tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1722489348848928502024-02-08T12:52:10.958-08:00Neil BrickNeil Brick is a survivor of ritual abuse. He is an advocate against child abuse. Articles by Neil Brick are at http://neilbrick.com/ and
http://ritualabuse.us/smart/neil-brick/Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-14258183893695430052022-09-27T01:00:00.002-07:002023-06-09T15:13:04.828-07:00Neil Brick<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
In 1995, Neil Brick founded the SMART newsletter. In 1996,
SMART was on the Internet and in 1998 SMART started having ritual abuse
conferences.</span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">There are now 170 newsletters online at <a href="http://ritualabuse.us/newsletter/">http://ritualabuse.us/newsletter/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">with many conferences with online transcripts and ordering information <a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/">http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/</a></span><br />
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Articles by Neil Brick</span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/smart/neil-brick/" title="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/neil-brick/">https://ritualabuse.us/smart/neil-brick/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://neilbrick.blogspot.com/" title="http://neilbrick.blogspot.com">https://neilbrick.blogspot.com</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://neilbrick.com/" title="http://neilbrick.com">http://neilbrick.com</a></span><br />
<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #373737; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1.625em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Effects of Social Movements on Survivor Support Systems and Survivor Recovery </strong>- Neil Brick</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #373737; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px 0px 1.625em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="329" loading="lazy" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b2WgmcgLyEA?feature=oembed" style="border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="The Effects of Social Movements on Survivor Support Systems and Survivor Recovery - Neil Brick" width="584"></iframe></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #373737; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1.625em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://survivorship.org/_wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Neil-Brick-Survivorship-Conference-2023-The-Effects-of-Social-Movements-on-Survivor-Support-Systems-and-Survivor-Recovery.pptx" style="border: 0px; color: #3a69ba; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Neil Brick - The Effects of Social Movements on Survivor Support Systems and Survivor Recovery - PowerPoint</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #373737; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1.625em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://survivorship.org/_wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Neil-Brick-Survivorship-Conference-2023-The-Effects-of-Social-Movements-on-Survivor-Support-Systems-and-Survivor-Recovery.pptx" style="border: 0px; color: #3a69ba; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></a><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Neil Brick</strong> will speak about the history of ritualistic abuse and the effects of social movements on survivors. He will present historical information regarding the literature of clinicians and researchers. He will describe the effects of social and historical movements on survivor support systems and survivor recovery.</span></p>
<div class="style-scope ytd-watch-flexy" id="below" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="watch-active-metadata style-scope ytd-watch-flexy" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="style-scope ytd-watch-flexy" id="info" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="style-scope ytd-watch-flexy" id="info-contents" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="style-scope ytd-video-primary-info-renderer" id="container" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h3 class="title style-scope ytd-video-primary-info-renderer" style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Modern False Memory Syndrome Movement in the United States – Neil Brick – SMART Conference 2022</h3></div></div></div></div></div><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24.5px; line-height: 1.71429; margin: 0px 0px 1.71429rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="352" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yjVtU57Ps7M?feature=oembed" style="border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1.71429rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="The Modern False Memory Syndrome Movement in the United States - Neil Brick" width="625"></iframe></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24.5px; line-height: 1.71429; margin: 0px 0px 1.71429rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 33.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Modern False Memory Syndrome Movement in the United States – Neil Brick</strong></p><h3 style="background-color: white; border: 0px; clear: both; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 33.6px;"><a href="https://neilbrick.blogspot.com/2022/09/the-modern-false-memory-syndrome.html">https://neilbrick.blogspot.com/2022/09/the-modern-false-memory-syndrome.html</a></span></span></h3><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24.5px; line-height: 1.71429; margin: 0px 0px 1.71429rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span lang="0" style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The 2021 Online Annual Ritual Abuse, Secretive Organizations and Mind Control Conference </span></strong><span lang="0" style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">August 14 – 15, 2021 </span><span lang="0" style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Speakers include: <span lang="0" style="border: 0px; font-size: 33.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Dr. Laurie Matthew OBE, Neil Brick, Wendy Hoffman and Ellen Lacter.</span> </span><span lang="0" style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Internet conference information: <a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/" style="border: 0px; color: #21759b; font-size: 33.6px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/</a></span></p><div id="contentleft" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span lang="0" style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Mind Control and How to Stop it – Neil Brick</span></strong></h3><p style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.71429; margin: 0px 0px 1.71429rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1" frameborder="0" height="281" loading="lazy" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dOGq-z9l4KA?feature=oembed" style="border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1.71429rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Mind Control and How to Stop it – Neil Brick" width="500"></iframe><br /><span lang="0" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-size: 33.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Mind Control and How to Stop it – Neil Brick (Transcript of PowerPoint)</strong><br /><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 33.6px;"><a href="https://neilbrick.blogspot.com/2022/09/mind-control-and-how-to-stop-it-neil.html">https://neilbrick.blogspot.com/2022/09/mind-control-and-how-to-stop-it-neil.html</a></span></span></span></p></div></div><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24.5px; line-height: 1.71429; margin: 0px 0px 1.71429rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span lang="0" style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Survivorship Ritual Abuse and Mind Control 2021 Conference Presentations </span></strong><span lang="0" style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://survivorship.org/the-survivorship-ritual-abuse-and-mind-control-2021-conference-presentations/" style="border: 0px; color: #21759b; font-size: 33.6px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">https://survivorship.org/the-survivorship-ritual-abuse-and-mind-control-2021-conference-presentations/</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24.5px; line-height: 1.71429; margin: 0px 0px 1.71429rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span lang="0" style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This year’s presenters: Neil Brick, Wendy Hoffman, Ellen Lacter, Randy Noblitt, Sarah Nelson, Elana Christensen, Eileen Aveni and Annika Lundin</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24.5px; line-height: 1.71429; margin: 0px 0px 1.71429rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24.5px; line-height: 1.71429; margin: 0px 0px 1.71429rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span lang="0" style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Mind Control and How to Stop it</span></strong> <span lang="0" style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Presenter: Neil Brick</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24.5px; line-height: 1.71429; margin: 0px 0px 1.71429rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="352" loading="lazy" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Acni0IFLZHU?feature=oembed" style="border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1.71429rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Neil Brick - Survivorship Conference 2021 - Mind Control and How To Stop It" width="625"></iframe></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24.5px; line-height: 1.71429; margin: 0px 0px 1.71429rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span lang="0" style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://survivorship.org/_wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Mind-Control-and-How-to-Stop-it-Neil-Brick.pptx" style="border: 0px; color: #21759b; font-size: 33.6px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Mind Control and How to Stop it – Neil Brick – PowerPoint</a> <span lang="0" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This presentation explained how mind control and different suggestive techniques work in a variety of individual and public settings. These will include interpersonal relationships, abusive relationships, ritual abuse settings, social media, political manipulation and hypnosis. Ways to expose and prevent mind control will be discussed. Social views of mind control will be presented.</span></span></p><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Misinformation Campaigns Against Survivors – Neil Brick</b><br /><br /><b>Negative Social Movements</b><br />1) Nazism – The Third Reich 1920 – 1945<br />2) Modern American Right Wing Political Movement <br />3) The Satanic Temple – Grey Faction and Doug Mesner/Lucien Greaves (both aliases) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://neilbrick.blogspot.com/2020/06/misinformation-campaigns-against.html">https://neilbrick.blogspot.com/2020/06/misinformation-campaigns-against.html</a> </span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>The 2019 Annual Ritual Abuse, Secretive Organizations and Mind Control Conference </b><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/">https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/</a></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">Speakers include: Alison Miller, Neil Brick and Daniel </span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">Roemer (film maker)</span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Possible Hate Groups – How Do They Effect Survivors and Their Resources</b> by Neil Brick<br />This presentation will discuss groups that attack survivors and their helpers due to their diagnosis of dissociation and dissociative identity disorder and work recovering from trauma. <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2019-conference/possible-hate-groups-how-do-they-effect-survivors-and-their-resources/">https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2019-conference/possible-hate-groups-how-do-they-effect-survivors-and-their-resources/</a></span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">Discusses the cases of David Calof and Anna Salter and has information on Lucien Greaves/Doug Mesner and The Satanic Temple's Grey Faction. </span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>The Survivorship Ritual Abuse and Mind Control 2019 Conference </b><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><a href="https://survivorship.org/ritual-abuse-and-mind-control-2019-conference/">https://survivorship.org/ritual-abuse-and-mind-control-2019-conference/</a></span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">Speakers included: Alison Miller, Randy Noblitt and Neil Brick</span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">Conference Presentation Topic:</span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>A Survivor’s View of Recovery from Ritual Abuse</b> by Neil Brick<br />
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Recovery from ritual abuse can take many years. Recovery may include working
through memories, building functionality and developing more effective
ways of interacting and integrating emotions. Every individual has
different experiences that lead them through the recovery path. Neil
Brick will discuss his long journey healing from severe abuse. This will
include ways he has learned more about himself, ways he has learned to
develop healthier interactions with others and ways he has helped others
along the recovery path. <a href="https://neilbrick.blogspot.com/2019/08/a-survivors-view-of-recovery-from.html">https://neilbrick.blogspot.com/2019/08/a-survivors-view-of-recovery-from.html</a><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Neil Brick</b> is a survivor of ritual abuse and mind control. His
work continues to educate the public about child abuse, trauma and
ritual abuse crimes. His child abuse and ritual abuse newsletter
S.M.A.R.T. <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/">https://ritualabuse.us</a> has been published for over 23 years. <a href="http://neilbrick.com/">http://neilbrick.com;</a><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Advocacy Alert</b><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Petition to Stop Attacks Against Child Abuse and Ritual Abuse Survivors and Neil Brick</b><br />
<a href="http://neilbrick.com/articles/petition-to-stop-attacks-against-child-abuse-and-ritual-abuse-survivors-and-neil-brick/">http://neilbrick.com/articles/petition-to-stop-attacks-against-child-abuse-and-ritual-abuse-survivors-and-neil-brick/</a><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Please sign at:</b><br />
<a href="https://www.change.org/p/protect-child-abuse-survivors-petition-to-stop-attacks-against-child-abuse-and-ritual-abuse-survivors-and-neil-brick">https://www.change.org/p/protect-child-abuse-survivors-petition-to-stop-attacks-against-child-abuse-and-ritual-abuse-survivors-and-neil-brick</a><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Please sign this petition to show support for child abuse and ritual abuse survivors. One may use the check box below the signature area to keep your name confidential. </b> <b>We are asking everyone to sign
this petition and let others know about it. Let’s stop the attacks
against child abuse survivors and their helpers.</b></span> <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Neil Brick has worked hard to build a research base for child abuse
and ritual abuse survivors. </b>Neil Brick has worked to develop advocacy
efforts to help survivors and their helpers.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">There are online articles with inaccurate information about Neil
Brick. This web page responds to factual errors about Neil Brick and
his work. Those interested in contacting Neil for an interview can
write smartnews @aol.com (delete space before @) for more information.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Neil Brick has always been a strong advocate for people thinking for themselves. Neil has encouraged people to use their critical thinking
skills and fully research topics.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">In one presentation, Neil stated :</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">“Please use your own judgment and try to research everything as fully as possible. Don’t accept anything anyone says simply because they say
it or claim to be an expert or whatever. Try to check it out for
yourself.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Several of Neil Brick’s articles (listed below) provide readers
information on how to avoid being mind controlled and encourage readers
to find out for themselves about topics from as many sources as
possible.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Trump and Fascism</b><br />This page is a data dump of articles about Donald Trump, those working with Trump and historical articles about fascism. Fascism uses different types of mind control to control people. Donald Trump has been accused of using propaganda and mind control techniques to win the election, to control people’s opinions of him and to control their opinions of other topics. This page contains excerpts from articles related to this topic.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://neilbrick.blogspot.com/2017/02/trump-and-fascism.html">http://neilbrick.blogspot.com/2017/02/trump-and-fascism.html</a>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Neil Brick’s conference presentation transcripts:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Neil Brick Conference Presentation 2018<br />Changes in Awareness of Severe Abuse and Child Abuse Crimes Over Twenty Five Years</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://neilbrick.com/articles/neil-brick-conference-presentation-2018-changes-in-awareness-of-severe-abuse-and-child-abuse-crimes-over-twenty-five-years/">http://neilbrick.blogspot.com/2018/06/neil-brick-conference-presentation-2018.html</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><b>Changes in Awareness of Severe Abuse and Child Abuse Crimes Over Twenty Five Years</b> Presenter: Neil Brick<br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2018-conference/changes-in-awareness-of-severe-abuse-and-child-abuse-crimes-over-twenty-five-years/">https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2018-conference/changes-in-awareness-of-severe-abuse-and-child-abuse-crimes-over-twenty-five-years/</a></span></span><br />
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</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><b>Child and Ritual Abuse Conference Helps Educate Survivors and Their Helpers; Speakers included Dr. Randy Noblitt and Neil Brick</b><br />
<a href="https://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=227656">https://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=227656</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>How to Avoid Being Mind Controlled at a Conference and Freedom from Mind Control</b><br />These articles present scientific research verifying previously made claims about mind control, propaganda and hypnosis </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://neilbrick.blogspot.com/2017/06/how-to-avoid-being-mind-controlled-at.html">http://neilbrick.blogspot.com/2017/06/how-to-avoid-being-mind-controlled-at.html </a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Topics include:<br />Neil Brick, Satanic Temple, Grey Faction, Doug Mesner, Lucien Greaves, mind control, propaganda, hypnosis, ritual abuse</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<b>Neil Brick – Survivorship Conference 2017 – How to Avoid Being Mind Controlled at a Conference</b><br />
<a href="https://youtu.be/GGoaYw3pEZs">https://youtu.be/GGoaYw3pEZs</a><br />
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<b>Neil Brick – Survivorship Conference 2017 – Freedom from Mind Control</b><br />
<a href="https://youtu.be/SxBO2HU4R_M">https://youtu.be/SxBO2HU4R_M</a></span> <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Urban Legends of Those Attacking Ritual Abuse Theories and the False Logic of False Memory Proponents and Their Occultist Supporters </b>by Neil Brick – Presentation at the 2016 Annual Ritual Abuse, Secretive Organizations and Mind Control Conference<br /><br />Second half of the article discusses the Grey Faction, a part of the Satanic Temple and Lucien Greaves/Doug Mesner. <a href="http://neilbrick.blogspot.com/2016/09/the-urban-legends-of-those-attacking.html">http://neilbrick.blogspot.com/2016/09/the-urban-legends-of-those-attacking.html</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <b>How to Avoid Being Mind Controlled at a Conference</b> by Neil Brick <span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://neilbrick.blogspot.com/2016/08/how-to-avoid-being-mind-controlled-at.html">http://neilbrick.blogspot.com/2016/08/how-to-avoid-being-mind-controlled-at.html</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Battle to Stop Ritual Abuse </b>by Neil Brick <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2015-conference/the-battle-to-stop-ritual-abuse/">https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2015-conference/the-battle-to-stop-ritual-abuse/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Doing the right thing and getting stronger at the same time, a survivor’s path to recovery and helping others </b>by Neil Brick <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2014-conference/doing-the-right-thing-and-getting-stronger-at-the-same-time-a-survivors-path-to-recovery-and-helping-others/">https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2014-conference/doing-the-right-thing-and-getting-stronger-at-the-same-time-a-survivors-path-to-recovery-and-helping-others/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Recent Child Abuse Crimes and Efforts to Unite Survivors</b> by Neil Brick</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2012-conference/recent-child-abuse-crimes-and-efforts-to-unite-survivors/" title="http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2012-conference/recent-child-abuse-crimes-and-efforts-to-unite-survivors/">http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2012-conference/recent-child-abuse-crimes-and-efforts-to-unite-survivors/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Always Getting Stronger: Giving Survivors a Voice in the World</b> by Neil Brick</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2011-conference/always-getting-stronger-giving-survivors-a-voice-in-the-world/" title="http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2011-conference/always-getting-stronger-giving-survivors-a-voice-in-the-world/">http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2011-conference/always-getting-stronger-giving-survivors-a-voice-in-the-world/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Myth of Panic – Exposing Theories Used to Cover Up Ritual Abuse Crimes</b> by Neil Brick</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2011-conference/the-myth-of-panic-exposing-theories-used-to-cover-up-ritual-abuse-crimes/%20http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2011-conference/the-myth-of-panic-exposing-theories-used-to-cover-up-ritual-abuse-crimes/" title="http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2011-conference/the-myth-of-panic-exposing-theories-used-to-cover-up-ritual-abuse-crimes/">http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2011-conference/the-myth-of-panic-exposing-theories-used-to-cover-up-ritual-abuse-crimes/ </a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Fighting the Spin : The Truth about Child Abuse Cases</b> by Neil Brick <a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2010-conference/fighting-the-spin-the-truth-about-child-abuse-cases/">http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2010-conference/fighting-the-spin-the-truth-about-child-abuse-cases/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Move from Blame the Victim to Blame the Helper </b>by Neil Brick <a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2010-conference/the-move-from-blame-the-victim-to-blame-the-helper/">http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2010-conference/the-move-from-blame-the-victim-to-blame-the-helper/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ritual Abuse, the trenches of the stopping child abuse movement </b>by Neil Brick <a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/smart-conference/2009-conference/ritual-abuse-the-trenches-of-the-stopping-child-abuse-movement/">http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2009-conference/ritual-abuse-the-trenches-of-the-stopping-child-abuse-movement/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Debating The Non-Believers – Getting equal time for Survivors’ Views</b> by Neil Brick <a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/smart-conference/conf08/debating-the-non-believers/">http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/conf08/debating-the-non-believers/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Stopping Ritual Abuse – What can we do today</b> by Neil Brick</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/smart-conference/conf07/stopping-ritual-abuse-what-can-we-do-today/">http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/conf07/stopping-ritual-abuse-what-can-we-do-today/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The 12-step Healing Process and Survivor Advocacy </b>by Neil Brick</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/smart-conference/conf06/the-12-step-healing-process-and-survivor-advocacy/">http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/conf06/the-12-step-healing-process-and-survivor-advocacy/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>How healing from ritual abuse and mind control works</b> by Neil Brick</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/smart-conference/conf05/how-healing-from-ritual-abuse-and-mind-control-works/">http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/conf05/how-healing-from-ritual-abuse-and-mind-control-works/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>How can we advocate for survivors of ritual abuse by example and advocacy?</b> by Neil Brick</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/smart-conference/conf04/how-can-we-advocate-for-survivors-of-ritual-abuse-by-example-and-advocacy/">http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/conf04/how-can-we-advocate-for-survivors-of-ritual-abuse-by-example-and-advocacy/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Stopping Mind Control and Healing</b> by Neil Brick</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/smart-conference/conf03/stopping-mind-control-and-healing/">http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/conf03/stopping-mind-control-and-healing/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My healing and helping others </b>by Neil Brick</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/smart-conference/conf2002/my-healing-and-helping-others/">http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/conf2002/my-healing-and-helping-others/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My Most Recent Memories and My Personal Growth</b> by Neil Brick</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/smart-conference/conf2001/my-most-recent-memories-and-my-personal-growth/">http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/conf2001/my-most-recent-memories-and-my-personal-growth/</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span>
<b>Trigger management and conference safety presentation</b> by Neil Brick<br />
<a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/smart-conference/conf1999/trigger-management-and-conference-safety-presentation/">http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/conf1999/trigger-management-and-conference-safety-presentation/</a><br />
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<h3>
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<b>Other papers, articles and transcripts written by Neil Brick</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></h3>
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<b>How Childhood Sexual Abuse Affects Interpersonal Relationships </b>by Neil Brick <a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/research/sexual-abuse/how-childhood-sexual-abuse-affects-interpersonal-relationships/">http://ritualabuse.us/research/sexual-abuse/how-childhood-sexual-abuse-affects-interpersonal-relationships/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Etymological Antecedents of and Scientific Evidence for the Existence of Dissociative Identity Disorder</b> by Neil Brick</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/research/did/the-etymological-antecedents-of-and-scientific-evidence-for-the-existence-of-dissociative-identity-disorder/">http://ritualabuse.us/research/did/the-etymological-antecedents-of-and-scientific-evidence-for-the-existence-of-dissociative-identity-disorder/</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Neurological Basis for the Theory of Recovered Memory</b> by Neil Brick</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/research/memory-fms/the-neurological-basis-for-the-theory-of-recovered-memory/">http://ritualabuse.us/research/memory-fms/the-neurological-basis-for-the-theory-of-recovered-memory/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Alleged Ethical Violations of Elizabeth Loftus in the Case of Jane Doe </b>by Neil Brick <a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/research/memory-fms/the-alleged-ethical-violations-of-elizabeth-loftus-in-the-case-of-jane-doe/">http://ritualabuse.us/research/memory-fms/the-alleged-ethical-violations-of-elizabeth-loftus-in-the-case-of-jane-doe/</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Propaganda & Mind Control</b> by Neil Brick <a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/mindcontrol/">http://ritualabuse.us/mindcontrol/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ritual Abuse and Its Political Implications </b>by Neil Brick <a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/ritualabuse/articles/ritual-abuse-and-its-political-implications/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/ritual-abuse-and-its-political-implications/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Solidarity in the fight against Ritual Abuse and Torture</b> by Neil Brick</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/ritualabuse/articles/solidarity-in-the-fight-against-ritual-abuse-and-torture/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/solidarity-in-the-fight-against-ritual-abuse-and-torture/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Advocacy and Saving Lives </b>by Neil Brick</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/ritualabuse/articles/advocacy-and-saving-lives/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/advocacy-and-saving-lives/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ritual Abuse/Mind Control Presentation</b> by Neil Brick</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/ritualabuse/articles/ritual-abusemind-control-presentation/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/ritual-abusemind-control-presentation/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Data proving the existence of recovered memory, ritual abuse, mk-ultra and information on the backlash </b>by Neil Brick</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/research/data-proving-the-existence-of-recovered-memory-ritual-abuse-mk-ultra-and-information-on-the-backlash/">http://ritualabuse.us/research/data-proving-the-existence-of-recovered-memory-ritual-abuse-mk-ultra-and-information-on-the-backlash/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>How Cues and Programming Work in Mind Control and Propaganda </b>by Neil Brick <a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/mindcontrol/how-cues-and-programming-work-in-mind-control-and-propaganda/">http://ritualabuse.us/mindcontrol/how-cues-and-programming-work-in-mind-control-and-propaganda/</a></span><br />
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<b>Video on youtube – </b></span>
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<b>Proof ritual abuse and Satanic ritual abuse exists</b> by Neil Brick <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/stopritualabuse">http://www.youtube.com/user/stopritualabuse</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Information on harassment and statements about Neil Brick and SMART</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Neil Brick’s responses to harassment by false memory proponents.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Grey Faction, Satanic Temple and Lucien Greaves Fact Sheet:</b><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";">For almost a
decade Douglas Misicko using several aliases (including Douglas Mesner
and Lucien Greaves) has harassed groups helping child abuse, rape and
trauma survivors. He has also harassed groups providing research in
support of child abuse, rape and trauma survivors.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";">In 2013, he
and others created a group called the Satanic Temple. One part of this
group is called the Grey Faction. The Grey Faction states they “invade”
conferences. These conferences are provided to help and educate child
abuse, rape and trauma survivors and their helpers.<br />
<a href="http://neilbrick.com/articles/grey-faction-satanic-temple-and-lucien-greaves-fact-sheet/">http://neilbrick.com/articles/grey-faction-satanic-temple-and-lucien-greaves-fact-sheet/</a></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Exposing Doug Mesner/Lucien Greaves - co-founder of the Satanic Temple and Grey Faction presenter </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://neilbrick.blogspot.com/2016/09/exposing-doug-mesnerlucien-greaves-co.html">http://neilbrick.blogspot.com/2016/09/exposing-doug-mesnerlucien-greaves-co.html </a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Urban Legends of Those Attacking Ritual Abuse Theories</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://neilbrick.blogspot.com/2016/09/the-urban-legends-of-those-attacking.html">http://neilbrick.blogspot.com/2016/09/the-urban-legends-of-those-attacking.html</a></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Petition to Stop Attacks Against Child Abuse and Ritual Abuse Survivors and Neil Brick</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.change.org/p/protect-child-abuse-survivors-petition-to-stop-attacks-against-child-abuse-and-ritual-abuse-survivors-and-neil-brick">https://www.change.org/p/protect-child-abuse-survivors-petition-to-stop-attacks-against-child-abuse-and-ritual-abuse-survivors-and-neil-brick</a></span> <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Reply to the Grey Faction’s Petition to Revoke the License of Neil Brick </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-grey-factions-petition-to-revoke-the-license-of-neil-brick/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-grey-factions-petition-to-revoke-the-license-of-neil-brick/ </a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Reply to the Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction online guest post</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-satanic-temples-grey-faction-online-guest-post/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-satanic-temples-grey-faction-online-guest-post/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Rebuttal to the Grey Faction Lucien Greaves presentation about SMART and additional Grey Faction information about Neil Brick </b><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/rebuttal-to-the-grey-faction-lucien-greaves-presentation-about-smart-and-additional-grey-faction-information-about-neil-brick/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/rebuttal-to-the-grey-faction-lucien-greaves-presentation-about-smart-and-additional-grey-faction-information-about-neil-brick/</a><b><br /></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Douglas Misicko alias Douglas Mesner update 7 – Radio Interview Rebuttal</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-7-radio-interview-rebuttal/" title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-7-radio-interview-rebuttal/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-7-radio-interview-rebuttal/</a></span> <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-6-examiner-com-article/" title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-6-examiner-com-article/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-6-examiner-com-article/</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-5/" title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-5/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-5/</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-4/" title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-4/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-4/</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-3/" title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-3/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-3/</a></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-2/" title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-2/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-2/</a></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update/" title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update/</a></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner/" title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner/</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/ritualabuse/harassment-by-false-memory-proponents/" title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/harassment-by-false-memory-proponents/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/harassment-by-false-memory-proponents/</a></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/ritualabuse/rebuttal-to-the-report-from-the-smart-2009-conference/" title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/rebuttal-to-the-report-from-the-smart-2009-conference/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/rebuttal-to-the-report-from-the-smart-2009-conference/</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">copied with permission from <a href="http://ritualabuse.us/smart/neil-brick">http://neilbrick.com/ http://ritualabuse.us/smart/neil-brick</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"> #NeilBrick #Neil_Brick Neil Brick neilbrick.com @NeilBrick @Neil_Brick neilbrick.blogspot.com </span>
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-21376654651964611252022-09-26T19:57:00.000-07:002022-09-27T20:01:24.863-07:00The Modern False Memory Syndrome Movement in the United States – Neil Brick<p> </p><header class="entry-header" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24.5px; margin: 0px 0px 1.71429rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h1 class="entry-title" style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.57143rem; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Modern False Memory Syndrome Movement in the United States – Neil Brick</h1></header><div class="entry-content" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24.5px; line-height: 1.71429; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Welcome to the SMART Conference 2022. <strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Please note: This presentation may remind survivors of their programming. Please use your support systems as needed.</strong> This presentation and the rest of the conference are not intended as therapy or treatment. All accusations are alleged.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Modern False Memory Syndrome Movement in the United States – Neil Brick</strong></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The modern FMS movement borrows most of its history, techniques and research from prior false memory movements. These erroneous theories include memory implantation into survivors’ minds by therapist, pseudoscientific theories about memory and dissociation and the harassment of survivors and therapists and their support groups. The modern FMS movement also differs from prior movements in several ways. The modern FMS movement uses religion and prayer to promote its theories. The modern FMS theories, while they may quote the old false memory movements pseudoscientists of the 1990s, they do not usually use modern scientists in the field to back their organizations’ beliefs.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Neil Brick is a survivor of ritual abuse and mind control. His work continues to educate the public about child abuse, trauma and ritual abuse crimes. His child abuse and ritual abuse newsletter S.M.A.R.T. <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/" style="border: 0px; color: #21759b; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">https://ritualabuse.us</a> has been published for over 27 years. <a href="https://neilbrick.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #21759b; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">https://neilbrick.com</a></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This presentation will compare the false memory movement of the 1990s with today’s false memory movement.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Organizations</strong></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Theories of false memory pre-date the 1990s. These theories have been used to attacks the credibility of survivors of rape and child abuse. They have been used to help cover up crimes against children and adults.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Though there were many organizations in the 1990s promoting false memory theories, the best known and probably most influential was the False Memory Syndrome Foundation. The organization existed from 1992 – 2019.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The term False Memory Syndrome was created in 1992 by the False Memory Syndrome Foundation (FMSF). It has been called “a pseudoscientific syndrome that was developed to defend against claims of child abuse.” The FMSF was created by parents who claimed to be falsely accused of child sexual abuse. The False Memory Syndrome was described as “a widespread social phenomenon where misguided therapists cause patients to invent memories of sexual abuse.” (Dallam, S. (2002). “Crisis or Creation: A systematic examination of false memory claims”. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse 9 (3/4): 9–36. doi:10.1300/J070v09n03_02. PMID 17521989 http://www.leadershipcouncil.org/1/res/dallam/6.html )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">One of the major modern proponents of the False Memory Syndrome is the Grey Faction. The Grey Faction is a “campaign” of the Satanic Temple. The Satanic Temple was co-founded by Lucien Greaves formerly known as Doug or Douglas Mesner (all aliases). Doug Mesner has a history of harassing child abuse survivors since 2009.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">For almost a decade using several aliases (including Douglas Mesner and Lucien Greaves) he has harassed groups helping child abuse, rape and trauma survivors. He has also harassed groups providing research in support of child abuse, rape and trauma survivors.<br />In 2013, he and others created a group called the Satanic Temple. One part of this group is called the Grey Faction. The Grey Faction states they “invade” conferences. ( Grey Faction, Satanic Temple and Lucien Greaves Fact Sheet <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/grey-faction-satanic-temple-and-lucien-greaves-fact-sheet" style="border: 0px; color: #21759b; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/grey-faction-satanic-temple-and-lucien-greaves-fact-sheet</a> )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Shane Bugbee</strong><br />“I’ll try to explain why I have such a disdain for The Satanic Temple, a practical joke turned religion and could be cult, and the reasons behind my need to make that disdain public, as there is seldom one reason.”<br />“Then Doug told me his main motivation for The Satanic Temple was profit, to create a “substantial income”, that was enough for me to want to cease helping in any way, and to question the true intent of this project. While I am all for profit, I want nothing to do with a cult. Because the people The Satanic Temple wants to extract money from are MY people….”<br />“I recall Doug Mesner telling me the C.I.A. had asked him to write some private reports for them.” ( religion: a master and slave relationship by Shane Bugbee<br />https://web.archive.org/web/20160405153153/http://www.shanebugbee.com/?p=2161 The article discusses the beginnings of the Satanic Temple and its founders.)</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Techniques:</strong></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The FMSF and the Grey Faction have used different techniques to promote the false memory syndrome agenda. The FMSF filed various legal briefs in the mid and late 1990s. “In the 1990’s, the FMS Foundation filed numerous amicus curiae briefs in response to a proliferation of lawsuits brought by adult children against their parents and/or others alleging repressed memories of childhood sexual abuse recovered in therapy.” (FMSF website).</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">At times, they harassed therapists. One example is that of David Calof.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“I have practiced psychotherapy, family therapy, and hypnotherapy for over 25 years without a single board complaint or law suit by a client. For over three years, however, a group of proponents of the false memory syndrome (FMS) hypothesis, including members, officials, and supporters of the False Memory Syndrome Foundation, Inc., have waged a multi-modal campaign of harassment and defamation directed against me, my clinical clients, my staff, my family, and others connected to me. I have neither treated these harassers or their families, nor had any professional or personal dealings with any of them; I am not related in any way to the disclosures of memories of sexual abuse in these families. Nonetheless, this group disrupts my professional and personal life and threatens to drive me out of business… In this article, I describe practicing psychotherapy under a state of siege and places the campaign against me in the context of a much broader effort in the FMS movement to denigrate, defame, and harass clinicians, lecturers, writers, and researchers identified with the abuse and trauma treatment communities. should also add that this article covers the first four years of what would become an over 10 year campaign of harassment and the most egregious actions actually took place after this article was published.” This harassment against David Calof included physical assault and criminal convictions.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(Calof, D.L. (1998). <strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Notes from a practice under siege: Harassment, defamation, and intimidation in the name of science</strong>, Ethics and Behavior, 8(2) pp. 161-187. <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/research/memory-fms/notes-from-a-practice-under-siege/" style="border: 0px; color: #21759b; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">https://ritualabuse.us/research/memory-fms/notes-from-a-practice-under-siege/</a> )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Confessions of a Whistle-Blower: Lessons Learned</strong> Author: Anna C. Salter – Ethics & Behavior, Volume 8, Issue 2 June 1998 , pages 115 – 124<br />Abstract – In 1988 I began a report on the accuracy of expert testimony in child sexual abuse cases utilizing Ralph Underwager and Hollida Wakefield as a case study (Wakefield & Underwager, 1988). In response, Underwager and Wakefield began a campaign of harassment and intimidation, which included multiple lawsuits; an ethics charge; phony (and secretly taped) phone calls; and ad hominem attacks, including one that I was laundering federal grant monies. The harassment and intimidation failed as the author refused demands to retract. In addition, the lawsuits and ethics charges were dismissed.<br />( Confessions of a Whistle-Blower: Lessons Learned Author: Anna C. Salter – Ethics & Behavior, Volume 8, Issue 2 June 1998 , pages 115 – 124 <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/research/memory-fms/confessions-of-a-whistle-blower-lessons-learned/" style="border: 0px; color: #21759b; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">https://ritualabuse.us/research/memory-fms/confessions-of-a-whistle-blower-lessons-learned/</a> )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Grey Faction has often focused on harassing survivor and professional conferences and therapists via their licensing boards. Doug Mesner’s (Lucien Greaves) conference attacks began in 2009, prior to the founding of the Grey Faction.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rebuttal to the Report from the SMART 2009 conference:</strong></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Unfortunately a “journalist” came into the conference pseudonymously. This person on a website for radiofreesatan, where he is a DJ and is described as “an unscrupulous journalist.”</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This journalist paid to enter the conference with a check. He stopped payment on the check after the conference.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Our conference brochure, which all that register are required to read, states “Members of secret organizations, acting out perpetrators, and/or members of unsympathetic organizations are excluded from the conference. This is for the protection and safety of those in attendance.”</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Also, it is clearly announced at the beginning of the conference, “Please note that media people are not allowed in the conference at any time without the written permission of SMART.”</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Less than one week after the conference, he placed a vicious article on a major Internet newspaper personally attacking some of the conference attendees, the field of DID and memory. Attacks included disparaging remarks about one’s appearance and voice as well as claiming child abuse survivor accounts at the conference were fictional.”</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The harassment and attacks, including name calling and personal insults continued after the conference on the Internet, with aliases believed to belong to Doug Mesner.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">( Rebuttal to the Report from the SMART 2009 conference<br /><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/rebuttal-to-the-report-from-the-smart-2009-conference/" style="border: 0px; color: #21759b; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/rebuttal-to-the-report-from-the-smart-2009-conference/</a><br />Harassment by false memory proponents<br /><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/harassment-by-false-memory-proponents/" style="border: 0px; color: #21759b; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/harassment-by-false-memory-proponents/</a><br />(Has quotes from online personal attacks)</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Grey Faction has protested at and harassed people at the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation ISSTD’s conferences. They have called for the “symbolic destruction of ISSTD.” “The Satanic Temple (TST) will conduct a national Destruction Ritual on April 1st, 2019.” (Grey Faction website “Grey faction calls for symbolic destruction of ISSTD.”)</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Research:</strong></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The FMSF in the 1990’s attempted to give its organization scientific credibility by developing an advisory board from the “scientific and clinical communities.” They also cite journal articles supporting their positions.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Their research assumptions have been heavily critique by researchers in the field of trauma and memory.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“<strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Research on False Memory</strong><br />There is a great deal of evidence showing the existence of the phenomenon of recovered memory and the fairly high corroboration rates of these memories. The base rates for memory commission errors have been shown to be quite low, at least in professional trauma treatment. The base rates in adult misinformation studies run between zero and 5 percent for adults and between 3 – 5 percent for children. It has been shown that people who recover memories are a lot less suggestible than clinicians have been led to believe by false memory advocates. It has been stated that false memories are rare. One research study showed the unlikelihood of being able to plant a false memory of a traumatic event. Some have stated that the False Memory Syndrome is not a scientific syndrome. (Citations at<strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Child Abuse Wiki – False Memory Syndrome</strong> <a href="http://childabusewiki.org/index.php/False_Memory_Syndrome" style="border: 0px; color: #21759b; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">http://childabusewiki.org/index.php/False_Memory_Syndrome</a> )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Elizabeth Loftus</strong>, a former FMSF member, has also been critiqued for her ethics and her research.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">An analysis of the mall study shows that beyond the external misrepresentations, internal scientific methodological errors cast doubt on the validity of the claims that have been attributed to the mall study within scholarly and legal arenas. The minimal involvement or, in some cases, negative impact of collegial consultation, academic supervision, and peer review throughout the evolution of the mall study are reviewed.” (Crook, L. (1999) “Lost in a Shopping Mall”—a Breach of Professional Ethics Ethics & Behavior, (9, 1) P. 39-50 ” http://users.owt.com/crook/memory/ )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Elizabeth Loftus “Loftus is aware that those who study traumatic memory have for several years, based on a great deal of research and clinical experience, used the construct of dissociation to account for the majority of recovered memories. However, she continues to focus on and attack “repression” and “repressed memories,” which has the effect of confusing and misleading many people.” ( Hopper, J. formerly at http://www.jimhopper.com/memory/#el )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Does the trauma specified in the lost-in-the-mall experiment seem comparable to the trauma forming the basis of false memory syndrome? Loftus (1993) described the implanted traumatic event in the shopping-mall experiment as follows: “Chris was convinced by his older brother Jim, that he had been lost in a shopping mall when he was five years old” (p. 532). Does this seem, for example, a reasonable analogy for a five-year-old girl being repeatedly raped by her father?