October 2002
NAMI STIGMABUSTERS ALERT
NAMI StigmaBusters, advocates across the country and around
the world, are dedicated to fighting the pervasive and hurtful prejudice and
discrimination that exists toward persons with mental illness—while commending
TV, films and print media that communicate accurate messages to the public.
NAMI StigmaBusters currently number almost 10,000. Numbers do count, so let
your voice be heard!
Contact: smarch@nami.org
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CONTENTS
* NAMI Launches Campaign for the Mind of America
* Media Coverage of DC Sniper
* Halloween Horrors
* Lunatix: It’s About Profits
* MIRACLE WHIP COMMERCIAL WHIPPED
* Free Antistigma Poster
* NAMI Leaders Win Top Honors
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* NAMI LAUNCHES NEW CAMPAIGN
During Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW), NAMI officially launched its new
multi-front, multi-year “Campaign for the Mind of America.” Building on the
successes of the Campaign to End Discrimination (1995- 2000), the campaign
will seek not only to change public attitudes toward mental illness, but also
greater investment in the nation’s mental healthcare system—building new
partnerships for recovery. Because stigma poses one of the greatest barriers
to such investment, NAMI StigmaBusters will continue to play an important role
in the overall campaign. For more information, see
www.nami.org/pressroom/20021007.html.
* MEDIA COVERAGE OF DC SNIPER
Since early October, an unknown sniper has terrorized the Greater Washington,
D.C. region, killing 10 persons. Anxiety and depression, which had begun to
dissipate with the passing of a year’s anniversary since September 11, 2001,
have returned with a vengeance. Those persons affected the worst have included
individuals with pre-existing mental illnesses. Many in the news media,
however, have been quick to speculate about a link between the sniper and
mental illness. NAMI needs your help in responding to the irresponsible rush
to judgment—based on inaccurate information, sensationalism, lack of balanced
reporting, and stereotypical thinking.
New York Times
We expect much higher standards from the NY Times, which in the past has won
Outstanding Media Awards from NAMI. On October 12, in a largely speculative
article entitled “Sniper Appears to Want to Create Fear, Not Pain,” national
correspondent Fox Butterfield cited New York University psychiatry professor
Dorothy Otnow Lewis for a theory that the sniper may be suffering from bipolar
disorder. Dr. Lewis “suggested,” Butterfield reported (in his words),
was in a manic frenzy, working, plotting and shooting with an enormous burst
of energy, probably with little or no sleep. People suffering from manic
depression can go through extreme energy and sleeplessness in which they can
be highly creative or extremely paranoid.
Butterfield failed to cite a single expert (and there are many) who might have
countered the rather extreme, exceptional theory; failed to explain the
difference between a person who suffers psychotic episodes and a sociopath,
and most tellingly, failed to interview anyone who actually has bipolar
disorder for comment—many of whom live in the Washington area, also are
concerned for the safety of their families, and equally want to see the sniper
stopped.
Everyone has a bad day occasionally, but let’s remind the NY Times that it can
do much better. Contact Executive Editor Howell Raines at executive-
editor@nytimes.com and Fox Butterfield
at letters@nytimes.com; 229 West 43rd
Street, New York, NY 10036-3959; telephone 212-556-1234; 212-556- 3815 (fax).
CBS 60 Minutes
The worst offender by far was CBS’s 60 Minutes, which on October 13 used the
sniper attacks to lead-in to a segment about proposed legislation, S.2826, to
encourage states and local governments to report people with mental illnesses
who are involuntarily committed to the FBI to be included in the National
Instant Criminal Background Check (NCIC) system for gun purchases (See
http://www.nami.org/schumer.html).
In an outrageous breach of professional ethics, the segment illustrated the
need for such legislation by referring to two cases—including that of John
Hinckley (who attempted to assassinate President Reagan in 1981) in which the
individuals involved had never been previously committed —and therefore the
proposed legislation would never even have applied (let alone made a
difference).
The segment ignored the fact that there is no current evidence that the DC
sniper has a mental illness (He or she may be a terrorist or a sociopath. The
most recent update also is that the sniper is demanding a ransom of $10
million). Under current trends in the law, many people are involuntarily
committed for reasons that have nothing to do with a potential for violence;
people recover; and most importantly, that the best predictor of future
violence is past violence—regardless of mental illness. The segment completely
ignored alternative measures such as requiring the reporting of all domestic
violence cases or restraining orders.
Please send a message demanding that 60 Minutes clean up its act. Email
comments to 60m@cbs.com and
audvcs@cbs.com; telephone the show’s
viewer comment line at 212-975-3247; and/or write Don Hewitt, Producer, 60
Minutes, CBS News, 524 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019. Please also
contact U.S. Senators to oppose S.2826 through 1-800-839-5276 and
www.Congress.org.
