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<DIV><FONT size=4>I can’t imagine how any of you (Roger included) have time to
pinpoint who is making the most vile remarks. As long as Rush Limbaugh wields a
mike, I cast my vote with you, Joe. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>But that is somewhat trivial in the face of the damage that’s
being done to d mental health services and Idaho’s needy. No need to
argue, here, the Republican leadership is totally responsible and there is
no way to assign blame across the Idaho political spectrum. Even a closed
minded apologist can hardly make any other argument. And
sadly, inasmuch as the Gov says he will more or less hold education funding at
the current level, and seek no more new revenue, Health & Welfare is poised
to take another big hit. The fallout is huge and much of it is hidden in
the details. An example: One of the mental health workers who has
been a critical and necessary (redundant, possibly, but even so)
participant in our daughter’s program for many years will no
longer be able to provide those services because our daughter no longer fits the
service criteria. Not only will Leslie lose her help, but the provider has
been told she will now be working with violent adults. Her training has
not equipped her to do that. So if she chooses to continue, she’ll be
putting herself at physical risk, and if she chooses not to, she loses her
position. Don’t blame the folks in H&W. They are doing the best they
can with continuing cuts to their programs. I can’t think of a service I
purchase that I wouldn’t gladly pay taxes for, if it would help education and
health services here in this state. Even burial services. And doctor
visits. And haircuts...Geeze.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Sue Hovey </FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=philosopher.joe@gmail.com
href="mailto:philosopher.joe@gmail.com">Joe Campbell</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Friday, January 28, 2011 10:29 AM</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=idahovandal1@live.com
href="mailto:idahovandal1@live.com">Carl Westberg</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Cc:</B> <A title=vision2020@moscow.com
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Vision2020] How Many More Jared
Loughners?America'sMentalHealth Crisis</DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT-STYLE: normal; DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: none">I
think this is something we can all agree with, Carl, even if we disagree about
what to do about the problem. Thanks! I don't watch MSNBC either though I turn
on Beck and Rush every once in a while. It helps keep me humble. (That was a
joke!) Best, Joe<BR><BR>
<DIV class=gmail_quote>On Fri, Jan 28, 2011 at 12:05 PM, Carl Westberg <SPAN
dir=ltr><<A
href="mailto:idahovandal1@live.com">idahovandal1@live.com</A>></SPAN>
wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: rgb(204,204,204) 1px solid; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; PADDING-LEFT: 1ex"
class=gmail_quote>
<DIV>As one who doesn't listen to talk radio of any political leaning, and
frankly hasn't even heard of many of those talking heads mentioned, does not
watch Fox news, does not watch MSNBC or read blogs representing left or right,
save for an occasional visit out of sheer, perhaps morbid, curiousity, it's
nice to see some attention being paid to the sorry state of mental health
treatment. I know that in Idaho, help for the mentally is all but
non-existent. Ironically, one of the victims of the Tucson shooting was
arrested a week later for shouting "You're dead", or something like that, at a
conservatice politician, and was subsequently involuntarily committed for
three days of mental evaluation. As he should have been. Mental
illness is still one of those 800 pound gorillas that society is reluctant to
discuss. There is still a prevailing "just snap out of it" attitude
displayed by many toward the mentally ill. If only it was that
easy....<BR> <BR>> Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2011 10:58:44 -0800<BR>> From:
<A href="mailto:lfalen@turbonet.com"
target=_blank>lfalen@turbonet.com</A><BR>> To: <A
href="mailto:lfalen@turbonet.com" target=_blank>lfalen@turbonet.com</A>; <A
href="mailto:philosopher.joe@gmail.com"
