Posted by Chairman_MAO on March 7, 2006, at 16:28:25
In reply to Re: oh, posted by linkadge on March 7, 2006, at 15:51:26
There is a lot behind the "so what".
--Justification for involuntary mental hospitalization on the grounds that one has a "mental disease or defect" that renders them "dangerous". This is a way of incarcerating people who threaten those in power (politicians or a jury) but have committed no over crime. This is determined based upon expert testimony, considered scientific because it wears the mantle of neurobiology.
--Justification for the insanity defense, which provides for a "not guilty" verdict in case a person has a "mental disease or defect". This is a way of letting off those people who those in power (politicians or a jury) feel should not be punished though the law prescribes otherwise.
--Justification for forced drugging to protect people from themselves.
--Justification for government control over the administration of psychoactive drugs via psychiatrist proxy, e.g. it is OK to compel children to take Ritalin to eliminate behaviors considered undesirable in school, but an adult taking Ritalin of his own free will can be prosecuted and jailed for 10+yrs.
--Justification for arbitrary social norms disguised as scientific fact; the modern equivalent of religious people calling behavior that offends them "unnatural" or "unholy".
--Justification for state-mandated 12-step addiction treatment which somehow gets accepted as medical despite being anything but.
--Justification for the draconian drug policy that has created a veritable gulag of non-violent offenders in US Prisons (and around the world). Fifty percent of all US prisoners are non-violent drug offenders.I'm sure there's more.
poster:Chairman_MAO
thread:613775
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060304/msgs/617132.html