….Is it possible that the findings are an artifact of this particular design, for example, that the older family member claims to have been present when the event occurred and to have witnessed it, a claim the therapist can never make? To date, replications and extensions of this study have tended to use a similar methodology; that is, either the older family member makes the suggestions in his or her role as the experimenter’s confederate, or the experimenter presents the suggestion as being the report of an older family member, thus creating a surrogate confederate.”<br />(Pope, K. (1996) Memory, Abuse, and Science: Questioning Claims About the False Memory Syndrome Epidemic American Psychologist 51: 957. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.51.9.957 http://www.kspope.com/memory/memory.php )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Hoult v. Hoult involved allegations by an adult woman, Jennifer Hoult, who claimed that her father, former Massachusetts Institute of Technology (“MIT”) professor David Hoult, had repeatedly sexually abused and raped her during her childhood. Hoult alleged she recovered her memory of the abuse when she was an adult. After hearing six days of testimony during the 1993 trial, the jury unanimously found David liable for abusing his daughter. Their decision was upheld in every appeal David pursued.” Hoult, J. (2005)”Remembering Dangerously” & Hoult v. Hoult: The Myth of Repressed Memory that Elizabeth Loftus Created<br />by Jennifer Hoult, Esq. https://www.rememberingdangerously.com/ )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Grey Faction appears to have no new scientific evidence to back its FMS claims. It appears to primarily draw from older research or simply repeat statements similar to those of the 1990s movement.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Their pseudoscientific statements have been rebutted in various studies. Similar to the FMS movement of the 1990s, the Grey Faction appears to ignore the majority of research in the field.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(Satanic Temple – Grey Faction Pseudoscience<br />Pseudoscience: Denial that memories can be repressed.<br />Pseudoscience: Denial that DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) is caused by trauma.<br /><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/satanic-temple-grey-faction-pseudoscience/" style="border: 0px; color: #21759b; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/satanic-temple-grey-faction-pseudoscience/</a> )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Beliefs about memory:</strong></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Both the FMSF movements of the 1990s and the last ten years have questioned or outright denied the existence of traumatic memory or dissociative amnesia.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">FMSF website:<br />“ Pope et al. found no evidence for repression. Indeed, for more than sixty years, researchers have been seeking scientific evidence that people repress traumatic memories. To date, they have found none.”</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Grey Faction Website:<br />“The notion that traumatic events can be repressed and later recovered is the most pernicious bit of folklore ever to infect psychology and psychiatry. It has provided the theoretical basis for ‘recovered memory therapy’ — the worst catastrophe to befall the mental health field since the lobotomy era.” Prof. Richard McNally” “ the scourge of repressed memory pseudoscience in mental health care”</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">These extremist positions about memory ignore almost all of the data around memory. Numerous case studies, legal cases and scientific studies have conclusively proven that traumatic memory can be forgotten and later recovered.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">““Dissociative amnesia (DA) is one of three dissociative disorders listed under DSM-V. The disorder involves the temporary loss of recall memory caused by disassociation, which may last for a period of seconds or years. The interruption in memory may be voluntary or involuntary and is most often a result of psychological trauma. DA involves episodic autobiographical memory loss inconsistent with normal forgetfulness. Episodic autobiographical information is associated with contextual information, such as what happened in the minutes leading up to a traumatic event. The individual may, however, remember semantic autobiographical information such as the date, time and weather conditions of the accident. Dissociative amnesia often arises from traumatic childhood events.”</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Recovered memories have been defined as the phenomenon of partially or fully losing parts of memories of traumatic events, and then later recovering part or all of the memories into conscious awareness. They have also been defined as the recollections of memories that are believed to have been unavailable for a certain period of time. There is very strong scientific evidence that recovered memories exist. This has been shown in many scientific studies. The content of recovered memories have fairly high corroboration rates.” (<strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Child Abuse Wiki – Recovered Memory</strong> <a href="http://childabusewiki.org/index.php?title=Recovered_Memories" style="border: 0px; color: #21759b; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">http://childabusewiki.org/index.php?title=Recovered_Memories</a> )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Pseudoscientific theories:</strong></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Another pseudoscientific theory promoted by false memory movements includes the false belief the suffers of dissociative identity disorder (formerly called multiple personality disorder) symptoms are not caused by trauma or that their symptoms are iatrogenic (caused by a therapist or doctor).</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Many therapists feel that the popularity of Dissociative Identity Disorder represents a kind of social contagion.” FMSF website.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“I have seen a number of people who were diagnosed with DID, or where the patients themselves felt that they had DID, so it depends on what you mean by the question. In other words, there are certainly people that I’ve seen that were quite convinced that they did have different personalities that had amnesia for one another. But, even though it was “real” in the sense that the patients believed that they had it, I’m not convinced that it was real in the sense that it was a naturally occurring phenomenon, as opposed to something that had occurred through the power of suggestion.” Pope quote at the Grey Faction website.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">These statements ignore much of the factual peer reviewed research on dissociative identity disorder (DID). There is no supported scientific evidence that DID and its symptoms can be created iatrogenically or through suggestion.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“The causes of dissociative identity disorder are theoretically linked with the interaction of overwhelming stress, traumatic antecedents,insufficient childhood nurturing, and an innate ability to dissociate memories or experiences from consciousness. Prolonged child abuse is frequently a factor, with a very high percentage of patients reporting documented abuse often confirmed by objective evidence. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders states that patients with DID often report having a history of severe physical and sexual abuse. The reports of patients suffering from DID are “often confirmed by objective evidence,” and the DSM notes that the abusers in those situations may be inclined to “deny or distort” these acts. Research has consistently shown that DID is characterized by reports of extensive childhood trauma, usually child abuse.”</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Citations:<br />American Psychiatric Association (2000-06).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV TR (Text Revision). Arlington, VA, USA: American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc.. DOI:10.1176/appi.books.9780890423349. ISBN 978-0890420249.<br />Dissociative Identity Disorder, doctor’s reference. Merck.com<br />Pearson, M.L. (1997). Childhood trauma, adult trauma, and dissociation (PDF). Dissociation 10 (1): 58–62<br />Kluft, RP (2003). Current Issues in Dissociative Identity Disorder (PDF). Bridging Eastern and Western Psychiatry 1 (1): 71–87.<br />Putnam FW, Guroff JJ, Silberman EK, Barban L, Post RM (June 1986). “The clinical phenomenology of multiple personality disorder: review of 100 recent cases”. J Clin Psychiatry 47 (6): 285–93. PMID 3711025.<br />Ross CA, Miller SD, Bjornson L, Reagor P, Fraser GA, Anderson G (March 1991). “Abuse histories in 102 cases of multiple personality disorder”. Can J Psychiatry 36 (2): 97–101. PMID 2044042.”The patients reported high rates of childhood trauma: 90.2% had been sexually abused, 82.4% physically abused, and 95.1% subjected to one or both forms of child abuse….Multiple personality disorder appears to be a response to chronic trauma originating during a vulnerable period in childhood.”<br />Boon S, Draijer N (March 1993). Multiple personality disorder in The Netherlands: a clinical investigation of 71 patients. Am J Psychiatry 150 (3): 489–94. PMID 8434668.”A history of childhood physical and/or sexual abuse was reported by 94.4% of the subjects, and 80.6% met criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder….Patients with multiple personality disorder have a stable set of core symptoms throughout North America as well as in Europe.”<br />(<strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Child Abuse Wiki – Dissociative Identity Disorder</strong> <a href="http://childabusewiki.org/index.php/Dissociative_Identity_Disorder" style="border: 0px; color: #21759b; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">http://childabusewiki.org/index.php/Dissociative_Identity_Disorder</a>)</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Harassment of survivors:</strong></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Though the FMSF discusses retractors and survivor conferences and organizations, it appears their major focus was attacking therapists and promoting pseudoscientific theories in the media.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Grey Faction has spent much of their efforts harassing and attacking various survivor and professional conferences. These are well documented at the <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/" style="border: 0px; color: #21759b; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">https://ritualabuse.us</a>/ and https://survivorship.org/ websites. At times, those working with the Grey Faction have infiltrated conferences, video taped people at conferences without their permission and put these videos on the Internet.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Theoretical and Organizational Connections to pedophilia and abuse</strong></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The FMSF was co-founded in part by Dr. Ralph Underwager.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Ms. Wakefield and Dr. Underwager are the publishers of the journal, “Issues in Child Abuse Accusations.” They co-edited the volumes: “Accusations of Child Sexual Abuse” and “The Real World of Child Interrogations.” They have written numerous articles on the interrogation of children, the role of the psychologist in assessing child abuse cases, the evaluation of child witnesses, and the manipulation of the child abuse system. They regularly appear as expert witnesses and give training sessions to jurists, psychologists, and laymen.” (http://www.nostatusquo.com/ACLU/NudistHallofShame/Underwager2.html )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">PAIDIKA INTERVIEW: HOLLIDA WAKEFIELD AND RALPH UNDERWAGER Part I</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Paedophiles can boldly and courageously affirm what they choose. They can say that what they” want is to find the best way to love</strong>. . . . Paedophiles can make the assertion that the pursuit of intimacy and love is what they choose. With boldness they can say, “I believe this is in fact part of God’s will.” –Dr. Ralph Underwager in this interview with Paidika,<br />a European pro-pedophile publication.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">False Memory Syndrome – Paidika Interview<br /><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“It would be nice if someone could get some kind of big research grant to do a longitudinal study of, let’s say, a hundred twelve-year old boys with loving paedophiles.</strong> Whoever was doing the study would have to follow them at five yearintervals for twenty years.” (H. Wakefield, cited in Geraci, 1993, p. 12) (http://www.nostatusquo.com/ACLU/NudistHallofShame/Underwager2.html )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Part II Underwager/Wakefield Interview</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">THE AMERICAN SITUATION</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">PAIDIKA: You are speaking mostly about paedophiles in the U. S. What tack should they take given the societal attitudes? What solutions do you envision for their lives?</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">RALPH UNDERWAGER: The solution that I’m suggesting is that paedophiles become much more positive. They should directly attack the concept, the image, the picture of the paedophile as an evil, wicked, and reprehensible exploiter of children.”</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(Part II Underwager/Wakefield Interview<br />http://www.nostatusquo.com/ACLU/NudistHallofShame/Underwager3.html )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Paul and Shirley Eberle’s The Abuse of Innocence: The McMartin Preschool trial</strong></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“In addition, some of authors of false memory books also turned out to be pedophile advocates. For example, one of the most widely cited books claiming that cult abuse reports were mass hysteria is Paul and Shirley Eberle’s The Abuse of Innocence: The McMartin Preschool trial.(6) Taken quite seriously by reviewers and widely quoted In later magazine articles as authoritative, the book makes such claims as that the over 100 McMartin children who reported they had been abused by a cult were all “brainwashed” and the mothers were all “hysterical” and that it was meaningless that physicians found three-quarters of the children bore physical evidence that corroborated their stories. <strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What reviewers didn’t mention was that the Eberles had been called “the most prolific publishers of child pornography in the United States” by Sgt. Toby Tyler, a San Bernadino deputy sheriff who is a nationally recognized expert on child pornography.(7) Their kiddie porn material that I have seen and the articles they have published such as “I Was a Sexpot at Five” and “Little Lolitas</strong>” Included illustrations of children involved in sodomy and oral copulation and featured pornographic photos of the Eberles.”<br />( deMause, Lloyd, “Why Cults Terrorize and Kill Children” The Journal of Psychohistory 21 (4) 1994 [4] <a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/why-cults-terrorize-and-kill-children-lloyd-demause-the-journal-of-psychohistory/" style="border: 0px; color: #21759b; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/why-cults-terrorize-and-kill-children-lloyd-demause-the-journal-of-psychohistory/</a> )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">For more information on the Eberle’s, see ( McMartin Preschool Case – What Really Happened and the Coverup <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/mcmartin-preschool-case-what-really-happened-and-the-coverup/" style="border: 0px; color: #21759b; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/mcmartin-preschool-case-what-really-happened-and-the-coverup/</a><br />and Paul and Shirley Eberle: A Strange Pair of Experts http://www.nostatusquo.com/ACLU/NudistHallofShame/Eberle.html )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The GreyFaction has a reported connection to a registered sex offender.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">August 13, 2014<br />Doug Mesner aka Lucien Greaves, Truth About The Satanic Monument<br />Hello Adam —<br />….We are prepared to turn in our monument proposal and I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind being our member to establish our standing in OK? What this means is that we would submit our proposal as the Satanic Temple, on your behalf as a resident of OKC. Where this could possibly be problematic for you is that we need to put a legitimate address for you on the paperwork. Is this something you’d be willing to do? Let us know — we’ll get you out a membership card and certificate ASAP><br />Thank you — Lucien<br />https://web.archive.org/web/20170412090559/https://churchofahriman.net/2014/08/13/doug-mesner-aka-lucien-greaves-truth-about-the-satanic-monument/</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Adam Brian Daniels Registered Sex Offender<br />(https://web.archive.org/web/20201218070118/https://www.homefacts.com/offender-detail/OK36B842376CD8A134E9B7863468FE2BF5/Adam-Brian-Daniels.html )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Offense or Statute<br />Offense/Statute:<br />Sexual Battery Of Person Over 16<br />Date Convicted:<br />08 April 2009<br />Scars, Marks, and Tattoos<br />Tattoo – Full Body Satanic designs all over body</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Local Satanists speak out in support of Satanic monument at State Capitol<br />We’ve all heard about the Satanic Temple out of New York that is working to get a monument to Satan erected at the Oklahoma State Capitol next to the one of the Ten Commandments.<br />Now, a local Satanist couple is coming out in support of the project.<br />In fact, Kelsey Daniels’ name is on the application to the State Capitol Preservation Commission.<br />She and her husband, Adam, spoke to us at their Satanic Church in the back of their metro home.<br />https://kfor.com/news/local-satanists-support-satanic-monument-at-state-capitol/</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(For more information, see <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/grey-faction-satanic-temple-and-lucien-greaves-fact-sheet/" style="border: 0px; color: #21759b; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/grey-faction-satanic-temple-and-lucien-greaves-fact-sheet/</a> )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The false memory movements connection to religion</strong></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The majority of the false memory groups in the 1990s did not have a published connection to religion. A few promoted religious freedom and claimed to be anti-cult.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Grey Faction is part of the Satanic Temple.</h3><p style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.71429; margin: 0px 0px 1.71429rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </p><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Parallels have been shown between the Grey Faction and hate groups.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Modern Harassment of Severe Abuse Survivors<br />Since 2009, I and others suffering have suffered hatred, hostility and harassment at first by Douglas Misicko (aka Doug Mesner, aka Lucien Greaves) and those working with him and then after 2014 by the group he co-founded, The Satanic Temple and its subgroup The Grey Faction.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I believe the Grey Faction may possibly qualify as a hate group due to its targeting sufferers of dissociative disorders sufferers and their helpers. At times, the inflammatory language used by the group has been meant to “intended to demean and brutalize” with “the use of cruel and derogatory language.” ( <strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Possible Hate Groups – How Do They Effect Survivors and Their Resources</strong> <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2019-conference/possible-hate-groups-how-do-they-effect-survivors-and-their-resources/" style="border: 0px; color: #21759b; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2019-conference/possible-hate-groups-how-do-they-effect-survivors-and-their-resources/</a> )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Connections to Fascism and Antisemitism</strong></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">FMSF members had reported connections to the CIA.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Article from 1998 : Messing With Our Minds (5/98) May 27, 2005 HUSAYN AL-KURDI</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Ironically, it turns out that the Foundation itself has extensive connections to another group that has indulged in extensive experimentation on human beings – the Central Intelligence Agency. Although better known for overseas operations that serve the interests of corporate and financial elites – euphemistically described as protecting “national security” – the Agency also has a sordid history of domestic mind control experimentation. Its interest in this field runs parallel with elite concern about how to control the thinking of US citizens. The fear among policymakers that we might take control of our own destinies is almost as deep as their terror that, without US intervention, people in other parts of the world might go their own way.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It should come as no surprise, then, that long-time CIA and “intelligence complex” operatives turn up on the FMSF Advisory Board. Perhaps the most public member has been Dr. Louis Joylon “Jolly” West, a legendary figure in CIA mind control circles operating out of UCLA. Another is Dr. Martin Orne, an authority on torture who currently works at the University of Pennsylvania’s Experimental Psychiatry Lab. While studying the effects of over 16 biochemical warfare agents until the early 1970s, Orne considered the effectiveness of choking, blistering, and vomiting agents, toxins, poison gas, and various incapacitating chemicals. During the same period, he also worked with the Cornell University-based Human Ecology Fund, sharing his findings with Dr. Even Cameron, who was then based at the McGill University Allen Institute in Montreal. At Human Ecology, electroshock, lobotomies, drugs, incapacitants, hypnosis, sleep deprivation, and radio control of the brain were all specialties of the house.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Still another false memory luminary is Margaret Singer, professor emeritus in psychology at the University of California-Berkeley. Long in the research loop of the “military-industrial-intelligence complex,” Singer’s involvement dates back to her experiments on returning Korean War veterans. Scrutinizing the behavior patterns of what were described as “collaborators,” “non-collaborators,” and “active resisters,” she noted that the “collaborators showed more typical and humanly responsive reactions” than the other groups, whose members “tended to be more apathetic and emotionally barren and withdrawn.”</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Inducing memory loss has long been a CIA obsession. The initial objectives included closing the minds of agents – in case they were captured – and making sure enemies who were interrogated wouldn’t remember they’d been questioned. While receiving CIA funds as part of the notorious MK-ULTRA project, West, an expert in brainwashing, learned how to manipulate memories in various subjects – inducing everything from total amnesia to obsessive-compulsive fixations.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">West’s most notorious experiment, conducted while at the University of Oklahoma, involved killing an elephant with LSD and tranquilizers. But he also ran a secret CIA mind control lab and “treated” Jack Ruby after his murder of Lee Harvey Oswald. Subsequently, he attempted to launch a Center for the Study and Reduction of Violence in California, hoping to incorporate treatments such as chemical castration, psychosurgery, and the use of experimental drugs. But the Center was derailed once its methods became public.”</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">( Messing With Our Minds (5/98) May 27, 2005 HUSAYN AL-KURDI<br />https://towardfreedom.org/story/archives/special-reports-archives/messing-with-our-minds-598/ )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Satanic Temple’s cofounder Douglas Mesner/Lucien Greaves has had connections to antisemitic statements, fascist philosophies and the alt right.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“In the intervening months, the decision to sue Twitter has grown into part of a controversy that’s engulfed the organization and recently led one of the Temple’s major chapters, the Satanic Temple Los Angeles, to leave the group entirely. The breaking point, according to a statement issued by the former TST Los Angeles, is <strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">the attorney representing Greaves: Marc Randazza, a First Amendment lawyer who currently represents a major neo-Nazi publisher, several key alt-right figures, and Alex Jones</strong>.” ( The Satanic Temple Is Engulfed in a Civil War Over a Decision to Hire an Attorney With a Stable of Alt-Right Clients – Anna Merlan<br />https://jezebel.com/the-satanic-temple-is-engulfed-in-a-civil-war-over-a-de-1828130997 )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Doug Mesner (Lucien Greaves, Satanic Temple) Alleged Anti-Semitic Statements:</strong></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">““Like, I think it’s okay to hate Jews if you hate them because they’re Jewish and they wear a stupid fuckin’ frisbie on their head [correct term: yarmulke or kippah] and walk around [and] think their God’s chosen people, but it’s not okay to hate somebody [‘born of Jewish blood’] just because their parents were stupid fuckin’ Jews and wore stupid frisbies on their head and thought the Jews were God’s chosen people […] Not everybody of Jewish blood is okay with me, it depends on if they follow the Jewish, uh… […] Satanic Jews are fine,” (Adam, “Doug Mesner [Lucien Greaves/Douglas Misicko] Satanic Temple Anti-Semitic Rant” (transcribed).”<br />(Doug Mesner (Lucien Greaves, Satanic Temple) Alleged Anti-Semitic Statements<br />https://www.videosprout.com/video?id=98aafea9-df67-416d-998d-46348a626005&fbclid=IwAR3uIHF8pl3sgLGCSsdJKyE9QJK3JpfH4j2H8DLhd1yYHuc_pPLFdPHIMtE )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Frontman: Douglas Misicko, better known as Lucien Greaves and Doug Mesner<br />https://danielkbuntovnik.wordpress.com/2019/04/20/the-frontman-douglas-misicko-better-known-as-lucien-greaves-and-doug-mesner/</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Tom Metzger, a former “Grand Dragon” of the California Knights of the Ku Klux Klan and founder of a neo-Nazi group called White Aryan Resistance.”</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“In the Might is Right podcast, Misicko engages Metzger in a lengthy discussion in which Misicko questions Metzger about “Jewish bloodlines” and the racial policies of Nazi Germany (Bugbee and Mesner, “Might is Right Special” https://archive.org/details/MightIsRightSpecial</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“[note: the interview, which lasts 36 minutes, starts at about 19:27:30 and ends at 20:03:50]). At one point during the recorded conversation with Metzger, Misicko states, “I think there should be eugenics policy, population control policy. Something that ensures quality reproduction.” Although Misicko qualifies his pro-eugenics statement with the caveat that his ideal eugenics system would be based on IQ testing or “intelligence laws” (as opposed to being based strictly on racial grounds), it is known that IQ testing is culturally biased and that race is a cultural construct. Thus when Metzger objects that “[although] there are gray areas […] if you judge the black race by its whole, you must come up with the idea that they’re definitely an inferior race,” Misicko tries to win Metzger over to his position by implying that eugenics would still decimate the Afro-diasporic population even if it was based on IQ testing instead of race when he argues, “But that being the case [i.e., the case being that posited by Metzger—that “the black race by its whole (is) definitely an (intellectually) inferior race”], you still wouldn’t have to enact racial laws, you’d just have to enact intelligence laws, and if that [black intellectual inferiority] was being the case, then that good segment of the population would have to drop off.”</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Here it is clear that what Misicko euphemistically posits as “that good segment of the population” is an intellectually “inferior” segment of the population whose “race” is disproportionately Black. What is essential to comprehend about this segment of the interview is that Misicko is attempting to sell de jure “IQ-based” eugenics to Metzger as de facto Black genocide. Metzger responds to Misicko’s idea by saying, “Well, we’ll leave you the project of raising the IQ of the black race to about 140 and I’ll be standing by when you’re successful,” prompting laughter from Misicko and his co-interviewers, Amy and Shane Bugbee. Shortly after that, Amy Bugbee (the wife of Shane Bugbee) chimes in to assert her belief that white people are not “necessarily the same species as blacks or Asians, you know, or any number of different races.” Tellingly, the Confederate battle flag was prominently displayed at the studio where Misicko recorded with the Bugbees (see: 5.2), who also strangely claimed that they held their wedding ceremony “in South Carolina because it is legal to fly the Confederate flag there” (Sula). The interview ends with Misicko promising to send Metzger a “personalize[d] copy” of Might is Right.”</h3><p style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.71429; margin: 0px 0px 1.71429rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </p><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Might Is Right or The Survival of the Fittest, is a book by pseudonymous author Ragnar Redbeard. First published in 1890, it heavily advocates egoist anarchism, amorality, consequentialism and psychological hedonism. In Might Is Right, Redbeard rejects conventional ideas of human and natural rights and argues that only strength or physical might can establish moral right….<br />There are also controversial parts of the book that deal with race and male–female relations, claiming that the woman and the family as a whole are the property of the man and proclaiming the innate superiority of the Anglo-Saxon race. The book also contains many strong anti-Semitic statements…. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Might_Is_Right</h3><p style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.71429; margin: 0px 0px 1.71429rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </p><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">NEW website and NEW edition of MIGHT IS RIGHT! ….it’s the absolute definitive edition of MIGHT IS RIGHT and will not be topped in my lifetime or even the newborn of todays lifetime… this limited edition OF 23 is signed and numbered by me, the publisher….an additional afterword from Ex-White Supremacist who was a White Supremacist when he wrote the afterword, George Eric Hawthorn, who now goes by the name George Burdi… also included is the editors note from the 1996 printing of Might I Right I put out, Katja Lane (Mrs. David Lane) and to add insult to it all, original artwork/illustrations by Doug Mesner a.k.a. Lucien Greaves of The Satanic Temple shame… a separate book plate from an older edition signed by the illustrator, Doug Mesner a.k.a. Lucien Greaves when he was still just a minion of mine. https://web.archive.org/web/20190801231408/http://www.shanebugbee.com/?p=2593</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Other sources on Lucien Greaves and the Satanic Temple:</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">On the Psychological Projection of Antisemitism by Satanists https://danielkbuntovnik.wordpress.com/</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Frontman: Douglas Misicko, better known as Lucien Greaves and Doug Mesner https://danielkbuntovnik.wordpress.com/2019/04/20/the-frontman-douglas-misicko-better-known-as-lucien-greaves-and-doug-mesner/</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Difficulties with Credibility and FMS Motivations</strong></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">With connections between pro-pedophilia philosophies, sex offenders and organizations consisting of those accused of child abuse, the false memory groups credibility decreases greatly.<br />It appears their pseudoscientific philosophies and harassment of those that disagree with them are possible ways to philosophically protect those that abuse children.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">One of the FMSF Founders:<br />“In reply to a TV documentary about FMS, William Freyd, (Pamela Freyd’s (one of the founders of the FMSF) step brother and sister-in-law) wrote “The False Memory Syndrome Foundation is a fraud designed to deny a reality that Peter and Pam have spent most of their lives trying to escape. There is no such thing as a False Memory Syndrome.” “In addition, Peter Freyd’s own mother (who is also Pamela’s step-mother) and his only sibling, a brother, were also estranged from Pamela and Peter. It should be noted that these family members support Jennifer’s side of the story.” ( <strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Child Abuse Wiki – False MemorySyndrome</strong> <a href="http://childabusewiki.org/index.php/False_Memory_Syndrome" style="border: 0px; color: #21759b; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">http://childabusewiki.org/index.php/False_Memory_Syndrome</a> )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“The foundation’s leaders, Pamela and Peter Freyd, were motivated because their adult daughter privately accused Peter of sexually abusing her as a child. They were put in touch with other parents claiming to be falsely accused by Dr. Harold Lief (Calof, 1993a), who was later revealed to be Pamela’s personal psychiatrist (J. Freyd, 1993). Families were also referred by Ralph Underwager and Hollida Wakefield, a husband and wife team who are prominent advocates for people accused of molesting children. A frequent defense expert witness, Underwager’s philosophy concerning the prosecution of child sexual abuse has been summed up by the statement that it is “more desirable that a thousand children in abuse situations are not discovered than for one innocent person to be convicted wrongly” (Kraft, 1985, p. 1).</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Underwager and Wakefield were also instrumental in helping the Freyds organize the foundation (P. Freyd, May 21, 1992; Underwager & Wakefield, 1994). The original toll-free number for the FMSF rang at Underwager’s private Institute for Psychological Therapies, and Underwager and Wakefield developed the initial questionnaire used to survey families who contacted the FMSF (P. Freyd, May 21, 1992).”</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Jennifer Freyd (1993) also revealed that her father was a chronic alcoholic throughout her childhood,4 and had himself been sexually abused as a boy by an older man, a fact he seemed to take pride in (according to Jennifer, he frequently described himself as having been a “kept” boy). She also noted that her abuse memories were consistent with never forgotten memories of her family’s pattern of sexualized and intrusive behavior (p. 13); memories which Peter and Pam have for the most part confirmed (Fried, 1994; Hechler, 1996). Jennifer Freyd (1993) also noted that her only sibling, a sister, was already estranged from her parents at the time of the allegations. In addition, Peter Freyd’s own mother (who is also Pamela’s step-mother) and his only sibling, a brother, were also estranged from Pamela and Peter. It should be noted that these family members support Jennifer’s side of the story.” (Crisis or Creation? A Systematic Examination of “False Memory Syndrome” by Stephanie J. Dallam Leadership Council http://www.leadershipcouncil.org/1/res/dallam/6.html )</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Control of the Media</strong></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Media Manipulation by False Memory Proponents</strong></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">U-Turn on Memory Lane by Mike Stanton – Columbia Journalism Review – July/August 1997</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The FMSF builds much of its case against recovered memory by attacking a generally discredited Freudian concept of repression that proponents of recovered memory don’t buy, either. In so doing, the foundation ignores the fifty-year-old literature on traumatic, or psychogenic amnesia, which is an accepted diagnosis by the American Psychiatric Association. In his 1996 book “Searching for Memory,” the Harvard psychologist and brain researcher Daniel L. Schachter — who believes that both true and false memories exist — says there is no conclusive scientific evidence that false memories can be created….The foundation and its backers “remind me of a high school debate team,” says the Stanford psychiatrist David Spiegel, an authority on traumatic amnesia. “They go to the library, surgically extract the information convenient to them and throw out the rest.”….Many therapists, like their patients, hesitate to speak out. Recently, though, they have begun to make a more concerted effort to mobilize a response.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">One of the most outspoken critics of the false-memory movement is a Seattle therapist, David Calof, editor until last year of Treating Abuse Today, a newsletter for therapists. He has identified what he calls the movement’s political agenda — lobbying for more restrictive laws governing therapy and promoting the harassment of therapists through lawsuits and even picketing of their offices and homes. Calof himself has been the target of picketing so fierce that he has been in and out of Seattle courtrooms over the last two years, obtaining restraining orders. He was spending so much time and money fighting the FMSF supporters’ campaign against him, he says, that he was forced to stop publishing the newsletter last year. He recently donated the publication to a victims’ rights group in Pennsylvania, which has resurrected it as Trauma. The new publisher says that views part of its mission as reporting on FMSF, since the mainstream media don’t.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Among journalists, perhaps the most relentless critic of the foundation is Michele Landsberg, a Toronto Star columnist. In 1993, she says, an Ontario couple, claiming to have been falsely accused, contacted her and asked her to write about their case. Unconvinced, she declined, and eventually started writing instead about the foundation. She attacked its scientific claims and criticized the sensational media coverage. She described how a foundation scientific adviser, Harold Merskey, had testified that a woman accusing a doctor of sexual abuse in a civil case might in fact have been suffering from false memory syndrome. But the accused doctor himself had previously confessed to criminal charges of abusing her.</h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Landsberg also challenged the credentials of other foundation advisers. She noted that one founding adviser, Ralph Underwager, was forced to resign from the foundation’s board after he and his wife, Hollida Wakefield, who remains an adviser, gave an interview to a Dutch pedophilia magazine in which he was quoted as describing pedophilia as”an acceptable expression of God’s will for love.” Landsberg also wrote that another adviser, James Randi, a magician known as “The Amazing Randi,” had been involved in a lawsuit in which his opponent introduced a tape of sexually explicit telephone conversations Randi had with teenage boys. (Randi has claimed at various times, she said, that the tape was a hoax and that the police asked him to make it.) “Why haven’t reporters investigated the False Memory Syndrome Foundation?” she asks. “It’s legitimate to examine their backgrounds –here are people who really do have powerful motivation to deny the truth.” http://web.archive.org/web/20071216011151/http://backissues.cjrarchives.org/year/97/4/memory.asp</h3><p style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.71429; margin: 0px 0px 1.71429rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </p><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The media has often ignored the data on false memory and ritual abuse, promoting pseudoscientific research and false data on court cases, memory and dissociative identity disorder.</strong></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.14286rem; line-height: 1.84615; margin: 1.71429rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This is beginning to change, but much work still needs to be done by our researchers and organizations to education others about our work.</h3></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-3868946414634310052022-09-25T20:04:00.007-07:002022-09-27T20:14:06.830-07:00Mind Control and How to Stop it – Neil Brick<h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mind Control and How to Stop it – Neil Brick</span></h3><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Information from conference PowerPoint</span></h3><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">S.M.A.R.T. </span></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">The 2021 Online Annual Ritual Abuse, Secretive Organizations and Mind Control Conference Aug 14 -15, 2021 </span></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2021-conference" style="color: #2255aa;">https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2021-conference</a></span></h3><div><br /></div><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">A video presentation is available at: <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2021-conference/2021-conference-video-presentations-and-powerpoints/" style="color: #2255aa;">https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2021-conference/2021-conference-video-presentations-and-powerpoints/</a></span></h3><div><br /></div><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">All accusations are alleged.</span></strong></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span lang="0"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Please note: None of the material on these pages or at the conference is meant as therapy, or to take the place of therapy.</strong> <strong>These presentations may be very heavy to read for survivors. Survivors may want to read this with a support person.<br /></strong></span></span></h3><div><span lang="0"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><br /></strong></span></span></div><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Biography</span></strong></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Neil Brick is a survivor of ritual abuse and mind control. His work continues to educate the public about child abuse, trauma and ritual abuse crimes.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">His child abuse and ritual abuse newsletter S.M.A.R.T. <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/" style="color: #2255aa;">https://ritualabuse.us</a> has been published for over 26 years. <a href="http://neilbrick.com/" style="color: #2255aa;">http://neilbrick.com</a></span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><div><br /></div></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Abstract</span></strong></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">This presentation will explain how mind control and different suggestive techniques work in a variety of individual and public settings. These will include interpersonal relationships, abusive relationships, ritual abuse settings, social media, political manipulation and hypnosis. Ways to expose and prevent mind control will be discussed. Social views of mind control will be presented.</span></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Learning Objectives:</span></strong></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">1) Participants will learn how different suggestive techniques can control thought patterns.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">2) Participants will be able to discern how mind control techniques can be used in different settings.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">3) Participants will be able to describe how different hypnosis and post hypnotic suggestion can be used.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">4) Participants will be able to list the different social views of mind control.</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Definition of Mind Control</span></b></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">WHAT IS MIND CONTROL?</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mind control, like ritual abuse, has both a broad and narrow definition. In a sense, all advertising is an attempt at mind control, an attempt to make people buy certain brands or objects. Propaganda (my country is right and good and the other country is wrong and bad) is also an example of attempted mind control.</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Mind Control Definitions</span></strong></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the survivor community, however, the definition is much narrower and more sinister. It means that part of a person’s mind has been programmed (that is, trained) to obey another person without question, while other parts of the mind are unaware of this situation.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://survivorship.org/frequently-ask-questions/#mindcontrol" style="color: #2255aa;"><span style="font-size: large;">https://survivorship.org/frequently-ask-questions/#mindcontrol</span></a></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">What is Programming?</span></strong></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Programming refers both to the process of teaching part of the mind unquestioned obedience and to the content of what is taught.</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Who Practices Mind Control?</span></strong></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Many cults that practice ritual abuse use mind control, in that their members are not aware, most of the time, that they are participating in the cult or in abusive acts or ceremonies. Governments also have experimented extensively with mind control, primarily through federally funded intelligence agencies and military research projects.</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Suggestive Techniques:<br />Interpersonal and Abusive Relationships</span></b></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">There is a big difference between psychological or emotional manipulation and simple influence. Healthy social influence appears naturally without anyone trying to force it. We may affect others’ choices, preferences and judgement without threatening their health and emotional or physical well-being.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">In case of psychological manipulation, however, manipulator’s goal is to create an imbalance of power in order to exploit others’ weaknesses to serve their own interests. The roots of emotional manipulation are quite complex.</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Reasons why an individual may choose manipulative behavior</span></strong></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Generally, the reasons why an individual may choose manipulative behavior include</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">personal gain,</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">desire for power and superiority,</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">desire to control,</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">self-esteem issues,</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">boredom</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Interpersonal and Abusive Relationships</span></strong></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you suspect you are being manipulated, you need to find a way to stand up for yourself in a safe way. Sometimes the manipulator will apologize and temporarily correct his behavior only to return to it later. Avoid isolation and nurture relationships with other people to keep a healthy perspective. Romantic relationship with a manipulator can be especially damaging and must be avoided. https://psychologia.co/emotional-manipulation/</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">“I believe the only solution to the damage done to people in destructive cults is to “immunize” the general population against mid control groups. The most effective way to do this is to expose people to information about how the group works.” Combatting Cult Mind Control, Hassan p. 5.</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Abusive Relationships in Groups (and Cults)</span></b></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Isolation</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Physical isolation can be very powerful, but even when physical isolation is impossible or not practical, manipulators will typically attempt to isolate you mentally. This may be achieved in a number of ways from one week seminars in the country to criticizing your family and circle of friends. Limiting any other influence by controlling information flow is the ultimate goal.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">https://psychologia.co/mind-control-techniques/</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mind Control Techniques To Be Aware Of</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Criticism</span></strong></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Criticism may be used as an isolation tool. The manipulators will usually speak in “us against them” terms, criticize the outside world and claim their own superiority. According to them, you must feel lucky to be associated with them.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Social proof and peer pressure</span></b></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Those who attempt to manipulate large groups of people will typically use social proof and peer pressure to brainwash newcomers. Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where (some) people assume that the actions and beliefs of others are appropriate and, because “everyone does that”, must be justified. This works especially well when an individual isn’t sure what to think, how to behave, or what to do. A lot of people in such situations will simply look at what others do and do the same.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Fear of alienation</span></b></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Newcomers to manipulative groups will usually receive a warm welcome and will form a number of new friendships that seem to be much deeper and more meaningful than anything they have ever experienced. Later on, if any doubts arise, these relationships will become a powerful tool to hold them in the group. Even if they aren’t completely convinced, the life in the outside world may seem very lonely.</span></h3></li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Repetition</span></b></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Constant repetition is another powerful persuasion tool. Although it may seem too simplistic to be effective, but repeating same message over and over again makes it familiar and easier to remember. When repetition is combined with social proof, it delivers the message without fail.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Fatigue</span></b></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Fatigue and sleep deprivation result in physical and mental tiredness. When you are physically tired and less alert, you are more susceptible to persuasion. A study mentioned in Journal of Experimental Psychology shows that individuals who had not slept for only 21 hours were more susceptible to suggestion.</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Forming new identity</span></strong></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ultimately, manipulators want to re-define your identity. They want you to stop being yourself and become a robot, someone who mindlessly follows their orders. Using all methods and mind manipulation techniques mentioned above, they will attempt to extract a confession from you — some form of acknowledgement that you believe that they are good people doing a good thing (slight variations are possible).</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the beginning it might be something seemingly insignificant like agreeing that the members of the group are fun and loving people or that some of their views are indeed valid. Once you accept that one little thing, you may be more ready to accept another one and then another one and another… Before you know it, out of desire to be consistent with what you do and say, you start identifying as one of the group. This is particularly powerful if you know that your confessions were recorded or filmed — just in case you forget, there is a physical proof of your new identity.</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Child Abuse Wiki – Ritual Abuse</b><br /><a href="https://childabusewiki.org/index.php?title=Ritual_Abuse" style="color: #2255aa;">https://childabusewiki.org/index.php?title=Ritual_Abuse</a></span></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ritual abuse has been defined as:</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">a brutal form of abuse of children, adolescents, and adults, consisting of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, and involving the use of rituals. Ritual does not necessarily mean satanic. However, most survivors state that they were ritually abused as part of satanic worship for the purpose of indoctrinating them into satanic beliefs and practices. Ritual abuse rarely consists of a single episode. It usually involves repeated abuse over an extended period of time. The physical abuse is severe, sometimes including torture and killing. The sexual abuse is usually painful, sadistic, and humiliating, intended as means of gaining dominance over the victim. The psychological abuse is devastating and involves the use of ritual/indoctrination, which includes mind control techniques and mind-altering drugs, and ritual/intimidation which conveys to the victim a profound terror of the cult members and of the evil spirits they believe cult members can command. Both during and after the abuse, most victims are in a state of terror, mind control, and dissociation in which disclosure is exceedingly difficult</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">WHAT IS RITUAL ABUSE<b>?</b></span></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://childabusewiki.org/index.php?title=Ritual_Abuse" style="color: #2255aa;"><span style="font-size: large;">https://childabusewiki.org/index.php?title=Ritual_Abuse</span></a></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">WHAT IS RITUAL ABUSE? (BROAD DEFINITION) Ritual abuse is the abuse of a child, weaker adult, or animal in a ritual setting or manner. In a broad sense, many of our overtly or covertly socially sanctioned actions can be seen as ritual abuse, such as military basic training, hazing, racism, spanking children, and partner-battering. Some abuse is private…some public. Public ritual abuse may be either open or secret.