target=_blank>philosopher.joe@gmail.com</A><BR>> CC: <A
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com" target=_blank>vision2020@moscow.com</A>
<DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=h5><BR>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] How Many More Jared
Loughners? America'sMentalHealth Crisis<BR>> <BR>> P. S, How is O'Neal
more offensive than Chapman or Brock? I think it depends on your
prospective.<BR>> Roger<BR>> <BR>> -----Original message-----<BR>>
From: lfalen <A href="mailto:lfalen@turbonet.com"
target=_blank>lfalen@turbonet.com</A><BR>> Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:47:47
-0800<BR>> To: "Joe Campbell" <A href="mailto:philosopher.joe@gmail.com"
target=_blank>philosopher.joe@gmail.com</A><BR>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020]
How Many More Jared Loughners? America'sMentalHealth Crisis<BR>> <BR>>
> Bill Maher - " Why couldn't he have croaked fro it instead of Heath
Ledger"<BR>> > Ed Schultz- Lord take him to the Promised Land, Dick
Cheney's heart is a political football. We ought yo rip it out and kick it
around and stuff it back into him"<BR>> > Charles Bouley- About Tony
Snow "How could a cancer not grow in you? Work for Fox News.. and how could
your guts not rot?"<BR>> > Montel Williams on Mechele Bachmanm "Slit
your wrist. Go ahead.. Move that knife up about two feet.O mean start at the
collarbone".<BR>> > Obama- It they bring a knife to the fight, we bring
a gun"<BR>> > Several commentators have said. Try Bush and Cheney for
war crimes and hang them"<BR>> > There have been very few comments on
the right that have reached this leave of hate. I personally do no think
Obama's statement should be taken literally, as most of the statements on the
right should not be. You my be right about the level of notoriety of those on
the left that make such statements, with the exception of William, Maher and
Obama. Most of these statements by the left were explicit calls for the death
of someone. Everyone on both sides uses military metaphors. These should not
be taken literally. While I would like to see a decrease in such language I do
do think that it can be blamed for the acts of someone like Loughner. Violent
Video games TV and Music that call for cops to be killed have much more of an
effect.<BR>> > Roger<BR>> > -----Original message-----<BR>>
> From: Joe Campbell <A href="mailto:philosopher.joe@gmail.com"
target=_blank>philosopher.joe@gmail.com</A><BR>> > Date: Thu, 27 Jan
2011 20:26:03 -0800<BR>> > To: lfalen <A
href="mailto:lfalen@turbonet.com"
target=_blank>lfalen@turbonet.com</A><BR>> > Subject: Re: [Vision2020]
How Many More Jared Loughners? America's MentalHealth Crisis<BR>> >
<BR>> > > Fine, Roger. First, it is worth noting that Michael O'Neal
is very<BR>> > > offensive. All of his articles are filled with
anti-left bashing,<BR>> > > distortions of the truth, and
over-the-top rhetoric. As several Daily News<BR>> > >
letters-to-the-editor have pointed out, his last column was guilty of<BR>>
> > exactly what he accused folks on the left of doing: exploiting a
tragic<BR>> > > situation for political gain.<BR>> > >
<BR>> > > My point is that the right is worse than the left wrt the
kinds of things<BR>> > > Nick is talking about. I understand you
disagree and that some on the left<BR>> > > like to say "we're all to
blame" but that strikes me as bunk. Folks like<BR>> > > Rush, Beck,
Palin, and others are far worse in this respect --<BR>> > >
disrespectful, angry, hateful, distorted comments about their
political<BR>> > > opponents -- than any of the folks on the left.
I'm not saying all the blame<BR>> > > goes to the right. This is a
comparative claim.<BR>> > > <BR>> > > Again, you're free to
prove me wrong by illustrating the kinds of examples I<BR>> > > note
below. I doubt you can do it but I'm willing to listen. But there<BR>> >
> really is no comparison.<BR>> > > <BR>> > > On Thu, Jan
27, 2011 at 6:16 PM, lfalen <<A href="mailto:lfalen@turbonet.com"
target=_blank>lfalen@turbonet.com</A>> wrote:<BR>> > > <BR>>
> > > I said nothing about any school. Nether did Nick for that
matter. He<BR>> > > > referred to Rush in particular. My comments
were on the broad spectum of the<BR>> > > > left vs right as were
Micheal O'Neal's.<BR>> > > > Roger<BR>> > > >
