood and underrepresented ...