Justina Pelletier’s father, Lou Pelletier, speaks with Fox News‘ Megyn Kelly about losing custody of his daughter over medical issues that doctors at Boston Childrens’ Hospital determined to be psychological.
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Justina Pelletier’s father, Lou Pelletier, speaks with Fox News‘ Megyn Kelly about losing custody of his daughter over medical issues that doctors at Boston Childrens’ Hospital determined to be psychological.
I’m grateful to Fox News for reporting this. Peter Breggin has been a regular on their programs. It would be nice to see CNN, MSNBC, etc follow their lead.
Rachel Maddow, where are you?
Duane
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Duane,
She may not be aware of the story. Why not contact her and give it a shot which I intend to do?
Of course, since I am a liberal, my approach will be different from yours as I intend to say in a non confrontational way that I am upset that conservatives like Glen Beck are on the story while people like her don’t seem to be.
AA
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AA,
I contacted more liberal media outlets for years, hoping to stir some interest, with no success.
Maybe you’ll have more success; particularly with this story and Rachel Maddow. I hope so.
Duane
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And thanks for contacting her, AA.
IMO, every contact helps. Really.
Duane
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Just posted on her facebook page. Didn’t see any other way to contact her.
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Don’t hold your breath. Maybe someone should contact RT?
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Sadly, I am not oldhead. Who is RT? Sorry if I am asking something obvious.
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Sorry, RT used to stand for Russia Today, it’s a more or less independent Russian news station which is quite to the left of your standard US “liberal” media. I know this sounds questionable at first but much of their US programming is what bona fide leftists would be doing here if they had the funding, with mostly American personalities (even Larry King), and much of the primetime programming at least I believe is primarily woman-produced. They hedge a bit when it comes to criticizing Putin too much, but they do report other people doing it. It’s where I go to find out what’s really happening in my own country, seriously! Go to RT.com to check it out. I don’t guarantee they’ll cover this but if it’s well presented as the case of orwellian government overreach that it is I think it’s worth a try.
I’ve been thinking about this whole issue of why only the hardcore right-wing media outlets are paying attention, and I’ve come up with this analysis: Neo-liberals basically
support psychiatry in the same kneejerk way that they support Obama;
neo-conservatives are better at seeing through the smokescreen. Both in my view are
neo-fascists, but “conservatives” have less of a problem with outright brutal repression
if necessary to preserve the systen; “liberals” need to disguise it as somethiing else, and so
need to maintain the illusion, both personal and public, of “treatment” by caring professionals of those who don’t fulfill their cultural/social proscriptions. Or something like that.
Free Justina!
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oldhead,
You wrote:
“… but ‘conservatives’ have less of a problem with outright brutal repression if necessary to preserve the system.”
Preserve what ‘system’?
If you are referring to the psychiatric system, I disagree.
Because a true conservative wants to *preserve* civil liberties; including the rights of individuals and families to say *no* to conventional psychiatric treatment, regardless of what the *state* or other authority might have to say.
IMO, constitutional rights are radical; so are those of us who work on protecting them.
A good place to start a topic – All Things Political –
http://www.madinamerica.com/forums/
Duane
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By “the system” I meant this entire anti-human, anti-life, profit- based system of living out our lives in pursuit of manufactured illusions and
programmed desires; call it capital;ism, corporatism, or whatnot, it’s a system of the infinitissimal minority sucking the lifeblood of the vast
majority, backed up by both overt force and internalized psychic restraints on the part of the people. Psychiatry is used to reinforce the latter. Anyway that’s my basic take on the whole thing.
That said, I don’t think it’s good to divert this thread with political
abstractions, tho I may be contributing to that even by adding these comments; if you want to start another thread somewhere I’ll join.
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There are staggering main stream cover ups regarding reporting – or even addressing – abuse by psychiatry. In my family’s case, regarding a psychiatric cover up of sexual abuse of a child by a religion. It’s as if the mainstream media ignores such issues, they don’t happen. But I’m certain the more the mainstream media ignore them, the more such crimes against humanity happen.
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Thanks Oldhead. Contacting RT is a great idea which I will look into.
As a liberal, your analysis of the news media and motives makes total sense to me. I hate to admit that but I do feel you are right.
I did notice on Democratic Underground that people seem to be more critical of psychiatry so hopefully, that will eventually occur in the liberal press.
Someone else – OMG, I am so sorry. Sadly, I totally agree with everything you said.
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I appeared on an RT program a couple of months ago, talking about how I was experimented on with shock treatment when I was six. The interviewer was very sympathetic and had done her homework. I can’t remember the name of the interviewer and the show, but the show was appearing on stations in New York City and Washington D.C.
This was a good suggestion, and I think I can find the email of the woman who did the show.
Yeah, to me it is very disgusting how much the establishment liberals love psychiatry. I hate to say it, but conservatives are right when they say liberals really do support the government interfering in people’s private lives “for their own good.” Of course, they want to be the ones to decide what is for people’s own good.
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I believe each of us has the *right* to determine what is in our best interests (for our own good) and the *responsibility* to chase off any person or group who claims to know what’s “best for us”.
And we don’t need a *nanny state* to protect us from cradle to grave; especially one that insists psychiatric drugs are the answer to emotional suffering; one intent on making sure more people have access, *forced* whenever necessary.
Duane
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It doesn’t look like this problem’s going to go away anytime soon, seeeing how the parents are now being represented by a right-wing legal fund. If so-called liberals and others who consider themselves progressive don’t get their heads out of their asses and get themselves educated about psychiatric oppression, people victimized by psychiatry will more and more start thinking the only place to go for support is…Glenn Beck???!!! Better we all should just march into the ocean…
Wondering if you were maybe interviewed by Abby Martin? — she’s good, she does a daily program on RT called “Breaking the Set.” Glad everyone didn’t think the RT suggestion was
“out in left field.” Though I guess I am regardless. 🙂
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