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">WHAT IS RITUAL ABUSE? (NARROW DEFINITION) The term ritual abuse is generally used to mean prolonged, extreme, sadistic abuse, especially of children, within a group setting. The group’s ideology is used to justify the abuse, and abuse is used to teach the group’s ideology. The activities are kept secret from society at large, as they violate norms and laws.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">(From Survivorship – Frequently Asked Questions)</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Hypnosis in MPD: Ritual Abuse</span></strong></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">D. Corydon Hammond, Ph.D. (“Greenbaum Speech”)</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.whale.to/b/greenbaum.html" style="color: #2255aa;"><span style="font-size: large;">http://www.whale.to/b/greenbaum.html</span></a></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">….Then approximately two and a half years ago I had some material drop in my lap. My source was saying a lot of things that I knew were accurate about some of the brainwashing, but it was telling me new material I had no idea about. At this point I took note and decided to check it out in three ritual-abuse patients I was seeing at the time. Two of the three had what they were describing, in careful inquiry without leading or contaminating</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Here’s where it appears to have come from. At the end of World War II, before it even ended, Allen Dulles and people from our Intelligence Community were already in Switzerland making contact to get out Nazi scientists. As World War II ends, they not only get out rocket scientists, but they also get out some Nazi doctors who have been doing mind-control research in the camps.”</span></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">What they basically do is they will get a child and they will start this in basic forms, it appears, by about two and a half after the child’s already been made dissociative. They’ll make him dissociative not only through abuse, like sexual abuse, but also things like putting a mousetrap on their fingers and teaching the parents, “You do not go in until the child stops crying. Only then do you go in and remove it.” They start in rudimentary forms at about two and a half and kick into high gear, it appears, around six or six and a half, continue through adolescence with periodic reinforcements in adulthood.”</span></h3></li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Ellen Lacter…gives this definition:</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ritual Abuse </b>consists of conditioning and torture, carried out in a ceremonial or calculator manner</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">for the purpose of effecting control over a victim’s mind and behavior. It is international in scope, with similarities and variations across cultures.”</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dr. Miller describes the techniques (p. 12) used to mind control victims, including torture, abuse and druggings.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">The <b>tactics of these groups</b>, however, are quite different from, and more extreme than, those found in visible cults. They are much more violent, for one thing. Their methods are more sophisticated and the consequences of those tactics more complex.” p. 13</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Battle for the Mind – William Sargant</span></strong></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">William Sargant first looked at combat PTSD and compared it to Pavlov’s classical conditioning. He extended Pavlov’s model to explain how people could change their world view suddenly. This was caused by intense trauma, followed by a person’s personality breaking down, followed by the application of new ways of thinking.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pavlov’s dogs during a flood either forgot or reversed their previous training. First, Pavlov’s “equivalent” phase of brain activity or breakdown occurred.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Second, Pavlov’s “paradoxical inhibition” occurred where weak stimuli would produce strong responses and strong stimuli would produce weak responses (inappropriate responses).</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Third, in the “ultraparadoxical” stage, responses changed from positive to negative and vice-versa. Current models of PTSD suggest that PTSD can be understood as learned helplessness, a set of foci in the brain firing repeatedly and inappropriately.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cognitively, a person’s world view is so changed as to become untenable. Pavlov’s observations on animals breaking down under extreme stress could be applied to humans and survivors.</span></h3></li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pavlov was able to build up and break down behavior patterns in dogs. Pavlov’s work seems to have influenced confession getting and brainwashing techniques.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pavlov’s dogs had four basic temperaments, strong excitatory, lively, calm imperturbable type and melancholic. Each type reacted differently to stress.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pavlov could cause a dog to break down by increasing the intensity of a signal (electricity), delaying the time between the signal and food, confusing them with positive and negative signals interchanged or tampering with its physical condition.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">If a dog of stable temperament acquires a behavior after extreme stress, it is hard to break this behavior. The could be compared to a person of strong character becoming a one-track minded fanatic. Some survivors may also become fanatics.</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> Social media</span></b></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Propaganda techniques are similar in many ways to programming techniques. One could say a person is being programmed when being propagandized. The combination of vision and sound on TV make a person more suggestible.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Most people get their news from TV. Once a person is overly emotional or numbed out, they become more suggestible and less likely to critically think about their choices. Subliminal learning is then enhanced.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Examples of propaganda in our media today are all too obvious. It is unfortunately too easy to direct people’s attention away from the fraudulent elections in our country and the outright thievery of the rich corporations against the populace, by creating enemies and fear.</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Misinformation and Propaganda:</span></strong></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Nazism – The Third Reich 1920 – 1945:</span></b></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">In 1924, Adolf Hitler wrote that propaganda’s “task is not to make an objective study of the truth, in so far as it favors the enemy, and then set it before the masses with academic fairness; its task is to serve our own right, always and unflinchingly.”</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Nazi propaganda was distributed through a wide variety of media and social channels. Jewish people in particular were the targets of Nazi propaganda and negative social policies which led to the Holocaust and murder of millions of Jewish people as well as others.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Film portrayed a large role in the development of pro-Nazi and anti-Semitism in Germany. Film and propaganda were used to cover up the atrocities and murders in the concentration camps.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Like many countries, propaganda was used to encourage public support of war.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/nazi-propaganda</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Modern American Right Wing Political Movement – 2016 – 2020</span></strong></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Modern American Right Wing Political Movement – 2016 – 2020:</span></b></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Fox News has been considered the right wing’s “Ministry of Truth.”</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">https://www.newsweek.com/fox-news-donald-trumps-ministry-truth-cia-analyst-1378208</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">From Orwell’s 1984: “The government puts into manufacturing its own version of reality, from rewriting history to producing propaganda to trying to remove as many words as possible from the English language to reduce people’s ability to think.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Its main role is to help control the population through misinformation, outright lies and lack of information so that the state can maintain total power over the people.”</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">The Satanic Temple – Grey Faction and Doug Mesner/Lucien Greaves (both aliases) – 2000 – 2020</span></strong></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Grey Faction uses a wide variety of propaganda techniques to misrepresent the pro-survivor movement.</span></b></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">“….Collective or cultural gaslighting, pushing society at large to question the sanity of its members who perceive politics counter-hegemonically and question the falsified historiographies of the ruling class. A linchpin of this societal gaslighting is formed by <b>mechanisms which trigger the attribution of the “</b><b>conspiracist</b><b> ideation” label to certain discourses </b>and by efforts to cause certain discourses to become dominated by or associated with faulty conspiracist ideational reasoning.”</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">“….the allegation that someone is a “conspiracy theorist” is almost always a figurative way to charge them with faulty reasoning or, at the very least, to imply skepticism of their claims.”</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">“we have seen that Misicko often ridicules his opponents as believers in conspiracy theories related to “MK Ultra,” comparing them to believers in “UFO’s” and “Past Life Regression”</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cultural Gaslighting; or, “Falsified History Syndrome” </b><a href="https://danielkbuntovnik.wordpress.com/2019/04/20/cultural-gaslighting-or-falsified-history-syndrome/" style="color: #2255aa;">https://danielkbuntovnik.wordpress.com/2019/04/20/cultural-gaslighting-or-falsified-history-syndrome/</a></span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Political manipulation</span></b></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Fascist politics includes many distinct strategies: the mythical past, propaganda, anti-intellectualism, unreality, hierarchy, victimhood, law and order, sexual anxiety, appeals to the heartland, and a dismantling of public welfare and unity….<b>The danger of fascist politics come from the particular way in which it dehumanizes segments of the population. </b>By excluding these groups, it limits the capacity for empathy among other citizens, leading to the justification of inhumane treatment, from freedom to repression, mass imprisonment, and explusion to, in extreme cases, mass extermination.” Stanley, <i>How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them</i>. p. XXVIII -XXIX</span></h3></li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">“In Mein Kampf…Hitler writes it is a gross misunderstanding to dismiss simple language as stupid. Throughout Mein Kampf, Hitler is clear that the <b>aim of propaganda is to replace reasoned argument in the public sphere with irrational fears and passions</b>…(Bannon) anger and fear is what gets people to the polls.” p. 55</span></h3></li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Fascist politics includes many distinct strategies: the mythical past, propaganda, anti-intellectualism, unreality, hierarchy, victimhood, law and order, sexual anxiety, appeals to the heartland, and a dismantling of public welfare and unity….</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">The danger of fascist politics come from the particular way in which it dehumanizes segments of the population. By excluding these groups, it limits the capacity for empathy among other citizens, leading to the justification of inhumane treatment, from freedom to repression, mass imprisonment, and expulsion to, in extreme cases, mass extermination.” Stanley, <i>How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them.</i> p. XXVIII -XXIX</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mythical past:</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">“In all fascist mythic pasts, an extreme version of the patriarchal family reigns supreme….further back in time, the mythic past was a time of glory of the nation” p. 3</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">“The function of the mythic past is to harness the emotion of nostalgia to the central tenets of fascist ideology – hierarchy, purity, and struggle.” p. 5</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Hierarchy</span></strong></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">‘Fascist politicians represent the myths that legitimize their hierarchies as immutable facts.” p.80</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Might Is Right or The Survival of the Fittest…rejects conventional ideas of human and natural rights and argues that only strength or physical might can establish moral right”</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Grey Faction’s Lucien Greaves illustrated the book. <a href="http://childabusedata.blogspot.com/2019/07/might-is-right-lucien-greaves-satanic.html" style="color: #2255aa;">http://childabusedata.blogspot.com/2019/07/might-is-right-lucien-greaves-satanic.html</a></span></h3></li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Stanley describes the <b>denial of fascism in society even when it is occurring</b>, similar to Trumpism from 2016 – 2020. He talks about how Jewish people in Germany in 1937 did not realize the danger they were in. The Nazis of course covered up many of their crimes. Mass media today made it more difficult for Trump to do this (immigrant camps). This is like the denial of child abuse crimes today by false memory proponents with their gross misrepresentations of fact.</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Hypnosis</span></strong></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">THE BATTLE FOR YOUR MIND, by Dick Sutphen</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Persuasion & Brainwashing Techniques Being Used On The Public Today</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Secrets/TR/sutphen.html</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Three Brain Phases</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Christians may have been the first to successfully formulate brainwashing, but we have to look to Pavlov, the Russian scientist, for a technical explanation. In the early 1900s, his work with animals opened the door to further investigations with humans. After the revolution in Russia, Lenin was quick to see the potential of applying Pavlov’s research to his own ends.</span></h3></li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">With the progression through each phase, the degree of conversion becomes more effective and complete. The way to achieve conversion are many and varied, but the usual first step in religious or political brainwashing is to work on the emotions of an individual or group until they reach an abnormal level of anger, fear, excitement, or nervous tension.</span></h3></li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Other often-used physiological weapons to modify normal brain functions are fasting, radical or high sugar diets, physical discomforts, regulation of breathing, mantra chanting in meditation, the disclosure of awesome mysteries, special lighting and sound effects, programmed response to incense, or intoxicating drugs.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">The same results can be obtained in contemporary psychiatric treatment by electric shock treatments and even by purposely lowering a person’s blood sugar level with insulin injections.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">….hypnosis and conversion tactics are two distinctly different things–and that conversion techniques are far more powerful. However, the two are often mixed . . . with powerful results.</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Research on mind control cults</span></strong></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Manipulation of Spiritual Experience: Unethical Hypnosis in Destructive Cults</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Linda Dubrow-Marshall, Ph.D. and Steve K. Eichel, Ph.D., ABPP</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Reports</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">The process of cult and mass therapy indoctrination may involve repeated inductions of trance-like states of consciousness similar to hypnosis.</span></b></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Environmental (milieu) control, social manipulation, isolation and the use of prescribed consciousness-altering techniques (e.g. repetitive and/or continuous chanting, meditating, or praying) are some of the methods employed by cults to produce these altered states of awareness.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Recent studies suggest that memories, emotions and even spiritual experiences can be manipulated while in hypnosis. Lack of informed consent and questionable concern for individual needs and wishes makes the use of these hypnotic techniques unethical.</span></h3></li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">A large part of the cult debate is concerned with whether or not these techniques constitute an objectively verifiable process of mind control. Behavioral scientists Clark and Langone (1983) claim they do; they have stated that “social psychology research … demonstrates rather conclusively … that environmental variables can influence behavior in remarkable ways … that mind control sometimes occurs in cults (p 28)….</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Trance States</span></strong></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Trance is characterized first and foremost by heightened suggestibility followed closely by diminished critical thinking or reality testing–what Shor (l969) refers to as receding of the “generalized reality orientation.” Repeated induction often result in still greater degrees of suggestibility and deeper hypnotic states (Arons, 1981). By prolonging trance states, and with the use of repeated inductions, the cultist may become more and more pliable, less critical, more dissociated from him/herself and more apt to accept spurious and even preposterous notions as “facts.”</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Post hypnotic suggestions</span></strong></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Posthypnotic Suggestion: Attention, Awareness, and Automaticity</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Amanda J. Barnier, Ph.D. (Sleep and Hypnosis 1999;1:57-63)</span></h3></li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Hypnosis is not only intrinsically interesting, but also research into hypnosis can shed light on issues across the psychological domain.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">This article explores ways in which hypnotic phenomena, in particular posthypnotic suggestion, can provide approaches to and understanding of complex issues in cognitive psychology.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">For instance, when subjects respond to a posthypnotic suggestion, <b>they are presented with a stimulus that they appear to be attending to and which influences their </b><b>behaviour</b><b>, yet they lack phenomenal awareness of it.</b></span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">This discontinuity between attention and consciousness suggests that the assumed mapping of attentive processing and awareness is problematic.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">For all intents and purposes, everything is back to normal; yet, subjects still demonstrate a lack of awareness for their behaviour.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">This aspect of posthypnotic responding has long been recognised as one of its defining features (28,29).</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">For instance, Bernheim (30) described a typical response to a posthypnotic suggestion in the following way:</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">The patient hears what I tell him in his sleep, but no memory of what I said remains. He no longer knows that I spoke to him. <b>The idea suggested arises in his mind when he wakes, but he has forgotten its origin, and believes it is spontaneous.</b></span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Ways to expose and prevent mind control</span></strong></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">“NO ONE HAS EVER BEEN BRAINWASHED AND REALIZED, OR BELIEVED, THAT HE HAD BEEN BRAINWASHED.” THE BATTLE FOR YOUR MIND, by Dick Sutphen</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Persuasion & Brainwashing Techniques Being Used On The Public Today</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Solutions</span></strong></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">“I believe the only solution to the damage done to people in destructive cults is to “immunize” the general population against mid control groups. The most effective way to do this is to expose people to information about how the group works.” Combatting Cult Mind Control, Hassan p. 5.</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">References</span></strong></h3><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hassan, S. (1988) Combatting Cult Mind Control. Rochester, Vermont: Park Street Press</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Miller, A. (2012) Healing the Unimaginable: Treating Ritual Abuse and Mind Control. London: Karnac Books</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Miller, A (2014) Becoming Yourself: Overcoming Mind Control and Ritual Abuse. London: Karnac Books</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sargant, W, (1957) Battle for the Mind: A Physiology of Conversion and Brainwashing. New York: Doubleday</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Stanley, J. (2018) How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them. New York: Random House</span></h3></li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Survivorship – Frequently Asked Questions</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://survivorship.org/frequently-ask-questions/#mindcontrol" style="color: #2255aa;"><span style="font-size: large;">https://survivorship.org/frequently-ask-questions/#mindcontrol</span></a></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Psychological Manipulation</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">https://psychologia.co/emotional-manipulation/</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">https://psychologia.co/mind-control-techniques/</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mind Control Techniques To Be Aware Of</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Child Abuse Wiki – Ritual Abuse</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://childabusewiki.org/index.php?title=Ritual_Abuse" style="color: #2255aa;"><span style="font-size: large;">https://childabusewiki.org/index.php?title=Ritual_Abuse</span></a></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Report of the Ritual Abuse Task Force – Los Angeles County Commission for Women</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/report-of-the-ritual-abuse-task-force-los-angeles-county-commission-for-women/" style="color: #2255aa;"><span style="font-size: large;">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/report-of-the-ritual-abuse-task-force-los-angeles-county-commission-for-women/</span></a></h3></li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hypnosis in MPD: Ritual Abuse</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">D. Corydon Hammond, Ph.D. (“Greenbaum Speech”)</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">http://www.whale.to/b/greenbaum.html</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ritual abuse and mind control: the definition evolves</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">(Allison Miller – Healing the Unimaginable)</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">https://www.google.com/books/edition/Healing_the_Unimaginable/U0daDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Ritual+abuse+and+mind+control:+the+definition+evolves+(Allison+Miller+-+Healing+the+Unimaginable)&pg=PT39&printsec=frontcover</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Excerpt from How Cues and Programming Work in Mind Control and Propaganda</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/mindcontrol/how-cues-and-programming-work-in-mind-control-and-propaganda/" style="color: #2255aa;"><span style="font-size: large;">https://ritualabuse.us/mindcontrol/how-cues-and-programming-work-in-mind-control-and-propaganda/</span></a></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Propaganda & Mind Control</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/mindcontrol/" style="color: #2255aa;"><span style="font-size: large;">https://ritualabuse.us/mindcontrol/</span></a></h3></li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Misinformation Campaigns Against Survivors – Neil Brick</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/misinformation-campaigns-against-survivors-neil-brick" style="color: #2255aa;"><span style="font-size: large;">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/misinformation-campaigns-against-survivors-neil-brick</span></a></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">How Hitler Conquered Germany</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Nazi propaganda machine exploited ordinary Germans by encouraging them to be co-producers of a false reality.</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">BY NICHOLAS O’SHAUGHNESSY</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2017/03/how-nazi-propaganda-encouraged-the-masses-to-co-produce-a-false-reality.html</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Fox News is Donald Trump’s ‘De Facto Ministry of Truth,’ Ex-CIA Analyst Says</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">BY JESSICA KWONG ON 3/28/19</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">https://www.newsweek.com/fox-news-donald-trumps-ministry-truth-cia-analyst-1378208</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Possible Hate Groups – How Do They Effect Survivors and Their Resources</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2019-conference/possible-hate-groups-how-do-they-effect-survivors-and-their-resources/" style="color: #2255aa;"><span style="font-size: large;">https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2019-conference/possible-hate-groups-how-do-they-effect-survivors-and-their-resources/</span></a></h3></li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Douglas Misicko alias Douglas Mesner Information</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://neilbrick.com/articles/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner/" style="color: #2255aa;"><span style="font-size: large;">http://neilbrick.com/articles/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner/</span></a></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">THE BATTLE FOR YOUR MIND, by Dick Sutphen</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Persuasion & Brainwashing Techniques Being Used On The Public Today</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Secrets/TR/sutphen.html</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Research on mind control cults</span></strong></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Manipulation of Spiritual Experience: Unethical Hypnosis in Destructive Cults</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Linda Dubrow-Marshall, Ph.D. and Steve K. Eichel, Ph.D., ABPP</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">http://www.carolgiambalvo.com/unethical-hypnosis-in-destructive-cults.html</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Posthypnotic Suggestion: Attention, Awareness, and Automaticity</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Amanda J. Barnier, Ph.D. (Sleep and Hypnosis 1999;1:57-63)</span></h3></li><li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">http://www.sleepandhypnosis.org/ing/Pdf/63790b4456c24c56848e1d924d7b0847.pdf</span></h3></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal;"></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal;"></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal;"></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal;"></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal;"></h3>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-61817622001614969872020-06-09T21:31:00.001-07:002020-06-09T21:31:26.324-07:00Misinformation Campaigns Against Survivors – Neil Brick<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Misinformation Campaigns Against Survivors – Neil Brick</strong></span></h2>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Child and ritual abuse survivors and their advocates have been
attacked by misinformation campaigns the last several years. These
campaigns use various harassment and propaganda techniques to distort
the research and silence the efforts of those who are working to help
trauma survivors and rape victims. These techniques will be compared to
past and present public campaigns that have distorted information and
used unethical tactics to manipulate public opinion. Propaganda and
suggestion techniques used will be discussed and analyzed.</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Neil Brick</strong> <span style="font-weight: normal;">is a survivor of ritual abuse and mind
control. His work continues to educate the public about child abuse,
trauma and ritual abuse crimes. His child abuse and ritual abuse
newsletter S.M.A.R.T. <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/">https://ritualabuse.us</a> has been published for over 25 years. <a href="http://neilbrick.com/">http://neilbrick.com</a></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Today we will be comparing three different negative social movements.
All three movements had different goals and different levels of popular
support in their times. Comparisons of their techniques will be made.</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">For the purposes of this lecture, the term social movement will be
defined as a group of people sharing common goals to effect social
change.</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1) Nazism – The Third Reich 1920 – 1945</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2) Modern American Right Wing Political Movement – 2016 – 2020</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3) The Satanic Temple – Grey Faction and Doug Mesner/Lucien Greaves (both aliases) – 2000 – 2020</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Origins:</strong></span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>1) Nazism</strong> – The Third Reich 1920 – 1945<span style="font-weight: normal;">: Some
believe that the origins of Nazism include the historical belief in a
unified Germany. A unified Germany developed in the mid 19th century. It
was considered authoritarian and undemocratic. Nazism was also
influenced by ethnic nationalism. (Volkisch groups) Some German
nationalists were strong anti-semites.<br />
https://alphahistory.com/nazigermany/the-origins-of-nazism/</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>2) Modern American Right Wing Political Movement:</strong>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">The Republican party conservative and pro-business philosophies of the
20th century led to present day right wing political movement.
Republicans often opposed progressive economic social programs, like the
New Deal (Roosevelt), though at times moderates and conservative in the
party clashed and fought for power. Far right social positions and
anti-immigrant policies were endorsed by Donald Trump, who was elected
in 2016 as president.</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>3) Grey Faction and Doug Mesner/Lucien Greaves</strong></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> <span style="font-size: large;">– considers themselves to be “a clean break from LaVeyan Satanism.” “From the beginning, The Satanic Temple offered a stark contrast to the Church of Satan’s anti-altruistic philosophy of self interest.” The Satanic Temple endorses several political and social causes. https://thesatanictemple.com/pages/what-is-the-difference-between-the-satanic-temple-and-the-church-of-satan</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Misinformation and Propaganda:</strong></span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Nazism – The Third Reich 1920 – 1945:</strong><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">In 1924, Adolf Hitler wrote that propaganda’s<br />
“task is not to make an objective study of the truth, in so far as it
favors the enemy, and then set it before the masses with academic
fairness; its task is to serve our own right, always and unflinchingly.”
Nazi propaganda was distributed through a wide variety of media and
social channels. Jewish people in particular were the targets of Nazi
propaganda and negative social policies which led to the Holocaust and
murder of millions of Jewish people as well as others.</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
Film portrayed a large role in the development of pro-Nazi and
anti-Semitism in Germany. Film and propaganda were used to cover up the
atrocities and murders in the concentration camps.<br />
Like many countries, propaganda was used to encourage public support of war.<br />
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/nazi-propaganda</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Modern American Right Wing Political Movement – 2016 – 2020:</strong></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong> </strong><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Fox News has been considered the right wing’s “Ministry of Truth.”<br />
https://www.newsweek.com/fox-news-donald-trumps-ministry-truth-cia-analyst-1378208</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">From Orwell’s 1984: “The government puts into manufacturing its own
version of reality, from rewriting history to producing propaganda to
trying to remove as many words as possible from the English language to
reduce people’s ability to think. Its main role is to help control the
population through misinformation, outright lies and lack of information
so that the state can maintain total power over the people.”
https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/book-1984-what-was-main-role-ministry-truth-720</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">At times, the modern American right wing has been compared to Nazi
Germany and other previous fascist movements. The American Alt-Right at
times quotes Hitler and promotes racist and anti-Semitic philosophies. <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/mindcontrol/trump-and-fascism/">https://ritualabuse.us/mindcontrol/trump-and-fascism/</a></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>The Satanic Temple – Grey Faction and Doug Mesner/Lucien Greaves (both aliases) </strong><strong>– 2000 – 2020</strong><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">The Grey Faction uses a wide variety of propaganda techniques to misrepresent the pro-survivor movement.</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">“….Collective or cultural gaslighting, pushing society at large to
question the sanity of its members who perceive politics
counter-hegemonically and question the falsified historiographies of the
ruling class. A linchpin of this societal gaslighting is formed by
mechanisms which trigger the attribution of the “conspiracist ideation”
label to certain discourses and by efforts to cause certain discourses
to become dominated by or associated with faulty conspiracist ideational
reasoning.”</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">“….the allegation that someone is a “conspiracy theorist” is almost
always a figurative way to charge them with faulty reasoning or, at the
very least, to imply skepticism of their claims.”</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">“we have seen that Misicko often ridicules his opponents as
believers in conspiracy theories related to “MK Ultra,” comparing them
to believers in “UFO’s” and “Past Life Regression”</span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://danielkbuntovnik.wordpress.com/2019/04/20/cultural-gaslighting-or-falsified-history-syndrome/">Cultural Gaslighting; or, “Falsified History Syndrome”</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong> </strong></span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Propaganda and Mind Control:</strong></span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong> </strong></span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Nazism – The Third Reich 1920 – 1945:</strong><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">“The Nazi propaganda machine exploited ordinary Germans by encouraging them to be co-producers of a false reality….</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Joseph Goebbels, the appointed minister of propaganda of Nazi
Germany, once said: “There are two ways to make a revolution. You can
blast your enemy with machine guns until he acknowledges the superiority
of those holding the machine guns. That is one way. Or you can
transform the nation through a revolution of the spirit ….”</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Propaganda was the operational method of the Third Reich, the idea
that projected the ideology. Hitler’s chief architect, Albert Speer,
told the Nuremberg Tribunal “that what distinguished the Third Reich
from all previous dictatorships was its use of all the means of
communication to sustain itself and to deprive its objects of the power
of independent thought.”5 Hitler was a magician of illusion.”….</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Repetition</strong><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">The essence of the Nazi propaganda method was repetition. Goebbels
argued that the skill of British propagandists during the Great War
resided in the fact that they used just a few powerful slogans and kept
repeating them.”</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Enemies</strong><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">“Hitler understood, as few others had ever done, the need for the serial
creation of enemies. He was a political entrepreneur possessed of the
truly devastating insight that all recent enemies could eventually merge
into the one super-enemy, the Jews.”
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2017/03/how-nazi-propaganda-encouraged-the-masses-to-co-produce-a-false-reality.html</span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Modern American Right Wing Political Movement – 2016 – 2020:</strong></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong> </strong></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">Fox News is Donald Trump’s ‘De Facto Ministry of Truth,’ Ex-CIA Analyst Says<br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">“With Fox News covering his back with the Republican base, he has a
fighting chance, because he has something no other president in American
history has ever had at his disposal—a servile propaganda operation,”
Taylor said.</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Trump has made his appreciation of Fox News well known. The
president regularly compliments the conservative network while bashing
competitors including CNN and MSNBC.”
https://www.newsweek.com/fox-news-donald-trumps-ministry-truth-cia-analyst-1378208</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>The Satanic Temple – Grey Faction and Doug Mesner/Lucien Greaves (both aliases) </strong><strong>– 2000 – 2020</strong></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong> </strong></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Name Calling</strong><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">“The organization S.M.A.R.T is run by this little shit named Neil Brick,
he’s actually when I first saw him, he’s this staggering little moron
with this greasy combover and thick glasses, and he’s very short and
very frail …” The Grey Faction repeatedly uses the term “quacks” to
describe trauma practitioners.</span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2019-conference/possible-hate-groups-how-do-they-effect-survivors-and-their-resources/">https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2019-conference/possible-hate-groups-how-do-they-effect-survivors-and-their-resources/</a></span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Exaggeration</strong><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">“The crude sales booth at the far end of the conference room marketing a
more advanced species of tin-foil hat does nothing to allay the
suspicion that this is to be a congregation of raving delusional
paranoiacs.”</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
The use of one event or occurrence to purposefully mischaracterize the
work of an organization and movement. The Grey Faction does this
frequently, looking for licensing complaints against therapists and
taking quotes out of context to mischaracterize and malign trauma
professionals.</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Repetition</strong><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">The Grey Faction repeats the same propaganda as prior pro-false memory
organizations, calling survivors “crazy” “delusional” and “conspiracy
theorists.” Use of term “Satanic Panic”</span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2019-conference/possible-hate-groups-how-do-they-effect-survivors-and-their-resources/">https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2019-conference/possible-hate-groups-how-do-they-effect-survivors-and-their-resources/</a></span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Enemies</strong><br />
Ritual abuse survivors and their helpers</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Propaganda Film</strong><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">“Mental Health Counselor Paranoid Presentation”<br />
https:// youtu.be/btQaGxTp_m8</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">This video was taken and published without my permission at a Survivorship conference.<br />
This video incredibly has scary music played in the background and
mislabels my statements asking people not to use cult hand signals
during the conference as “paranoid.”<br />
This video purposefully mischaracterizes my work, including their attacks on my professional license, all of which failed.</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>False Analogy</strong><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">“In the technique of false analogy, two things are compared that may or
may not really be similar are presented as being similar. In most false
analogies, there isn’t enough evidence available to support the
comparison.</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
Mesner compares ritual abuse survivors to alien abductees. In this false
comparison, he lists what he considers certain parallels between the
two. Yet, this does not prove that either are the same. One can take any
item or concept and then list hundreds of qualities and then take
another item and do the same thing. Then one could make a short list of
the similar qualities on these lists. This does not make either item
similar, nor does it prove that ritual abuse memories are not real.”</span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://neilbrick.com/articles/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner/">http://neilbrick.com/articles/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner/</a></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Bullying:</strong></span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Nazism – The Third Reich 1920 – 1945:</strong></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong> </strong></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong> </strong><br />
Auschwitz Exhibition<br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">@auschwitzxhibit<br />
Before their killing nazis tried to dehumanize Jewish men and women in
multiple ways. In these pictures, SS men forcing a Jew to bathe in a
large basin in the street and German soldiers and local people watch a
local man spray Jews with water before their murder at Kovno (1941)
https://twitter.com/auschwitzxhibit/status/1229561176968908801</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Modern American Right Wing Political Movement – 2016 – 2020:</strong></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong> </strong></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong> </strong><br />
Trump’s Nicknames and the Psychology of Bullying By Ronald Pies, M.D.<br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">“During and after the presidential campaign, Trump bestowed offensive
nicknames on several of his opponents. There was, famously, “Crooked
Hillary”, but there was also “Little Marco”, “Crazy Bernie” and “Lyin
Ted” for Marco Rubio, Bernie Sanders, and Ted Cruz, respectively. Trump
also repeatedly referred to Sen. Elizabeth Warren as “Pocahontas,” a
jibe at her assertion of Native American heritage. More recently, Trump
has given Sen. Chuck Schumer a series of nicknames, including “Head
Clown,” “Fake Tears” and “Cryin’ Chuck.”<br />
https://psychcentral.com/blog/trumps-nicknames-and-the-psychology-of-bullying/</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>The Satanic Temple – Grey Faction and Doug Mesner/Lucien Greaves (both aliases) </strong><strong>– 2000 – 2020</strong></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong> </strong><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Mesner: “The conference is so self-evidently full of bullshit that
exposing it may seem no more productive than pulling the false beard
from a shopping mall Santa Claus. But, absurd as the premise of the
S.M.A.R.T. conference is, and deranged as the speaker’s tales clearly
are…”</span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/harassment-by-false-memory-proponents/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/harassment-by-false-memory-proponents/</a></span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Hate Speech and Hate Groups (including antisemitism):</span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">“A hate group is a social group that advocates and practices hatred,
hostility, or violence towards members of a race, ethnicity, nation,
religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other
designated sector of society. According to the United States Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI), a hate group’s “primary purpose is to
promote animosity, hostility, and malice against persons belonging to a
race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity/national
origin which differs from that of the members of the organization.”</span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2019-conference/possible-hate-groups-how-do-they-effect-survivors-and-their-resources/">https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2019-conference/possible-hate-groups-how-do-they-effect-survivors-and-their-resources/</a></span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Nazism – The Third Reich 1920 – 1945:</strong></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">“The Protocols of the Elders of Zion is the most notorious and
widely distributed antisemitic publication of modern times. Its lies
about Jews, which have been repeatedly discredited, continue to
circulate today, especially on the Internet. The individuals and groups
who have used the Protocols are all linked by a common purpose: to
spread hatred of Jews.</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Protocols is entirely a work of fiction, intentionally written
to blame Jews for a variety of ills. Those who distribute it claim that
it documents a Jewish conspiracy to dominate the world. The conspiracy
and its alleged leaders, the so-called Elders of Zion, never existed.”</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Beginning in 1920, auto magnate Henry Ford’s newspaper, The
Dearborn Independent, published a series of articles based in part on
the Protocols. The International Jew, the book that included this
series, was translated into at least 16 languages. Both Adolf Hitler and
Joseph Goebbels, later head of the propaganda ministry, praised Ford
and The International Jew.”</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Nazi Party ideologue Alfred Rosenberg introduced Hitler to the
Protocols during the early 1920s, as Hitler was developing his
worldview. Hitler referred to the Protocols in some of his early
political speeches, and, throughout his career, he exploited the myth
that “Jewish-Bolshevists” were conspiring to control the world.</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">During the 1920s and 1930s, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion
played an important part in the Nazis’ propaganda arsenal. The Nazi
party published at least 23 editions of the Protocols between 1919 and
1939. Following the Nazis’ seizure of power in 1933, some schools used
the Protocols to indoctrinate students.”<br />
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/protocols-of-the-elders-of-zion</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Modern American Right Wing Political Movement – 2016 – 2020:</strong><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">“We won. America belongs to white men.” – Richard Spencer<br />
Another clip recorded by Winkler — and a live stream of the entire event
posted online by the school’s student newspaper, The Battalion — shows
that Spencer went on to praise Donald Trump as “an alt-right hero” for
reminding white Americans of what, he said, “makes the white race truly
unique and truly wonderful.”<br />
Richard Spencer praises Donald Trump as an alt-right hero<br />
https://theintercept.com/2016/12/07/america-belongs-white-men-alt-right-founder-says/</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">Alt-Right Exults in Donald Trump’s Election With a Salute: <span style="font-weight: normal;">‘Heil Victory’<br />
www.nytimes.com/2016/11/21/us/alt-right-salutes-donald-trump.html<br />
But now his tone changed as he began to tell the audience of more than
200 people, mostly young men, what they had been waiting to hear. He
railed against Jews and, with a smile, quoted Nazi propaganda in the
original German. America, he said, belonged to white people, whom he
called the “children of the sun,” a race of conquerors and creators who
had been marginalized but now, in the era of President-elect Donald J.
Trump, were “awakening to their own identity.”</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">Fascism spread in 1930s America. It could spread again today.<br />
“<span style="font-weight: normal;">At the time, Jews served the same role for U.S. fascists that
immigrants, Muslims and other minorities serve today: a vague but
malicious threat they believed to be undermining America’s greatness.
Surveys of U.S. public opinion from the 1930s are a startling reminder
of just how widespread these attitudes became. As late as July 1942, a
Gallup poll showed that 1 in 6 Americans thought Hitler was “doing the
right thing” to the Jews. A 1940 poll found that nearly a fifth of
Americans saw Jews as a national “menace” — more than any other group,
including Germans. Almost a third anticipated “a widespread campaign
against the Jews” — a campaign that 12 percent of Americans were willing
to support.”<br />
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-trump-fascism-nazis-hitler-0170816-story.html</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Trump and Fascism</strong></span></span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></h3>
<span lang="0" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">This
page is a data dump of articles about Donald Trump, those working with
Trump and historical articles about fascism. Fascism uses different
types of mind control to control people. Donald Trump has been accused
of using propaganda and mind control techniques to win the election, to
control people’s opinions of him and to control their opinions of other
topics. This page contains excerpts from articles related to this topic</span>.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/mindcontrol/trump-and-fascism/">https://ritualabuse.us/mindcontrol/trump-and-fascism/ </a></span><br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>The Satanic Temple – Grey Faction and Doug Mesner/Lucien Greaves (both aliases) </strong><strong>– 2000 – 2020</strong></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong> </strong><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Examples:<br />
Where the Witch-Hunters are: Satanic Panic & Mental Health Malpractice<br />
By Douglas Mesner and Sarah Ponto Rivera<br />
“But where is Randy “L’il Knob” Noblitt today, now that social
conditions aren’t nearly so amenable to the tin-foil hat Torquemada
whose doctoral thesis was on The Celestial Concomitants of Human
Behavior, more colloquially known as Astrology?”<br />
(“Deeper Dive” Grey Faction Website)</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Report from the S.M.A.R.T. Ritual Abuse/Mind-Control Conference 2009, Part 1<br />
by doug — August 25, 2009<br />
On the weekend of August 15-16, journalist Douglas Mesner (process.org)
attended a conference for alleged victims of Satanic Ritual Abuse and
Mind-Control in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. This is the first of his
2-part report:<br />
“The crude sales booth at the far end of the conference room marketing a
more advanced species of tin-foil hat does nothing to allay the
suspicion that this is to be a congregation of raving delusional
paranoiacs.”</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Doug Mesner’s connection to the book “Might is Right”<br />
“First published in 1890, it heavily advocates egoist anarchism,
amorality, consequentialism and psychological hedonism. In Might Is
Right, Redbeard rejects conventional ideas of human and natural rights
and argues that only strength or physical might can establish moral
right….<br />
There are also controversial parts of the book that deal with race and
male–female relations, claiming that the woman and the family as a whole
are the property of the man and proclaiming the innate superiority of
the Anglo-Saxon race. The book also contains many strong anti-Semitic
statements.”</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">“The author and Doug at a book signing for Might Is Right, 2004….