Carroll County Times
In an October 20 column, “A Psycho is Just a Psycho,” Jim Lee, editor of the
Carroll County Times in Westminster, MD, argued that “sniper” is too noble a
word for someone who is “just another crazy person.” Ironically, in defending
the honor of Army and police snipers, he wrote:
Words spark images in people’s minds. They also spark emotions. People can use
words that are hurtful to get at someone they are displeased with, or they can
use softer, more pleasant words to empathize with others.
Perhaps Lee can be excused for confusing the common slang term for a person
with a mental illness who suffers from psychotic episodes with the much
different “sociopath” label applied to serial killers. But he needs to be
educated about the distinction, the biological nature of mental illnesses, and
the unfair stigma that such loose, insensitive commentary perpetuates. Let him
also know that there many people with mental illnesses who worry about the
safety of their families and equally consider the sniper’s acts to be
despicable. He can be contacted at
jimlee@lcniofmd.com or 410-857-7878.
* HALLOWEEN HORRORS
Unfortunately, it’s that time of year again, when Halloween haunted houses and
costumes often adopt mental illnesses as a theme—and portray consumers as
ghouls, monsters, or whatever else goes bump in the night.
Disguise Inc.
Last year, NAMI protests succeeded in getting one of the world’s largest
costume makers, Disguise, Inc. to drop a “Mental Patient” character. However,
the company did so only by changing the name: to “Straight Jacket.” They have
since been completely insensitive to the negative connection that still
exists, and the real human suffering that the image of a straitjacket
represents.
A Disguise spokesperson has claimed that NAMI is trying to “censor” its
product, but that’s not the case. Instead, we’re exercising our freedom of
speech; condemning the company’s gross insensitivity and lack of social
responsibility; and trying to appeal to their individual and corporate
consciences. During August-September 2002, we succeed in persuading several
department store chains not to carry the costume. But your help is needed too.
* If you see such costumes in any store, ask to speak to the manager and
demand (politely, but firmly) that it be removed from display and sent back to
the manufacturer. Explain how offensive it is. Ask whether they would dare
sell a belittling caricature of a cancer patient or paraplegic. If the store
refuses, promise to contact the local news media—and then do it, by phone or.
* Write again in protest to Disguise, Inc. Send a letter a day (or telephone)
between now and Halloween.
Mr. Benoit Pousset, President
Disguise, Inc.
11906 Tech Center Ct.
Poway, CA 92064
Phone: (858) 391-3600
FAX: (858) 39l-3601
Web-site: www.disguise.com
Spencer Gifts
Another offender (or accomplice) is Spencer Gifts, large retail outlet for
Disguise costumes as well as t-shirts or gadgets with discriminatory messages.
It has characterized the “Straight Jacket” a teen costume and features a
“Psycho Rodeo Clown” in their Web site sales catalogue. A company
representative responded to initial NAMI concerns:
Naturally not all our products are for everyone. We are a company that has
through merchandise illustrated who and what we are as a society for 50 years.
At times, I agree, it can hit a nerve with some people. Our merchandise often
causes disagreement among people with different tastes and views, but that is
a natural, healthy, not a bad thing and a key part of why our customers enjoy
our stores. What we don’t do with our merchandise is attempt to impose any
particular view or agenda. Spencer Gifts is a store about fun. What we do, and
will continue to do, is poke fun at life situations wherever and wherever we
find them. Please don’t read anything more than that into what you see in our
stores.
NAMI needs you to help send a strong response!
Let Spencer Gifts know that mental illnesses are not about poking fun at
life—no more than cancer, heart attacks or Parkinson’s Disease. They are no
laughing matter. In many instances, they are a matter of life and death,
particularly at a time when suicide is the third-leading cause of death among
teenagers and young adults. Is that what is meant by a “teen” costume?
Is Spencer Gifts really trying to become known as a merchant of death?
Please mail, fax or email:
Mr. John B. Ridgeway,
Divisional Vice President, Marketing
Spencer Gifts
6826 Black Horse Pike
Egg Harbor Twpl.
New Jersey 08234-4197
Fax: 609-645-5651
Email: www.spencergift.com (Click on
“contact us”)
Netherworld Haunted House
Here’s one of the worst examples in the nation: the “Inner Sanctum,” one of
two commercial haunted house attractions located in Norcross, Georgia, outside
Atlanta.
Check out the Website at
http://www.fearworld.com/is.htm. What’s worse, Pepsi and Subway are among
its sponsors (Of course, Coca-Cola and the Carter Center on Mental Health are
both headquartered in Atlanta. Is this Pepsi’s idea of some kind of revenge or
cruel joke?). The “Inner Sanctum” is billed as “dedicated to aggressively
treating the most severe forms of mental illness” in a research facility
located near the site of “several unexplained gruesome murders.” From the
Website page, also click on the pictures of each “inmate” for more text).
