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Nice one, thank you Paul and Mark Bob -----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 > > _________________________________________________________________ > Imagine a life without walls. See the possibilities > http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/122465943/direct/01/ > ___________________________________ > COMMUNITYPSYCHUK - The discussion list for community psychology in the UK. > To unsubscribe or to change your details visit the website: > http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK > For any problems or queries, contact the list moderators: Rebekah Pratt > ([log in to unmask]) or Grant Jeffrey ([log in to unmask]) > ___________________________________ COMMUNITYPSYCHUK - The discussion list for community psychology in the UK. To unsubscribe or to change your details visit the website: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK For any problems or queries, contact the list moderators: Rebekah Pratt ([log in to unmask]) or Grant Jeffrey ([log in to unmask]) ********************************************************************** This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system security manager ([log in to unmask]).Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the sender and do not necessarily represent those of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, unless otherwise specifically stated. ********************************************************************** ___________________________________ COMMUNITYPSYCHUK - The discussion list for community psychology in the UK. To unsubscribe or to change your details visit the website: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK For any problems or queries, contact the list moderators: Rebekah Pratt ([log in to unmask]) or Grant Jeffrey ([log in to unmask])