Lucien Greaves of the Satanic Temple first showed up at my door over a
decade ago. He wanted a copy of a book I had republished called Might Is
Right. It was a 100-year-old tome, long forgotten by most, with the
exception of Anton LaVey,… The release of this new version of Might Is
Right became a phenomenon within the underground, and that is what
brought the future leader of the Satanic Temple to my door. Only his
name wasn’t Lucien Greaves at the time, it was Doug Mesner. (This isn’t
the first time Doug has been connected with the Temple, though it is the
first time he has publicly admitted his involvement.) When he first
came to my home, Doug brought a stack of his drawings and writings with
him. It was amazing stuff, and much to my surprise he left it with me.
Not long after our first meeting, and after reviewing his sketchbooks at
length, I reprinted a limited edition version of Might Is Right and
asked Doug to illustrate the chapter headings for it. His work on the
book was truly excellent.”
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/4w7adn/unmasking-lucien-greaves-aka-doug-mesner-leader-of-the-satanic-temple</span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://childabusedata.blogspot.com/2019/07/might-is-right-lucien-greaves-satanic.html">http://childabusedata.blogspot.com/2019/07/might-is-right-lucien-greaves-satanic.html</a></span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Anti-Semitism connected to Doug Mesner:</strong><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">“Like, I think it’s okay to hate Jews if you hate them because they’re
Jewish and they wear a stupid fuckin’ frisbie on their head [correct
term: yarmulke or kippah] and walk around [and] think their God’s chosen
people, but it’s not okay to hate somebody [‘born of Jewish blood’]
just because their parents were stupid fuckin’ Jews and wore stupid
frisbies on their head and thought the Jews were God’s chosen people […]
Not everybody of Jewish blood is okay with me, it depends on if they
follow the Jewish, uh… […] Satanic Jews are fine,” (Adam, “Doug Mesner
[Lucien Greaves/Douglas Misicko] Satanic Temple Anti-Semitic Rant”
(transcribed).”</span><br />
On the Psychological Projection of Antisemitism by Satanists <span style="font-weight: normal;">https://danielkbuntovnik.wordpress.com/</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Doug Mesner (Lucien Greaves, Satanic Temple) Alleged Anti-Semitic Statements</strong><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">https://www.videosprout.com/video?id=98aafea9-df67-416d-998d-46348a626005&fbclid=IwAR3uIHF8pl3sgLGCSsdJKyE9QJK3JpfH4j2H8DLhd1yYHuc_pPLFdPHIMtE
(audio excerpt)</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">Discusses several false memory movement attacks and hate speech allegations including Doug Mesner’s against survivors: <span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2019-conference/possible-hate-groups-how-do-they-effect-survivors-and-their-resources/">https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2019-conference/possible-hate-groups-how-do-they-effect-survivors-and-their-resources/</a></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Harassment:</strong></span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">Nazism – The Third Reich 1920 – 1945:<br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">“Through hundreds of legal measures, the Nazi-led German government
gradually excluded Jews from public life, the professions, and public
education. The goal of Nazi propaganda was to demonize Jews and to
create a climate of hostility and indifference toward their plight. On
Kristallnacht—the Night of Broken Glass—Jewish businesses and synagogues
were destroyed in the first act of state-sponsored violence against the
Jewish community. Many Jews who had the means tried to leave Germany
but encountered countless bureaucratic hurdles.”</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">“The goal of Nazi propaganda was to demonize Jews and encourage Germans
to see Jews as dangerous outsiders in their midst. After 1935, everyday
antisemitism was a regular part of carnival parades and floats. Public
displays of antisemitism reinforced a climate of hostility toward Jews
in Germany, or at the least, indifference to their treatment.”<br />
https://www.ushmm.org/learn/holocaust/path-to-nazi-genocide/chapter-3/from-citizens-to-outcasts-1933-1938</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Modern American Right Wing Political Movement – 2016 – 2020:<br />
Neo-Nazi website founder owes $14 million to woman he urged readers to harass, judge </strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>says</b><br />
Tanya Gersh said she and her family received threatening and horrifying
messages for months after Daily Stormer founder Andrew Anglin encouraged
a “troll storm.”<br />
HELENA, Mont. — A judge on Thursday ordered the publisher of a neo-Nazi
website to pay a Jewish real estate agent $14 million for inciting his
readers to harass her family with hundreds of threatening and
anti-Semitic messages and calls.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen entered Tanya Gersh a default
judgment in her civil lawsuit after The Daily Stormer founder Andrew
Anglin refused to appear for a scheduled deposition in the case.</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
He ordered Anglin to pay Gersh over $4 million in compensatory damages,
$10 million in punitive damages and told him to permanently remove all
posts, comments and images about Gersh, her husband and son.<br />
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/neo-nazi-website-founder-owes-14-million-woman-he-urged-n1040671</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>The Satanic Temple – Grey Faction and Doug Mesner/Lucien Greaves (both aliases) </strong><strong>– 2000 – 2020<br />
</strong>Grey Faction, Satanic Temple and Lucien Greaves Fact Sheet:<br />
For over a decade Douglas Misicko using several aliases <span style="font-weight: normal;">(including
Douglas Mesner and Lucien Greaves) has harassed groups helping child
abuse, rape and trauma survivors. He has also harassed groups providing
research in support of child abuse, rape and trauma survivors.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">In 2013, he and others created a group called the Satanic Temple. One
part of this group is called the Grey Faction. The Grey Faction states
they “invade” conferences. These conferences are provided to help and
educate child abuse, rape and trauma survivors and their helpers.</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Their representatives that invade these conferences misrepresent their
reasons for attending these conferences. They film people at these
conferences without permission and publish these films without the
permission of those filmed. The Grey Faction repeatedly misrepresents
the research and statements of the people at these conferences. It uses
repeated ad hominem attacks against child abuse and trauma researchers
without rebutting their research or stories.</span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/grey-faction-satanic-temple-and-lucien-greaves-fact-sheet/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/grey-faction-satanic-temple-and-lucien-greaves-fact-sheet/</a></span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">The website muckrock.com has been used by the Grey Faction to
investigate and then attack clinicians working with cult survivors.</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">Petition to Stop Attacks Against Child Abuse and Ritual Abuse Survivors and Neil Brick</span>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.change.org/p/protect-child-abuse-survivors-petition-to-stop-attacks-against-child-abuse-and-ritual-abuse-survivors-and-neil-brick">https://www.change.org/p/protect-child-abuse-survivors-petition-to-stop-attacks-against-child-abuse-and-ritual-abuse-survivors-and-neil-brick</a><br />
Rebuttals to attacks, harassment and attacks on licensure.</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Pseudoscience:</strong></span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong> </strong></span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Nazism – The Third Reich 1920 – 1945:</strong><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">“From 1933 to 1945, Nazi Germany carried out a campaign to “cleanse”
German society of individuals viewed as biological threats to the
nation’s “health.” Enlisting the help of physicians and medically
trained geneticists, psychiatrists, and anthropologists, the Nazis
developed racial health policies that began with the mass sterilization
of “genetically diseased” persons and ended with the near annihilation
of European Jewry. With the patina of legitimacy provided by “racial”
science experts, the Nazi regime carried out a program of approximately
400,000 forced sterilizations and over 275,000 euthanasia deaths that
found its most radical manifestation in the death of millions of
“racial” enemies in the Holocaust.</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This campaign was based in part on ideas about public health and
genetic “fitness” that had grown out of the inclination of many late
nineteenth century scientists and intellectuals to apply the Darwinian
concepts of evolution to the problems of human society. These ideas
became known as eugenics and found a receptive audience in countries as
varied as Brazil, France, Great Britain, and the United States. But in
Germany, in the traumatic aftermath of World War I and the subsequent
economic upheavals of the twenties, eugenic ideas found a more virulent
expression when combined with the Nazi worldview that espoused both
German racial superiority and militaristic ultranationalism.”
https://www.ushmm.org/collections/bibliography/nazi-racial-science</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Modern American Right Wing Political Movement – 2016 – 2020:</strong><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">What does Trump actually believe on climate change?<br />
US President Donald Trump’s position on climate change has been in the
spotlight again, after he criticised “prophets of doom” at the World
Economic Forum in Davos.</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">At the event, which had sustainability as its main theme, and
activist Greta Thunberg as its star guest, Mr Trump dismissed
“alarmists” who wanted to “control every aspect of our lives” – while
also expressing the US’s support for an initiative to plant one trillion
trees.</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you judge the president based on his words alone, his views on climate change appear contradictory – and confusing.</span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">He has called climate change “mythical”, “nonexistent”, or “an
expensive hoax” – but also subsequently described it as a “serious
subject” that is “very important to me”.<br />
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51213003</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>The Satanic Temple – Grey Faction and Doug Mesner/Lucien Greaves (both aliases) </strong></span><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>– 2000 – 2020</strong></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong> </strong></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Calling science psuedoscience:</strong></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong> </strong></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>1) Denial that memories can be repressed.</strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">“The notion that traumatic events can be repressed and later recovered is the most pernicious bit of folklore ever to infect psychology and psychiatry. It has provided the theoretical basis for ‘recovered memory therapy’ — the worst catastrophe to befall the mental health field since the lobotomy era.” Prof. Richard McNally” “ the scourge of repressed memory pseudoscience in mental health care” https://greyfaction.org/</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">Actual science:</span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://childabusewiki.org/index.php?title=Recovered_Memories">http://childabusewiki.org/index.php?title=Recovered_Memories</a></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">https://www.theravive.com/therapedia/dissociative-amnesia-dsm–5-300.12-(f44.0)</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
“Dissociative amnesia (DA) is one of three dissociative disorders listed
under DSM-V. The disorder involves the temporary loss of recall memory
caused by disassociation, which may last for a period of seconds or
years. The interruption in memory may be voluntary or involuntary and is
most often a result of psychological trauma. DA involves episodic
autobiographical memory loss inconsistent with normal forgetfulness.
Episodic autobiographical information is associated with contextual
information, such as what happened in the minutes leading up to a
traumatic event. The individual may, however, remember semantic
autobiographical information such as the date, time and weather
conditions of the accident. Dissociative amnesia often arises from
traumatic childhood events.”</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>2) Denial that DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) is caused by trauma.</strong></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><br />
</strong>Pope Interview<br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">You’ve treated some thousand-odd patients, many of whom experienced extreme trauma, from what I understand –<br />
Yes.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">
And you didn’t see evidence of DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder,
otherwise known as Multiple Personality Disorder) in any of them?<br />
I have seen a number of people who were diagnosed with DID,</span> <span style="font-weight: normal;">or where the
patients themselves felt that they had DID, so it depends on what you
mean by the question. In other words, there are certainly people that
I’ve seen that were quite convinced that they did have different
personalities that had amnesia for one another. But, even though it was
“real” in the sense that the patients believed that they had it, I’m not
convinced that it was real in the sense that it was a naturally
occurring phenomenon, as opposed to something that had occurred through
the power of suggestion.
https://greyfaction.org/resources/grey-faction-reports/pope-interview/</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">Actual science:</span>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://childabusewiki.org/index.php?title=Dissociative_Identity_Disorder">http://childabusewiki.org/index.php?title=Dissociative_Identity_Disorder</a></span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Dissociative identity disorder. Formerly known as multiple
personality disorder, this disorder is characterized by alternating
between multiple identities. A person may feel like one or more voices
are trying to take control in their head. Often these identities may
have unique names, characteristics, mannerisms and voices. People with
DID will experience gaps in memory of every day events, personal
information and trauma…</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
Causes<br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Dissociative disorders usually develop as a way of dealing with trauma.
Dissociative disorders most often form in children exposed to long-term
physical, sexual or emotional abuse. Natural disasters and combat can
also cause dissociative disorders.”<br />
https://www.nami.org/learn-more/mental-health-conditions/dissociative-disorders</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Conclusions</strong></span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">It could be stated that each of the three negative social movements
above served a purpose (at least in part) to help the rich get richer.</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Nazism was used to stop communism. The American Conservative
Movement has been used to shift wealth from the poor and middle classes
to the upper classes. The Grey Faction has been used to discredit those
fighting cult abuse. Cults at times are used for sex trafficking, drug
smuggling and other high profit activities.</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">All three negative social movements have used nefarious techniques
to manipulate and control opinion and stifle accurate social debate
through harassment and misrepresentation of facts. The Grey Faction has
attacked theories regarding different forms of social suggestion, such
as post hypnotic suggestion and the existence of certain cults and mind
control techniques controlling different aspects of society</span>.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Knowledge is power. It appears these groups share techniques causing
harm to those around them. By exposing these techniques, we can develop
healthy social movements meant to help and not hurt others.</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Information is also at: </strong><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/misinformation-campaigns-against-survivors-neil-brick/">https://ritualabuse.</a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">us/ritualabuse/articles/misinformation-campaigns-against-survivors-neil-brick/</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Copied with permission from</b>: <a href="http://neilbrick.com/articles/misinformation-campaigns-against-survivors-neil-brick/">http://neilbrick.com/articles/misinformation-campaigns-against-survivors-neil-brick/ </a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-47232873981059059002019-08-20T19:01:00.001-07:002019-08-20T19:01:53.017-07:00A Survivor’s View of Recovery from Ritual Abuse by Neil Brick<h1>
A Survivor’s View of Recovery from Ritual Abuse by Neil Brick</h1>
<h3>
Presented at the 2019 Annual Ritual Abuse, Secretive Organizations
and Mind Control Conference on August 17 – 18, 2019 by Neil Brick</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Please note: All accusations are alleged. This presentation may be
triggering for some survivors. None of the material on these pages or at
the conference is meant as therapy, or to take the place of therapy.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>A Survivor’s View of Recovery from Ritual Abuse by Neil Brick</b></h3>
<h3>
<b> </b></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
Recovery from ritual abuse can take many years. Recovery may include
working through memories, building functionality and developing more
effective ways of interacting and integrating emotions. Every individual
has different experiences that lead them through the recovery path.
Neil Brick will discuss his long journey healing from severe abuse. This
will include ways he has learned more about himself, ways he has
learned to develop healthier interactions with others and ways he has
helped others along the recovery path.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
Neil Brick is a survivor of ritual abuse and mind control. His work
continues to educate the public about child abuse, trauma and ritual
abuse crimes. His child abuse and ritual abuse newsletter S.M.A.R.T. <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/">https://ritualabuse.us</a> has been published for over 24 years. <a href="http://neilbrick.com/">http://neilbrick.com</a></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
<b>Defining Terms:</b></h3>
<h3>
(These are self defined. Not necessarily meant to be definitions for others.)</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>What is a survivor?</b></h3>
<h3>
A person who has survived.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
What did they survive?</h3>
<h3>
In my case, severe trauma. An attempt to break my will and destroy my soul. Neither of which happened.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>What is recovery?</b></h3>
<h3>
Healing from an event. In my case, a lifelong battle to uncover myself from the damage done to me and the lies fed to me.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>What is Ritual Abuse?</b></h3>
<h3>
There are many definitions. Mine is severe abuse repeated in a ritualistic manner to manipulate and hurt others.</h3>
<h3>
Recovery from ritual abuse can take many years.</h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
Working through severe trauma takes a lifetime. There is always more
to learn. There are always different ways to look at trauma and see how
it has effected our lives.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
Recovery may include working through memories.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
We have to know our past to learn where we came from, how it effected us and how we can heal from the past.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
<b>Building functionality</b></h3>
<h3>
<b> </b></h3>
<h3>
How do we become more functional? Does this mean we become less
damaged, more able to navigate the world we live in? Does this mean
being able to work, to pay bills, to take care of our basic needs?</h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
I have always been fairly good at these things. I have survived with
minimal support all of my life. I have also helped others survive.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
Developing more effective ways of interacting and integrating emotions.</span></h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
How do we build awareness and improve our interactions? Are our
interactions chaotic? Are we emotionally all over the place or blunted?
Are we causing more damage in the world by our drama or are we moving
toward a place of healing and peace we can present to others?</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Bring all of our emotions together into one part of ourselves is
very important. Having our ideas, voices and feelings in one place in
our mind is crucial to healing and being aware. This development of the
natural way we would have been without trauma allows us more effective
ways of living with others and our world.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
Every individual has different experiences that lead them through the recovery path.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
There are similarities in our paths, such as building an awareness
of what happened, processing feelings about what happened and living a
new way. There are differences, like following different recovery paths
and using different techniques.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
I will discuss my long journey healing from severe abuse. This will
include ways I’ve learned more about myself, ways I’ve learned to
develop healthier interactions with others and ways I’ve helped others
along the recovery path.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
This journey will continue and includes the present moment. Never
believe someone when they say they have fully healed. To me, Nirvana is
not an end point but a process where progress has been made. The rosy
picture of Nirvana is meant to attract people in the earlier stages of
recovery.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
Sorting out and clarifying what is in my mind has been the major
part of my recovery. Being able to say that something is wrong,
something needs to be fixed, things need to change is living without
denial. Those that deny there is grave injustice in the world, that the
United States is evil and is horribly flawed, that things are getting
worse in the world are unable to see what is going on.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
Those that need to join a group to think, to feel, to believe are
drugging themselves. These are not healthy interactions. There is no way
to really help others in these situations. One is teaching spiritual
and intellectual death.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
We can’t help others if we haven’t helped ourselves get better. Of
course, this is a process. What is considered the 12th step in recovery
programs (carrying the message to others) can be done at all levels of
healing, but it is more effective with deeper healing.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
One cannot truly help others if one is still programmed.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Those that have not worked through their memories and the connected
parts of these can’t really help others. This applies to helping
professionals as well. If one is not grounded, but is uncontrollably
emotionally labile, or fear driven, they are not healed and present an
unhealthy model.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>What works for me?</b></h3>
<h3>
<b> </b></h3>
<h3>
Learning – always being willing to learn, wanting to know more,
reading between the lines and not taking things as present value. Like
the news were are given every day. Understanding why certain stories are
given to us and others are never reported.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
Understanding that programming runs from media and social control to
controlling human beings by ritual abuse and mind control. We aren’t
thinking for ourselves if we are copying others without analyzing our
motives.</span></h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>How others manipulate (unethical actions).</b></h3>
<h3>
<b> </b></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
They control information. Important data about social injustice
(poverty, hunger, lack of housing or health care) or severe child abuse
is hidden from most of the public.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Bullying to silence the abused. Name calling, insults, harassment, threats, creating false fear.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
Ad hominem, off topic discreditation:<br />
Instead of debating a person’s position, make fun of them or insult a point not related to their research to make them look bad</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
Attempt to destroy their professional status:<br />
destroy careers, licenses, ignoring the detrimental effects this may cause.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
They have developed a severely distorted view of reality, the opposite of what is going on in the world.</span></h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>Damage of negative philosophies and actions.</b></h3>
<h3>
What we do and how we do it is more important than the results. (Means vs Ends)</h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
We have built a world where disrespect is often the norm and encouraged.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
This has developed due to an unmonitored Internet with almost no
repercussions, the decay of family and social systems, the continued
reliance on capitalistic economic systems and the increase and
development of social propaganda and mind control techniques.</span></h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>George Orwell:</b></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
Political language. . . is designed to make lies sound truthful and
murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
<b>Breaking free.</b></h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
Recovering and growing regardless of social decay and the development and promotion of evil philosophies.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
Follow your own path. Most paths are corrupted. Some that pretend to
be just and fair are the opposite. Don’t get fooled by others. See
things clearly.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
Refuse to give in. Do what is right. Help others. Care about others. Give all you can of yourself to make things better.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
Things appear to be falling apart, at least here in America. More
shootings, more roads falling apart, more homeless and lost people and
more hate everywhere.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
This does not stop personal growth. It can increase it and increase our awareness of how things are and what is right.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
Do the right thing.</span></h3>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-81316008111561134832018-06-11T21:47:00.000-07:002018-06-11T21:59:35.063-07:00Neil Brick Conference Presentation 2018 – Changes in Awareness of Severe Abuse and Child Abuse Crimes Over Twenty Five Years<h3>
<b>Neil Brick Conference Presentation 2018</b></h3>
<h3>
<b>Changes in Awareness of Severe Abuse and Child Abuse Crimes Over Twenty Five Years</b><br />
<b>Presenter: Neil Brick</b></h3>
<h3>
The awareness of severe abuse and child abuse crimes has changed
over the last 25 years. In the early 1990s, severe abuse survivors were
often believed and supported. Then a backlash started and severe abuse
survivors and their supporters were harassed and attacked. The child
abuse survivor movement changed and adapted. Ten years ago, research
began again to help expose severe abuse crimes. More recently, first in
the UK and Australia and now in the United States, a variety of child
abuse, severe abuse, sexual harassment and rape cases are bringing
public awareness again to the mainstream media of severe abuse crimes.
This presentation will discuss the changes of the last 25 years, with an
emphasis on the more recent exposures of organized child abuse crimes
and social systems that have been part of the cover up of these crimes.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>Neil Brick</b> is a survivor of ritual abuse and mind
control. His work continues to educate the public about child abuse,
trauma and ritual abuse crimes. His child abuse and ritual abuse
newsletter S.M.A.R.T. <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/">https://ritualabuse.us</a> has been published for over 22 years. His research articles are at <a href="http://neilbrick.com/">http://neilbrick.com</a></h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Disclaimer: This presentation is solely my own thoughts and research
and not necessarily the thoughts or any other persons or groups I work
with. This information is not intended as treatment or therapy.
Survivors may want to use caution while reading this page. All
accusations are alleged.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
In the 1980’s several severe child abuse cases became publicly
known. The largest case was the McMartin Preschool Case. At the same
time, there was already an organized backlash against survivors which
later developed into more powerful backlash movements like the FMSF.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Up until the early 1990’s, both sides of the issue of child abuse
crimes, our side and the backlash side, were at times presented equally.
This is shown in newspapers like the New York Times.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
On my website at <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/">https://ritualabuse.us</a><br />
There is a large page called the <b>McMartin Preschool Case – What Really Happened and the Coverup.</b> <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/mcmartin-preschool-case-what-really-happened-and-the-coverup/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/mcmartin-preschool-case-what-really-happened-and-the-coverup/</a>
This page repeatedly shows evidence of guilt in this case. At the time,
it was one of the longest cases in legal history. There were split
juries and in one trial a majority of jurors believed the children were
abused. Tunnels were found backing up the children’s stories.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Sadly, this case was repeatedly spun in the media as some sort of
panic. Without examination or balance, the media has presented only the
backlash side of the story and not ours. Evidence showing abuse was
repeatedly ignored. A good example is Wikipedia, where repeated efforts
were made to balance the child abuse and day care pages of the 1980’s
and 1990’s without success. These pages primarily present only the
backlash side of the story. Those attempting to balance these pages with
research were silenced or banned by Wikipedia editors.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
In the late 1980’s, with Survivorship starting and other groups
following after, the topic of ritual abuse was increasingly discussed.
This culminated in 1992 with a lecture by D.C. Hammond, originally
entitled <b>“Hypnosis in MPD: Ritual Abuse,”</b> but now
usually known as the “Greenbaum Speech,” delivered at the Fourth Annual
Eastern Regional Conference on Abuse and Multiple Personality Disorder
(MPD), Thursday June 25, 1992, at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in
Alexandria, Virginia.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>Dr. Hammond</b> was and is a highly credentialed clinician. He presented scientific evidence discussing government mind control in detail <a href="http://whale.to/b/greenbaum.html">http://whale.to/b/greenbaum.html</a></h3>
<h3>
This page may be very heavy for survivors, it describes government
mind control in detail. Dr. Hammond discussed how his work was
corroborated by other clinicians. He talked about how he and others were
very careful not to suggest information or lead clients.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Soon after this in 1993, the FMSF changed the landscape of the media
discussion. What had been at times a balanced discussion, turned into a
mostly one sided discussion of false memories and a lack off
credibility of ritual abuse and government mind control crimes.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
This topic is well research in an article in the Columbia Journalist Review July/August 1997 issue: <b>Media Manipulation by False Memory Proponents U-Turn on Memory Lane</b> by Mike Stanton <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20071216011151/http://backissues.cjrarchives.org/year/97/4/memory.asp">http://web.archive.org/web/20071216011151/http://backissues.cjrarchives.org/year/97/4/memory.asp</a></h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
“A study published last year by a University of Michigan
sociologist, Katherine Beckett, found a sharp shift in how four leading
magazines — Time, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report, and People —
treated sexual abuse. In 1991, more than 80 percent of the coverage was
weighted toward stories of survivors, with recovered memory taken for
granted and questionable therapy virtually ignored. By 1994, more than
80 percent of the coverage focused on false accusations, often involving
supposedly false memory. Beckett credited the False Memory Syndrome
Foundation with a major role in the change.”</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
“Rarely has such a strange and little-understood organization had
such a profound effect on media coverage of such a controversial matter.
The foundation is an aggressive, well-financed p.r. machine adept at
manipulating the press, harassing its critics, and mobilizing a diverse
army of psychiatrists, outspoken academics, expert defense witnesses,
litigious lawyers, Freud bashers, critics of psychotherapy, and
devastated parents. With a budget of $750,000 a year from members and
outside supporters, the foundation’s reach far exceeds its actual
membership of about 3,000.”</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
During the 1990s there are several documented cases of harassment
against child abuse researchers and practitioners. Two well documented
cases are David Calof and Anna Salter.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Calof, D.L. (1998). <b>Notes from a practice under siege: Harassment, defamation, and intimidation in the name of science</b>, Ethics and Behavior, 8(2) pp. 161-187. <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/research/memory-fms/notes-from-a-practice-under-siege/">https://ritualabuse.us/research/memory-fms/notes-from-a-practice-under-siege/</a></h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>Confessions of a Whistle-Blower: Lessons Learned</b> by
Anna C. Salter – Ethics & Behavior, Volume 8, Issue 2 June 1998 ,
pages 115 – 124 Abstract – In 1988 I began a report on the accuracy of
expert testimony in child sexual abuse cases utilizing Ralph Underwager
and Hollida Wakefield as a case study. “The argument between the field
of child sexual abuse and the backlash against survivors is not an
academic debate between two well meaning groups equally invested in
ascertaining truth. It is not an academic debate at all; it is a
political fight.” P. 121 “What wins political fights is organization and
stamina and a refusal to be intimidated.” P. 122 <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/research/memory-fms/confessions-of-a-whistle-blower-lessons-learned/">https://ritualabuse.us/research/memory-fms/confessions-of-a-whistle-blower-lessons-learned/</a></h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Sadly, much of the child and ritual abuse field went underground due
to this harassment after the mid 1990s, with little media help and
often one side media attacks against child abuse survivors and their
stories.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
In 2001, an excellent book that received little attention was published. It was named<br />
<b>Secret Weapons – Two Sisters’ Terrifying True Story of Sex, Spies and Sabotage</b> by Cheryl and Lynn Hersha with Dale Griffis, Ph D. and Ted Schwartz. New Horizon Press</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Is a well-documented, verifiable account of not one, but two
childrens’ long untold stories of being CHILD subjects of Project
MKUltra. Quotes from the book: “By the time Cheryl Hersha came to the
facility, knowledge of multiple personality was so complete that doctors
understood how the mind separated into distinct ego states,each unaware
of the other. First, the person traumatized had to be both extremely
intelligent and under the age of seven, two conditions not yet
understood though remaining consistent as factors. The trauma was almost
always of a sexual nature…” p. 52 “The government researchers, aware of
the information in the professional journals, decided to reverse the
process (of healing from hysteric dissociation). They decided to use
selective trauma on healthy children to create personalities capable of
committing acts desired for national security and defense.” p. 53 – 54
The book also contains a variety of documents on mk-ultra and different
projects as well as reports to the Presidential Committee on Radiation
and Mind Control, including information on the five Canadians’ lawsuit
against the U.S. Government. <a href="http://www.abebooks.com/book-search/author/lynn-hersha-dale-griffis-ted-schwarz/">http://www.abebooks.com/book-search/author/lynn-hersha-dale-griffis-ted-schwarz/</a></h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
In 2008, there was a worldwide survey of ritual abuse and mind
control survivors. This study has been reproduced in both English and
German.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>The Extreme Abuse Survey final results are online with
findings, questionnaires and presentations for download as pdf-files.
More than 750 pages of documentation </b><a href="http://extreme-abuse-survey.net/"><b>http://extreme-abuse-survey.net/</b></a></h3>
<h3>
<b> </b></h3>
<h3>
<b> </b></h3>
<h3>
<b>Understanding ritual trauma: A comparison of findings from three online surveys –</b>
Handout for Karriker, Wanda. (2008, November). Understanding ritual
trauma: A comparison of findings from three online surveys. Paper
presented at the meeting of the International Society for the Study of
Trauma and Dissociation, Chicago, IL.<br />
10 Extreme Abuse Survey Findings Helpful to Understanding Ritual Trauma<br />
1. Ritual abuse/mind control (RA/MC) is a global phenomenon.<br />
2. A diagnosis of Dissociative Identity Disorder is common for persons who report histories of<br />
RA/MC. (84% of EAS respondents who answered that they have been
diagnosed with DID [N=655] reported that they are survivors of RA/MC).<br />
3. Ritual abuse (RA) is not limited to SRA, i.e., satanic ritual abuse, sadistic abuse, satanist abuse.<br />
4. RA is reported to involve mind control techniques.<br />
5. Some extreme abuse survivors report that they were used in government-sponsored mind control experimentation (GMC).<br />
6. RA/MC is reported to be involved in organized “known” crime.<br />
7. RA/MC is reported to be involved in clergy abuse.<br />
8. Most often reported memories of extreme abuse are similar across all surveys.<br />
9. Most often reported possible aftereffects of extreme abuse are similar across all surveys.<br />
10. In rating the effectiveness of healing methods, therapists tend to
favor stabilization techniques; survivors are more open to alternative
ways to cope with indoctrinated belief systems.<br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/mindcontrol/eas-studies/understanding-ritual-trauma-a-comparison-of-findings-from-three-online-surveys">https://ritualabuse.us/mindcontrol/eas-studies/understanding-ritual-trauma-a-comparison-of-findings-from-three-online-surveys</a></h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
MEDIA PACKET – <b>Torture-based, Government-sponsored Mind Control Experimentation on Children</b>
– Documentation that torture-based, government-sponsored mind control
(GMC) experimentation was conducted on children during the Cold War.
Data from two international surveys that give voice, visibility, and
validation to survivors of these crimes against humanity. (Page may be
heavy for survivors.) <a href="http://my.dmci.net/~casey/GovernmentSponsoredMindControlExperiments-MediaPacket.pdf">http://my.dmci.net/~casey/GovernmentSponsoredMindControlExperiments-MediaPacket.pdf</a></h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
You can probably predict what happened. Efforts made to make the
research public mostly failed. The research was removed from Wikipedia
and another major wiki. Most articles written about the research
attacked it. One good pro-survivor source about the research is at: <a href="http://childabusewiki.org/index.php?title=Extreme_Abuse_Surveys">http://childabusewiki.org/index.php?title=Extreme_Abuse_Surveys</a></h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
In 2009, a new type of harassment began.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
This harassment included people sneaking into ritual abuse
conferences, insulting survivors publicly, harassing survivors and
clinicians in their personal lives by contacting clinicians’ employers
and writing their licensing boards.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>Grey Faction, Satanic Temple and Lucien Greaves Fact Sheet:</b><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/grey-faction-satanic-temple-and-lucien-greaves-fact-sheet/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/grey-faction-satanic-temple-and-lucien-greaves-fact-sheet/</a><br />
For almost a decade Douglas Misicko using aliases (including Douglas
Mesner and Lucien Greaves) has harassed groups helping child abuse, rape
and trauma survivors. He has also harassed groups providing research in
support of child abuse, rape and trauma survivors.<br />
In 2013, he and others created a group called the Satanic Temple. One
part of this group is called the Grey Faction. The Grey Faction states
they “invade” conferences. These conferences are provided to help and
educate child abuse, rape and trauma survivors and their helpers.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Their representatives that invade these conferences misrepresent
their reasons for attending these conferences. They film people at these
conferences without permission and publish these films without the
permission of those filmed. The Grey Faction repeatedly misrepresents
the research and statements of the people at these conferences. It uses
repeated ad hominem attacks against child abuse and trauma researchers
without rebutting their research or stories.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
His organization uses propaganda techniques in its articles, movies
and social media pages to manipulate readers’ opinions. They continue to
repeat inaccurate information, even though it has been clearly rebutted
in several of the articles listed below.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Douglas Mesner/Lucien Greaves has continued using insults and
attacks against survivors of ritual abuse and the professionals that
work with them. He has harassed and followed survivors and survivor
advocates around the Internet for several years.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
This page is a synopsis of critiques of the Grey Faction’s
misinformation. Additional links have been added rebutting their
statements about trauma, abuse and dissociation. It also contains
information critiquing The Satanic Temple and Douglas Mesner/Lucien
Greaves.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>The Urban Legends of Those Attacking Ritual Abuse Theories
and the False Logic of False Memory Proponents and Their Occultist
Supporters</b> – Presentation by Neil Brick<br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2016-conference/the-urban-legends-of-those-attacking-ritual-abuse-theories/">https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2016-conference/the-urban-legends-of-those-attacking-ritual-abuse-theories/</a><br />
“My license to practice therapy has been threatened with filed licensing
complaints by people connected to a group called the Grey Faction, a
part of the Satanic Temple. My job as a therapist has nothing to do with
my advocacy efforts to stop child abuse and I have very clear
professional and private boundaries that I maintain to ensure this
continues to occur. Yet, the Grey Faction associates keep harassing me
and others in the field. These attacks are factually inaccurate and
meritless.”</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
“I believe that the work of the Grey Faction is meant to
purposefully dehumanize and insult ideological opponents, so our ideas
are derided and not believed.”</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>Reply to the Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction online guest post</b><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-satanic-temples-grey-faction-online-guest-post/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-satanic-temples-grey-faction-online-guest-post/</a><br />
“In conclusion, the guest post by the Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction
criticizes the strong research and theories of ritual abuse survivors
and those with years of research, experience and education in the trauma
field. (The members of the Grey Faction have unknown credentials and
may not have the experience to accurately determine trauma theory and
research.) The guest post by the Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction presents
inaccurate arguments, which are refuted in this article.”</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
“The Grey Faction claims they are combating pseudoscience with
rational inquiry, but this rational inquiry is actually predetermined
opinion, bolstered by name calling, ad hominem attacks and insults.
There is no real rational inquiry because there is no evidence that all
of the facts were looked at neutrally to derive a conclusion. It appears
the only facts considered were the ones that back their arguments. In
its articles, the Grey Faction hides behind the name of science and
rationality, when in reality it appears it is an advocacy organization
used to discredit ritual abuse survivors realities’ and their
resources.”</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>Reply to the Grey Faction’s Petition to Revoke the License of Neil Brick</b><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-grey-factions-petition-to-revoke-the-license-of-neil-brick/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-grey-factions-petition-to-revoke-the-license-of-neil-brick/</a><br />
“The petition states that The Allied Board of Health Professionals
licensure division, having previously received a complaint…did nothing.
