Action Alerts - please help - especially if you live in WA!

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

I just received the following letter from one of our members today. This is

an extremely serious situation and we need to act quickly. This is worse

that the US' Homeland Security bill. If you live in WA, please make an

appointment to go and see your local member - take others with you for

support. If you live in any other state, please write to your member and

request that they find out if similar legislation is planned there and if it

is, tell them in no uncertain terms that you do NOT support these draconian

rules and that the parents must always be the final word when it comes to

the health of their children - not the state. In addition, if psychiatric

treatment can be mandated against the wishes of parents, and if the

government sets a precedent in saying that parents do not have the best

interests of their children at heart, how much of a guess is it to assume

that vaccines, ritalin and other pharmaceutical products.

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Dear Meryl,

I write with grave concern about the forthcoming proposed legislation in WA

in the Review of the Mental Health Act 1996, due for parliamentary

consideration in February 2006, which is recommending that children can be

detained and given involuntary psychiatric treatment based on the decision

of a psychiatrist and without consent of a parent. This could include the

forcible use of drugs, restraint, seclusion and, for children over twelve,

electro-convulsive treatment (ECT).

Given the overzealous practice of psychiatric labeling and drug prescription

by psychiatrists, particularly in WA, it is frightening that we are

expected, on government orders, to legally entrust psychiatrists with the

power to do what they will with our children, all in the name of their

welfare.

In a letter from the Premier's Office vaguely responding to my concern and

justifying the proposal, it was stated that, " a parent may not act in the

best interest of a child or adolescent and the child is entitled to proper

care and treatment " . So, in the context of generalised distrust of parents,

psychiatrists are handed full authority to make such decisions with

unquestionable trust of the profession. Too often, psychiatrists act on

behalf of blind or bigoted practices or loyal affiliation to the drug

companies that drive and reward their practice. I have no doubt that most

medical and psychiatric practice runs on the propaganda and handout of these

companies in the interests of the dollar, not the interests of the welfare

of us or our children.

Are other states also experiencing such legislative proposals and is there

any campaigning or information around this? What association, I wonder, does

it have with the current Federal proposal to introduce compulsory biannual

Mental Health testing of our children (and later adults) with the power of

involuntary treatment. (ed note - this legislation has already been

considered in the US and as far as I know, it has passed through Congress -

if anyone has more information on the situation in the States or elsewhere

with legislation like this, please write and let me know). It also seems to

tie in with parents being charged with neglect for choosing unorthodox

medical treatment. These seems to be a direct attack fromm all angles on our

right as citizens to make our own informed choices in medical and

psychiatric care and a particular targeting of children with the eradication

of parental rights. In the name of sanity, can we stop this?

Warm regards,

Georgi, WA