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'State-snatched' girl prompts move in Congress

MeSci

ME/CFS since 1995; activity level 6?
Messages
8,231
Location
Cornwall, UK
JT1024
As I've said, one of the Soviets favourite tricks was to claim dissidents were "mental cases" and lock them up in mental asylums to be tortured by deprivation and drugs.

Same thing happened in apartheid South Africa. A friend of mine was forcibly committed to a psychiatric hospital after refusing to participate in oppression of the indigenous Africans. (He was a South African of European descent.)
 

barbc56

Senior Member
Messages
3,657
While the diagnosis of a somataform illness makes me cringe, the new DSM has been changed to include documented medical illnesses falling under this diagnosis. Whether this is good or not I don't know, but my point is that this might change the picture a bit.

My reservations about this issue have to do with the fact that we have only heard the parents side of the story and the media spin that has been created. I would feel much more comfortable if the parents had aligned themselves with more credible sources. These sources, IMHO, sometimes stretch credibility to it's breaking point.

A conspiracy of this magnitude, would be difficult to pull off. Not impossible but most likely improbable without some of the details being leaked.

The reality is that conspiracies happen but so does child abuse.

The issues brought up in this case such as a bogus diagnosis, when does the state step in, how the judicial process works and the inner machinations of Child Protective Services, are still there.

However I will reserve judgement until all the facts are known which at this point, they are not.

This is a situation that hits a raw nerve with our community. I know it does for me, While it's important to keep in mind the general pattern of events it's also important to keep in mind that the specifics in each case may be different and need to be judged on their own merit.

Whatever the outcome, this young lady has been put in a horrific situation and for her sake I hope that where she is placed is in her best interest.

Barb

ETA A good source about the pharmaceutical business is Ben Goldacre's book Bad Pharma: How Drug Companies Mislead Doctors and Harm Patients

http://www.amazon.com/Bad-Pharma-Companies-Mislead-Patients/dp/0865478007
 

alex3619

Senior Member
Messages
13,810
Location
Logan, Queensland, Australia
One of the issues I have with conspiracy theories is they imply some kind of central plan. Yet we know that many things which might be called conspiracy can spontaneously arise from circumstances that are widely pervasive in society. There are indeed conspiracies out there, put any two people in a room who have similar views and conspiracy can arise, but it tends not to be organized at a large scale. What does happen I think is that many groups arise who want to modify things to fit their vested interests, and they ally with others with similar interests. Its not conspiracy, its business or politics or academia as usual. Its the usual thing, not some out there conspiracy. That is why its so hard to pin down, and why its so pervasive, and why its so hard to fight.

For very good reasons doctors have been given a lot of power and protections. Sadly, it has no proper oversight. This needs to change. Without external oversight it can become corrupt, just as any organizational or political process can become currupt. Psychogenic medicine is particularly bad for this, as its more dogmatic religion than science.
 

JT1024

Senior Member
Messages
582
Location
Massachusetts
Until we know ALL the facts, none of us can truly judge. The main problem I see is that Justina's parents were following her Tufts doctor's instructions to bring her to Children's Hospital since the physician they had previously seen at Tufts who had moved to Children's. Children's hospital never allowed Justina to see that physician. What transpired now is controlled by the court system.

Despite the media coverage of Justina's situation, I am strongly inclined to believe Justina's parents and the opinions of numerous highly regarded clinicians. I live in the state of Massachusetts and the DCF is under huge scrutiny regarding the disappearance of a 5 year old under their "management".. in addition to what is happening to Justina. There have been several other cases as well.

Personally, I'm fed up with politics interfering with medical care. Some organizations (e.g Government/State agencies, prestigious universities and the hospitals associated with them) have tremendous power and if anyone doesn't follow the status quo... watch out.

IMHO... but by the grace of God... I've worked in healthcare in the US for 30+ years and the more I see, the scarier it gets. If you think you are immune to what has happened to Justina.. think again. It CAN happen to you.
 

Countrygirl

Senior Member
Messages
5,468
Location
UK
http://www.lifenews.com/2014/04/21/...ealth-is-failing-she-doesnt-have-much-longer/


On Good Friday, the Pelletier family delivered over 700 “Get Well” cards for Justina Pelletier, the sick teenager who state officials wrongfully took custody of away from her parents.

The Pelletier family was not allowed to visit their daughter on Easter Sunday. The news comes after attorneys working with her family released a letter Justina reportedly wrote saying she is not being treated well.

Today, pro-life attorney Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel told LifeNews that Justina’s health continues to deteriorate.

“On Good Friday, Justina Pelletier received cards adorned with encouraging scripture and powerful messages of hope from concerned Americans across the country,” he said. “Thank you to all of you who participated!”

“Lou Pelletier, Justina’s father, told us that Justina saw the mountain of cards and read several of the messages to her. She is encouraged with this amazing outpouring of love and support. I must tell you that Anita and I were deeply moved as we read through hundreds of strong personalized messages,” Staver added.

But Staver said Mr. Pelletier had a very somber assessment of Justina’s condition following the family’s visitation time this weekend, which miraculously did include a last-minute approved Easter Sunday visit.

Staver said: He believes…“Justina is in a world of hurt. She is physically and mentally dying. She doesn’t have much longer.” He wonders how much more DCF “abuse” she’ll be able to endure. He contends that Justina is still undergoing behavior modification therapies, which includes drug-induced treatments. He knows that “Justina is being tortured.”

“Since Massachusetts Juvenile Court Judge Joseph Johnston remanded Justina into permanent DCF custody, she has only once returned to Tufts Medical Center where she was receiving effective treatments for her rare disprder. Dr. Korman, Justina’s original attending physician, is calling for weekly treatments to restore her health.The DCF has refused Dr. Korman’s request, countering with proposed monthly visits,” Staver said in his email update. “We all fear the DCF’s limited course of treatments at Tufts will prove to be too little too late.”

Like this pro-life news article? Please support LifeNews with a donation during our April fundraising campaign!

“Justina is being housed in a Wayside Youth and Family Facility in Framingham, MA. The facility allows family visitation for any occupant – except Justina because of a DCF mandate. Therefore, Justina is transported to a DCF office for the one-hour weekly visitation with her family, which is overseen by 2-3 DCF officials and an armed police officer,” he continued. “Due to these overbearing DCF visitation restrictions, the Pelletiers must complete their one-hour weekly visit with Justina and then remove anything they carry into the visitation. That includes the hundreds of “Get Well” cards that we sent to her – and the ones still to be delivered. Many of those cards will be awaiting Justina when, prayerfully, she is able to return home.”

“For now, Justina remains a ward of the state. This experience has left the Pelletier family to endure the trauma of their daughter being virtually imprisoned by the DCF while she suffers extreme emotional distress and deteriorating health,” Staver added.
“We are exhausting all legal means to get Justina returned to her family and given proper medical care in a timely manner before Justina’s health deteriorates any further,” he said.
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
The facility allows family visitation for any occupant – except Justina because of a DCF mandate. Therefore, Justina is transported to a DCF office for the one-hour weekly visitation with her family, which is overseen by 2-3 DCF officials and an armed police officer,” he continued.

OMG how ridiculous 3-4 people to supervise this! Anyone would think she and her family was the worlds worst criminal.