The fact is that no violations were found and no disciplinary actions
were taken (against Neil Brick after a one year investigation). We
believe that this new letter is part of the continued actions of
harassment against Neil Brick and those that help child and ritual abuse
survivors.”<br />
“The (Grey Faction) petition states “While we are not privy to records
that indicate methods of treatment employed in Neil Brick’s
practice.”….There is no evidence there are any problems with any methods
of treatment Neil uses.”<br />
(Note: The Grey Faction continues to publish misinformation regarding
Neil Brick in continued ad hominem attacks on his research.)</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Instead of rebutting the research of child and ritual abuse
survivors, the tactic is to attack the people directly, calling them
paranoid, delusional and so on without factual evidence of this.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
In my opinion, the argument boils down to this:<br />
We don’t believe them, therefore they are delusional.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Few stories or pro-survivor facts are rebutted. Few real facts are
presented to rebut any of our data. Protests are staged outside of
conferences to further disrupt conferences that help trauma victims.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
To quote Anna Salter:<br />
“The argument between the field of child sexual abuse and the backlash
against survivors is not an academic debate between two well meaning
groups equally invested in ascertaining truth. It is not an academic
debate at all; it is a political fight.” “What wins political fights is
organization and stamina and a refusal to be intimidated.”</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>The Good News</b></h3>
<h3>
<b> </b></h3>
<h3>
<b> </b></h3>
<h3>
Even though our work is being marginalized in the media and we are
being viciously attacked on the Internet, there have been many child
abuse coverups that have been exposed over the last few years.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>Jimmy Savile</b></h3>
<h3>
<b> </b></h3>
<h3>
<b> </b></h3>
<h3>
Though he died before his story came out, a major famous British
figure in their music industry was exposed as having hundreds of victims
and was allegedly protected from prosecution.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>Jimmy Savile: timeline of his sexual abuse and its uncovering</b><br />
Investigators now believe the late Top of the Pops host preyed on around 500 vulnerable victims as young as two years old<br />
It is now known that Jimmy Savile sexually abused hundreds of children and women at the height of his fame.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Investigators believe the late Top of the Pops host preyed on around
500 vulnerable victims as young as two years old at institutions
including the BBC’s broadcasting studios, 14 hospitals and 20 children’s
hospitals across England.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Since his death in October 2011, a string of official inquiries have
been launched into his offending at hospitals, schools and the BBC.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Today an independent inquiry found that Savile abused 60 people,
including at least 33 patients aged from five to 75, at Leeds general
infirmary. Other hospitals have also released the results of their
Savile investigations….</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
October 2013: BBC asks Dame Janet Smith to investigate the culture
and practices of the BBC in the decades that Savile worked there.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
11 January, 2013: Scotland Yard labels Savile a “prolific,
predatory” sex offender after its investigation reveals 214 criminal
offences across 28 police forces, between 1955 and 2009. Its report,
Giving Victims a Voice, found that 73% of his victims were children, and
the allegations of abuse span 14 medical establishments.<br />
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/jun/26/jimmy-savile-sexual-abuse-timeline">https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/jun/26/jimmy-savile-sexual-abuse-timeline</a></h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>Catholic Church</b></h3>
<h3>
<b> </b></h3>
<h3>
<b> </b></h3>
<h3>
Collated USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)Data<br />
On the Number of U.S. Priests Accused of Sexually Abusing Children and the Numbers of Persons Alleging Abuse<br />
1950–2016</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Compiled by BishopAccountability.org<br />
From reports commissioned and released by the USCCB<br />
Updated June 30, 2017</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
As of May 30, 2017, information published by the United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) indicates that the conference has
counted 6,721 clerics “not implausibly” and “credibly” accused of
sexually abusing minors in the period 1950 through June 30, 2016, with
several gaps in the USCCB data. Out of the 116,690 priests who have
worked in those years, the 6,721 priests accused of abusing children are
5.8% of the total.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
This percentage is a useful corrective. As recently as November
2002, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, then in charge of all abuse cases for
the Vatican, said in an interview that in the United States “less than
1% of priests are guilty of acts of this type.” Meanwhile, in the few US
dioceses where investigations or disclosures have provided adequate
data, including Boston, we are seeing rates as high as 10 percent. If
that is ultimately found to be the percentage nationally, the US total
would rise to 11,669 priests accused of abuse.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
As of May 30, 2017, the USCCB has counted 18,565 victims who are
known to the bishops in the period 1950 through June 30, 2016. Many more
survivors have yet to come forward. In 1993, the late Fr. Andrew
Greeley estimated that 2,500 priests (fewer than half the USCCB’s
current total) might have molested “well in excess of 100,000” children
in the United States…..</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
The USCCB hired the John Jay College of Criminal Justice to evaluate
data submitted by member bishops regarding the sexual abuse of minors
by Catholic priests, bishops, deacons, and seminarians. In its 2004
report, the John Jay College found, according to survey forms completed
by the bishops, that the bishops had received in 1950-2002 “not
implausible” allegations of sexual abuse of 10,667 minors committed by
4,392 priests, including 12 bishops.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
The John Jay College report also provides an estimate of the number
of priests who worked in the United States 1950-2002. The surveys
collected for the project reported 75,694 diocesan priests and
approximately 34,000 religious priests, for a total of 109,694. In the
years 2003-2016, the Catholic church has ordained 6,996 men to the
priesthood, according to the Official Catholic Directory’s General
Summary of diocesan data. That brings the total number of priests in
1950-2016 to 116,690.<br />
<a href="http://www.bishop-accountability.org/AtAGlance/USCCB_Yearly_Data_on_Accused_Priests.htm">http://www.bishop-accountability.org/AtAGlance/USCCB_Yearly_Data_on_Accused_Priests.htm</a></h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
A recent case is that of Larry Nassar, a doctor who treated young Olympic athletes.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>Larry Nassar sentenced to up to 175 years in prison for decades of sexual abuse</b></h3>
<h3>
<b> </b></h3>
<h3>
<b> </b></h3>
<h3>
(CNN)Once a world-renowned sports physician treating America’s
foremost Olympic women gymnasts, Larry Nassar now will spend the rest of
his life behind bars.<br />
The disgraced former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University doctor
was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison, a judge announced
Wednesday, after more than 150 women and girls said in court that he
sexually abused them over the past two decades….</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Nassar had pleaded guilty to seven counts of criminal sexual conduct
in Ingham County in Michigan and admitted to using his trusted medical
position to assault and molest girls under the guise of medical
treatment….</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
“There are no words that can describe the depth and breadth of how
sorry I am for what has occurred,” Nassar said. “An acceptable apology
to all of you is impossible to write and convey. I will carry your words
with me for the rest of my days.”….</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
“I was a good doctor because my treatments worked, and those
patients that are now speaking out are the same ones that praised and
came back over and over,” Nassar wrote. “The media convinced them that
everything I did was wrong and bad. They feel I broke their trust.”….</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Many of the women said that when they spoke up about the treatment,
they were ignored or their concerns brushed aside by organizations in
power, primarily USA Gymnastics, Michigan State University and the US
Olympic Committee….<br />
<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/24/us/larry-nassar-sentencing/index.html">https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/24/us/larry-nassar-sentencing/index.html</a></h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>Michigan State’s $500 Million for Nassar Victims Dwarfs Other Settlements</b><br />
Lawrence G. Nassar, the sports doctor accused of sexually abusing
hundreds of young women, committed his crimes with impunity for decades.
Here’s how.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Victims of Lawrence G. Nassar, the Michigan State University
physician who sexually abused young women under the guise of medical
treatment, would receive $500 million from the university in a
settlement that is believed to be the largest ever reached in a sexual
abuse case involving an American university.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
It dwarfed the size of the settlement reached in the sex abuse
scandal at Pennsylvania State University. And it was larger than many of
the settlements that followed the child sex abuse crisis in the Roman
Catholic Church.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
“I think the number being so large sends a message that is
undeniable, that something really terrible happened here and that
Michigan State owns it,” said John Manly, a lawyer for many of the 332
women who sued the university over abuse by Dr. Nassar. “When you pay
half a billion dollars, it’s an admission of responsibility.”</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Women who say they were abused by Dr. Nassar still have lawsuits
against U.S.A. Gymnastics, the United States Olympic Committee and
others, and the settlement with Michigan State could add pressure in
those cases. The settlement by Michigan State, a public university that
is the state’s largest, also sent a loud warning to other colleges about
the potentially devastating cost of ignoring misconduct.<br />
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/16/us/larry-nassar-michigan-state-settlement.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/16/us/larry-nassar-michigan-state-settlement.html</a></h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
These three cases are only a few of the many cases where
perpetrators were allowed to abuse children for years without any
repercussions. These perpetrators in essence were allowed to continue
abusing children because no one believed their victims. The system
failed the victims.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>Our Future</b></h3>
<h3>
<b> </b></h3>
<h3>
<b> </b></h3>
<h3>
We have not received justice for the crimes perpetrated against us
as child abuse survivors. The opposite has occurred. We have been
attacked for speaking up. Our stories, our evidence and our research has
been belittled, insulted, ignored and hidden. Not only have we spoken
up about child and ritual abuse crimes, we have spoken out about how
individuals and our society are controlled by propaganda, mind control
and post hypnotic suggestion. We have discussed how for years
individuals and groups have been allowed to torture and sexually abuse
children.</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
The hope is that justice will occur. That we will be heard and those
that have attacked us will be exposed for their vicious tactics and
their misinformation. That society will regain its moral balance and
people will treat others fairly and decently and those that are being
abused will be heard and believed and that this abuse will stop.</h3>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-26961813665424017322017-06-13T21:17:00.000-07:002017-06-13T21:17:18.832-07:00How to Avoid Being Mind Controlled at a Conference and Freedom from Mind Control<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<h1>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></h1>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>How to Avoid Being Mind Controlled at a Conference and Freedom from Mind Control</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><b>(copied with permission) </b><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>These articles present scientific research verifying previously made claims about mind control, propaganda and hypnosis.</b><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
This is a written copy of two presentations made at the Survivorship Ritual Abuse and Mind Control 2017 Conference.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Neil Brick is a survivor of ritual abuse and mind control. His work
continues to educate the public about child abuse, trauma and ritual
abuse crimes. His child abuse and ritual abuse newsletter S.M.A.R.T. has
been published for over 20 years. <a href="http://neilbrick.com/">http://neilbrick.com</a><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Conference page: <a href="https://survivorship.org/the-survivorship-ritual-abuse-and-child-abuse-2017-conference/">https://survivorship.org/the-survivorship-ritual-abuse-and-child-abuse-2017-conference/</a><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Disclaimer: This presentation is solely my own thoughts and research and
not necessarily the thoughts or any other persons or groups I work
with, including Survivorship. It includes information from an adapted
version of a paper with the same name at the Survivorship website. This
information is not intended as treatment or therapy. Survivors may want
to use caution while reading this page. All accusations are alleged.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Parts of the first presentation were adapted from a paper at ritualabuse.us which was later re-edited by Survivorship.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>How to Avoid Being Mind Controlled at a Conference</b><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
While the Conference organizers are doing everything possible to make
this conference safe, we are not able to make guarantees, and attendees
should also take their own precautions.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
You might want to use an alias at the conference, and put that alias on
your conference name tag. Do not give your real name or information
about where you live or your contact information to other conference
attendees.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
We encourage conference attendees to travel in pairs with a safe support
person as much as possible at the conference If anyone has any trouble
with anyone at the conference, please let us know either verbally or on
paper during or after the conference. We have tried to make the
conference as safe as possible, but it is impossible to make anything
totally safe. A safe support person can be an excellent help at a
conference. Such a person can help a survivor avoid and process
post-traumatic and programming triggers.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
However, sometimes persons that survivors think are their supports are
actually their handlers, persons who report their behavior to the abuser
group and make sure they are obedient. Such a person can be a
therapist, a spouse, a friend or another survivor. If you knew the
support person before you knew you were a survivor, this person could be
a handler. It is difficult in early recovery to know if a support
person is a handler. Someone in your life may be a handler if seeing
that person makes you feel overly dependent, in a trance state or
addicted to being with that person.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Before you bring a support person to a conference, you need to check
with your inside parts to make sure that all parts trust this person and
do not believe them to be a handler.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Due to the purposeful misinterpretation of this presentation last year
here online, which resulted in creating basically a propaganda film used
to falsely discredit our work and harass me in my personal life, I am
presenting scientific research showing the rational for avoiding
triggering others at the conference.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>Hand signals</b><br />
Scientific information proving that subjects may be unaware of suggestions given to them and may act on them post hypnosis.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>Post hypnotic suggestions</b><br />
Posthypnotic Suggestion: Attention, Awareness, and Automaticity<br />
Amanda J. Barnier, Ph.D. (Sleep and Hypnosis 1999;1:57-63)<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>Posthypnotic Suggestion as Responding without Awareness </b><br />
Posthypnotic suggestion is an excellent example of the processing of
stimuli in the absence of subjective awareness. Indeed, Kihlstrom (28)
suggested that posthypnotic behaviour is “a prime example of
nonconscious mental processes at work” (see also 29). Typically, a
posthypnotic suggestion is given during hypnosis and asks the individual
to show a particular behaviour or to have a particular experience in
response to a specific cue following hypnosis. In the empirical and
clinical literature, posthypnotic suggestions range from very simple,
behavioural suggestions (e.g., touching the forehead, or scratching the
nose) to very complex cognitive, perceptual, or experiential responses
(e.g., visual hallucinations, mood alterations). <b> As an example
of “unconscious” responding, posthypnotic suggestion is of special
interest because the individual is no longer hypnotised. For all intents
and purposes, everything is back to normal; yet, subjects still
demonstrate a lack of awareness for their behaviour.</b> This aspect of posthypnotic responding has long been recognised as one of its defining features (28,29).<br />
<a href="http://www.sleepandhypnosis.org/ing/Pdf/63790b4456c24c56848e1d924d7b0847.pdf">http://www.sleepandhypnosis.org/ing/Pdf/63790b4456c24c56848e1d924d7b0847.pdf</a><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>This is the reason we asked people to be aware of doing hand signals (or going to one’s face) without conscious knowledge. </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>Hypnosis and MPD</b></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Thought derided by “skeptics” the research around hypnosis and MPD (now called DID) was extensive in the early 1990’s. <b>D.
C. Hammond was and is highly credentialed and respected in his field.
He corroborates his work in this article with the accounts of others. He
shows how he did not lead his clients but carefully questioned them.</b><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Unfortunately, soon after his speech occurred, the false memory groups
started taking over the media coverage and severe harassment of
clinicians and researchers occurred, stopping and silencing much of this
type of research.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>Hypnosis in MPD: Ritual Abuse </b>(excerpts are posted below)<br />
D. Corydon Hammond, Ph.D. (“Greenbaum Speech,”)<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Herein is the lecture by D.C. Hammond, originally entitled “Hypnosis in
MPD: Ritual Abuse,” but now usually known as the “Greenbaum Speech,”
delivered at the Fourth Annual Eastern Regional Conference on Abuse and
Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD), Thursday June 25, 1992, at the
Radisson Plaza Hotel, Mark Center, Alexandria, Virginia. Sponsored by
the Center for Abuse Recovery & Empowerment, The Psychiatric
Institute of Washington, D.C.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
In the introduction the following background information is given for D. Corydon Hammond:<br />
B.S., M.S., Ph.D. (Counseling Psychology) from the University of Utah.<br />
Diplomate in Clinical Hypnosis, the American Board of Psychological Hypnosis.<br />
Diplomate in Sex Therapy, the American Board of Sexology.<br />
Clinical Supervisor and Board Examiner, American Board of Sexology.<br />
Diplomate in Marital and Sex Therapy, American Board of Family Psychology.<br />
Licensed Psychologist, Licensed Marital Therapist, Licensed Family Therapist, State of Utah.<br />
Research Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Utah School of Medicine.<br />
Director and Founder of the Sex and Marital Therapy Clinic, University of Utah.<br />
Adjunct Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Utah Abstract.<br />
Editor, The American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis.<br />
Advising Editor and Founding Member, Editorial Board, The Ericksonian Monograph.<br />
Referee, The Journal of Abnormal Psychology.<br />
1989 Presidential Award of Merit, American Society of Clinical Hypnosis.<br />
1990 Urban Sector Award, American Society of Clinical Hypnosis.<br />
Current President, American Society of Clinical Hypnosis.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Okay. I want to start off by talking a little about trance-training and
the use of hypnotic phenomena with an MPD dissociative-disorder
population, to talk some about unconscious exploration, methods of doing
that, the use of imagery and symbolic imagery techniques for managing
physical symptoms, input overload, things like that. Before the day’s
out, I want to spend some time talking about something I think has been
completely neglected in the field of dissociative disorders, and that’s
talking about methods of profound calming for automatic hyper-arousal
that’s been conditioned in these patients…..<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
What I came out of that with was a grasp of a variety of brainwashing
methods being used all over the country. I started to hear some
similarities. Whereas I hadn’t known, to begin with, how widespread
these things were, I was now getting a feeling that there were a lot of
people reporting some similar things and that there must be some degree
of communication here.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Then approximately two and a half years ago I had some material drop in
my lap. My source was saying a lot of things that I knew were accurate
about some of the brainwashing, but it was telling me new material I had
no idea about. At this point I took note and decided to check it out in
three ritual-abuse patients I was seeing at the time. Two of the three
had what they were describing, in careful inquiry without leading or
contaminating…..<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Here’s where it appears to have come from. At the end of World War II,
before it even ended, Allen Dulles and people from our Intelligence
Community were already in Switzerland making contact to get out Nazi
scientists. As World War II ends, they not only get out rocket
scientists, but they also get out some Nazi doctors who have been doing
mind-control research in the camps…..<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
What they basically do is they will get a child and they will start this
in basic forms, it appears, by about two and a half after the child’s
already been made dissociative. They’ll make him dissociative not only
through abuse, like sexual abuse, but also things like putting a
mousetrap on their fingers and teaching the parents, “You do not go in
until the child stops crying. Only then do you go in and remove it.”
They start in rudimentary forms at about two and a half and kick into
high gear, it appears, around six or six and a half, continue through
adolescence with periodic reinforcements in adulthood….<br />
<a href="http://www.whale.to/b/greenbaum.html">http://www.whale.to/b/greenbaum.html</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>Behavioral Techniques used to manipulate people. </b><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>THE BATTLE FOR YOUR MIND</b>, by Dick Sutphen<br />
Persuasion & Brainwashing Techniques Being Used On The Public Today<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>The Three Brain Phases</b><br />
The Christians may have been the first to successfully formulate
brainwashing, but we have to look to Pavlov, the Russian scientist, for a
technical explanation. In the early 1900s, his work with animals opened
the door to further investigations with humans. After the revolution in
Russia, Lenin was quick to see the potential of applying Pavlov’s
research to his own ends.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Three distinct and progressive states of transmarginal inhibition were
identified by Pavlov. The first is the EQUIVALENT phase, in which the
brain gives the same response to both strong and weak stimuli. The
second is the PARADOXICAL phase, in which the brain responds more
actively to weak stimuli than to strong. And the third is the
ULTRA-PARADOXICAL phase, in which conditioned responses and behavior
patterns turn from positive to negative or from negative to positive.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
With the progression through each phase, the degree of conversion
becomes more effective and complete. The way to achieve conversion are
many and varied, but <b>the usual first step in religious or
political brainwashing is to work on the emotions of an individual or
group until they reach an abnormal level of anger, fear, excitement, or
nervous tension.</b><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>(Note: This is comparable at times to shock techniques in the media and sometimes the loaded language of propagandists.)</b><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
The progressive result of this mental condition is to impair judgment
and increase suggestibility. The more this condition can be maintained
or intensified, the more it compounds. <b>Once catharsis, or the
first brain phase, is reached, the complete mental takeover becomes
easier. Existing mental programming can be replaced with new patterns of
thinking and behavior.</b><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Other often-used physiological weapons to modify normal brain functions
are fasting, radical or high sugar diets, physical discomforts,
regulation of breathing, mantra chanting in meditation, the disclosure
of awesome mysteries, special lighting and sound effects, programmed
response to incense, or intoxicating drugs.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
The same results can be obtained in contemporary psychiatric treatment
by electric shock treatments and even by purposely lowering a person’s
blood sugar level with insulin injections.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
….hypnosis and conversion tactics are two distinctly different
things–and that conversion techniques are far more powerful. However,
the two are often mixed . . . with powerful results.<br />
<a href="https://www.cs.cmu.edu/%7Edst/Secrets/TR/sutphen.html">https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Secrets/TR/sutphen.html</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>Research on mind control cults</b><br />
The Manipulation of Spiritual Experience: Unethical Hypnosis in Destructive Cults<br />
Linda Dubrow-Marshall, Ph.D. and Steve K. Eichel, Ph.D., ABPP<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
The following paper was initially presented to the Association of
Advance Ethical Hypnosis Twenty-Ninth Annual Convention Boston, MA
October 26, 1984. It appeared in Hypnosis<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Reports<br />
<b>The process of cult and mass therapy indoctrination may involve
repeated inductions of trance-like states of consciousness similar to
hypnosis. Environmental (milieu) control, social manipulation, isolation
and the use of prescribed consciousness-altering techniques (e.g.
repetitive and/or continuous chanting, meditating, or praying) are some
of the methods employed by cults to produce these altered states of
awareness.</b> Recent studies suggest that memories, emotions and
even spiritual experiences can be manipulated while in hypnosis. Lack of
informed consent and questionable concern for individual needs and
wishes makes the use of these hypnotic techniques unethical. Being
subjected to repeated and prolonged hypnotic inductions can impair the
convert’s ability to make decisions and evaluate new information;
moreover, the convert’s altered awareness can “lock in,” and become a
conditioned personality response pattern. One result can be periodic
episodes of unwanted trance experiences (“floating”) that occur for
months or even years after a cultist exits his/her group….<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
A large part of the cult debate is concerned with whether or not these
techniques constitute an objectively verifiable process of mind control.
Behavioral scientists Clark and Langone (1983) claim they do; they have
stated that “social psychology research … demonstrates rather
conclusively … that environmental variables can influence behavior in
remarkable ways … that mind control sometimes occurs in cults (p 28)….<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>Trance is characterized first and foremost by heightened
suggestibility followed closely by diminished critical thinking or
reality testing</b>–what Shor (l969) refers to as receding of the
“generalized reality orientation.” Repeated induction often result in
still greater degrees of suggestibility and deeper hypnotic states
(Arons, 1981). By prolonging trance states, and with the use of repeated
inductions, the cultist may become more and more pliable, less
critical, more dissociated from him/herself and more apt to accept
spurious and even preposterous notions as “facts.”….<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
thought reform techniques seem to work best when the subject are either
motivated to cooperate or manipulated into believing they have some
degree of free choice. (Cunningham, l984) <b>Hypnosis is a powerful tool</b>…..<br />
<a href="http://www.carolgiambalvo.com/unethical-hypnosis-in-destructive-cults.html">http://www.carolgiambalvo.com/unethical-hypnosis-in-destructive-cults.html</a><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>These four research articles (and many others) clearly show that
our work is neither “pseudoscience” nor “paranoid” but these phenomena
clearly exist, suggestible mind states can be produced and post hypnotic
suggestions can be acted on without conscious awareness.</b><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
So, survivors may sometimes be triggered without knowing it. Whole
groups of people can be put in a trance and given instructions through
cues. This has proven in cult research. This is why we ask people to
avoid putting their hands near the face repeatedly during the
conference, to avoid acting on post hypnotic suggestions and to avoid
triggering others subliminal mind states.<br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
If you feel you are getting hypnotized or spacey on the phone or in
other situations, shake your head hard and excuse yourself from the
conversation. Texts and e-mails received during the conference might be
designed to make you susceptible to your programming.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>Attending Presentations</b><br />
Some of the presentations might be triggering due to their content.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
If you feel triggered, please step back and do some self care. To stay
present, take deep breaths, touch your clothing, and try to feel the
chair you are sitting on and the floor under your feet. Use the small
object you brought to let you know where you are.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
If this is insufficient, take a break but do not go for a walk alone.
Tell your safe support person, if you have one, that you are feeling
triggered and need to leave with them and go outside.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Check inside to see which parts of you are upset and why. Inquire
internally whether you are having a post-traumatic reaction, in which
something reminded you of some past event or person in your own life, or
whether programming has been triggered.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Try and figure out what the presenter did or said which caused these feelings.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Most people are going to act fairly normally, and because
programmers/handlers or scouts for secretive organizations or cults are
not likely to look any different from most people, it is helpful to be
alert to possible signs of attempted accessing.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Do not give any personal details about your life to conference
attendees, even if you believe you have met them online. Almost every
ritual abuse survivor has parts inside who are trained to report on
other survivors to the perpetrators. You do not want anyone reporting
about you.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Don’t shake hands or exchange hugs with anyone you don’t know. Certain
cults use handshakes to remind people of their programming and/or access
certain alter states.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Survivors are in different places in their healing, and their knowledge
about programming methods and their ability to recognize such things.
There are two ways to catch triggers: one is by your own reactions. If
you notice you are suddenly dizzy or foggy, or spaced out, you may be
triggered. It is good to know some grounding techniques to use when this
begins to happen. Try to remember what just happened around you. The
second is by looking for some specific behaviors, odd out of place
phrases, or discrepancies between behaviors and words. Pay close
attention to hand gestures, winks, taps, etc.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Most people are probably safe, but it is a good idea to be aware of your surroundings as much as possible.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
One important thing is if you are feeling triggered or dissociated or
tired or weak, don’t let people that you don’t know or trust and/or
people that aren’t safe ask you to leave the conference room to talk
with you. If you see someone you don’t know walking up to you when you
are feeling triggered or dissociated you might want to say “excuse me”
and quickly walk away from them and find a support person or a
conference organizer.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>Trigger Management</b><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Triggers are more than phrases. They can be pictures, sounds, smells,
tastes, gestures or touches on the body. The added dangers for triggers
for ritual abuse survivors are that triggers can be used to open alter
states, or very complex programs. These programs could be used to cause a
return to the cult or cause someone to hurt themselves or someone else.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Triggering can occur in so many forms that it is impossible to delineate them all here.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>Trigger management is one of the keys to recovery. By being able
to manage your triggers, you can hopefully keep from being triggered
into alter states that could possibly be used to get you to return to
the cult. This entails knowing the trigger and the feeling accompanying
the trigger, the memory connected to the trigger and the action required
of the trigger.</b><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Working through programming is having the memory in a safe setting with a
safe support person and learning the accompanying trigger and
subliminal instruction.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Trigger management involves learning to recognize the feeling of falling
into a deep hypnotic state, snapping out of it, and then trying to
figure out why it happened. It also involves learning how not to fall
into these states while feeling the “pull” of them. One technique that
can be used is: Shake your head side to side (fairly hard) or walk
around.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Susceptibility to triggers can come from being tired or confused. This
is why it is important to try not to be tired or confused in possibly
triggering situations. Try to stay awake and alert and get enough sleep.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>Safety at Home</b><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Please remember that your recovery is your own. It is important for
survivors to choose their own spiritual systems. Unfortunately, certain
religious and healing techniques are used for programming people (to put
people into hypnotic states) sometimes and are also used on RA/MC
survivors. Be wary of those that emphasis that there is only one way to
heal. Educate yourself about cults and their techniques also. There are
several very good books that can help with this.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Look very closely at the relationships in your life. Does a certain
person in your life fit the profile of a handler or an abuser? Can you
say something about the profile of a handler or an abuser? Ask inside
whether anyone recognizes things the person is doing or saying which
indicates they may be one?<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
The important thing is not to have any gurus. To critically analyze everything someone says. This is a learning process.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Discernment is crucial here. It is also important not to be constantly
paranoid, though caution can help at times to avoid programming. There
are safe people in the world that want to help us. The important thing
is figuring out who is safe and who isn’t. Staying present rather than
dissociating can really be helpful in this area.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Make your own decisions. There are good support systems and advice out
there, but make sure you make your own decisions. Healthy intelligent
change is good. Follow you own path or way and be strong enough to do
this. If you do this, you will begin to take control of your own
triggers and develop a healthy, trigger management system. Please feel
free to let us know how you feel about this topic.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b><br />
This was the second presentation at the Survivorship Conference 2017.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Neil Brick<br />
Freedom from Mind Control</span></b><br />
Subliminal methods and mind control influence all areas of our lives.
Social and cultural forms of mind control keep us from growing as human
beings. These forms of control make it difficult for us to grow and
learn as survivors. They make it more difficult to work through our cult
control programming to free our minds and our lives. Techniques will be
discussed that can help survivors and others break through their mind
control programs and influences.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Neil Brick is a survivor of ritual abuse and mind control. His work
continues to educate the public about child abuse, trauma and ritual
abuse crimes. His child abuse and ritual abuse newsletter S.M.A.R.T. has
been published for over 20 years. <a href="http://neilbrick.com/">http://neilbrick.com</a><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Conference page: <a href="https://survivorship.org/the-survivorship-ritual-abuse-and-child-abuse-2017-conference/">https://survivorship.org/the-survivorship-ritual-abuse-and-child-abuse-2017-conference/</a><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Disclaimer: This presentation is solely my own thoughts and research and
not necessarily the thoughts or any other persons or groups I work
with, including Survivorship. This information is not intended as
treatment or therapy. Survivors may want to use caution while reading
this page. All accusations are alleged.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>Cultural Influences and Specific Groups</b><br />
It is impossible to fully grow and heal from mind control unless one is
aware of the specific techniques groups use. There are direct
brainwashing and torture techniques that many of us here experienced.
There have been many excellent books written about ways to start working
through and healing from these techniques. This is an important part of
healing.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>This presentation looks at a different aspect of healing from
mind control. We will be discussing cultural influences and specific
groups that use propaganda and mind control techniques. Awareness of
these influences, groups and techniques can speed up one’s recovery from
ritual abuse and mind control and can also help one avoid getting
re-accessed or revictimized by another group later in one’s recovery. </b><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
An example of this is survivors that get free of their ritual abuse
programming, but end up in a Christian or other religious cult like
situation. This often happens due to the lack of survivor supports.
These groups are often the only ones willing to help ritual abuse
survivors.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Survivors are also susceptible to right wing political groups. All
mainstream US political groups use propaganda techniques, but right wing
groups are more likely to use different techniques like loaded words
(words that carry a lot of emotion), name calling (mudslinging or
pointing out negative elements) or an emotional appeal.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
The present US regime uses several of these techniques. Our president is
a good example of this. I believe that another group that has viciously
attacked the resources and research of ritual abuse survivors and our
organization called The Grey Faction of the Satanic Temple also does
this.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>Discussion of Propaganda Techniques</b><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Here is some of the terminology used by The Grey Faction from their website:<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
“Irrational Mob Panics”<br />
“absurd and irrational conspiracy theories”<br />
“conspiracists, hack reporters, and opportunistic cons”<br />
“psychology’s pseudoscientific fringe; feeding delusion to the mentally vulnerable”<br />
“Mental Health Counselor Paranoid Presentation”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>One not aware of the use of name calling and loaded language
being used here may be taken in by this language and will apply these
labels to ritual abuse survivors and their support systems without
critical analysis.</b> I believe that this is one reason propaganda is used by these types of groups.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
These name calling insults are from supporters or members of the Satanic Temple:<br />
“Mr. Face-touching-is-mind-control-signaling”<br />
“face-touch triggers for mind dominance”<br />
“can feel me touching my face?”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
From the Satanic Temple twitter account:<br />
“The deranged tinfoil hat quacks”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
These are only a few of the many insults on the Internet after the last
conference in various comment sections. The repeated name calling by
this group and its supporters shows the emphasis they use on these types
of propaganda techniques.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Lucien Greaves also known as Doug Mesner (both aliases) is known for
using some of these techniques. Many of these techniques have been used
against myself and others I have worked with.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Here are a few examples from his 2009 article:<br />
“this is to be a congregation of raving delusional paranoiacs”<br />
“The organizer of the conference, Neil Brick, stands about 5’6? with a
greasy dark curly comb-over, large-thick glasses, and a voice that
sounds exactly like Elmer Fudd”<br />
“why they came to manufacture their paranoid fictions”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
There are many examples of name calling and insults far more severe than
these being used against myself and others working to stop ritual
abuse.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
I believe these insults are used not only for propaganda value, but also
to intimidate and silence child abuse and ritual abuse survivors and
their advocates. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>Propaganda (1928) – Edward Bernay</b><br />
“ THE conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and
opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society.
Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an
invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.<br />
We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas
suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical
result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast
numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to
live together as a smoothly functioning society.“ <a href="http://www.historyisaweapon.org/defcon1/bernprop.html">http://www.historyisaweapon.org/defcon1/bernprop.html</a><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Though I totally disagree with using this to manipulate others, this is
what has happened to much of our world today. Previously TV and now the
Internet are being used to mold and form opinion for the benefit of the
wealthy and those in power.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>Religion as mind control</b><br />
I believe that religions use forms of mind control and the manipulation of others by their leaders.<br />
Disorientation and repetition are two of the major forms of
indoctrination used by different religions. Disorientation causes
dissociation and allows suggestions to be planted into one’s mind. This
was discussed in my first presentation today.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>Those that use these mind control and propaganda techniques may attack those exposing these techniques.</b><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Any spiritual technique or moral guideline can be learned without being
in a religion. When one joins a religion, they give up their freedom of
thought and ability to create their own unique spirituality.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>The Satanic Temple is a religion that has tenets like other religions.</b><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Quotes from their website:<br />
“One should strive to act with compassion and empathy towards all creatures in accordance with reason.”<br />
“People are fallible. If we make a mistake, we should do our best to rectify it and resolve any harm that may have been caused.”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
I personally have not experienced either of these tenets from the
membership of the Satanic Temple or its co-founder. I have rarely seen
“compassion” or “empathy” used by this group. The examples given above
show a different orientation, in my opinion, one leaning toward cruelty
and viciousness.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Ridicule<br />
From the Twitter web page of Lucien Greaves<br />
The claims shouldn’t only provoke skepticism but <b>ridicule</b> & a resolve to end debunked recovered memory therapies (bold added)<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Internet definition of ridicule:<br />
“the subjection of someone or something to contemptuous and dismissive language or behavior”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
In my opinion, ridicule is meant to insult others and at times to
silence or bully others. It is not a rational technique, nor is it meant
to be used to fairly debate others.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>The Satanic Temple recently released: </b><br />
“The Satanic Temple’s Guidelines for Effective Protest”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
This list includes the phrases:<br />
“protesters must respect free speech”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
“If your protest calls for the deprivation of rights and liberties of others, intimidates others,<br />
harasses or threatens others, silences others, then you are an enemy of freedom no matter what the justification”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
I believe that the Satanic Temple through some of their statements
against child abuse and ritual abuse survivors as well as their
co-founder Lucien Greaves or Doug Mesner (both aliases) violates the
above guidelines.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
I believe I have been severely harassed by this person and group in
attempts to silence me and my work. They have filed complaints against
my license, called my work place, called my employers, made harassing
phone calls to my house and followed me in comment sections on the
Internet to harass me further. These attacks are well documented on the
websites <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/">https://ritualabuse.us</a> and <a href="http://neilbrick.com/">http://neilbrick.com</a><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>Lack of morals</b><br />
We live in a world where people can say almost anything about anyone on
the Internet using an alias. People have little to no protection from
this. This has been created by the Communication Decency Act where
Internet providers are not legally liable for the words of third parties
who use their services. Other laws have been passed in the last 30 – 40
years that have caused a further deterioration of social morality.
Everything needs to have limits, including speech. Developing limits
needs to be done carefully, not to squelch legitimate ideas, but to
eliminate the vicious harassment and Internet stalking I and others have
been subjected to. This harassing phenomena has unfortunately become a
major Internet phenomena. It has often been used to silence and limit
the freedom of speech of many.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Infiltrating or “invading” conferences shows a lack of morality. Our
conferences are for survivors of torture and rape. The refusal of groups
to respect the privacy of the severely traumatized attendees and those
that are trying to help them shows a basic lack of respect and decency
for those severely injured by others.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
Groups that violates trauma survivors’ rights may claim to do so because
they want to get information they believe is closed to the public.
However this information is available on the Internet in presentations.
They may state they are stopping a social injustice, like unjust legal
proceedings. However these legal proceedings’ decisions had far more
backing than just the ideology of trauma and ritual abuse and were well
adjudicated with legal teams on both sides. I believe the real reason
for “invading” these conferences is to try and stop them and to
intimidate those that run and attend them.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><b>Discussion of Harassment Creating Milieu Control</b><br />
This concept is about controlling people via the control of their
environment, including what is communicated and how. This terminology is
applied to cult dynamics, but it also can be applied to social dynamics
in general. I believe that the harassment of The Satanic Temple’s Grey
Faction and other false memory type groups have at times silenced child
abuse and ritual abuse survivors and their supporters. The cultural
environment of lack of morality and open Internet without rules has
given these groups the opportunity to do this.<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b><br />
Hate Groups</b><br />
Hate groups are defined as social groups that advocate and practices
hatred or hostility towards members of a designated sector of society.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
I believe the Satanic Temple through the Grey Faction is being used as a
hate group (as per the definition above) to verbally attack survivors
of ritual abuse and their supporters. The viciousness of these attacks,
as shown above, is used to promote animosity and hostility toward
survivors.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>Narrative as Eye Witness Testimony</b><br />
False memory type groups criticize narrative. It is important to
remember that trauma research including research around cults and ritual
abuse has more than narrative to back up its conclusions. But narrative
itself, including self reporting is used without critique in a wide
variety of studies. Narrative is a form of eye witness testimony that is
used with other evidence to verify or adjudicate claims.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
The attacks by false memory type groups on narrative as evidence is
disingenuous. We define reality certain ways based on our senses. Our
senses have not been verified scientifically, but are used as unproven
hypotheses from which we build further theorems. Claiming that one form
of evidence is stronger than another is using science as weapon,
especially when a debate is being used to silence others.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>Using “Science” and “Rationalism” as a Weapon</b><br />
False Memory groups will use these concepts without backing to convince
the reader or listener that they have the correct answer. I believe this
is a propaganda technique. They have no more and often less science and
research than those they are attacking. To the best of my knowledge,
the Grey Faction has never published the full credentials of their
members, showing that they have any specific training or evidence in the
field of trauma, dissociation or the study of cults. Many of those they
attack have published articles in scientific journals and have several
high educational degrees.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>False Skepticism </b><br />
“Skeptics” in the false memory field for years have claimed that because
they are skeptical, they have an advantage over others. Yet it appears
these “skeptics” start from the perspective of not believing in ritual
abuse crimes and then proving their own point. I believe that true
skepticism questions both sides of an issue to derive a conclusion. An
example is calling survivors of ritual abuse delusional or paranoid.
There is no legitimate evidence survivors are either. False memory
supporters have no evidence a survivor’s story is not true. Therefore
they have no evidence any survivor suffers from paranoia or delusion. I
believe this is just name calling, a propaganda technique.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />
<b>Media</b><br />
The media has done little to help the debate and has often hurt the
debate, by refusing to print our research and facts. They often simply
repeat the ideas of the Satanic Temple or Grey Faction and do not even
ask us for our perspective and research. One example is when the Satanic
Temple started three years ago, they claimed their founder was “Neil
Bricke.” The Satanic Temple’s website stated: In 2012, Neil Bricke,
raised in a multigenerational Satanic Temple tradition of worship,
decided, with the blessings of his fellow Satanic devotees, to
officially found the Satanic Temple. I believe this was just more
harassment and another personal attack against me. The media printed
this idea widely, did not fact check it and did little to correct it
even if I contacted them.<br />
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<b>Damage Caused to Research and Trauma Survivors by Propaganda and Harassment</b><br />
The more recent attacks have been toward conference supporting trauma
survivors and survivors of cult and ritual abuse crimes. These attacks
hurt the work of researchers helping trauma survivors and those reaching
out for support from trauma crimes. The number of groups still existing
since the mid 1990s when the False Memory groups began these attacks
began had dwindled down to only a handful. I believe this causes
inappropriate treatment protocols to be applied to trauma survivors at
times, or for trauma to not be recognized by professionals. Instead of
treating trauma, professionals may medicate trauma or only work on
behavioral treatment protocols. This causes symptom issues and other
addiction problems to continue. In my opinion, the work of false memory
type groups has caused a great deal of suffering for those survivors
effected by either a lack of resources or inappropriate treatment
protocols. I believe these social costs may also be increased, due to
continued addictions, hospitalizations and legal issues.<br />
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This is the damage that can be done by not recognizing how mind control
and propaganda techniques work. On a personal level, one may follow
damaging belief systems that impede their recovery from ritual abuse and
other traumas. On a social level, we end up with presidents, from
either party, that work for the rich and cause massive social suffering.
Or we may see the repeated damage of support systems for trauma
survivors.<br />
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<b>The concept “think for yourself” entails learning about the
techniques that can be used to manipulate and control your mind and not
letting them control you. </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-44379088153471307792017-02-07T21:05:00.001-08:002017-02-07T21:05:59.360-08:00Trump and Fascism<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Trump and Fascism</b>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">This page is a data dump of articles about Donald Trump, those working with Trump and historical articles about fascism. Fascism uses different types of mind control to control people. Donald Trump has been accused of using propaganda and mind control techniques to win the election, to control people's opinions of him and to control their opinions of other topics. This page contains excerpts from articles related to this topic.</span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>“America Belongs to White Men,” Alt-Right Founder Says</b> December 8, 2016
There were no Nazi salutes this time, at least. But , the white supremacist Trump supporter trying to make racism cool by rebranding it “alt-right,” gave another rabble-rousing speech on Tuesday night, this time at Texas A&M University.
