M.I.T Math Maze Romp

 

To: s-acc@yahoogroups.com

From: "no_action2004" <no-action@cwnet.com>

Date: Sun, 17 Jan 2010 15:07:27 -0800

Subject: [s-acc] what to do

 

Hi

On Sun Jan 17 11:05, Yza sent:

Santa Cruz is building a locked Psychiatric Health Facility. I met with one of our supervisors, very liberal, the one for the district where the facility will be sited. His opener: "We need a locked facility in Santa Cruz." Then, later, "My mother worked in mental illness."

What's important for us to consider as activists is that we are now in a "surge" economy which doesn't engage quite the same way as the "yuppie/consumer" economy to which we have grown accustomed.

I am literally sick to my stomach at how successful the behavioral health industry has been. There's not one open mind!

They are the advocates for "surge." It's what pays. And NAMI has climbed on their backs and we now find that we have successfully been labeled "consumers" in many places. Still the global economic picture is that (mainstream) "consumers" have sustainability issue, so that the underground advocacy for "client/survivors" talk also becomes strong.

I had anticipated some of them, someone would be 'independent', not yet having taken a stance. Not one.

Whereas original advocates, like Tom Scheff, now feel the need to reach out to folks like us. The present "bad climate" has its weakness, because it's based on a transparent kind of "torture denial." The dynamics of advocacy against denial obtains.

I spoke at Board of Supervisors public comment, have gone to a couple of MHB meetings, I don't know what else to do - I don't want to be Doña Quixote or Diogenes .. I want to either be effective or stop. Santa Cruz seems to not sustain client advocacy, client leadership, we don't get to critical mass.
  1. there is a powerful culture of "surge advocacy" a.k.a. "psychology of terrorism" in San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey counties. It wants some description.
  2. there is also a "critical mass" process unfolding, at least some I know of in regards the Coalition for Justice and Accountability in San Jose.

The weather forecast is for rain. Lots of it.

 

Best

Andrew