To interrupt the process of intellectual debate amongst people not only violates our First Amendment rights, but degrades everything this great country stands for. We have a problem in Tennessee. The abuse of the Civil Commitment Procedure and 72 hour psychiatric hold. Designed to protect people who present with a clear and present danger to themselves or others. However people with no intent of harming themselves or others can still be detained and have been under the power of the State. These procedures need to be re-evaluated desperately. My friend age 50 is one such victim. The state has placed upon him a false diagnosis and refuse him the right to have an independent third party psychological exam. As most professional psychiatrists will agree schizophrenia presents between the ages of 16 and 30 usually earlier in males. Bi-polar disorder also presents in ones 20’s with the exception being Child onset bi-polar. His true crime? His efforts to bring peace between Islam and the Christian community. Despite my friend’s situation we need to force a third party evaluation system so the State alone cannot force someone into long lasting inpatient commitment. With our current system anyone with an opinion that differs from the societal norm can be detained under the current guidelines. I merely ask for your support in changing the current guidelines. Pertaining to my friend an individual with such peace in his heart and keen intellect being silenced is a crime in itself. With such a vast amount of violence and hatred in this world we need to come together peacefully and have an intellectual discussion. We may find that we are not so different. After all are we not all of us human beings?

A patients rights should not be violated yet they consistently were at Western State Hospital. In Bolivar Tn


Christopher Boyd