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In case there was any ambiguity about his message, video posted on Twitter by Josef Winkler, a college sophomore who was repulsed by Spencer’s statements, showed him boasting that, because of the conquest of North America by European invaders, “America belongs to white men.”
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"We won. America belongs to white men." – Richard Spencer
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Another clip recorded by Winkler — and a live stream of the entire event posted online by the school’s student newspaper, The Battalion — shows that Spencer went on to praise Donald Trump as “an alt-right hero” for reminding white Americans of what, he said, “makes the white race truly unique and truly wonderful.”
Richard Spencer praises Donald Trump as an alt-right hero
https://theintercept.com/2016/12/07/america-belongs-white-men-alt-right-founder-says/</span></span></span></span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>No country with a McDonald’s can remain a democracy</b>
George Monbiot
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The best way to combat the likes of Trump, Le Pen and Farage and the politics they represent is to rescue power from the grip of transnational corporations
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In 1938 President Roosevelt warned that “the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism.” The Democrats saw concentrated corporate power as a form of dictatorship. They broke up giant banks and businesses and chained the chainstores. What Roosevelt, Brandeis and Patman knew has been forgotten by those in power, including powerful journalists. But not by the victims of this system.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/dec/06/mcdonalds-democracy-corporate-globalisation-trump-le-pen-farage</span></span></span> </span><br />
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Donald Trump just insulted a union leader on Twitter. Then the phone started to ring.
By Danielle Paquette December 7 at 10:15 PM
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Chuck Jones uses a flip phone, so he didn’t see the tweet. His friend of 36 years called him Wednesday night and said: The president-elect is smearing you on Twitter.
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Chuck Jones, who is President of United Steelworkers 1999, has done a terrible job representing workers. No wonder companies flee country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 8, 2016
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If United Steelworkers 1999 was any good, they would have kept those jobs in Indiana. Spend more time working-less time talking. Reduce dues
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 8, 2016
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Jones, a union leader in Indianapolis, represents the Carrier workers whose jobs Donald Trump has pledged to save. He said the sudden attention from the country’s next leader didn’t feel real.
“My first thought was, ‘Well, that’s not very nice,’ ” he told The Washington Post on Wednesday night. “Then, 'Well, I might not sleep much tonight.' "
Jones, president of the United Steelworkers Local 1999, told The Post on Tuesday that he believed Trump had lied to the Carrier workers last week when he visited the Indianapolis plant. On a makeshift stage in a conference room, Trump had applauded United Technologies, Carrier’s parent company, for cutting a deal with him and agreeing to keep 1,100 jobs that were slated to move to Mexico in America’s heartland.
Jones said Trump got that figure wrong.
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Carrier, he said, had agreed to preserve 800 production jobs in Indiana. (Carrier confirmed that number.) The union leader said Trump appeared to be taking credit for rescuing 350 engineering positions that were never scheduled to leave. Five hundred and fifty of his members, he said, were still losing their jobs. And the company was still collecting millions of dollars in tax breaks.
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In return for downsizing its move south of the border, United Technologies would receive $7 million in tax credits from Indiana, to be paid in $700,000 installments each year for 10. Carrier, on top of that, has agreed to invest $16 million in its Indiana operation. United Technologies, meanwhile, still plans to shuttle 700 factory jobs from Huntington, Ind., to Monterrey, Mexico.
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Half an hour after Trump tweeted about Jones on Wednesday, the union leader's phone began to ring and kept ringing, he said. One voice asked: What kind of car do you drive? Another said: We’re coming for you.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/12/07/donald-trump-retaliated-against-a-union-leader-on-twitter-then-his-phone-started-to-ring/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span><br />
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<b>Time Magazine accused of giving Donald Trump devil horns and likening him to Hitler with Person of the Year cover</b>
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Donald Trump was declared Time Magazine 'Person of the Year' on Wednesday
Twitter users quickly suggested his cover photo made him look like the devil
Others drew similarities between Trump's image and a cover shot of Adolf Hitler
Time has been critical of Trump many times over the course of the past year
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Time editor-in-chief Nancy Gibbs said it was the easiest decision the magazine has ever made for the honor.
They cited the upheaval in American politics brought about by his election campaign and victory.
'It's hard to measure the scale of his disruption,' Time said in its announcement.
Time makes its annual choice based on the impact a person has on world events - good or bad. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was chosen last year. Previous winners ranged from Gandhi to Hitler.
This was the second year in a row that Trump had been a finalist of the accolade.
'To be on the cover of Time as Person of the Year is a tremendous honor,' Trump said.
He rejected Time's characterization of the country as fractured after the magazine's called him the 'president of the divided states of America' on the cover.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4011358/Time-Magazine-accused-giving-Donald-Trump-devil-horns-likening-Hitler-Person-Year-cover.html</span></span></span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>One Scholar On Similarities, Substantial Differences Between Trump And Hitler</b>
Even before the election, critics had been drawing comparisons between Donald Trump and Adolf Hitler.
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They've pointed to Trump's promise to ban Muslims, deport millions of immigrants, crack down on the press and "make America great again."
Here & Now's Jeremy Hobson talks with Daniel Ziblatt , professor of government at Harvard University and author of the forthcoming book "Conservative Parties and the Birth of Modern Democracy in Europe," about Hitler's rise to power in 1930s Germany, and whether the comparisons between Trump and Hitler are fair or unnecessarily inflammatory.
http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2016/12/07/trump-hitler-comparisons</span></span></span><br />
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<b>Michael Flynn is Donald Trump's most terrifying appointment</b> December 7, 2016
http://www.theage.com.au/world/michael-flynn-is-donald-trumps-most-terrifying-appointment-20161206-gt5ivp.html
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">There may be no more dangerous choice Trump has made so far than picking Michael Flynn to be his national security adviser. There are few more important positions in the White House, and few where the wrong choice could have consequences quite as catastrophic. If we contemplate how President Trump might handle an international crisis - which he will face, probably before long - we see just how troubling Flynn's appointment is.</span></span></span></span> </span><br />
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<b>Michael Flynn is Donald Trump's most terrifying appointment</b>
Paul Waldman
Donald Trump has gone about picking his Cabinet and senior advisers in much the way one might have predicted. Instead of looking for people with the highest levels of experience, expertise, and competence, he seems to be making his choices based on criteria like who he's seen on Fox News, or who praised him effusively, or who has a cool nickname.
There may be no more dangerous choice Trump has made so far than picking Michael Flynn to be his national security adviser. There are few more important positions in the White House, and few where the wrong choice could have consequences quite as catastrophic. If we contemplate how President Trump might handle an international crisis - which he will face, probably before long - we see just how troubling Flynn's appointment is.
The year that saw underdog triumphs, power shifts, and the unimaginable come to pass.
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It's no mystery why Trump chose Flynn for this position. Trump is simultaneously contemptuous of military leaders (you'll recall how often he said during the campaign that he knew more than them) and enamoured of them; his Cabinet is likely to contain multiple retired generals. Early on, Flynn was one of the only former military leaders who endorsed Trump and campaigned with him. He quickly became Trump's closest adviser on national security.
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Let's do a quick rundown. Flynn, who was head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, was fired by President Barack Obama for a number of reasons, including mismanagement. His staff got so used to him believing things that were obviously false that they began referring to them as "Flynn Facts." Nevertheless, he had a complete certainty in his own rightness.
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At one meeting, reports the New York Times, "Mr Flynn said that the first thing everyone needed to know was that he was always right. His staff would know they were right, he said, when their views melded to his." Furthermore, "Some also described him as a Captain Queeg-like character, paranoid that his staff members were undercutting him and credulous of conspiracy theories."
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You can see it in his statements and writings since his retirement. Flynn believes that Islam is "a malignant cancer" that is actually "a political ideology" that "hides behind this notion of it being a religion." He has tweeted that "Fear of Muslims is RATIONAL" while posting an anti-Islamic video and asking people to "please forward this to others." On his Twitter feed, he has a propensity for spreading fake news stories from the right-wing fever swamps. As Bryan Bender and Andrew Hanna reported for Politico:
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"But Flynn himself has used social media to promote a series of outrageous conspiracy theories about Hillary Clinton, President Barack Obama and their inner circles in recent months - pushing dubious factoids at least 16 times since Aug. 9, according to a POLITICO review of his Twitter posts.
"Flynn, who has 106,000 Twitter followers, has used the platform to retweet accusations that Clinton is involved with child sex trafficking and has "secretly waged war" on the Catholic Church, as well as charges that Obama is a "jihadi" who "laundered" money for Muslim terrorists."
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Some of the looniest conspiracy theories Flynn has propagated have to do with stolen emails from John Podesta, the chair of Hillary Clinton's campaign. Right-wing conspiracy-mongers took a word here or there from some of the emails and spun them into allegations that Clinton and Podesta were involved in a Satanic cult and were running a child sex slavery ring out of a Washington pizza parlour. That might be funny, were it not for the fact that the restaurant and nearby establishments have been deluged with death threats and one guy took it seriously enough to drive to DC with his assault rifle over the weekend in an attempt to "rescue" the children he thought were being held in the restaurant's basement.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Muslims respond to hate letters: "You're not going to scare us"</b>
(CNN)The author addressed the letter "to the children of Satan" and called Muslims "a vile and filthy people."
"There's a new sheriff in town," the letter said, "President Donald Trump."
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An anonymous group calling itself "Americans for a Better Way" has sent a letter to at least five California mosques and another one in Georgia, according to the Council for Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim advocacy group.
"He's going to do to you Muslims what Hitler did to the jews [sic]," the letter said. "You muslims [sic] would be wise to pack your bags and get out of Dodge."
http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/28/us/mosques-receive-hate-letters/index.html</span></span> </span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Like Americans and Trump, Some Germans Weren’t Fooled by Hitler’s Populism Either</b><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">
http://www.politicususa.com/2016/12/03/trump-germans-fooled-hitlers-populism.html
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As you can see from the 1932 photo montage above, not all Germans were fooled by Hitler. The caption reads, at the top, “The Meaning of the Hitler Salute,” and if you travel down the page, below the image representing big corporations handing Hitler “millions” it says, “Millions Stand Behind Me!” Below that, “Little man asks for big gifts.”
Well. We’re all familiar with that, aren’t we? We’re seeing it right now in the forming Trump administration. Hitler, like Trump, was the choice of his nation’s 1 Percent. Industrial magnate Fritz Thiessen (you may have ridden in his company’s elevators) was an early donor. So was Krupp, whose name is found in those same elevators (the companies merged in 1999).
It hardly matters that these 1 percenters thought to use Hitler, or that he ended up using them instead. The point is that Hitler, like Trump, used populism to gain power while being funded and supported by the corporate power structure that has for so long suppressed the little guy. It is no coincidence that Trump, like Hitler, dislikes labor unions.</span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Noam Chomsky: Trump's Victory Recalls Memories of Hitler & Fascism's Spread Across Europe</b>
https://www.democracynow.org/2016/12/6/noam_chomsky_trumps_victory_recalls_memories
Trump isn’t Hitler. But the United States could be another Germany.
Here’s what President-elect Donald Trump has been doing after the election
Still, the reference to Weimar is apt, not because Trump is another Hitler but because the United States might be another Germany.
Weimar is the charming German city that gave its name to the parliamentary democracy that was created following World War I and which Hitler crushed in 1933. It was never a robust democracy, but it nevertheless was the government of Europe’s most important — and, in many ways, advanced — country. Berlin in the early 1930s was a tolerant and liberal city. Many a Hollywood filmmaker got a start in Berlin. I cite Billy Wilder — “Some Like It Hot,” “Double Indemnity,” “Sunset Boulevard” — for one.
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In a relative snap of the fingers, all that changed. Weimar’s intellectuals, artists, actors, writers, architects (Bauhaus) and others fled. The precipitating event was, of course, Hitler’s appointment as German chancellor. That was Jan. 30, 1933. Almost exactly a month later, the German parliament building, the Reichstag, was consumed by fire. A Dutch communist, Marinus van der Lubbe, was accused of setting it. (He was subsequently guillotined.) Hitler, declaring a vast communist threat, asked President Paul von Hindenburg for emergency powers. He got them. He kept them until he died.
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">Here is the relevance of Weimar. Trump has shown a daunting disregard or ignorance of the Constitution and of law. Regarding the use of torture, he has said that the military must follow his orders — even if they are illegal. More recently, he declared that flag-burning should be a crime and that flag burners be punished by “perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail.” The remark was one of his off-the-cuff inanities — since 1989, flag-burning has been protected political speech, and citizenship, we’d like to think, is forever. The tweet — so few words, so much meaning — spoke to Trump’s abysmal lack of knowledge but, more important, contained an emotional truth. Trump despises dissent and often reacts emotionally to setbacks or challenges.
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Last week on MSNBC’s “All In with Chris Hayes,” a guest mentioned the new unmentionable: Weimar. The guest was Bob Garfield, a liberal media critic, and he was discussing Donald Trump. Hayes was mildly disapproving of the reference. “I tend to stay away from Weimar comparisons for a variety of reasons,” he said. That would make sense if only Trump himself did not constantly bring them to mind.
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I must stop right here to emphasize what I will not be saying. I will not be calling Trump a fascist. I will not be saying he’s an anti-Semite because, manifestly, he is not. I will not be smearing him with the clear bigotry of some of his supporters, although I fault him for not slapping down the haters with more energy. Still, the reference to Weimar is apt, not because Trump is another Hitler but because the United States might be another Germany.
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Weimar is the charming German city that gave its name to the parliamentary democracy that was created following World War I and which Hitler crushed in 1933. It was never a robust democracy, but it nevertheless was the government of Europe’s most important — and, in many ways, advanced — country. Berlin in the early 1930s was a tolerant and liberal city. Many a Hollywood filmmaker got a start in Berlin. I cite Billy Wilder — “Some Like It Hot,” “Double Indemnity,” “Sunset Boulevard” — for one.
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[Trump is the Old Faithful of fake news, and that can cause real damage]
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In a relative snap of the fingers, all that changed. Weimar’s intellectuals, artists, actors, writers, architects (Bauhaus) and others fled. The precipitating event was, of course, Hitler’s appointment as German chancellor. That was Jan. 30, 1933. Almost exactly a month later, the German parliament building, the Reichstag, was consumed by fire. A Dutch communist, Marinus van der Lubbe, was accused of setting it. (He was subsequently guillotined.) Hitler, declaring a vast communist threat, asked President Paul von Hindenburg for emergency powers. He got them. He kept them until he died.
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Here is the relevance of Weimar. Trump has shown a daunting disregard or ignorance of the Constitution and of law. Regarding the use of torture, he has said that the military must follow his orders — even if they are illegal. More recently, he declared that flag-burning should be a crime and that flag burners be punished by “perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail.” The remark was one of his off-the-cuff inanities — since 1989, flag-burning has been protected political speech, and citizenship, we’d like to think, is forever. The tweet — so few words, so much meaning — spoke to Trump’s abysmal lack of knowledge but, more important, contained an emotional truth. Trump despises dissent and often reacts emotionally to setbacks or challenges.
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Now, ask yourself what might happen if there were a huge terrorist incident on American soil. Might this man of little knowledge and no restraint attempt to suspend civil liberties? (After all, even Abraham Lincoln did.) His instinctive reaction to flag-burning was all wrong. In addition, he holds the Nixonian view that the law is what he says it is. The courts have time and time again ruled otherwise.
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Yet, I wonder if a compliant Congress and an even more compliant American people would balk at giving Trump any emergency power he seeks. His election was a stunner — an eruption of anger and resentment that is putting an epochally unqualified man in the White House. So great was the urge to trash the status quo that Trump’s lying, bragging, cheating, insulting and breathtaking ignorance did not disqualify him. Indeed, his very unsuitableness for the presidency immensely credentialed him. He is loved by many because he is loathed by others.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trump-isnt-hitler-but-the-united-states-could-be-another-germany/2016/12/05/9f026004-bb15-11e6-91ee-1adddfe36cbe_story.html</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span><br />
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<b>Alt-Right Exults in Donald Trump’s Election With a Salute: ‘Heil Victory’</b>
www.nytimes.com/2016/11/21/us/alt-right-salutes-donald-trump.html
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But now his tone changed as he began to tell the audience of more than 200 people, mostly young men, what they had been waiting to hear. He railed against Jews and, with a smile, quoted Nazi propaganda in the original German. America, he said, belonged to white people, whom he called the “children of the sun,” a race of conquerors and creators who had been marginalized but now, in the era of President-elect Donald J. Trump, were “awakening to their own identity.”
As he finished, several audience members had their arms outstretched in a Nazi salute. When Mr. Spencer, or perhaps another person standing near him at the front of the room — it was not clear who — shouted, “Heil the people! Heil victory,” the room shouted it back.
These are exultant times for the alt-right movement, which was little known until this year, when it embraced Mr. Trump’s campaign and he appeared to embrace it back. He chose as his campaign chairman Stephen K. Bannon, the media executive who ran the alt-right’s most prominent platform, Breitbart News, and then named him as a senior adviser and chief strategist....
“America was, until this last generation, a white country designed for ourselves and our posterity,” Mr. Spencer thundered. “It is our creation, it is our inheritance, and it belongs to us.”</span></span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Swedish Nazi group hails Trump in largest demo yet</b>
http://www.thelocal.se/20161112/swedish-nazis-hail-trump-in-largest-ever-demonstration</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Congress Has Removed a Ban on Funding Neo-Nazis From Its Year-End Spending Bill</b>
Under pressure from the Pentagon, Congress has stripped the spending bill of an amendment that prevented funds from falling into the hands of Ukrainian neo-fascist groups.
https://www.thenation.com/article/congress-has-removed-a-ban-on-funding-neo-nazis-from-its-year-end-spending-bill/</span></span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>We Demand by Joseph Goebbels "Therefore we demand homes for German soldiers and workers. If there is not enough money to build them, drive the foreigners out so that Germans can live on German soil." "Germany for the Germans!"</b>
http://research.calvin.edu/german-propaganda-archive/angrif05.htm </span></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>“We will stop apologising for America, and we will start celebrating America.” Donald Trump</b> "anti-immigration speech"
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/sep/01/donald-trump-american-patriotism-schools-immigration</span></span> </span></span></span><br />
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<b> Goodbye, American neoliberalism. A new era is here</b>
Cornel West
Trump’s election was enabled by the policies that overlooked the plight of our most vulnerable citizens. We gird ourselves for a frightening future
The neoliberal era in the United States ended with a neofascist bang. The political triumph of Donald Trump shattered the establishments in the Democratic and Republican parties – both wedded to the rule of Big Money and to the reign of meretricious politicians.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/nov/17/american-neoliberalism-cornel-west-2016-election
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Europe's Darkening Hour? Populist Movement Smacks of Fascist Past</b>
http://www.newsweek.com/europe-populist-movement-smacks-fascist-past-523093
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>How Hitler Tackled Unemployment And Revived Germany’s Economy</b>
http://www.ihr.org/other/economyhitler2011.html repression, destruction of unions,concentration camp</span></span></span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>“The racist, fascist extreme right is represented footsteps from the Oval Office”: Republicans warn of Trump presidency</b>
http://www.salon.com/2016/11/15/the-racist-fascist-extreme-right-is-represented-footsteps-from-the-oval-office-republicans-warn-of-trump-presidency/
http://www.salon.com/2016/11/14/steve-bannon-runs-an-anti-semitic-website-is-a-misogynist-and-will-be-one-of-donald-trumps-senior-advisors/
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Anti-Defamation League: Trump Ad Invokes Anti-Semitic Tropes</b>
http://www.nbcnews.com/card/anti-defamation-league-trump-ad-invokes-anti-semitic-tropes-n678686 </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Steve Bannon: appointment of 'white nationalist' must be reversed, critics declare</b> https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/14/steve-bannon-white-house-racism-fear
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>How Donald Trump's New Campaign Chief Created an Online Haven for White Nationalists</b>
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/08/stephen-bannon-donald-trump-alt-right-breitbart-news
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Trump Foundation Took Donations From Controversial Ukrainian Clinton Donor</b>
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/trump-foundation-donations-controversial-ukrainian-clinton-donor/story?id=43728278</span></span></span></span></span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Steve Bannon Will Lead Trump’s White House </b> November 26, 2016
http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/steve-bannon-will-lead-trumps-white-house
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When Bannon has been asked about these racist and anti-Semitic appeals, he has insisted, implausibly, that he favors nationalism, not white nationalism. “If you look at the identity movements over there in Europe, I think a lot of [them] are really ‘Polish identity’ or ‘German identity,’ not racial identity,” he told Posner. “It’s more identity toward a nation-state or their people as a nation.” Bannon sees those European movements as allies, and has cultivated ties with far-right parties in the U.K., France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy. The first foreign political leader who President-elect Trump met with was Nigel Farage, a friend of Bannon who attended the Republican National Convention and campaigned with Trump in Mississippi, in July. Marine Le Pen, the leader of France’s far-right National Front, who is running for President, has already cited Trump’s victory as a harbinger of her own. Her niece, Marion Maréchal-Le Pen, a member of the French parliament, tweeted, “I answer yes to the invitation of Stephen Bannon, CEO of @realDonaldTrump presidential campaign, to work together.”
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The elevation of Bannon to a powerful position in the White House is an epochal event in American politics, one that has been condemned by the N.A.A.C.P., the A.D.L., and many Democratic leaders, including Harry Reid, whose spokesman said in a statement, “President-elect Trump’s choice of Steve Bannon as his top aide signals that White Supremacists will be represented at the highest levels in Trump’s White House.” The Republican consultant John Weaver, who advises Ohio Governor John Kasich, tweeted, “Just to be clear news media, the next president named a racist, anti-semite as the co-equal of the chief of staff.” Weaver also wrote, “The racist, fascist extreme right is represented footsteps from the Oval Office. Be very vigilant America.” William Kristol, the editor of the conservative Weekly Standard, asked on Twitter, “Is there precedent for such a disreputable & unstable extremist in [White House] senior ranks before Bannon?”</span></span></span> </span></span></span><br />
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<b>I Was Raised In A Cult. Here’s My Advice For Trump’s New World.</b>
For the past half-year, I’ve watched some of the scariest parts of my childhood reality play out.
....I grew up in a dogmatic, narrow-minded world that hated outsiders. My fundamentalist group called itself “The Church.” Everyone outside us was in “The World.”
Our new president’s campaign said anyone who disagrees with him is “bad.” In the, apparent “better world” he was offering, at least pre-election, his opponents should be put in prison and “bad hombres”— based on his determination of who that is — should be shipped out. Guantanamo should be kept open and anyone “not a good guy, trust me,” again, according to him, should be tossed in.
Just like back in my fundamentalist group. <span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">
But as a former member of an extremist mindset, let me tell you: Your leader reminds me of my own former one, and he was a dangerous fraud. He didn’t bring about the change you are rooting for. He did not make our lives better.He was lying. He was using us. Your leader might also endanger you, us, and every freedom our collective constitution, left or right, Christian or Muslim, black or white is built on, while telling you that he is honoring that very same....
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/i-was-raised-in-a-cult-like-trumps-heres-my-advice-for-a-new-world_us_583c7ab9e4b0c2ab94436c31</span></span> </span></span></span><br />
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<b>Hate Crimes Are Rising But Don't Expect Them to be Prosecuted</b>
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">Most aren't even reported to law enforcement.
Last week, the FBI announced there were 5,850 hate crimes in 2015—a 7 percent increase over the year before.
Brian Levin is concerned that federal enforcement of the hate crimes act could weaken during a Trump administration, with his nomination of Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) for attorney general. "I think it remains a legitimate question as to how vigorous Mr. Sessions will be in prosecuting a statute that he was one of the chief opponents of," Levin says.
Sessions' nomination has already been contested by civil rights groups because of a series of racist comments he reportedly made early in his career. He was also a strong opponent of the federal hate crimes act. .
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/11/heres-why-hate-crimes-are-so-hard-prosecute</span></span> </span></span></span><br />
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<b>After the Election, Trump Maintains His Bizarre Relationship with Conspiracy-Pushing Website</b>
His claim of millions of illegal votes is straight from the 9/11 truthers of "Infowars."
On the Sunday after Thanksgiving, as part of a multi-tweet rant against Green Party candidate Jill Stein's recount effort in Wisconsin (and perhaps Michigan and Pennsylvania), President-elect Donald Trump questioned the integrity of the 2016 election.
In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016
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Trump won 306 Electoral College votes to Clinton's 232 (Michigan's 16 were called for him today); so his victory was not exactly a landslide. But the bigger lie was that "millions" of people voted illegally, for which there is no evidence. Clinton's lead of more than 2 million votes in the popular vote, and her campaign's recent announcement that it would participate in the recount organized by Stein, seemed to have inspired yesterday's tweet. But its origins trace back to a right-wing conspiracy theory that began to take hold shortly after the election.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/11/trump-alex-jones-conspiracy-illegal-votes</span></span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>'Make America White Again': Hate speech and crimes post-election</b>
Fears of heightened bigotry and hate crimes have turned into reality for some Americans after Donald Trump's presidential win. And the list of incidents keeps growing.
The Southern Poverty Law Center counted more than 700 cases of hateful harassment or intimidation in the United States between November 9 and November 16.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/10/us/post-election-hate-crimes-and-fears-trnd/</span> </span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Both The US And UK Have Made It A Lot Easier Now To Spy On Their Own Citizens</b> A rule is set to go into effect in the US on Thursday that would give the government vast hacking powers, while the British government just passed legislation that legalized mass surveillance.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/sheerafrenkel/both-the-us-and-uk-have-made-it-a-lot-easier-now-to-spy-on-t</span>
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Rule 41, officially known as the Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 41, goes into effect on Dec. 1 unless a last-ditch effort by Senators Wyden, Coons, and Daines on Wednesday succeeds in delaying the bill by three months. The senators, who were part of earlier efforts to delay the bill, have warned that the proposed changes to Rule 41 by the Supreme Court would broaden the government’s ability to hack into personal devices such as computers or smartphones.</span>
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“This rule change would give the government unprecedented authority to hack into Americans’ personal devices. This was an alarming proposition before the election,” Senator Ron Wyden said in an emailed statement to BuzzFeed News. “Today, Congress needs to think long and hard about whether to hand this power to [FBI Director] James Comey and the administration of someone who openly said he wants the power to hack his political opponents the same way Russia does.”</span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Turnkey Tyranny</b>
http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2016/11/the-snowden-movie-illustrates-why-im-so-pessimistic-about-the-future/</span>
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">What is troubling is that for all of Trump’s incoherent campaign promises, the one thing that he is fairly consistent on is that he does not appear to respect the norms of democracy, and that he has, at the very least, some authoritarian tendencies that could threaten the foundations of western democracy.
Snowden did the world a great service by revealing the extent of American surveillance apparatus - and yet the reaction of politicians both in America and abroad has been to continue on with business as usual. In the UK, as GCHQ’s role in bulk surveillance was exposed by Snowden, MPs voted to legitimate it rather than dismantle it.
President Obama has given no indication that he thinks there should be any reforms and just the other day, he implied that he won’t pardon Snowden before he leaves office. And despite the political earthquake Trump’s victory has caused, despite the hopes of fellow whistleblower Bill Binney, this appears to be one area where the status quo will remain, if not get worse. Trump’s pick for a new CIA director has previously suggested that Snowden should be executed. I do not expect Trump to turn out to have secretly been a liberal all along.
I’d love to end on a positive note but sadly, I’m struggling to see any. A man who does not accept democratic norms is about to take the reins of the most powerful surveillance apparatus ever constructed. Politicians don’t seem to care. And there are now seemingly only trivial checks and balances on what he could do with the system.</span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Trump: The Choice We Face</b>
Masha Gessen
https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2016/11/27/trump-realism-vs-moral-politics-choice-we-face/</span>
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I grew up knowing that my great-grandfather smuggled guns into the Bialystok ghetto for the resistance, which staged an armed uprising there in August 1943. As an adult, researching a book about collaboration and resistance, using my own family history, I found out why my great-grandfather had been in a position to arm the resistance: he was one of the leaders of the Bialystok Judenrat, the Nazi-appointed Jewish council that ran the ghetto.</span>
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My great-grandfather’s story was at once an extreme and a typical example. Criminal regimes function in part by forcing the maximum number of subjects to participate in the atrocities. For nearly a century, individuals in various parts of the Western world have struggled with the question of how, and how much, we should engage politically and personally with governments that we find morally abhorrent.</span>
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With the election of Donald Trump—a candidate who has lied his way into power, openly embraced racist discourse and violence, toyed with the idea of jailing his opponents, boasted of his assaults on women and his avoidance of taxes, and denigrated the traditional checks and balances of government—this question has confronted us as urgently as ever. After I wrote a piece about surviving autocracy, a great many people have asked me about one of my proposed rules: “Do not compromise.” What constitutes compromise? How is it possible to avoid it? Why should one not compromise?....</span>
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Realism is predicated on predictability: it assumes that parties have clear interests and will act rationally to achieve them. This is rarely true anywhere, and it is patently untrue in the case of Trump. He ran a campaign unlike any in memory, has won an election unlike any in memory, and has so far appointed a cabinet unlike any in memory: racists, Islamophobes, and homophobes, many of whom have no experience relevant to their new jobs. Patterns of behavior characteristic of former presidents will not help predict Trump’s behavior. As for his own patterns, inconsistency and unreliability are among his chief characteristics....</span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Frightened by Donald Trump? You don’t know the half of it</b>
Many of his staffers are from an opaque corporate misinformation network. We must understand this if we are to have any hope of fighting back against them
Wednesday 30 November 2016</span>
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Yes, Donald Trump’s politics are incoherent. But those who surround him know just what they want, and his lack of clarity enhances their power. To understand what is coming, we need to understand who they are. I know all too well, because I have spent the past 15 years fighting them.
Trump’s climate denial is just one of the forces that point towards war
Over this time, I have watched as tobacco, coal, oil, chemicals and biotech companies have poured billions of dollars into an international misinformation machine composed of thinktanks, bloggers and fake citizens’ groups. Its purpose is to portray the interests of billionaires as the interests of the common people, to wage war against trade unions and beat down attempts to regulate business and tax the very rich. Now the people who helped run this machine are shaping the government.</span>
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I first encountered the machine when writing about climate change. The fury and loathing directed at climate scientists and campaigners seemed incomprehensible until I realised they were fake: the hatred had been paid for. The bloggers and institutes whipping up this anger were funded by oil and coal companies....
Charles and David Koch – who for years have funded extreme pro-corporate politics – might not have been enthusiasts for Trump’s candidacy, but their people were all over his campaign. Until June, Trump’s campaign manager was Corey Lewandowski, who like other members of Trump’s team came from a group called Americans for Prosperity (AFP).
This purports to be a grassroots campaign, but it was founded and funded by the Koch brothers. It set up the first Tea Party Facebook page and organised the first Tea Party events. With a budget of hundreds of millions of dollars, AFP has campaigned ferociously on issues that coincide with the Koch brothers’ commercial interests in oil, gas, minerals, timber and chemicals.</span>
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In Michigan, it helped force through the “right to work bill”, in pursuit of what AFP’s local director called “taking the unions out at the knees”. It has campaigned nationwide against action on climate change. It has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into unseating the politicians who won’t do its bidding and replacing them with those who will.
I could fill this newspaper with the names of Trump staffers who have emerged from such groups: people such as Doug Domenech, from the Texas Public Policy Foundation, funded among others by the Koch brothers, Exxon and the Donors Trust; Barry Bennett, whose Alliance for America’s Future (now called One Nation) refused to disclose its donors when challenged; and Thomas Pyle, president of the American Energy Alliance, funded by Exxon and others. This is to say nothing of Trump’s own crashing conflicts of interest. Trump promised to “drain the swamp” of the lobbyists and corporate stooges working in Washington. But it looks as if the only swamps he’ll drain will be real ones, as his team launches its war on the natural world....
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/nov/30/donald-trump-george-monbiot-misinformation</span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Should we even go there? Historians on comparing fascism to Trumpism</b>
Recent events around the world have prompted debate about the historical parallels between our times and the period preceding the second world war
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/dec/01/comparing-fascism-donald-trump-historians-trumpism
Last Thursday, an 89-year-old Auschwitz survivor recorded a video which promptly went viral. She compared “the humiliation, the demonization of others” and “the attempt to bring out the worst traits in people” in contemporary Austrian politics to her own experience of fascism. Gertrude – her last name has been withheld – lost her entire family in the Holocaust. Her testimony has now been watched more than three million times.</span>
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On Sunday, Gertrude’s compatriots will vote for their next president. Norbert Hofer, the far-right candidate whose anti-immigration party was set up by a former SS officer, looks set to win.
Across Europe, a wave of hyper-nationalist politicians is threatening to splinter the European Union, with Geert Wilders in the Netherlands and Marine Le Pen in France waiting in the wings. In the US, many Americans are still figuring out how they’re going to face the next four years of a president elected after a campaign built on racism, anti-intellectualism, misogyny and truth distortion; his suggestion of a register for Muslims horrified many. It also prompted comparisons – some of them lazy, some of them astute – between the 1930s and now.
Against this backdrop, Volker Ullrich’s timely recent account of Hitler’s rise to power, Hitler: Ascent 1889-1939, has received critical acclaim and prompted considerable debate about the historical parallels between our times and that of the pre-war period. It also raises questions about whether history can teach us how to rewrite our own script....</span>
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Making Germany great again</b>
“There are certain traits you can recognize that Hitler and Trump have in common,” Ullrich says. “I would say the egomania, the total egocentricity of both men, and the inclination to mix lies and truth – that was very characteristic of Hitler.”
Like Trump, “Hitler exploited peoples’ feelings of resentment towards the ruling elite.” He also said he would make Germany great again. Ullrich also notes both men’s talent at playing the media, making use of new technology and their propensity for stage effects.
Ullrich, however, is keen to highlight how they differ. “I think the differences are still greater than the similarities,” he says....</span>
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Trump was also democratically elected, while Hitler never had a majority vote. “He was appointed by the president of the German Reich.” Then there’s the fact that Trump does not lead a party “which is unconditionally committed to him”.
“A further obvious difference is that Trump doesn’t have a private militia, as Hitler did with the SA, which he used in his first months after coming to power to settle scores with his opponents, like the Communists and Social Democrats. You can’t possibly imagine something similar with Trump – that he’ll be locking Democrats up into concentration camps. Even Hillary Clinton, who he threatened to send to prison – that was just an empty threat, he’s not going to do that.”....</span>
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“Hitler profited from the fact that his opponents always underestimated him,” Ullrich explains. “His conservative allies in government assumed they could tame or ‘civilise’ him – that once he became chancellor he’d become vernünftig (meaning sensible, reasonable). Very quickly it became clear that was an illusion.”....
At the same time, Hitler’s ascent was no mere fluke. “There were powerful forces in the big industries, but also in the landowning class and the armed forces, which approved of a fascist solution to the crisis.”....
Schama is clear: Trump is obviously not Hitler. “But, you know, if you like, he’s an entertainment fascist, which may be less sinister but is actually in the end more dangerous. If you’re not looking for jackboots and swastikas – although swastikas are indeed appearing – there’s a kind of laundry list of things which are truly sinister and authoritarian and not business as usual.”....</span>
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Schama also points to deeply worrying messaging, such as “the parallel universe of lies which are habitual, massive, cumulative”; the criminalization of political opponents; the threat to change the libel laws against the press and the demonization of different racial and ethnic groups, going as far as proposing a Muslim registry.
“What is that if it’s not racially authoritarian?” asks Schama. “If you want to call it fascist, fine. I don’t really care if it’s called that or not. It’s authoritarian, you know, ferociously authoritarian.”....</span> </span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Don’t ignore what people vote for</b>
If you’re of German heritage, it’s hard to understand how so many people could have bought Mein Kampf and gone on to vote for Hitler. Maybe no one really read it, or got beyond the first few pages of bluster, or took antisemitism seriously, you tell yourself....
“I think one of the mistakes this time around would be not to think that the people who voted for Trump were serious. They may have been serious for different reasons, but it would be a big mistake not to try and figure out what their reasons were.”....</span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Beware the rise of the surveillance state</b>
“The Gestapo was piddling compared with the size and reach of surveillance equipment and operations today,” says Mazower.
“Very belatedly, everyone is waking up to the fact that there was a general assumption that no government in the west would fall into the wrong hands, that it was safe to acquiesce in this huge expansion of surveillance capabilities, and the debate wasn’t as vigorous as it could have been.”
“Now, there is a lot of discussion about allowing this kind of surveillance apparatus in the wrong hands,” he adds. “And we’ve woken up to this a bit late in the day.”....</span>
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Ullrich calls crises, “the elixir of rightwing populists”, and urges that politicians “do everything they can to correct the inequalities and social injustice which have arisen in the course of extreme financial capitalism in western countries”.....</span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Don’t normalize fear, intimidation and self-censorship</b>
Paranoia, bullying and intimidation are a hallmark of authoritarian regimes. They are also alive and well in our culture today, where online trolls, violent thugs at rallies, threats of expensive libel action and of course terrorist acts are equally effective in getting individuals and the press to self-censor.
