MindFreedom News Release - 24 April 2009

http://www.mindfreedom.org 

contact: office 541-345-9106 or office@mindfreedom.org

more info: http://www.mindfreedom.org/ray

 

May Day for Ray!

 

On Friday, 1 May 2009:

Protest to Be Held in Minnesota State Capitol Rotunda to stop forced

electroshock of Minnesota Resident.

 

MindFreedom International announced that it will peacefully protest 

the ongoing forced electroshock of Ray Sandford, a 55-year-old 

resident of Columbia Heights, Minnesota. The protest will take place 

inside the Rotunda of the Minnesota State Capitol building in St. 

Paul, Minnesota on Friday, 1 May 2009, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

 

A news conference will be held at 11 am.

 

A six-month campaign to stop Sandford's electroshocks has gained 

international attention. Sandford has been shocked more than 40 times 

on an outpatient basis under a court order even though he and his 

family have clearly stated his desire not to be shocked. Sandford 

lives in a residential group home and is under the general 

guardianship of Lutheran Social Services.

 

"It's amazing that a man who is supposedly being protected by 

Minnesota court-appointed guardians and who has been represented in 

court hearings by a Minnesota public defender is suffering this kind 

of human rights violation," said Al Galves, PhD, a member of the 

MindFreedom board of directors.

 

Friday's protest will feature a number of speakers including:

 

** David Oaks, Executive Director of MindFreedom from Oregon;

 ** Al Galves, a retired psychologist from New Mexico;

 ** Louisa Bouta, a long-time activist for psychiatric rights in 

Minnesota;

 ** David Culver, a disability advocate; and

 ** Daryl Trones, a mental health advocate.

 

A public speak-out will also be held.

 

Galves said that electroshock -- also known as electroconvulsive 

therapy or ECT -- subjects the patient to as much as 600 volts of 

electricity for between one-half and four seconds. "It disables the 

brain," Galves said.

 

MindFreedom International is an independent nonprofit coalition of 

psychiatric survivors and others who advocate for the increased 

availability of safe, humane and effective care for people who are 

experiencing psychiatric emergencies and who oppose involuntary 

treatment.  MindFreedom can be contacted at office@mindfreedom.org.

 

For more info on the Ray Campaign see:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/ray

 

 

Action * Action * Action

 

Ray Sandford's psychiatrist, Dr. Dean K. Knudson, has announced he 

intends to quit as Ray's psychiatrist because of public pressure. But 

Dr. Knudson has still not been replaced, and Ray's next forced 

electroshock is still scheduled for mid-May.

 

You can peacefully increase that public pressure now!

 

Please forward this news release to all appropriate places on and off 

Internet, especially interested media, individuals and groups in 

Minnesota.

 

Please print out, copy and post, the flyer and news release for the 

protest here:

A PDF of above news release may be downloaded here:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/shield/ray/mfi-ray-sandford-news-20090501.pdf/view

 

or use this web address: http://tinyurl.com/ray-news-release

 

A PDF of protest flyer with photo of Ray may be downloaded here:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/shield/ray/ray-sandford-mn-protest.pdf/view

 

or use this web address: http://tinyurl.com/ray-flyer

 

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Do you support *Action* for human rights in mental health?

 

Then Support MindFreedom International!

 

There are some fine groups funded by the mental health system doing 

great service work such as peer support.

 

But what about taking direct action for human rights in mental health?

 

What about community orgnaizing?

 

That takes independence!

 

MindFreedom International is one of the very few 100-percent 

independent nonprofit organizations in the mental health advocacy 

field, with zero funding from the mental health system, governments, 

drug companies or religions.

 

So memberships and donations from people like you are imperative for 

MindFreedom International's campaigns for human rights alternatives.

 

Join or donate now: http://www.mindfreedom.org/join-donate

 

Times are tough. That makes it even more important that each and 

every person give what he or she can.

 

Benefits include MindFreedom Journal, special web and e-mail 

networking, discount on http://www.madmarket.org  purchases, 

MindFreedom Shield, member services office... and a nonviolent 

revolution in mental health.

 

Support voices for choices in mental health!

 

Mind Your Freedom!

 

Donate, join now or renew early here: http://www.mindfreedom.org/join-donate

 

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Please forward this alert to all supportive people on and off the 

Internet, now!

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