-----Original message-----<BR>> > > > From: Joe Campbell <A
href="mailto:philosopher.joe@gmail.com"
target=_blank>philosopher.joe@gmail.com</A><BR>> > > > Date: Wed,
26 Jan 2011 15:54:56 -0800<BR>> > > > To: lfalen <A
href="mailto:lfalen@turbonet.com"
target=_blank>lfalen@turbonet.com</A><BR>> > > > Subject: Re:
[Vision2020] How Many More Jared Loughners? America's Mental<BR>> > >
> Health Crisis<BR>> > > ><BR>> > > > > Every
bit as violent? I'm sorry Roger but you're wrong. Name one school<BR>> >
> > which has on the front page of it's website an example of the kind
of<BR>> > > > rhetoric that NSA has on it's website. Name one
potential Democratic<BR>> > > > candidate for president who had a
poster like Palin's with crosshairs<BR>> > > > designating
Republican candidates. Name two liberal/progressive radio talk<BR>> >
> > show hosts who regularly portray Republicans as Nazis (or whatever
the<BR>> > > > rightwing equivalent of Communists is).<BR>>
> > > ><BR>> > > > > Be honest, Roger. Of course
you can find examples on both sides but they<BR>> > > > are hardly
equal in number or volume.<BR>> > > > ><BR>> > > >
><BR>> > > > > On Jan 26, 2011, at 11:10 AM, lfalen <<A
href="mailto:lfalen@turbonet.com" target=_blank>lfalen@turbonet.com</A>>
wrote:<BR>> > > > ><BR>> > > > > >
Nick<BR>> > > > > > I agree with you that we should take
care of the mentally ill and the<BR>> > > > disabled. I just wish
that you could find it in your heart to be a little<BR>> > > >
more even handed in parcelling out blame. As the Michael O'Neal
article<BR>> > > > points out, the rhetoric coming from the left
is every bit as violent if<BR>> > > > not more so than that from
the right. I personally think violent video<BR>> > > > games, TV
and rap music have more of an impact that that of politicians. I<BR>> >
> > have seen research reports that say these things have no effect. I
think<BR>> > > > something is wrong with their research. A
constant bombardment of these<BR>> > > > things can not help but
deaden the senses. Particularly for the mentally<BR>> > > >
unstable.<BR>> > > > > > Roger<BR>> > > > >
> -----Original message-----<BR>> > > > > > From: <A
href="mailto:nickgier@roadrunner.com"
target=_blank>nickgier@roadrunner.com</A><BR>> > > > > >
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2011 16:21:38 -0800<BR>> > > > > > To: <A
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com"
target=_blank>vision2020@moscow.com</A><BR>> > > > > >
Subject: [Vision2020] How Many More Jared Loughners? America's Mental<BR>>
> > > Health Crisis<BR>> > > > > ><BR>> >
> > > >> Dear Visionaries:<BR>> > > > >
>><BR>> > > > > >> Below is my radio
commentary/column for this week. The full version<BR>> > > > is
attached.<BR>> > > > > >><BR>> > > > >
>> Nick<BR>> > > > > >><BR>> > > > >
>> HOW MANY MORE JARED LOUGHNERS? AMERICA’S MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS<BR>>
> > > > >><BR>> > > > > >> Jared
Loughner, the gunman who killed six and wounded 14 at a Tucson<BR>> >
> > Safeway, has all the symptoms of someone who is mentally ill. Even
though<BR>> > > > anti-government rhetoric was found in his
writings, many people want us to<BR>> > > > believe that
Loughner’s actions are exclusively those of a deranged mind.<BR>> > >
> > >><BR>> > > > > >> In a heart-wrenching
letter in the Daily News, a father wrote about<BR>> > > > his
autistic son, who listens to Rush Limbaugh every day and sends<BR>> >
> > frightening e-mails to his father. He confesses that he “can easily
see how<BR>> > > > Eric might decide to make himself instantly
famous with the aid of a gun.<BR>> > > > Violent rhetoric can
indeed have violent consequences.<BR>> > > > > >><BR>>
> > > > >> Mental health professionals are reminding us that
not all those who<BR>> > > > have a mental disorder are violent
individuals. In fact, the mentally ill<BR>> > > > are more often
the targets of abuse not perpetrators. It is estimated that<BR>> > >
> only 40,000 of 4 million mentally ill Americans can be considered
violent> > >><BR>> > > > > >> Loughner should
have been referred to a mental health clinic, but he<BR>> > > >
most likely would not have received treatment. In his own Pima County
45<BR>> > > > percent of those in mental health programs were
disenrolled in 2009 because<BR>> > > > of budget cuts.<BR>>
> > > > >><BR>> > > > > >> A 2007 study