“You just have to call this out,” says Schama. “It requires government. Trump should have repudiated the Ku Klux Klan. Not just left it out there. It requires responsible, moral, aggressive repudiation....</span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Trump and Fascism. A View from the Past</b>
http://www.historyworkshop.org.uk/trump-and-fascism-a-view-from-the-past/
Is Trump a fascist? Let’s start with another question: why do we want to know? Is it simply to stick him with the most damning political label available? Or is it because his ideas, his actions, his support really put him in the same genus as the fascist movements and regimes of interwar Europe?</span>
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For months, historians of the twentieth century have been looking nervously at Trump and asking what tools we have to understand the man, his popular appeal and his backers – and to measure the danger he represents. Against my own better judgment, I have been spotting Mussolini in this gesture or turn of phrase, Hitler in that one; I have been watching the manipulated interactions of speaker with audience, the hyperbolic political emotions, the narcissistic masculinity, the unbridled threats, the conversion of facile fantasies and malignant bigotries into eternal verities, the vast, empty promises, the breath-taking lies. A whole repertoire seems to have returned us to the fascisms of interwar Europe, acted out by a man whose vanity is equalled only by his ignorance. But has it?....</span>
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The poster-child for political and constitutional manipulations was Germany in 1933. There the 1919 constitution provided emergency powers for rule by decree that had become familiar by use and misuse in the 1920s and early 1930s. When the Nazi seizure of power began in 1933, the weapons of the constitution were too easily turned against itself. It was decommissioned in all but name, taking all political and civil rights with it and turning power over to an unfettered executive.</span>
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In America, the constitution may be more robust, but it has already given away some of its protections. The leading edge of tyranny is the 2001 Patriot Act (twice reauthorized under Obama) which, among other things, authorizes the indefinite detention of immigrants suspected of terrorism and provides for the immunity of some FBI actions from judicial review. Reliance on the power of the constitution will not be enough to guide strategies of defence against tyranny. And one other point. The chaos of the transition suggests that this highly personalized movement, having turned its back on political convention, will introduce a dynamic disorganization into government that will put orderly decision-making at risk. Competing centres of power and distorted chains of command were endemic to fascist regimes, exposing unregulated spaces for radical forces to exploit....</span> </span></span></span><br />
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<b>Cornel West on Donald Trump: This is What Neo-Fascism Looks Like</b>
AMY GOODMAN: Well, your response to the election of Donald Trump and now the cabinet he is appointing around him?</span>
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CORNEL WEST: Well, I think he’s already betrayed working people in terms of making sure, in his view, that Wall Street is in the driver’s seat. And what I mean by that is that in an emerging neofascist moment, you have the rule of big business, which is big banks and big corporations. You scapegoat the most vulnerable. It could be Muslims, Mexicans, gay brothers, lesbian sisters, indigenous peoples, black peoples, jews, and so on. And then you also have militaristic orientations around the world. And so, you see the extension of the repressive apparatus, as those of us who hit the streets, those of us who will be — are willing to go to jail, we’ve had to recognize we’ll have more coming at us under Trump administration. But, the crucial thing is, is that he had talked about his connection with working people. And it’s clear that the one percent are still running things.</span>
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NERMEEN SHAIKH: But, you’ve also said, Dr. West, you just said that his administration will be neofascist. Could you explain? What do you mean by that, neofascist as opposed to fascist, and what the two mean?</span>
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CORNEL WEST: What neofascist — it’s an American style form of fascism. What I mean by that is we’ve had neoliberal rule from Carter to Obama. That neoliberal rule left in place a national security state. It left in place massive surveillance. It left in place the ability of the president to kill an American citizen with no due process. That’s Obama. That was the culmination of the neoliberal era. Now you get someone who is narcissistic — which is to say out of control psychologically — who is ideologically confused — which is to say, in over his head — and who does he choose? The most right wing reactionary zealots which lead toward the arbitrary deployment of law, which is what neofascism is, but to reinforce corporate interests, big bank interest, and to keep track of those of us who are cast as peoples of color, women, jews, Arabs, Muslims, Mexicans, and so forth, and so — So, this is one of the most frightening moments in the history of this very fragile empire and fragile republic.
https://www.democracynow.org/2016/12/1/cornel_west_on_donald_trump_this</span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Donald Trump to nominate James Mattis for secretary of defense</b><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">
http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/01/politics/james-mattis-trump-secretary-of-defense/
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">"We are going to appoint 'Mad Dog' Mattis as our secretary of defense.
But he attracted controversy in 2005 when he said "it's fun to shoot some people" while addressing service members in San Diego.
"General Mattis is a listrong, highly dignified man. I met with him at length and I asked him that question. I said, 'What do you think of waterboarding?'" Trump told The New York Times. "He said -- I was surprised -- he said, 'I've never found it to be useful.' He said,
'I've always found, give me a pack of cigarettes and a couple of beers and I do better with that than I do with torture.'"
"I'm not saying it changed my mind. Look, we have people that are chopping off heads and drowning people in steel cages and we're not allowed to waterboard," Trump said. But I'll tell you what, I was impressed by that answer."</span>
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Green Beret war hero accuses Trump pick Gen. James Mattis of 'leaving my men to die'</b>
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/green-beret-accuses-gen-mattis-leaving-men-die-article-1.2896433</span>
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">A green beret war hero says that Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, James Mattis, left his men to die after they were hit by friendly fire in Afghanistan.
Mattis’ mouth has gotten him into trouble in the past.
“You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn’t wear a veil. You know, guys like that ain’t got no manhood left anyway. So it’s a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them,” he said in 2005, comments that drew a public rebuke from his commander.</span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Democrats will botch the resistance against Trump</b>
Liberalism is not built for moments like these.
https://thinkprogress.org/democrats-will-botch-the-resistance-against-trump-1f8c211c7b68</span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>“If Hitler teaches us anything, it’s how swiftly democracy can be dismantled.”</b>
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/10/hitler-trump-putin-duterte/504545/
“If the case of Hitler teaches us anything,” he added, “it’s how swiftly democracy can be dismantled, when political institutions fail and civil society is too weak to compensate. The results can be catastrophic.”</span>
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Consider Ullrich’s view of the Trump-Hitler comparison. “There are certainly several character traits shared by Trump and Hitler,” Ullrich told me. “They include egotism, the tendency to confuse truth and falsehood, resentment of established elites, and their mutual talk of restoring the greatness of their respective countries. By the way, Hitler was also a multi-millionaire who successfully avoided paying taxes.”</span>
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Among the numerous differences, however, “Hitler was not only more intelligent. He had a lot more political tricks than Trump. Depending on the situation and social context, he knew how to don various masks and play various roles. He was not just an effective mass speaker, but also a very talented actor. That allowed him to win over various segments of society—not just the insecure middle classes, but parts of the working classes, wealthy bourgeois, and the aristocracy as well.”</span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Talking About Fascism Might Make You Sound Hysterical. Do It Anyway.</b>
http://www.thefader.com/2016/11/29/trump-hitler-fascism
A popular politician with the burgeoning NSDAP (known now as the Nazi Party), Hitler was appointed, not elected, to Chancellor. He was brought in to lead as part of a right-wing coalition that believed it could control his violent, virulent urges. The coalition partners were something along the line of opportunistic racists, Rosenfeld explained, who normalized anti-Semitism in order to gain voters “in a way that people are afraid that Steve Bannon is doing now.” But the conservative coalition never intended on letting Hitler run his agenda in full.</span>
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Amazingly quickly, though, all governmental checks on Hitler’s control fell away. In February of 1933, the governmental Reichstag building was burned down, most likely by a young Dutch communist. It was used as a pretext. Press outlets adversarial to the Nazis were shuttered, political opponents were thrown in makeshift concentration camps. “These were factory barracks, abandoned housing complexes,” Rosenfeld said. “The later organized concentration camps grew out of these improvised ones.”</span>
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Hitler’s next coup was pushing the Enabling Act through parliament in March. It gave him a four year dictatorial term, and effectively abolished the parliament.
“You can suspend all kind of civil liberties for the sake of national security,” Rosenfeld said. “Stripping people of certain rights is always a threat. That’s why people were so afraid of the Patriot Act. And after the Reichstag fire, there was a feeling that ‘we’re under assault.’”</span> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"> <span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">
<b>Kurt Weill - Berthold Brecht - Die Dreigroschenoper original 1930</b>
https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=TF_jtz0kP9s</span>
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Although Weill’s operas continued to be popular successes, Nazi protests frequently interfered with performances, and the pressure of working under such conditions was destroying his marriage as well. Theatre directors became ever more reluctant to stage his work.
Like many other artists in his situation, Weill repeatedly misread political developments, believing that things were bound to get better. Eventually he learned that he and his wife were officially on the Nazi blacklist and were due to be arrested, so in March 1933 he crossed the border to France, still hoping that his stay in Paris would be temporary. Weill’s continued collaboration with Brecht while in Paris was relatively unsuccessful, and soon after his marriage ended in divorce. He then left for the USA, where he hoped to rebuild his career. There, he was also re-united with his ex-wife Lenya.</span>
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Weill produced important works critiquing US optimism and the ‘American way of life’, and tackling such issues as the unequal distribution of wealth, segregation, and the effect of industrialisation on families.
http://holocaustmusic.ort.org/politics-and-propaganda/third-reich/weill-kurt/</span>
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>The Horrifying American Roots of Nazi Eugenics</b> http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/1796
Hitler and his henchmen victimized an entire continent and exterminated millions in his quest for a co-called "Master Race."</span>
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<b>But the concept of a white, blond-haired, blue-eyed master Nordic race didn't originate with Hitler. The idea was created in the United States, and cultivated in California, decades before Hitler came to power. California eugenicists played an important, although little known, role in the American eugenics movement's campaign for ethnic cleansing.</b></span>
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Eugenics was the racist pseudoscience determined to wipe away all human beings deemed "unfit," preserving only those who conformed to a Nordic stereotype. Elements of the philosophy were enshrined as national policy by forced sterilization and segregation laws, as well as marriage restrictions, enacted in twenty-seven states. In 1909, California became the third state to adopt such laws. Ultimately, eugenics practitioners coercively sterilized some 60,000 Americans, barred the marriage of thousands, forcibly segregated thousands in "colonies," and persecuted untold numbers in ways we are just learning. Before World War II, nearly half of coercive sterilizations were done in California, and even after the war, the state accounted for a third of all such surgeries.</span> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<b>Donald Trump chief strategist Steve Bannon wanted to limit vote to property owners</b>
Senior aide allegedly said it would be 'not such a bad thing' if millions of African-Americans lost right to vote
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/steve-bannon-donald-trump-chief-strategist-limit-vote-property-owners-a7463166.html</span>
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Donald Trump’s new chief strategist once suggested only property owners should be allowed to vote in US elections, according to reports.
Steve Bannon, who was appointed the President-elect’s senior adviser and chief strategist last month, also told former colleagues he believed some people were genetically superior, according to an interview in the New York Times.
A change to allow only homeowners to vote would mean millions of African-Americans and other ethnic minorities would lose the right to cast their ballot – something Mr Bannon allegedly said was not a bad thing.</span> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"> <span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">
<b>Donald Trump is actually a fascist</b>
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/donald-trump-is-actually-a-fascist/2016/12/09/e193a2b6-bd77-11e6-94ac-3d324840106c_story.html</span>
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">But now that we’ve seen a bit of him in action, it seems that Trump actually does have a recognizable agenda that explains how he simultaneously can pander to big business generally while “strong-arming” (the words of a Post editorial Friday) an air conditioning manufacturer to save a few hundred jobs for a while. Or how he can make nice with the authoritarian Vladimir Putin while making bellicose foreign policy noises in general. Or how he can blithely upset with a phone call the absurdly delicate balance of our relations with China and Taiwan. All this seemingly erratic behavior can be explained — if not justified — by thinking of Trump as a fascist. Not in the sense of an all-purpose bad guy, but in the sense of somebody who sincerely believes that the toxic combination of strong government and strong corporations should run the nation and the world. </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">He spent his previous career negotiating with the government on behalf of corporations; now he has switched teams. But it’s the same game.</span>
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The game has several names: “Corporate statism” is one. In Europe, they call it “dirigisme.” Those two other words for it — “Nazism” and “fascism” — are now beyond all respectability. It means, roughly, combining the power of the state with the power of corporations. At its mildest, it is intrusive regulations on business about parental leave and such. At its most toxic, it is concentration camps. In the 1930s, a few Americans (including a few liberals) bought into it. Pearl Harbor ended that argument. Even for Trump, “fascism” itself now is a dirty word, not just a policy choice. Even Trump would not use it — least of all about himself....</span>
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Now he plans to negotiate more “deals” and he thinks — because he can outfox some midlevel IRS auditors — that he can outfox the political and business leaders of the world. “The Art of the Deal” is not “Mein Kampf,” although “not ‘Mein Kampf’ ” isn’t much of an endorsement.
Just to be clear: If I’m correct that Trump actually has a governing philosophy, that’s a bad thing, not a good thing. If he actually has principles to guide him through those famous swamps he plans to drain, that’s alarming, not reassuring. Bad principles are not a good substitute for no principles. Four or eight years of bad principles may make no principles look pretty good.</span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Trump is an eerily perfect match with this famous 14-point guide to fascism</b>
https://www.rawstory.com/2016/12/trump-is-an-eerily-perfect-match-with-this-famous-14-point-guide-to-fascism/</span>
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In 1995, Umberto Eco, the late Italian intellectual giant and novelist most famous for The Name of the Rose, wrote a guide describing the primary features of fascism. As a child, Eco was a loyalist of Mussolini, an experience that made him quick to detect the markers of fascism later in life, when he became a revered public intellectual and political voice. Eco noted that fascism looks different in each incarnation, morphing with time and leadership, as “it would be difficult for [it] to reappear in the same form in different historical circumstances.” It is a movement without “quintessence.” Instead, it’s a sort of “fuzzy totalitarianism, a collage of different philosophical and political ideas, a beehive of contradictions,” he wrote.
Eco’s famous 14-point list outlines what the author dubbed “Ur-Fascism, or Eternal Fascism”—and it fits hand in glove the political persona created by Donald Trump. Hours after 60 million Americans voted to give the presidency....</span> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<b>1. The cult of tradition.</b>
Remind me when America was great, again? Was it during the eras of native people genocide, slavery, black lynchings as white entertainment, Japanese-American internment, or Jim Crow?
Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again,” is an expression of longing for an America in which black folks knew their place and gay people didn’t dare leave the closet....</span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>2. Rejection of modernism.</b>
Eco points out that this is not a rejection of modern technology, as much as modern ideas and thinking. “The Enlightenment, the Age of Reason, is seen as the beginning of modern depravity,” Eco writes. “In this sense Ur-Fascism can be defined as irrationalism.”
Trump denies the scientific truth of climate change, once tweeting it was “created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.”</span> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<b>3. The cult of action for action’s sake.</b>
Eco writes that “action being beautiful in itself, it must be taken before, or without, any previous reflection. Thinking is a form of emasculation.” This attitude goes hand in hand with “distrust of the intellectual world.” He continues, “The official Fascist intellectuals were mainly engaged in attacking modern culture and the liberal intelligentsia for having betrayed traditional values.”</span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>4. Opposition to analytical criticism; disagreement is treason.</b>
Trump attempts to quell the slightest criticism or dissent with vitriol and calls for violence. On the campaign trail, Trump encouraged his base’s mob mentality, promising to “pay for the legal fees” if they would “knock the crap” out of protesters.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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5. Exploiting and exacerbating the natural fear of difference.</b></span>
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“The first appeal of a fascist or prematurely fascist movement is an appeal against the intruders,” Eco notes. “Thus Ur-Fascism is racist by definition.”
Before he officially threw his hat into the ring, Trump courted bigots and racists furious about Obama’s wins by pushing the birther lie and attempting to delegitimize the first black president. The only coherent policy proposals Trump made during his run were those that appealed to white racial resentments, promising to end Muslim immigration, build a wall along the southern border to keep Mexicans out and retweeting white nationalists’ made-up statistics about black criminality. The cornerstone of Trump’s campaign was fear and bigotry, making him the preferred candidate of the KKK, David Duke and the white nationalist “alt-right.” Trump supporters have repeatedly denied that racism and xenophobia motivated their votes, but more than 900 hate crimes documented since the election suggest some correlation. So does the frequency with which Trump’s name appears in racist graffiti and is shouted by perpetrators of hate crimes.</span> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<b>6. Appeal to a frustrated middle class.</b>
Eco writes that fascism reaches out to “a class suffering from an economic crisis or feelings of political humiliation, and frightened by the pressure of lower social groups.”
Economic anxiety played a far smaller role in the election than the media has suggested; in fact, middle and upper-class white voters put Trump over the top. That said, Trump made overt appeals to whites who believe the American Dream is not so much slipping from their grasp as being snatched away by undeserving immigrants and other perceived outsiders. Trump made impossible promises to return manufacturing jobs and restore class and social mobility to a group of people nervous about falling down rungs on the ladder.
Trump, who immediately began hiring entrenched members of the Wall Street and Washington establishments he ran against and whose policies will largely benefit the very wealthy, took a page out of a Democrat’s book with this approach: “If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket,” President Lyndon B. Johnson famously stated. “Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he’ll empty his pockets for you.”</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<b>7. Obsession with a plot, possibly an international one.</b>
“To people who feel deprived of a clear social identity,” Eco writes, “their only privilege is the most common one, to be born in the same country. This is the origin of nationalism. Besides, the only ones who can provide an identity to the nation are its enemies. Thus at the root of the Ur-Fascist psychology there is the obsession with a plot, possibly an international one.”
Trump obviously appealed to racial and religious nationalist sentiments among a majority of white Americans by scapegoating Mexican and Muslim immigrants on issues of crime, job losses and terrorism. He pushed the idea that he would “put America first,” suggesting that Hillary Clinton would favor other nations over the U.S.</span> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<b>8. Followers must feel humiliated by the ostentatious wealth and force of their enemies.</b>
Trump conjured up a vision of America in a downward spiral, a nation fallen from its lofty position in the world to one deserving of shame and ridicule. He spent much of the campaign telling Americans they weren’t just losing, but had become the butt of an embarrassing worldwide joke.
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>9. Pacifism is trafficking with the enemy. It is bad because life is permanent warfare.</b>
For Trump, this holds true in both his personal and political lives. “If you look at wars over the years—and I study wars—my life is war,” Trump told Bill O’Reilly in an interview last year. It’s an odd view for someone who was given five draft deferments during the Vietnam War, but it jibes with Eco’s point.
Fellow billionaire Richard Branson recounts a story in which Trump said he would “spend the rest of his life destroying the lives” of people he felt had betrayed him. In The Art of the Deal, Trump bragged, “I love getting even.”</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<b>10. Popular elitism.</b>
Eco writes that under Ur-Fascism, “Every citizen belongs to the best people of the world, the members of the party are the best among the citizens…Since the group is hierarchically organized (according to a military model), every subordinate leader despises his own underlings, and each of them despises his inferiors. This reinforces the sense of mass elitism.”
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>12. Transfer of will to power to sexual matters.</b>
“This is the origin of machismo (which implies both disdain for women and intolerance and condemnation of nonstandard sexual habits, from chastity to homosexuality),” Eco writes.
We are well acquainted with Trump’s machismo, which like all machismo, is inseparable from his loudly broadcast misogyny. This is a man who defended the size of his penis in the middle of a nationally televised political debate. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>13. Selective populism.</b>
“Since no large quantity of human beings can have a common will,” Eco writes, “the Leader pretends to be their interpreter…There is in our future a TV or internet populism, in which the emotional response of a selected group of citizens can be presented and accepted as the Voice of the People.”
Eco’s two-decade-old prediction is uncanny. Trump, a fixture on social media and reality television, has mastered a kind of TV and internet populism that makes his voice one with the angry masses of his base. At the Republican National Convention, after a rant about the terrible, dystopian shape of the country, he designated himself the nation’s sole savior.
“I am your voice,” Trump said. “No one knows the system better than me. Which is why I alone can fix it.”
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>14. The use of Newspeak.</b>
“All the Nazi or Fascist schoolbooks made use of an impoverished vocabulary, and an elementary syntax, in order to limit the instruments for complex and critical reasoning,” Eco writes. “But we must be ready to identify other kinds of Newspeak, even if they take the apparently innocent form of a popular talk show.”
From the beginning, Trump’s supporters praised him as a “straight shooter” who “tells it like it is.” He sprinkled his rally speeches with swear words and rambled instead of sticking to a script or following a teleprompter. Within months, his Republican opponents were trying to follow his lead, but without the same wholesale disregard for gentility or convention. Trump picked up followers who equated his unpreparedness and empty rhetoric with authenticity.
“There is a defiance in the language which is part of his schtick,” Allan Louden, a Wake Forest University professor of political communication told the Toronto Star. “Less formal language signals one is an ‘outsider’ from the ones cussed out, an attribute golden in this election cycle.”
Trump also kept his sentences short and his words to as few syllables as possible. He repeated words he wanted to drive home, and punctuated his speech with phrases meant to have maximum effect. In lots of cases, a single quote contained multiple contradictory statements. The takeaway from a Trump speech was whatever the listener wanted to hear, which turned out to be a winning strategy. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b> ‘Rhetoric of fascism’ is rising in U.S. and Europe, says U.N. rights chief</b>
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/12/09/rhetoric-of-fascism-is-rising-in-u-s-and-europe-says-u-n-rights-chief/
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">“In some parts of Europe, and in the United States, anti-foreigner rhetoric full of unbridled vitriol and hatred, is proliferating to a frightening degree, and is increasingly unchallenged,” he said, adding that “the rhetoric of fascism is no longer confined to a secret underworld of fascists, meeting in ill-lit clubs or on the ‘Deep Net.’ It is becoming part of normal daily discourse.”
This includes President-elect Donald Trump's divisive campaign, which defied the predictions of pundits and polls while surfacing the enthusiastic support of a coterie of American neo-fascists, nativists and white supremacists who would otherwise remain in the obscure fringe of national politics.
Zeid fears that the right-wing mood of the moment in Europe and the United States, anchored in anger at the established liberal world order, threatens to unravel international norms that have guaranteed much of the peace and stability of the past century. Numerous European politicians have balked at aiding refugees, while figures within the Trump transition team have pushed policies on torture that flout the Geneva conventions.
“If the growing erosion of the carefully constructed system of human rights and rule of law continues to gather momentum, ultimately everyone will suffer,” said Zeid.
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>The architect behind the CIA's torture program blames 'political correctness' for why the US doesn't torture anymore</b>
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The United States' ban on waterboarding and other forms of torture qualifies as "political correctness," according to James Mitchell, a key figure behind the CIA's torture program.
To avoid catastrophe, Mitchell said, people have to make "hard decisions," and he condemned his critics for what he characterized as the hypocrisy of censuring enhanced interrogation methods while asking intelligence officers to keep Americans safe using whatever means necessary.
Mitchell has been harshly criticized by human rights advocates and the American Psychological Association for the tactics he and other interrogators employed while attempting to elicit information from suspected terrorists.
A 2014 Senate Intelligence Committee report on the CIA's torture program found that in addition to waterboarding, interrogators implemented rectal feeding, made threats of rape and murder against the families and children of terrorists, killed at least one prisoner by hypothermia, and forced some prisoners to play Russian Roulette. The report found that the tactics used had ultimately proved ineffective.
President-elect Donald Trump has said in the past that he would like to implement waterboarding and "a hell of a lot worse" because "torture works." Trump indicated in November that his pick for Secretary of Defense, Marine Gen. James Mattis, convinced him to rethink his stance on waterboarding.
http://www.aol.com/article/news/2016/12/10/the-architect-behind-the-cia-s-torture-program-blames-political/21624620/
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Women’s March on Washington Won’t Be Happening at the Lincoln Memorial</b>
The national monument has long been the site of historic protests
time.com/4595399/women-march-washington-lincoln-memorial
The Lincoln Memorial has been the site for many of the United States’ most historic rallies, from the civil rights and anti-Vietnam protests of the 1960s to the Million Man March in 1995. However, for the thousands of women planning to march on Washington following Donald Trump’s inauguration, the landmark won’t be available for rallying.
The National Park Service, on behalf of the Presidential Inauguration Committee, months ago reserved access to the landmark by filing a “massive omnibus blocking permit.” Permits for inaugural events have traditionally reserved most of the National Mall, Pennsylvania Avenue, the Washington Monument, and of course, the Lincoln Memorial, for days and weeks before, during, and after the inauguration, which will take place on Jan. 20, 2017.
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http://www.teenvogue.com/story/donald-trump-is-gaslighting-america
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">In this scorched-earth op-ed, Lauren Duca takes on Trump's systematic attempts to destabilize the truth and weaken the foundation of American freedom.
Trump won the Presidency by gas light. His rise to power has awakened a force of bigotry by condoning and encouraging hatred, but also by normalizing deception. Civil rights are now on trial, though before we can fight to reassert the march toward equality, we must regain control of the truth.
There is a long list of receipts when it comes to Trump's lies. With the help of PolitiFact, clear-cut examples of deception include Trump saying that he watched thousands of people cheering on 9/11 in Jersey City (police say there's no evidence of this), that the Mexican government forces immigrants into the U.S. (no evidence), that there are "30 or 34 million" immigrants in this country (there are 10 or 11 million), that he never supported the Iraq War (he told Howard Stern he did), that the unemployment rate is as high as "42 percent" (the highest reported rate is 16.4 percent), that the U.S. is the highest taxed country in the world (not true based on any metric of consideration), that crime is on the rise (it's falling, and has been for decades), and too many other things to list here
Trump has repeatedly attempted to undermine the press, including such well-respected publications as the New York Times. He has disseminated a wealth of unsubstantiated attacks on the media, though this baseless tweet from April pretty much sums it all up, "How bad is the New York Times -- the most inaccurate coverage constantly. Always trying to belittle. Paper has lost its way!"
As a candidate, Trump's gas lighting was manipulative, as President-elect it is a deliberate attempt to destabilize journalism as a check on the power of government. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>"The Big Lie": How Trump Uses Classic Authoritarian Propaganda Techniques</b>
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/37455-the-big-lie-how-trump-uses-classic-authoritarian-propaganda-techniques
It is clear that Trump, like Hitler, has organized a fervent mass movement outside of the conventional political party apparatuses. Like followers of European fascism in the 1930s, Trump's supporters over the years have suffered economic deprivation, political alienation, humiliation and a variety of hard times, and they appear to be looking for a political savior to help them out with their problems and to address their grievances.
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Certainly, Trump is not Hitler and his followers are not technically fascists, but I believe that the terms authoritarian populism and neofascism accurately describe Trump and his supporters. I have found that the theories of Erich Fromm and his fellow German-Jewish refugees known as the "Frankfurt School" provide an analysis of authoritarian populism that helps explicate Trump's character and his appeal to his followers. Authoritarian movements ranging from German and Italian fascism to the movement led by Franco in Spain to other dictatorships in Latin America and throughout the world have all featured authoritarian leaders and followers ready to submit to their demands. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">A closer look at Donald Trump reveals that he is similarly an authoritarian leader who has mobilized an authoritarian populist movement.
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Trump thus presents himself as a superhero who will magically restore the US to greatness, provide jobs and create incredible wealth, and restore the US to its rightful place as the world's superpower. In this fairy tale, the billionaire king will fight and destroy all the nation's domestic and foreign enemies and the superman will triumph and provide a happy ending for people in the US.
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While Trump plays the role of the Ubermensch (superman or higher man) celebrated by the Nazis and embodies their Fuhrerprinzip (leadership principle), Trump is a very American form of the superhero and lacks the party apparatus, advanced military forces and disciplined cadres that the Nazis used to seize and hold power. Like other right wing American populists, Trump bashes the Federal Reserve, the US monetary system, Wall Street hedge fund billionaires and neoliberal globalization, in the same fashion as Hitler who attacked German monopoly capitalism. But even as he ranted against monopoly capitalists, Hitler accepted big donations from German industrialists
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Yet, unlike classic dictators who are highly disciplined with a fixed ideology and party apparatus, Trump is chaotic and undisciplined, viciously attacking whoever dares criticize him in his daily Twitter feed or speeches, thus dominating the daily news cycles with his outrageous attacks on Mexicans, Muslims and immigrants, or politicians of both parties who dare to criticize him. Trump effectively used the broadcast media and social media to play the powerful demagogue who preys on his followers' rage, alienation and fears. Indeed, by March 2015 media companies estimated that Trump received far more media coverage than his Republican Party contenders, and by June, MarketWatch estimated that he had received $3 billion worth of free media coverage. Yet, at his whim, Trump bans news media from his rallies, including The Washington Post, if they publish criticisms that he doesn't like.
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Like followers of European fascism, Trump's authoritarian populist supporters are driven by rage: they are really angry at the political establishment and system, the media, economic elites and other elites. They are eager to support an anti-establishment candidate who claims to be an outsider (which is only partly true as Trump has been a member of the capitalist real estate industry for decades, following his father and has other businesses as well, many of which have failed). Trump provokes their rage with classic authoritarian propaganda techniques like the "big lie," when he repeats over and over that immigrants are pouring across the border and committing crime, that all his primary opponents, the media and Hillary Clinton are "big liars," and that he, Donald Trump is the only one telling the truth -- clearly the biggest lie of all.
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<b> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Is Donald Trump a Threat to Democracy?</b><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">
By STEVEN LEVITSKY and DANIEL ZIBLATT DEC. 16, 2016
www.nytimes.com/2016/12/16/opinion/sunday/is-donald-trump-a-threat-to-democracy.html
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The clearest warning sign is the ascent of anti-democratic politicians into mainstream politics. Drawing on a close study of democracy’s demise in 1930s Europe, the eminent political scientist Juan J. Linz designed a “litmus test” to identify anti-democratic politicians. His indicators include a failure to reject violence unambiguously, a readiness to curtail rivals’ civil liberties, and the denial of the legitimacy of elected governments.
Mr. Trump tests positive. In the campaign, he encouraged violence among supporters; pledged to prosecute Hillary Clinton; threatened legal action against unfriendly media; and suggested that he might not accept the election results.
It depends on how much of a backbone that the Republican congress can muster to determine whether or not Trump and his poorly educated...
Add to this Trump's cozy views of Putin. Through their partisanship and refrain, Trump has successfully enlisted Republicans in the House...
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This anti-democratic behavior has continued since the election. With the false claim that he lost the popular vote because of “millions of people who voted illegally,” Mr. Trump openly challenged the legitimacy of the electoral process. At the same time, he has been remarkably dismissive of United States intelligence agencies’ reports of Russian hacking to tilt the election in his favor.
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Mr. Trump is not the first American politician with authoritarian tendencies. (Other notable authoritarians include Gov. Huey Long of Louisiana and Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin.) But he is the first in modern American history to be elected president. This is not necessarily because Americans have grown more authoritarian (the United States electorate has always had an authoritarian streak). Rather it’s because the institutional filters that we assumed would protect us from extremists, like the party nomination system and the news media, failed.
Many Americans are not overly concerned about Mr. Trump’s authoritarian inclinations because they trust our system of constitutional checks and balances to constrain him.
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Yet the institutional safeguards protecting our democracy may be less effective than we think. A well-designed constitution is not enough to ensure a stable democracy — a lesson many Latin American independence leaders learned when they borrowed the American constitutional model in the early 19th century, only to see their countries plunge into chaos.
American democracy is not in imminent danger of collapse. If ordinary circumstances prevail, our institutions will most likely muddle through a Trump presidency. It is less clear, however, how democracy would fare in a crisis. In the event of a war, a major terrorist attack or large-scale riots or protests — all of which are entirely possible — a president with authoritarian tendencies and institutions that have come unmoored could pose a serious threat to American democracy. We must be vigilant. The warning signs are real. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>'THE WARNING SIGNS ARE REAL': New York Times column questions whether American democracy can survive Trump</b>
http://www.businessinsider.com/can-american-democracy-survive-trump-presidency-2016-12
Writers Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt laid out a particularly sobering assessment of the incoming president's authoritarian temperament and dismissal of political and social norms.
They arrived at this conclusion: "Mr. Trump is not the first American politician with authoritarian tendencies. ... But he is the first in modern American history to be elected president."
The authors attributed the rise of Trump to a decades-long breakdown of civility among America's elected officials. They cited legislative obstruction and "the decline of partisan restraint" as cracks that have weakened America's democratic foundation.
Comparing Trump to other authoritarian figures like former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, the late Hugo Chávez of Venezuela, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, The Times called Trump a "serial norm-breaker" who, among other things, routinely sidesteps journalists and news organizations whose job it is to publicly hold him to account.
The Times also described as potentially troubling Trump's penchant for delegitimizing anyone he perceives as a threat — including respected lawmakers who criticize him and US institutions he disagrees with. Trump often labeled his rivals as crooked, corrupt, and criminal while routinely sowing doubt in the election process itself. "Such extremism, once confined to the political fringes, has now moved into the mainstream," Levitsky and Ziblatt said.
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>A new poll shows an astonishing 52% of Republicans incorrectly think Trump won the popular vote</b>
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/12/18/a-new-poll-shows-an-astonishing-52-of-republicans-think-trump-won-the-popular-vote/
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Amid the speculation on whether the electoral college will refuse to make Donald Trump president, many Trump opponents are pinning their hopes on one glaring fact: Hillary Clinton’s sizable win in the popular vote.
Clinton’s lead now exceeds 2.8 million votes (more than 2.1 percent of the total vote) and continues to grow. Many Democrats hope this fact alone might persuade Republican electors to reject Trump in favor of some alternative.
But this hope faces a serious challenge: Half of all Republicans actually think Trump won the popular vote.
In a nationally representative online survey of 1,011 Americans conducted by Qualtrics between Dec. 6 and 12, we asked respondents, “In last month’s election, Donald Trump won the majority of votes in the electoral college. Who do you think won the most popular votes?”
Twenty-nine percent said Donald Trump won the popular vote. This is a slightly larger proportion than in a recent Pew survey in which 19 percent said Trump won the popular vote.
Respondents’ correct understanding of the popular vote depended a great deal on partisanship. A large fraction of Republicans — 52 percent — said Trump won the popular vote, compared with only 7 percent of Democrats and 24 percent of independents. Among Republicans without any college education, the share was even larger: 60 percent, compared with 37 percent of Republicans with a college degree.
people tended to overestimate the size of these groups: On average, respondents think 27 percent of Americans are black and 28 percent are Latino. (The correct answers as of 2015 are 13.3 percent and 17.6 percent.)
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Trump adds yet another billionaire to his team</b><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">
President-elect Donald Trump's band of billionaires keeps growing.
The latest addition to his team of ultra-rich administration officials is Vincent Viola, a New York businessman and NHL owner who was announced Monday as Trump's pick for secretary of the Army.
The civilian post serves under the defense secretary and is subject to Senate confirmation.
Viola's military bona fides include a degree from West Point and service as an infantry officer in the 101st Airborne Division. He joined the U.S. Army Reserve after active duty.
But he's better known for his time on Wall Street, where he amassed a fortune valued by Forbes at $1.8 billion.
http://money.cnn.com/2016/12/19/news/vinnie-viola-trump-billionaires/index.html
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Trump adds yet another billionaire to his team</b>
President-elect Donald Trump, who raged against the elite as a candidate, is populating his administration with the ultra-rich.
On Wednesday, he named billionaire Wilbur Ross, who has made a fortune cobbling together dying companies, as his commerce secretary, and Todd Ricketts, part of the billionaire family that owns the Chicago Cubs, as deputy commerce secretary.
Another billionaire, Betsy DeVos, is his pick for education secretary. By comparison, the vast wealth of millionaires Steven Mnuchin, the ex-banker tapped for Treasury secretary, and Mitt Romney, whom Trump is considering for secretary of state, looks almost paltry.
Unlike the boss, who as president will be exempt from most conflict of interest laws, these top administration figures will need to reckon with their financial entanglements before taking office. Federal law requires them to dump problematic assets or recuse themselves from certain matters.
money.cnn.com/2016/11/30/news/trump-cabinet-conflicts/
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Harsh political rhetoric, combined with the vulnerability of the nuclear command-and-control system, has made the risk of global catastrophe greater than ever.
http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/world-war-three-by-mistake
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On June 3, 1980, at about two-thirty in the morning, computers at the National Military Command Center, beneath the Pentagon, at the headquarters of the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD), deep within Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado, and at Site R, the Pentagon’s alternate command post center hidden inside Raven Rock Mountain, Pennsylvania, issued an urgent warning: the Soviet Union had just launched a nuclear attack on the United States. The Soviets had recently invaded Afghanistan, and the animosity between the two superpowers was greater than at any other time since the Cuban Missile Crisis.
U.S. Air Force ballistic-missile crews removed their launch keys from the safes, bomber crews ran to their planes, fighter planes took off to search the skies, and the Federal Aviation Administration prepared to order every airborne commercial airliner to land.
President Jimmy Carter’s national-security adviser, Zbigniew Brzezinski, was asleep in Washington, D.C., when the phone rang. His military aide, General William Odom, was calling to inform him that two hundred and twenty missiles launched from Soviet submarines were heading toward the United States. Brzezinski told Odom to get confirmation of the attack. A retaliatory strike would have to be ordered quickly; Washington might be destroyed within minutes. Odom called back and offered a correction: twenty-two hundred Soviet missiles had been launched.
Brzezinski decided not to wake up his wife, preferring that she die in her sleep. As he prepared to call Carter and recommend an American counterattack, the phone rang for a third time. Odom apologized—it was a false alarm. An investigation later found that a defective computer chip in a communications device at NORAD headquarters had generated the erroneous warning. The chip cost forty-six cents.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<b>Donald Trump believes he has superior genes, biographer claims</b>
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">Republican nominee follows 'racehorse theory' of genetics
Caroline Mortimer Friday 30 September 2016
Donald Trump has been accused of believing in the “racehorse theory” of genetics, which claims some people are genetically superior to others.
In an interview for US TV channel PBS, the Republican presidential nominee’s biographer Michael D’Antonio claimed the candidate's father, Fred Trump, had taught him that the family’s success was genetic.
He said: “The family subscribes to a racehorse theory of human development.
“They believe that there are superior people and that if you put together the genes of a superior woman and a superior man, you get a superior offspring.”
The theory, known as eugenics, first emerged during the 19th century and was used as a pretext for the sterilisation of disabled people until the practice was discredited after the Second World War.
Adolf Hitler’s justification for the Holocaust - in which 11 million people were killed, 6 million of them Jewish - was based on a similar theory of racial hierarchy.
The PBS documentary featured clips of Mr Trump on the campaign trial claiming that he “believes in the gene thing” and saying he had a “very high aptitude”....
He said: “Well I think I was born with the drive for success because I have a certain gene.
“I'm a gene believer... Hey, when you connect two race horses, you usually end up with a fast horse.
“I had a good gene pool from the standpoint of that, so I was pretty much driven.”...
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-president-superior-genes-pbs-documentary-eugenics-a7338821.html</span></span> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<b>This May Be The Most Horrible Thing That Donald Trump Believes</b>
And it just may be the master key to unlocking how he thinks.
09/28/2016
Marina Fang Associate Politics Editor, The Huffington Post
JM Rieger Producer, The Huffington Post
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has offered a litany of racist comments, which it turns out may be rooted in his deeper belief in the inherent superiority of some people ? and not others.
The Frontline documentary “The Choice,” which premiered this week on PBS, reveals that Trump agrees with the dangerous and abusive theory of eugenics.
Trump’s father instilled in him the idea that their family’s success was genetic, according to Trump biographer Michael D’Antonio.
“The family subscribes to a racehorse theory of human development,” D’Antonio says in the documentary. “They believe that there are superior people and that if you put together the genes of a superior woman and a superior man, you get a superior offspring.”
