Why Does Noone March, Protest, Or Riot For Us?

Two names:
Tanisha Anderson
Shereese Francis
a start

Thank you so much for your thoughts, Sarah. I always value your input greatly.

That said, my experience since 2010 in the major US city in which I live is pretty much the exact, polar opposite of yours. My civil rights were systematically incinerated by my police department and that strategy was based entirely and 100% on my history of bipolar 1. They illegally accessed my psychiatric records, listened to appointments with my pdoc and lawyer, and embarked on a massive scale to disinform and misinform the entire world that any complaints of mistreatment from me were all due to my psychosis. These tactics were taken straight from an old KGB or Church of Scientology playbook. It was a brilliant plan. And it was all, completely predicated on their illegally and unconstitutionally obtained information about my bipolar 1. It ulitmately resulted in 2 hospitalizations, one lasting nearly 5 years.

I suspect this is far more common than is publicly known. If this team did this to me, they obviously have done it to others. The reason they are able to continue to do these things is that they insist on silence, like all authoritarians and dictators.

I am very glad you have not personally had to deal with anything like this, Sarah.

oldbutwise, your additions are so true, but so sad to think about. Sorry for my long posts. I know that I need to work on curbing my compulsion to write too much, and/or in a verbose manner. I understand the difficulty we sometimes have reading long posts and articles/books either because of our illness or medication issues.

I agree that Treatment Advocacy Center is a great website! Coincidentally, I also recently found stats supporting what you refer to. Assuming they are accurate, I read that black Americans are 2 1/2 times more likely to die in police interactions than white Americans. The mentally ill, including mentally ill of color, 16 times more likely to die in similar situations. The sources for these stats are in articles I mention in one of my posts on page 1 of this thread.

You do not need to apologise to me. I doubt if anyone here finds your post redundant.

There's no need to apologize for long posts. I'm a firm believer that a post is as long as it needs to be to say what needs to be said. I wouldn't be surprised if the folks on the transgender support site I belong to pop some popcorn when they see that I've replied, just in case. And some of my e-mails are more like short stories. But you know, in both cases I've gotten the best responses from the long ones. I plan to go back and read your post in full.

Thank you so much for those references, BD. really appreciate it.

It's not an 'either or' issue---------Black Lives Matter----Mental Health risks matter, Women's Rights matter---EQUALITY matters.
In the 60's when the Movement(s) were sparked it included Civil Rights, Anti-war, Gay Rights, Women's Rights and the growing Ecological movement, mental health care reform, reform of care for the elderly, the disabilities rights movement etc etc---It is not a contest, it is part of the same animal
[but yes we should, as a nation, apologize to and make reparations to native peoples and black Americans in particular]
Each movement seeks equality and measured response/thoughtfulness/a change in paradigm...new models...it comes in waves----Let's catch the Wave as it can bring us closer to shore--- & hope the 'good guys' win this one
closer to real Democracy.

Very well said.

I am hoping more and more people begin to understand this. Equality through diversity. The pain of one group is no more or less important than another. It is different and it all screams for change. It is time to listen to one another.

I couldn’t agree more. It is time to LISTEN to one another.

You realize that what you're saying is a conspiracy theory don't you?

Quote:

Originally Posted by fern46 Because there is little to gain politically from paying people to riot for our cause. I think people might be willing to protest, but the riot behavior has backing behind it that we don't have. If somehow supporting the cause of those who are abused in the mental health system becomes a power play politically, expect to see some windows smashed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarahsweets You realize that what you're saying is a conspiracy theory don't you?

Unless misinterpret ing what you mean by "backing"or a political power play.

On another note....

As far as *** umptions go... I try to do as few of those as I can as I have not found them healthy for me in my personal life.

Do I feel there are people who have historically shown zero support for the causes they now seem so completely interested in because it benefits their agendas otherwise? Yes, absolutely.

Because honestly, no one cares about the mentally ill. The stigma is real. What’s happening here in Minneapolis is a race issue. Racism is a hot issue, and no one wants to look like a racist. People want to support our black community, so the outrage lights up the night. My son is 25 and white. He has autism and his communication skills are poor. This makes him seem suspicious. He was thrown to the ground once at gunpoint for something he didn’t do. Recently, the police tried to arrest him for breaking and entering while opening the door to his own apartment because he was suspicious. The thing is, the police know he is disabled and have a copy of paperwork showing I am his legal guardian. They always call me when something happens. I have to drive over and tell them to put their guns away. My son is a law abiding citizen. His crime is having autism.

Here here.

It feels good to be out walking/demonstrating with purpose----& between times the hard work of changing laws, focus and expectations of society. Most of all, each of us speaking up when we hear remarks that are racist, sexist, stigmatizing of disabilities, people with MI etal----educating others, making it NOT OK, encouraging all of us to take a look at our own skewed beliefs about other people.

'encouraging all of us to take a look at our own skewed beliefs about other people'

Thanks for this. I have been working with this and there are so many judgments and beliefs to consider. Work truly worth the effort.

I'm the same way. I first heard this on The Odd Couple when it aired in prime time but since then I'm almost positive the writers got it from an earlier source. Anyway.

"When you {butt}ume you make a {butt} of you and me."

And...PC I am guessing is likely pretty white----Psychiatry/psychology are pretty White.
.

I have found psychiatry/psychology to be pretty White

Yep. That’s it

The patients? Practitioners?