in the British medical journal The Lancet estimated that<BR>> > >
> 67 percent of Americans with mental disorders do not receive any
treatment<BR>> > > > (vol. 370: 878-89). As with other social and
health statistics—such a teen<BR>> > > > births and infant
mortality—U.S. mental health care compares with Third<BR>> > > >
World countries.<BR>> > > > > >><BR>> > > >
> >> Fox News’ psychiatrist Keith Ablow states that “in most states,
the<BR>> > > > mental health care delivery systems have been
gutted by disproportionate<BR>> > > > cuts that leave them
reeling, understaffed and unreliable.”<BR>> > > > >
>><BR>> > > > > >> Ablow also blames private health
insurers “who routinely deny<BR>> > > > comprehensive services
(like hospitalization) to people, even if they are<BR>> > > >
psychotic and drug addicted and even if they have expressed very
serious<BR>> > > > thoughts of violence.” But Ablow and his friend
Glenn Beck condemn the<BR>> > > > civilized world’s socialized
medicine that offers much better mental health<BR>> > > >
coverage.<BR>> > > > > >><BR>> > > > >
>> Republicans now control the House and the most state
legislatures<BR>> > > > ever, and they will make sure that
economic inequality increases and funding<BR>> > > > for social
and health programs decreases.<BR>> > > > > >><BR>>
> > > > >> The GOP mantra of “No New Taxes” will prevent the
implementation of<BR>> > > > the New Freedom Commission on Mental
Health’s recommendations. Set up in<BR>> > > > 2002 by then
President George W. Bush, the commissioners bemoaned the<BR>> > >
> collapse of the nation’s mental health services and proposed
increased<BR>> > > > federal funding in this area.<BR>> >
> > > >><BR>> > > > > >> The advocacy
group America Mental Health makes a strong pitch to the<BR>> > > >
nation’s business leaders by reminding them that “untreated and
mistreated<BR>> > > > mental illness costs the United States $150
billion in lost productivity<BR>> > > > each year, and U.S.
businesses foot up to $44 billion of this bill.<BR>> > > > >
>><BR>> > > > > >> American Mental Health proposes
that “many considerations—ranging from<BR>> > > > social justice
to economic self-interest—make it imperative that the federal<BR>> >
> > government assume a major, focused, coordinated role in mental
health<BR>> > > > policy, a role both different and larger than it
currently plays.”<BR>> > > > > >><BR>> > > >
> >> In his state of the state address Idaho Governor “Butch”
Otter<BR>> > > > encouraged families to gather around the kitchen
table to solve their<BR>> > > > problems rather than relying on
“soul-crushing” state and federal programs<BR>> > > > to help
them.<BR>> > > > > >><BR>> > > > >
>> Even the strongest families are helpless in the face of the
challenges<BR>> > > > posed by the Jared Loughners of the nation.
Even the wisest fathers and<BR>> > > > mothers on limited Idaho
budgets must admit that government subsidized<BR>> > > > mental
health is the only way their troubled children are going to get the<BR>>
> > > help they need.<BR>> > > > > >><BR>>
> > > > >> Gov. Otter is not calling for cuts in Health and
Welfare in his FY12<BR>> > > > budget, but the department has
suffered a 21 percent reduction over the past<BR>> > > > three
years. In mental health alone 49 positions have been eliminated in<BR>>
> > > the adult and youth divisions. In 2009 a Pocatello man, who had
been<BR>> > > > removed from a mental health program, shot and
wounded a man near his home.<BR>> > > > > >><BR>> >
> > > >> When I travel to India it is depressing to see so many
beggars on the<BR>> > > > streets and so many people that are
obviously mentally ill. The US<BR>> > > > Conference of Mayors
estimates that 40 percent of America’s 1.6 million<BR>> > > >
homeless people are mentally ill. This is a national disgrace and an<BR>>
> > > international embarrassment.<BR>> > > > >
>><BR>> > > > > >> No amount of Otter “table talk”
is going to solve these basic social<BR>> > > > and psychological
problems. Far too many souls have already been crushed and<BR>> > >
> fallen through the huge holes in America’s social safety net.<BR>>
> > > > >><BR>> > > > > >> Nick Gier
taught philosophy at the University of Idaho for 31 years.<BR>> > >
> > >><BR>> > > > > >><BR>> > > >
> ><BR>> > > > > >
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