Dear Mark,
I find the following comment, and what it suggests about the position taken up with regard to transparency, accountability, the relationship between means and ends and towards fellow list members on this list very problematic: "If the process was less than transparent and democratic that should spur the list/network/embryonic organisation to sort itself out"
David
-----Original Message-----
From: The UK Community Psychology Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mark Burton
Sent: 21 January 2009 12:25
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [COMMUNITYPSYCHUK] petition/ from community psychologists?
You are absolutely right.
Anyway as there were not the 50% objections by the deadline Paul and I sent the statement out to national press, psychological organisations, relevant NGOs working on mental health and similar in Palestine, some 'radical psychologist' colleagues. Will forward the full list later as I don't have it to hand here. We sent the version with the changed penultimate sentence to make it clear that it is the Israeli State thatis culpable (just as the Cubans always make it clar that they have no argument with the US people - just their imperialist governments).
No the Statement wasn't ideal and it would have been good to have a bit more focus on the psychological dimensions of suffering and its creation - but the priority was action - action that is one more drip in the torrent of voices against this ethnocidal campaign. To paraphrase Paulo Freire, Had we remained silent we would have remained complict.
If the process was less than transparent and democratic that should spur the list/network/embryonic organisation to sort itself out.
>
> Yes David,
>
> There are many petitions. The one that you indicate is so that
> scientists and academics show their solidarity with the people of
> Gaza, and the disapproval of the Israeli Governments actions.
> What many people seem to be seeking on this list is a show of
> solidarity from our profession. A petition from our profession would
> allow those of us who believe that our profession should speak out
> collectively as a voice for social change, and to acknowledge that not
> all mental health is neurological ,but environmental or social in its onset, can do so.
> It seems that collective announcements from this list, as a voice for
> Community Psychologists acknowledging that the actions of a state are
> wilfully creating significant psychological problems ( not to mention
> that the state is responsible for wholesale deaths, homelessness,
> illnesses and injuries which medical practitioners at the site are not
> able to administer to, plus ongoing ill health as a direct result of
> deprivation of food, clean drinking water and medicines) is difficult.
>
> Maybe we need to go back to the beginning, and state the terms of the
> list. I can get academic debate in all manner of forums. I work with
> people who have been tortured, who have witnessed the violent deaths
> of their loved ones and strangers, I work with children who have been
> tortured, and for whom it takes years to get acknowledgement that they
> must be believed. Even amongst the most vulnerable in the indigenous
> community of the UK, these people are denied everything - a group like
> no other. Some of their suffering comes from the outrageous drive of
> our own Government to silence and dismiss them, to deny them all their
> human rights. A substantial amount of their suffering comes from what
> has happened to them and what they have witnessed. I am not willing to
> be silent about what I see and experience here. I am not willing to
> navigate a discourse about saying outloud: "I object!"
>
> As a psychotherapist for social change, as a psychotherapist who has
> status and whose voice might count in some small way I am saying "I
> see, I hear, and I object,"
> As the blogger from the International Solidarity Movement said from
> Gaza during the bombing, someone who chose to witness, the people need
> to know that we object.
> Miriam
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2009 09:53:35 +0000From: [log in to unmask] Dear
> Miriam and all
>
> You asked whether reformulating the draft statement as a petition was
> possible. Here is a link to an existing petition you and others might
> like to know about if you don't already.
>
> http://www.petitiononline.com/I75SD92/petition.html
> David
>
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