Saturday, October 17, 2015

I Am Not Participating in Alternatives This Year Because...

We need to reach out to each other and help stop the trauma. We need to give comfort and not let people feel so deprived of their voice, their empowerment that they pull a trigger whether on themselves or others or both. I've been on that path and felt that kind of rage. Others have too and we know what helps, what turned us from that path. Let us help bring the healing. Stop listening to the "experts" and everyone who knows what's best for us.


Post by Pat Risser - #StopMurphysLaw,  10/1/15


I am not participating in Alternatives this year in part because of political protest. I remember the days when we'd use Alternatives to bring us together to fight for our cause of human rights. We would march on state capitols and let legislators know that we were a force with which to be reckoned. However, for over a decade now, perhaps due to namby-pamby leadership at CMHS and the dictatorial edicts of Risa Fox, we've lost out backbone. They (those hosting the conference) have selected a NAMI National Board Member as a keynote speaker. I firmly believe that NAMI is the enemy. Representative Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania has reintroduced his "Helping Families with Mental Health Act" legislation that would decimate SAMHSA, the Protection and Advocacy System, Peer Support and expand mandatory AOT (Assisted Outpatient Treatment). AOT is neither assisted nor treatment. It is a court order of compliance. My biggest fear is someone showing up at the door with a loaded syringe. However, now they're designing micro-chipped drugs to assure compliance. In any case, if NAMI support for this oppressive legislation went away, the legislation would wither away also. I cannot, in good conscience support anything that supports or features NAMI in any way, shape or form.

NAMI's ties to Big Pharma are proven fact and to have a conference with a "consumer" NAMI Board member as a featured speaker smacks of the Vichy government of France or Quisling or some other Nazi era sell-outs. What's next? Will we be seeing some toss the bodies of others into the ovens? Truly scary times. We are already dying over 25 years too soon. Isn't that enough? This pogram against us must end! I'm afraid a caucus won't get us there. I'm afraid that even just attendance may be seen as implied endorsement of the program.

Just as an aside, I want to point out that I was one of the original members of NCMHR. I joined as an individual because I had no formal group affiliation and proudly presented Dan Fisher with a $100 Dollar bill to join. I've never had a voice or say-so of any sort. I've never had my input solicited and I was not consulted regarding the goals of the organization.

When I speak of NAMI as the enemy, generally I'll hear from the fools (better than calling them idiots) who will whine about trying to change NAMI from within. These same folks would be appalled if I said I'd joined the KKK to try and change them from within but can't see their own complicity.

Or they'll say that there's good people in NAMI. To which I'd reply that I've known a fellow who didn't beat his wife or kids, didn't kick his dog, went to church every Sunday, kept his lawn, house and property up nicely and was a friendly fellow. Except, he was a member of the KKK.

Then I hear from those who whine that NAMI is the only game in town. I've always felt that if you don't like the game that exists, start your own. I've started many self-help, peer support groups and there are National TA Centers who can help that process.

Then I'll hear from those who feel I'm being too harsh by comparing to the Nazi's. Remember that everything the Nazi's did was legal, first they changed laws if necessary.

Also, we're already dying over 25 years too young (*more below) and I'm not hearing much outcry over that. NAMI and society and the psychiatric profession and industry have turned their backs on us and our shortened lives. It's all just rather disgusting. If family love us as much as they claim, why are they not raising hell over us dying so early?

Clarence Jordan is the one invited to keynote at Alternatives. Apparently, he's no longer on NAMI National Board. He must have come off recently because he claimed to be on the Board when he was announced as a keynoter. Also, he's closely connected with the National Council (for Community Behavioral Health) that is strongly drug company supported. I'm just very fed up with Big Pharma and the fact that we're dying and yet there's no outcry about it. Too many seem to want to play nice and get along (all the way to an early grave).

I think of so many losses. It makes me so sad and upset that another shooting happened in Oregon. And then I started flashing back to other losses. Howie (the Harp) is gone. Judi (Chamberlin) is gone. Rae (Unzicker) is gone. Cookie (Gant) is gone. Pearl (Johnson) is gone. Glenn (Koons) is gone. Sue (Poole) is gone. Robert (Faltens) is gone. Too, too many are gone. And yet the insanity continues.

I watch as people I care about march lockstep into the hospital or "treatment," looking to ease their pain and instead, they find only more misery and an early death. I too turned to the system for "help" and was addicted to "care." But, eventually, I found my way free and I want so badly to spare others from that misery but I feel so hopeless in the face of the damn system. My nerves are very sensitive and close to the surface right now and I just want Black lives to matter. I want children's lives to matter. I want mental patient lives to matter. I want everyone's lives to matter. I want the insanity to stop.

An "expert" said the recent Oregon shooter found the expression of his voice, his empowerment today. NO! Damn it! We need to reach out to each other and help stop the trauma. The shooter was a person who was hurting. We need to give comfort and not let people feel so deprived of their voice, their empowerment that they pull a trigger whether on themselves or others or both. I've been on that path and felt that kind of rage. Others have too and we know what helps, what turned us from that path. Let us help bring the healing. Stop listening to the "experts" and everyone who knows what's best for us.

We've got to stop the insanity! We've got to stop NAMI. We've got to stop Big Pharma. We've got to stop psychiatry. We've got to stop the politicians who scapegoat us. We've got to stop the cops Tasering us and killing us. We've got to stop the trauma. We've got to try and save the world. AAAAAAARGH!!!

7 comments:

  1. Have started a grassroots peer support setup in my area with hearing voices and other things.
    Have learned a state level oficial that supposedly represents us, 'peers' is calling peer run organizations wanting to know where the funding is coming from and if it is really happening,
    The hearing voices group is five months old.
    I made the decision over a year ago, no government funding, no peer run organization funding, no agency funding.
    All money comes from doing trainings in the community for those who choose to come.
    No board to report to, simply pay taxes on the money we make which is hardly anything.
    Determined to make this work.

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    Replies
    1. I have done the same . would love to talk more please reach out www.thesupportplace.com

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    2. Awesome - please stay in touch, skknut@gmail.com

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  2. Thanks for your courage to speak out, even when your peers will probably not understand your concerns, Pat.

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  3. There may be more people than you know who feel the same but are too afraid they will lose their earthly trinkets if they do. The difference is you are standing up and saying it. This will build a bridge to others to find their courage too. Thank you.

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