joe.
(a true story)

Friday, May 03, 2002.


Nash recovered without meds

Most Americans are unaware that the World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly found that long-term schizophrenia outcomes are much worse in the USA and other ''developed'' countries than in poor ones such as India and Nigeria, where relatively few patients are on anti-psychotic medications. In ''undeveloped'' countries, nearly two-thirds of schizophrenia patients are doing fairly well five years after initial diagnosis; about 40% have basically recovered. But in the USA and other developed countries, most patients become chronically ill. The outcome differences are so marked that WHO concluded that living in a developed country is a ''strong predictor'' that a patient never will fully recover.
-from USA Today March 4, 2002 Page 13A Mind drugs may hinder recovery By Robert Whitaker

This is what we want; rape in the embrace of a self-seeking capitalism, in exchange for the promise that it will not kill us—not right away.  The myth of medication makes no one well, least of all those whom it makes rich.  Restoring humanity to the societies of the world will take a long time, but restoring humanity to ourselves can be accomplished immediately.  You just have to really want it, so much that you are willing to turn your back on the homicidal rapist who wants to keep you right where you are.


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Wednesday, May 01, 2002.


Mayday, mayday...

Anarchy means "without government" and anarchists believe that people live more fulfilling lives without the coercive pressure of authority. Of course most people don't trust authority. How many of us have a good word to say for politicians or bosses, or even think they do anything useful? Most people would more willingly rely on friends, neighbours, relatives and work-mates than on the managers and politicians our rulers tell us are essential to run our lives. In anarchist societies people make decisions for themselves and co-operate to meet each others' needs without the obligation of toiling to benefit owning and controlling elites. The common misunderstanding that anarchy is no more than hopeless chaos ignores the fact that most people throughout most of history have lived outside of a dominant authority and have fought against attempts to subjugate them. When society breaks down it's because co-operation itself has broken down under pressure from the poisonous doctrine that you have to trample other people in order to survive. Anarchy means freedom and co-operation.
-from the inaptly named Intro to Capitalism page at the Mayday 2002 site

I think I am an anarchist.  Oh, my. 

I guess I have always accepted the recieved notion that anarchy and peace were mutually exclusive.  I am now beginning to develop the opinion that peace without anarchy merely represents order within the prison yard.  True peace is, I think, serenity within the natural freedom which exists prior to 'administered freedom,' which is what we define as freedom today.


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Israeli arrogance


Israel says it will only cooperate with a UN investigation if the following demands are met:

· Military and terrorism experts should be made full members of the investigating team

· The Israeli government should decide who the investigators can talk to and which documents it can review

· The investigation should not reach any conclusions

· The evidence it gathers cannot be used in any war crimes prosecution

-from the Guardian Unlimited

Israel's demonstrated arrogance and disrespect for international law is tantamount to an admission of guilt.  What is it that the US does not want to see here, since we seem to be ignoring the blatantly obvious?  Are we in denial that the US favorite in the Middle East has become a monster?  If they were strangling the flow of oil to the West, instead of strangling the life out of an insignificant nation, there would already be US troops in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. 

The truth is that we do not care if Israel commits war crimes against Palestinians. 


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Monday, April 29, 2002.


Apartheid in the Holy Land

Israel will never get true security and safety through oppressing another people. A true peace can ultimately be built only on justice.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu

A synopsis of Dr. Tutu's remarks from his keynote address Occupation is Oppression, given in Boston at the Ending the Occupation conference on April 13, 2002, can be found at the Guardian.  Also check out this article in The Christian Science Monitor.


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