Want to really help protest this one?
Call the Netherworld’s “Haunted Hotline” at 404-608-2484 every day between now
and Halloween. Choose Option 5 and leave a polite, but firm message of
protest. If necessary, read them sections about stigma from the Surgeon’s
General Report on Mental Health (
www.surgeongeneral.gov ). If you choose Option 4, you’ll hear another
description of the Inner Sanctum.
Also send strong letters of protest to Pepsi and Subway. Tell them to act
responsibly and undo the damage that they have done by sponsoring sustained,
targeted antistigma campaigns.
Ms. Dawn Hudson, President
Pepsi-Cola North America
700 Anderson Road
Purchase, NY 10577
914-253-2000
Mr. Frederick DeLuca, President
Subway World Headquarters
325 Bic Drive
Milford, CT 06460
asksubway@subway.com
800-888-4848
* LUNATIX: IT’S ALL ABOUT PROFIT
Lunatix—billed as an Internet game to be lost in cyberspace—features the
following claims:
* It never felt so good to be insane!
* It's just plain fun being a mental institute patient!
* Who wouldn't want to be a deranged mental patient trying to escape from the
wackiest mental institute in the world!
The game requires a person to select a gender and “class”: Manic-Depressive,
Homicidal Maniac or Paranoid Schizophrenic.
Owners of the game’s web site www.mpogo.com
do not want to withdraw it because of its sales and advertising revenue. (The
Surgeon General and the public interest be damned!) NAMI Kansas and NAMI
Wichita are reaching out to the game creator, located in Wichita, who claims
to produce quality games with an emphasis on FUN. (Maybe he should work for
Spencer Gifts). Please add your voice in appeal to what we hope will be his
better instincts:
Mike Snyder
Prowler Productions
408 E. Maywood
Wichita KS 67216
email: wyndo@cxo.com.
* MIRACLE WHIP COMMERCIAL WHIPPED
Kraft Foods recently aired a TV commercial, in which the scene was a room,
focusing on a table holding a tray full of burgers, but with an empty jar of
Miracle Whip. Then the room changed: into a padded cell. In response to NAMI’s
concerns, the commercial has been withdrawn. Of course, it’s still hard to
believe that someone actually was paid to script it in the first place.
* FREE ANTISTIGMA POSTER
Call for a free antistigma poster from the Substance Abuse Mental Health
Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center from Mental Health Services (CMHS):
1-800-789-2647. (Only one per caller). See also
www.mentalhealth.org. The poster
bears the following message:
Know me as a person not by my mental illness
We are your friends, neighbors, and family.
We improve and recover.
We are major contributors to American life.
We deserve dignity and respect.
Many thanks to Chet Watson, president of NAMI California, co-chair of NAMI
Faithnet, and chair of CA StigmaBusters, and his wife, Doris, who passed the
word about it along.
*NAMI LEADERS WIN TOP HONORS
Congratulations to Terry Russell, executive director of NAMI Ohio, and NAMI's
Clackamas County affiliate, based in Oregon City, OR. They recently were
honored with the first and second place 2002 Lilly Reintegration Awards for
Advocacy--which recognize outstanding community relations, policy and public
education efforts that support reintegration of individuals with mental
illnesses into the community.
Russell was recognized specifically for becoming Ohio's leading advocate,
reaching out to policymakers and legislators about the need for increased
state funding to improve mental health services and support programs for
consumers and their families. NAMI Clackamas County was honored for two vital,
groundbreaking programs, "In a Different Light" and "In Our Own Voice," that
provides consumers with confidence, renewed self-esteem, and a mission, as
part of their recovery.
THANK YOU!
With more than 220,000 members and 1200 state and local
affiliates, NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots organization dedicated to
improving the lives of people with severe mental illnesses. Funding sources
for NAMI programs include hundreds of state and local governments and
foundations; ten of thousands of individual donors; and a growing number of
corporations. NAMI’s greatest asset, however, is its volunteers—who donate an
estimated $135 million worth of their time each year to education, support and
advocacy. NAMI does not endorse any specific medication or treatment.
NAMI StigmaBuster Alerts are electronic newsletters provided free of charge as
a public service. Contributions to support our work can be made on-line at
http://www.nami.org/aboutdevelopment/index/html or via regular mail.
Please make check payable to NAMI and send to P.O. Box 79972, Baltimore, MD
21279-0972) or through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC #0538).
Please forward this email if you know someone who might like to join in
speaking out against stigma or be added to our mailing list. They can sign up
at:
http://www.nami.org/campaign/stigmabust.html.
Last Updated on
04/14/04
webmaster@namiscc.org