The Huffington Post dug back through the archives and found numerous examples of Trump suggesting that intellect and success are purely genetic qualities and that having “the right genes” gave him his “very good brain.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-eugenics_us_57ec4cc2e4b024a52d2cc7f9</span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Trump: I could 'shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose voters'</b>
By Jeremy Diamond, CNN Sun January 24, 2016
Sioux Center, Iowa (CNN)Donald Trump boasted Saturday that support for his presidential campaign would not decline even if he shot someone in the middle of a crowded street.
"I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose voters," Trump said at a campaign rally here.
After the event, Trump declined to answer when asked by CNN to clarify his comments.
The GOP front-runner has repeatedly pointed to the loyalty of his supporters, many of whom tell reporters and pollsters that almost nothing could make them change their mind about voting for Trump in the presidential race. http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/23/politics/donald-trump-shoot-somebody-support/
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Donald Trump has said he will rip up America’s commitments to the fight against climate change.</b> http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/climate-change-game-over-global-warming-climate-sensitivity-seven-degrees-a7407881.html </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Obama’s Christmas Gift to Trump: a Ministry of Truth</b>
US president Barack Obama signed the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act.
CFDAPA sets aside $160 million over two years to, among other things, “support local independent media to refute foreign disinformation and manipulation in their communities.” That is, to bribe local media to publish Washington’s disinformation and propaganda instead of disinformation and propaganda from foreign sources. Not an entirely new project — the Office of National Drug Control Policy has been paying Hollywood to lie to us about marijuana for decades now.
The CFDAPA’s purpose is to set the federal government up as the plenary arbiter of truth and to marginalize any and all narratives that don’t accord with whatever line gets pushed out of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. It’s Orwell’s Ministry of Truth in drag.
Overt censorship might not be far behind. Facebook and Twitter are already cooperating with the US government in “countering Islamic State Disinformation and Propaganda.” And remember that only a only a year ago, Donald Trump publicly called for “closing” parts of the Internet used for recruitment by the Islamic State. CFDAPA isn’t just bad on its own merits — it’s also tailor-made for abusive expansion by an unbridled chief executive.
http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/12/29/obamas-christmas-gift-to-trump-a-ministry-of-truth/ </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Donald Trump's Authoritarian Politics of Memory
Driven by opportunism, pragmatism, or fear, many begin to forget that they used to think certain things were unacceptable.</b>
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">Ruth Ben-Ghiat Jan 22, 2017
President Donald Trump’s journey to the pinnacle of American power has offered the opportunity to study these processes in real time. Although we cannot yet know what kind of president he will be, from his June 2015 declaration of candidacy to his January 2017 inauguration, Trump has undertaken two parallel projects aimed at unsettling the mental habits and moral foundations of American democracy. First, he has cultivated a political persona that inspires adulation and unquestioning loyalty that can be mobilized for action on his behalf. Second, he has initiated Americans into a culture of threat that not only desensitizes them to the effects of bigotry but also raises the possibility of violence without consequence. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">The founding moment of this era came one year ago, when Trump declared at a rally, “I could stand on Fifth Avenue and shoot someone and not lose any voters.” Trump signaled that rhetorical and actual violence might have a different place in America of the future, perhaps becoming something ordinary or unmemorable. During 2016, public hatred became part of everyday reality for many Americans: those who identify with the white supremacist alt-right like Richard Spencer openly hold rallies; elected officials feel emboldened to call for political opponents to be shot (as did New Hampshire and Oklahoma State Representatives Al Baldasaro and John Bennett, among others); journalists reporting on Trump and hijab-wearing women seek protection protocols and escorts. The bureaucratic-sounding term many use for this, “normalization,” does not fully render the operations of memory that make it possible. Driven by opportunism, pragmatism, or fear, many begin to forget that they used to think certain things were unacceptable.
The risk is that the parameters of thought and action will be nudged to align with those of the leader, easing the retrofitting of history to suit his personalization of the land’s highest office. Trump’s success at this in a country known for individualism, and with no history of living under an authoritarian ruler, shows how susceptible people are to such approaches....
Authoritarianism needs that predator edge; that shared understanding that the leader’s body carries within it the potential for violence– and the power to make it difficult to prosecute him. Trump’s attacks on women; his targeting of Muslims, Mexicans, immigrants, and others as dangers to the nation; and the threats from his supporters against the lives of ordinary citizens that follow his criticisms of them on Twitter (such as the union leader Chuck Jones and the college student Lauren Batchelder) all go into the category of things it’s safer not to talk about. Normalization is actually decriminalization, a willingness to forget that such things were once thought of as lawless behavior....
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/01/donald-trumps-authoritarian-politics-of-memory/514004/
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January 27, 2017 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Donald Trump Supporters Are Using a Nazi Word to Attack Journalists</b>
http://time.com/4544562/donald-trump-supporters-lugenpresse/
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">Supporters of GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump have begun to use an old German word—once invoked by Nazis and now currently in vogue with far-right political activists in Germany—to attack American media covering his campaign.
The phrase is “Lügenpresse,” which means “lying press.” The phrase rose to infamy during the Nazi era and was resurrected in 2014 as a watchword with Germany’s anti-immigrant activists who wanted the media to “tell the truth” about refugees in their country—most of whom were Muslim refugees fleeing from war-torn areas caught in the middle of the ISIS conflict.
Now, Lügenpresse has traveled across the ocean to Trump rallies and social media posts from Trump’s legion of alt right supporters, and it's being aimed at both the media and the presidential campaign of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
Hitler's control of the press https://books.google.com/books?id=n4NsBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA38 …
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>How Hitler Won Over the German People</b>
There were still many Germans who were skeptical of Hitler when he became chancellor in 1933. But Führer propaganda and military success soon turned him into an idol. The adulation helped make the Third Reich catastrophe possible.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/the-fuehrer-myth-how-hitler-won-over-the-german-people-a-531909.html
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>The Many Scandals of Donald Trump: A Cheat Sheet</b>
The 2016 presidential campaign saw a long string of stories showing scandals involving Trump, both large and small—from questionable business dealings to allegations of sexual assault. While they did not derail his presidential hopes, many of them remain live issues as Trump begins his transition to the White House.
The breadth of Trump’s controversies is truly yuge, ranging from allegations of mafia ties to unscrupulous business dealings, and from racial discrimination to alleged marital rape. They stretch over more than four decades, from the mid-1970s to the present day. http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/01/donald-trump-scandals/474726/
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Trump Team Considering Cuts to Federal Violence Against Women Program: Report</b>
President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration is working on plans to make “dramatic cuts” in funding for initiatives to end violence against women, as well as for federal arts and humanities programs, according to a report from The Hill published on Thursday morning.
http://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-violence-against-women-federal-funding-budget-cuts-544710
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,"</b>
Emma Lazarus - The New Colossus
http://www.libertystatepark.com/emma.htm
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Trump signs executive order for 'extreme vetting' of refugees</b>
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">President Trump on Friday continued his crackdown on illegal immigration, signing sweeping new orders that tighten the country’s refugee and visa policies –suspending almost all refugee admissions for four months and indefinitely barring entry for some Syrians.
The executive order also suspends visa entry into the U.S. from seven countries that have predominately Muslim populations. They include: Syria, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Libya, Sudan and Yemen.
The order also creates an “extreme vetting” process for any and all immigrants and visitors to the U.S.
American Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Anthony Romero blasted Trump's plan as unconstitutional.
“‘Extreme vetting’ is just a euphemism for discriminating against Muslims," Romero said in a statement issued moments after the signing. "Identifying specific countries with Muslim majorities and carving out exceptions for minority religions flies in the face of the constitutional principle that bans the government from either favoring or discriminating against particular religions."
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/27/trump-signs-executive-order-for-extreme-vetting-refugees.html </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Contrary to Trump’s Claims, Immigrants Are Less Likely to Commit Crimes</b>
https://www.nytimes.com/ 2017/01/26/us/trump-illegal-immigrants-crime.html </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b> Trump Will Publish List Of Crimes Committed By Immigrants, In Reflection Of Nazi-Era Policy</b>
The weekly report from the Homeland Security bears a resemblance to the mandate of the Nazi Institute for Research on the Jewish Question.
http://www.thefader.com/2017/01/26/trump-crimes-committed-immigrants-nazi
Author Andrea Pitzer noticed a similarity between Trump's executive order and a function of the Nazi Institute for Research on the Jewish Question, a political research operation of the Nazi Party opened in 1941. "Worth remembering that Nazi Institute for Research on the Jewish Question kept files on "crimes committed by Jews," she tweeted. This material both reflected and bolstered academic debate — and stoked public fears — about the "criminality" of Jews.
Studying the Jew: Scholarly Antisemitism in Nazi Germany by Alan E Steinweis revealed what was inside the Nazi's files: “In the files about crimes committed by Jews kept by the Institute for Research on the Jewish Question, ‘racial defilement’ constituted the single largest cluster of materials. Also included were files on Jewish responsibility for ‘crimes against morality’ (Sittlichkeitsverbrechen), abortion, and prostitution.”</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Anne Frank and her family were also denied entry as refugees to the U.S.</b><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/11/24/anne-frank-and-her-family-were-also-denied-entry-as-refugees-to-the-u-s/?utm_term=.36b60c62dba2
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">Many have noted the historical parallels between the current debate over Syrians seeking refuge in the United States and the plight of European Jews fleeing German-occupied territories on the eve of World War II.
Among the many who tried — and failed — to escape Nazi persecution: Otto Frank and his family, which included wife, Edith, and his daughters, Margot and Anne. And while the story of the family's desperate attempts ending in futility may seem remarkable today, it's emblematic of what a number of other Jews fleeing German-occupied territories experienced, American University history professor Richard Breitman wrote in 2007 upon the discovery of documents chronicling the Franks' struggle to get U.S. visas.
"Otto Frank’s efforts to get his family to the United States ran afoul of restrictive American immigration policies designed to protect national security and guard against an influx of foreigners during time of war," Breitman wrote.
President Donald Trump to publish weekly list of crimes committed by immigrants
Republican plans to publicise 'criminal actions committed by aliens' and crack down on 'sanctuary' cities that protect migrants from being deported
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-publish-weekly-list-crimes-immigrants-commit-refugees-aliens-executive-order-us-a7546826.html </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Hours after Trump signs Muslim ban, Texas mosque goes up in flames</b>
https://thinkprogress.org/islamic-center-of-victoria-fire-8a683f632a7a#.evyto28hu
Since the election in November, there has been an increase in hate crimes across the country. In the one month following the election, the Southern Poverty Law Center found over 1,000 reports of hate incidents. ThinkProgress is keeping a stricter record of targeted incidents, and we have still found almost 250 incidents of hate. A significant number of these are anti-Islam in nature.
The fire in Victoria comes just three weeks after an Islamic Center under construction in Austin was set on fire and destroyed.
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Quebec City mosque attack suspect known as online troll inspired by French far-right</b>
https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/quebec-city-mosque-attack-suspect-known-for-right-wing-online-posts/article33833044/
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">The suspect in the deadly attack on a Quebec City mosque was known in the city's activist circles as an online troll who was inspired by extreme right-wing French nationalists, stood up for U.S. President Donald Trump and was against immigration to Quebec – especially by Muslims.
Alexandre Bissonnette, 27, a student at Laval University, grew up on a quiet crescent in the Cap-Rouge suburb of Quebec City and lived in an apartment a few kilometres away.
His online profile and school friendships revealed little interest in extremist politics until last March, when France's far-right National Front Leader Marine Le Pen visited Quebec City, inspiring Mr. Bissonnette to vocal extreme online activism, according to people who clashed with him starting around this time.
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Sens. McCain, Graham: Trump’s Order Could Become ‘Self-Inflicted Wound’ In Terror Fight</b>
It “sends a signal, intended or not, that America does not want Muslims coming into our country,” they said.
Republican opposition to President Donald Trump’s executive order targeting Muslims and refugees gathered pace on Sunday as Sens. John McCain (Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (S.C.) attacked the haste with which the order was done and its possible repercussions.
“It is clear from the confusion at our airports across the nation that President Trump’s executive order was not properly vetted,” they said Sunday in a joint statement. “We are particularly concerned by reports that this order went into effect with little to no consultation with the Departments of State, Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security.”
They went on to defend the United States’ role as a leader in welcoming immigrants and refugees.
“We should not stop green-card holders from returning to the country they call home,” they said. “We should not stop those who have served as interpreters for our military and diplomats from seeking refuge in the country they risked their lives to help. And we should not turn our backs on those refugees who have been shown through extensive vetting to pose no demonstrable threat to our nation, and who have suffered unspeakable horrors, most of them women and children.”
They also warned that this order could end up being “a self-inflicted wound in the fight against terrorism” since it would ban Iraqi pilots from coming to military bases in the U.S.
“This executive order sends a signal, intended or not, that America does not want Muslims coming into our country,” they said. “That is why we fear this executive order may do more to help terrorist recruitment than improve our security.”
Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) also said he thought the order itself was not properly vetted on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/john-mccain-lindsey-graham-executive-order-self-inflicted-wound_us_588e362fe4b0b065cbbcab44
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>GOP Senator: Trump’s Immigration Order ‘Was Not Properly Vetted’</b>
“We ought to take a deep breath and come up with something that makes sense.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rob-portman-trump-executive-order_us_588dfce3e4b08a14f7e6865f
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">WASHINGTON Republican Sen. Rob Portman (Ohio) criticized President Donald Trump on cable news Sunday for leaving Congress out of the loop in his decision to temporarily bar entry to all refugees and individuals from seven Muslim-majority countries.
“I think [the executive order] was not properly vetted, so you have an extreme vetting proposal that didn’t get the vetting it should have had, and as a result, we’re seeing some problems,” Portman told Jake Tapper on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Late Saturday night, as protests erupted at several major U.S. airports where immigrants were being detained, a federal judge in Brooklyn, New York, temporarily blocked parts of Trump’s sweeping executive order. U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly said the petitioners ? represented by the American Civil Liberties Union ? “have a strong likelihood of success in establishing that the removal of the petitioners and others similarly situated violates the rights to Due Process and Equal Protection guaranteed by the United States Constitution.”
Portman, who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he is “OK with the stay” on Trump’s immigration order. “We ought to take a deep breath and come up with something that makes sense,” he said.
The travel ban has divided Republicans in Congress. Five Republican members ? Sens. Ben Sasse (Neb.), Jeff Flake (Ariz.) and Susan Collins (Maine), along with Reps. Charlie Dent (Pa.) and Justin Amash (Mich.) ? came out against Trump’s executive order this week.
“If we send a signal to the Middle East that the U.S. sees all Muslims as jihadis, the terrorist recruiters win by telling kids that America is banning Muslims and that this is America versus one religion,” Sasse said in a statement.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"> <span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Fred Korematsu fought against internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII. Roosevelt ordered the internment in 1942 </b>www.cnn.com/2017/01/30/us/fred-korimatso-google-doodle-trnd/index.html </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Donald Trump Approval Rating: After Muslim Ban, He Is The Most Unpopular President Ever, Gallup Poll Finds</b> http://www.ibtimes.com/donald-trump-approval-rating-after-muslim-ban-he-most-unpopular-president-ever-gallup-2483299
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Why Wasn't Saudi Arabia On Trump's Travel Ban List? Kingdom Was Home To 15 Of The 9/11 Hijackers'</b>
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">President Trump's sprawling business interests in Saudia Arabia may have influenced his decision, presenting a possible conflict of interest. Recent financial disclosures have shown that Saudi Arabia is home to several limited-liability Trump corporations, the New York Times reported. The Times also reported that Trump had done business in two other countries that produced 9/11 terrorists yet were excluded from the ban: the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.
http://www.ibtimes.com/why-wasnt-saudi-arabia-trumps-travel-ban-list-kingdom-was-home-15-911-hijackers-2483416
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Who Hasn’t Trump Banned? People From Places Where He’s Done Business</b>
President Trump omitted from his ban a number of other predominantly Muslim nations where his company has done business. This adds further illegitimacy to one of the most arbitrary executive actions in our recent history, and raises significant constitutional questions.
https://www.nytimes.com/ 2017/01/29/opinion/who-hasnt-trump-banned-people-from-places-where-hes-made-money.html
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Bannon May Need Senate Confirmation for NSC Role</b><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">
Bannon’s appointment is so unusual that experts disagree on how the statute should be applied.
Bannon is the former executive director of Breitbart News – an outlet he once described as a "platform of the alt-right" – and his appointment as Trump's chief adviser prompted harsh rebukes from groups such as the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center, as well as top Democrats, who called Bannon an unacceptable choice. The alt-right movement is a loosely organized group that developed in response to mainstream conservatism and has been associated with white nationalism and anti-Semitism.
"Steve Bannon sitting on the National Security Council is dangerous and unprecedented. He must be removed," Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders tweeted Monday. "We need experienced people who will protect our country on the National Security Council, not an extreme right-wing political operative."
http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2017-01-31/steve-bannon-on-national-security-council-may-require-senate-confirmation </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Steve Bannon Is Making Sure There’s No White House Paper Trail, Says Intel Source</b>
The Trump administration’s chief strategist has already taken control of both policy and process on national security.
If there was any question about who is largely in charge of national security behind the scenes at the White House, the answer is becoming increasingly clear: Steve Bannon, the former head of Breitbart News, a far-right media outlet, and now White House advisor.
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Even before he was given a formal seat on the National Security Council’s “principals committee” this weekend by President Donald Trump, Bannon was calling the shots and doing so with little to no input from the National Security Council staff, according to an intelligence official who asked not to be named out of fear of retribution.
“They ran all of these executive orders outside of the normal construct,” he said, referring to last week’s flurry of draft executive orders on everything from immigration to the return of CIA “black sites.”
http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/01/30/steve-bannon-is-making-sure-theres-no-white-house-paper-trail-trump-president/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<b>Trump Poised to Lift Ban on C.I.A. ‘Black Site’ Prisons</b>
The Trump administration is preparing a sweeping executive order that would clear the way for the C.I.A. to reopen overseas “black site” prisons, like those where it detained and tortured terrorism suspects before former President Barack Obama shut them down.
President Trump’s three-page draft order, titled “Detention and Interrogation of Enemy Combatants” and obtained by The New York Times, would also undo many of the other restrictions on handling detainees that Mr. Obama put in place in response to policies of the George W. Bush administration.
If Mr. Trump signs the draft order, he would also revoke Mr. Obama’s directive to give the International Committee of the Red Cross access to all detainees in American custody. That would be another step toward reopening secret prisons outside of the normal wartime rules established by the Geneva Conventions, although statutory obstacles would remain. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>White Nationalists Are Positively Overjoyed with Donald Trump's Muslim Ban
David Duke can barely contain himself.</b>
White nationalists are “ecstatic” and “feel like crying” with joy over President Donald Trump’s executive order banning people from seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the United States. These virulently racist writers are praising Trump for stopping “these disgusting animals” and “sneaky sand-people” from entering the country and are also calling on Trump to arrest or impeach federal judges who oppose the ban. A neo-Nazi writer even suggested killing those protesting the ban.
Members of the white nationalist movement heavily supported Trump’s campaign, and the candidate, his family, and his political team courted members of the movement, including making appearances in white nationalist media, refusing to denounce them, and retweeting their messages. White nationalists celebrated when Stephen Bannon -- who made Breitbart.com "the platform for the” white nationalist “alt-right" movement -- was appointed to a senior White House role.
http://www.alternet.org/right-wing/white-nationalists-are-positively-overjoyed-donald-trumps-muslim-ban
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>4 women judges led the way in opposing Donald Trump’s travel ban</b>
http://nytlive.nytimes.com/womenintheworld/2017/01/30/4-women-judges-led-the-way-in-opposing-donald-trumps-travel-ban/
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Fascism is the marriage of state and capital using an internal or external enemy as a straw man.</b> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b> Exclusive: Trump to focus counter-extremism program solely on Islam - sources</b>
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">The Trump administration wants to revamp and rename a U.S. government program designed to counter all violent ideologies so that it focuses solely on Islamist extremism, five people briefed on the matter told Reuters.
The program, "Countering Violent Extremism," or CVE, would be changed to "Countering Islamic Extremism" or "Countering Radical Islamic Extremism," the sources said, and would no longer target groups such as white supremacists who have also carried out bombings and shootings in the United States.
Such a change would reflect Trump's election campaign rhetoric and criticism of former President Barack Obama for being weak in the fight against Islamic State and for refusing to use the phrase "radical Islam" in describing it. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for attacks on civilians in several countries.
www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-extremists-program-exclusiv-idUSKBN15G5VO
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Plans to Legalize Discrimination</b>
If signed, the order would create wholesale exemptions for people and organizations who claim religious objections to same-sex marriage, premarital sex, abortion, and trans identity. By Sarah Posner leaked copy of a draft executive order titled “Establishing a Government-Wide Initiative to Respect Religious Freedom,” obtained by The Investigative Fund and The Nation, reveals sweeping plans by the Trump administration to legalize discrimination.
This article was reported in partnership with the Investigative Fund at the Nation Institute.
The four-page draft order, a copy of which is currently circulating among federal staff and advocacy organizations, construes religious organizations so broadly that it covers “any organization, including closely held for-profit corporations,” and protects “religious freedom” in every walk of life: “when providing social services, education, or healthcare; earning a living, seeking a job, or employing others; receiving government grants or contracts; or otherwise participating in the marketplace, the public square, or interfacing with Federal, State or local governments.”
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The draft order seeks to create wholesale exemptions for people and organizations who claim religious or moral objections to same-sex marriage, premarital sex, abortion, and trans identity, and it seeks to curtail women’s access to contraception and abortion through the Affordable Care Act. The White House did not respond to requests for comment, but when asked Monday about whether a religious freedom executive order was in the works, White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters, “I’m not getting ahead of the executive orders that we may or may not issue. There is a lot of executive orders, a lot of things that the president has talked about and will continue to fulfill, but we have nothing on that front now.”
https://www.thenation.com/article/leaked-draft-of-trumps-religious-freedom-order-reveals-sweeping-plans-to-legalize-discrimination/
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>A Welcome Setback for Donald Trump</b>
By John Cassidy January 30, 2017
Americans severely misjudged the authoritarians,” Umair Haque, a consultant and social-media maven, commented on Twitter on Saturday night. “But the authoritarians, it seems, also severely misjudged Americans.” Yes, they did, and this weekend’s events offered a bit of hope to everybody alarmed by Donald Trump. Saving America from the most unhinged and least qualified figure ever to occupy the Oval Office may well require a long and bitter fight. But a couple of early markers have been put down. The new President is not beyond the law. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">And many Americans will not stand by quietly as he traduces their country’s values, threatens its democracy, and destroys its reputation around the world.
Clearly intent on giving the impression that he is a man of action, Trump spent his first week on the job issuing a stream of Presidential edicts: reining in regulations, approving oil pipelines, undermining the Affordable Care Act, freezing federal hiring, and pledging not to sign any more multilateral treaties. Every day seemed to bring a new display of chauvinism. But it was his executive order suspending entry to the United States for refugees and people from seven predominantly Muslim countries that provoked, for the second weekend in a row, a huge demonstration of opposition to his Presidency and all it stands for.
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As news broke of U.S. border agents detaining people—refugees who had worked for the U.S. military in Iraq; Ivy League academics returning to their jobs; other blameless individuals—thousands of people headed out to major airports. Most were going to protest. Others, including immigration lawyers and public defenders, were going to offer their professional services. (My colleague Nathan Heller reported on the scene at J.F.K., in New York City.)
As the number of demonstrators mounted, they received some encouraging news from the Federal District Court in Brooklyn. At about nine on Saturday night, in response to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, Judge Ann M. Donnelly issued an emergency stay on part of the new policy, ordering that the U.S. government couldn’t deport people who had arrived with valid visas or refugee status. Minutes later, at the Federal District Court in Virginia, a second judge issued an order preventing the government from deporting any green-card holders who had been detained at Dulles, and ordering border agents to give immigration lawyers access to them.
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On Sunday, the demonstrations expanded to other cities and got larger. At New York’s Battery Park and in Boston’s Copley Square, tens of thousands gathered to protest against what they regarded as a ban on Muslims. By then, some of Trump’s lackeys had given weaselly statements in the press suggesting that some sort of modification was in the works. On Sunday evening, the Department of Homeland Security announced that “absent . . . information indicating a serious threat” legal residents of the United States—i.e., holders of green cards—would be exempted from the bans.
In the scheme of things, it was a small reversal. The indefinite ban on refugees from Syria was still in place, as were the hundred-and-twenty-day ban on refugees from other countries and the ninety-day ban on visitors from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. All three bans are senseless and arbitrary, and the two that apply to Muslim countries are clearly discriminatory (despite Trump’s claim, in a statement on Sunday, that “this is not about religion—this is about terror and keeping our country safe”).
http://www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/a-welcome-setback-for-donald-trump
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>EXCLUSIVE: Trump's Supreme Court pick founded and led club called 'Fascism Forever' at his elite all-boys Washington prep school</b>
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4182852/amp/Trump-s-SCOTUS-pick-founded-club-called-Fascism-Forever.html
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">The yearbook described the ‘Fascism Forever Club’ as an anti-faculty student group that battled against the 'liberal' views of the school administration.
‘In political circles, our tireless President Gorsuch’s “Fascism Forever Club” happily jerked its knees against the increasingly “left-wing” tendencies of the faculty,’ said the yearbook.
It is not the only example of Gorsuch’s early conservative political views. One yearbook photo showed the high school senior kicking back in a chair in a button-down shirt and tie while reading William F. Buckley’s 1959 book ‘Up from Liberalism', a key text of the conservative movement.
Another photo shows Gorsuch leaning over a railing with his tie undone while sticking his tongue out at the camera.
Gorsuch’s conservative credentials are well-established and he was included on a list of potential Supreme Court picks approved by the Heritage Foundation
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<b> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Kellyanne Conway makes up 'Bowling Green massacre' to defend President Trump's immigration ban</b>
www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/conway-bowling-green-massacre-defend-trump-ban-article-1.2963116
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<b> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Trump’s not Orwellian. He’s the distracter-in-chief.</b>
But Orwell’s dark prophecy isn’t actually the one that best explains the moment we’re living through right now. And to the extent that we focus on fears of statist mind control and mass disinformation, we may miss the subtler thing that’s really going on.
Here I turn again to the late Neil Postman, whose classic critique of mid-’80s culture, “Amusing Ourselves to Death,” is as relevant today as it was then. In his foreword, Postman compared Orwell’s vision of fascist repression with the trivial, substanceless society envisioned by Aldous Huxley in his 1932 novel “Brave New World.”
In Huxley’s vision, Postman wrote, “no Big Brother is required to deprive people of their autonomy, maturity and history. As he saw it, people will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think.”
It’s worth hearing a bit more of Postman’s comparison: “What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. … </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">Orwell feared that truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared that truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance.”
As it happens, in 1949, just after the publication of “1984,” Huxley drew much the same contrast in a letter to his countryman Orwell. Much as he liked Orwell’s book, he suggested that tyrannical governments would soon abandon “boot-on-the-face” tactics in favor of “animal magnetism and hypnotism.” Cable TV had yet to be invented....
In some ways, though, Trump is the perfect embodiment of a Huxleyan culture, endlessly distracted by the superficial or the spectacular. He doesn’t want to control what you think — only what you think about, which is him. He cares that you’re watching the performance, and it doesn’t matter whether you watch because you love it or because you find it too grossly compelling to look away.
I’ve written before that Trump is an emotional extremist, not an ideological one. His gift is for channeling the passion in an audience, for provoking adoration or outrage or whatever’s most visceral.... </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">And the danger here is that the constant trivia can too easily distract us from decisions that have deadly serious consequences. Like Huxley’s Alphas and Betas, we can be lulled into thinking that the ephemeral is all there is....
It’s not as if the immigration ban and a seat on the high court aren’t important — they really are. But at the same time, the public is less focused on Trump’s decision, made with no theatrical flourish, to give Steve Bannon, his liaison to the world of white nationalists, a permanent seat on the National Security Council’s principals committee — rather than allotting it to, say, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
There’s not so much discussion about Trump’s prompt withdrawal from the Asian trade pact, which a lot of Democrats applauded but which has grave implications for our economic power in the region. Likewise on Trump’s proposed tariffs on exports, which could lead us quickly into an all-out trade war.
There’s not much focus on what’s happening now in the Middle East, where Israel, emboldened by Trump’s rhetoric, is about to vastly accelerate settlements in the occupied territories. The public isn’t buzzing about the imminent dismantling of the EPA....
https://www.yahoo.com/news/trumps-not-orwellian-hes-the-distracter-in-chief-100035222.html
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<b> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Schneider: Media keep falling for Trump's mind control tricks</b>
Christian Schneider , Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Published Jan. 27, 2017
....But in Trump's version, it is he who is controlling other peoples' brains — most specifically, he is directing the hive mind of the American media, bamboozling them into covering superfluous nonsense while his actual policies evade proper scrutiny.
His detractors often chalk up Trump's erratic behavior to lack of impulse control and a shortage of maturity. And sure, it is hard to deny Trump exhibits those traits — there are likely plenty of 1980s comedy writers who are shocked to find their rejected "Kid President" scripts have become a documentary....
But when journalists wail about Trump's wild misstatements, they are getting the "story" but missing the "news." Certainly, Trump's mistaken belief that between 3 million and 5 million people voted illegally is worth covering, as it indicates the president might be living in a world of delusion — but it very well could be a smokescreen to obscure other actions that actually matter far more....
http://www.jsonline.com/story/opinion/columnists/christian-schneider/2017/01/27/schneider-media-keep-falling-trumps-mind-control-tricks/97141590/ </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">
<b> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b> After 2 Weeks In Office, Trump Faces More Than 50 Lawsuits</b> http://www.npr.org/2017/02/02/513045408/after-2-weeks-in-office-trump-faces-more-than-50-lawsuits
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">Donald Trump has been president for two weeks, and he is already facing dozens of lawsuits over White House policies and his personal business dealings. That's far more than his predecessors faced in their first days on the job. The lawsuits started on Inauguration Day, and they haven't let up.
Most of the 50-plus lawsuits filed so far relate to the travel ban on refugees and nationals from seven mostly-Muslim countries that Trump ordered on Jan. 27.
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Judge issues broad block against Trump's travel ban</b>
Seattle jurist's sweeping order comes hours after Boston court seemed to bless president' s anti-terror immigration halt.
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/trump-travel-ban-legal-win-234634</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Steve Bannon: 'We're going to war in the South China Sea.. no doubt' months ago Donald Trump’s chief strategist</b>https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/02/steve-bannon-donald-trump-war-south-china-sea-no-doubt
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Trump Is Violating the Constitution</b>
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">Donald J. Trump, who became the forty-fifth president on January 20, has taken a different approach. He comes to office having repeatedly refused to release his tax returns, even after a leak indicated that he may have paid no taxes for eighteen years. He has cited an ongoing IRS audit as his reason for not disclosing his returns, but the IRS itself has refuted that claim, saying that “nothing prevents individuals from sharing their own tax information.”
Two days after inauguration, his administration announced that Trump would not release the returns even if an audit were complete. Trump has somewhat gleefully asserted that the conflict-of-interest rules don’t apply to the president. He mixed together personal business and official diplomacy during several meetings and conversations with foreign officials during the transition.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"> And despite his widespread private holdings in commercial real estate, condominiums, hotels, and golf courses here and around the world, he has refused to follow the lead of his predecessors by selling his assets and placing the proceeds in a blind trust. Instead, he has transferred management, but not ownership, of the Trump Organization. He retains his ownership in full. And he has assigned operational responsibility not to an independent arm’s-length trustee, but to his sons, Eric and Donald Jr.
As a result, President Trump almost certainly began violating the Constitution the moment he took the oath of office. It’s true that conflict-of-interest statutes don’t cover the president—not because we don’t care about compromised presidents, but because such statutes generally require officeholders to recuse themselves from decisions in which they have a personal financial stake, and in the president’s case, recusal is rarely a workable option, since there is no alternative decision-maker.
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/2017/02/23/donald-trump-is-violating-the-constitution/ </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Can American Fascism Be Stopped?</b> <span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">
Trump's win was both a perfect storm and the culmination of long-term trends.
It is hard to contemplate the new administration without experiencing alarm bordering on despair: Alarm about the risks of war, the fate of constitutional democracy, the devastation of a century of social progress. Trump’s populism was a total fraud. Every single Trump appointment has come from the pool of far-right conservatives, crackpots, and billionaire kleptocrats.
http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/can-american-fascism-be-stopped
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>The Rise and Fall of Italy</b> <span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">
Thereupon Mussolini founded his own newspaper, enlisted in the Italian army, was wounded, and returned to run the paper. He made it into the voice of all the elements—the veterans, the unemployed, the renegade socialists, the nationalists, and so forth—who were discontented and disillusioned with democracy.
Around Mussolini’s banner there rapidly grew up an army of followers—from gangsters to sincere patriots. Some of them were organized into strong-arm squads, armed and uniformed as “Blackshirt Militia.” </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">The money for this came from alarmed industrialists and others of wealth who saw in the Mussolini movement a tool to suppress the radical revolution they feared and that Mussolini kept assuring them was on the way.
The proclaimed aims and principles of the fascist movement are perhaps of little consequence now. It promised almost every thing, from extreme radicalism in 1919 to extreme conservatism in 1922. In the main its program was centered on the idea of action, but in reality it meant for Italy naked personal power, achieved and maintained through violence.
The Fascists put up candidates in the parliamentary elections of 1921. They were not very successful, despite undercover support from some elements of the government. Altogether they received only about 5 percent of the total popular vote. But they succeeded in planting the impression that they had the solution to all of Italy’s postwar ills. The existing government had none, and so the March on Rome—a Colossal bluff—turned out a colossal success.
The early mask falls away
When the king called on Mussolini to form a government in October 1922, very few people in the world had any idea of what was meant by a totalitarian form of government. Mussolini himself probably did not know what he was going to do—except stay in power. A parliamentary majority backed the fascist government at the beginning, and most of the people thought fascism was a temporary interlude. They thought Italy could later return to freedom, and in the meantime fascism could take care of the crisis. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">When Mussolini stepped into power, fascism had none of the superior-race, blood-and-soil trappings that came to Germany with Hitlerism. All the other elements of fascism were there, however: belief in violence, disbelief in legal processes, rabid nationalism, and so on. But the regime was not totalitarian in its first three years. Opposition parties were still legal, a strong opposition press operated under difficulties, and Mussolini kept talking about a return to normalcy.
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It was only in 1925 that fascism fully threw off the mash. The murder of a socialist leader by the name of Matteotti, a fearless parliamentary opponent of fascism, was the signal. Through every device of open violence and concealed trickery the totalitarian machine was built up.
This meant complete state control of every phase of human activity. It meant fostering the idea that the Fascist party and the Italian state were one and the same. It meant deifying the nation and the leader. It meant the nourishing of nationalistic and warlike passions. It meant, in the end, alliance with the other great totalitarian power in Europe, acceptance of the debased and debasing theories of Nazism, and finally, active participation in the war.
https://www.historians.org/about-aha-and-membership/aha-history-and-archives/gi-roundtable-series/pamphlets/what-is-the-future-of-italy/the-rise-and-fall-of-fascism </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Is Steve Bannon the Second Most Powerful Man in the World?</b>
http://time.com/4657665/steve-bannon-donald-trump/
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">Most modern Presidents chart their opening moves with the help of a friendly think tank or a set of long-held beliefs.
Donald Trump's first steps had the feel of a documentary film made by his chief strategist and alter ego Stephen K. Bannon, a director who deploys ravenous sharks, shrieking tornadoes and mushroom clouds as reliably as John Ford shot Monument Valley.
Act I of the Trump presidency has been filled with disruption, as promised by Trump and programmed by Bannon, with plenty of resistance in reply, from both inside and outside the government. Perhaps this should not be surprising. Trump told America many times in 2016 that his would be no ordinary Administration. Having launched his campaign as a can-do chief executive, he came to see himself as the leader of a movement--and no movement is complete without its commissar. Bannon is the one who keeps the doctrine pure, the true believer, who is in it not for money or position, but to change history. "What we are witnessing now is the birth of a new political order," Bannon wrote in an email to the Washington Post.
Yet Bannon's prominence in the first 10 days of the Administration--and the scenes of confusion and disorder that are his disruptive hallmark--has rattled the West Wing and perhaps even dismayed the President. According to senior Administration officials, Trump hauled in some half-dozen of his key advisers for a brisk dressing-down. Everything goes through chief of staff Reince Priebus, he directed. Nothing flows that hasn't been scheduled by his deputy Katie Walsh. "You're going to see probably a slower, more deliberative process," one official told TIME. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">Still, Bannon possesses that dearest of Washington currencies: walk-in privileges for the Oval Office. And he is the one who has been most successful in focusing Trump on a winning message. While other advisers have tried to change Trump, Bannon has urged him to step on the gas.
Both of these images, the orderly office and the glorious crusade, have genuine appeal for the President. And they will likely continue to pull him in opposite directions. By marking Trump's first days so vividly, Bannon has put the accent on Trump the disrupter. In that sense, as one veteran Republican said, "It's already over, and Bannon won."
Bannon's background at Breitbart taught him the same lessons. Founded as an alternative to mainstream media by the late Andrew Breitbart, the website was an immediate disruptive force in U.S. politics. Ask Anthony Weiner. In 2011, the New York Congressman was a darling of the Democratic grassroots with sky-high ambitions. Then Breitbart published a screen grab from Weiner's Twitter feed that opened a door on his late-night sexting habits. Social media did the rest. The sudden death of the founder in 2012 placed his friend Bannon in command. As the site ramped up its video, radio and merchandising and opened several bureaus overseas, Breitbart honed the art of the inflammatory headline and offered a home to the bullyboys of the so-called alt right, including those determined to elevate the abhorrent ideals of white nationalism. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b> Legal battles to test Trump and his travel ban</b> <span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">
President Donald Trump's temporary immigration ban faces crucial legal hurdles this week that could determine whether he is able to push through the most far-reaching and controversial policy of his first two weeks in office.
On Monday, the government has a deadline to justify the executive order temporarily barring immigrants from seven mostly Muslim countries and the entry of refugees after a federal judge in Seattle blocked it with a temporary restraining order on Friday.
The uncertainty caused by a judge's stay of the ban has opened a window for travelers from the seven affected countries to enter the United States.
Trump has reacted with attacks on the federal judge and then the wider court system which he blames for styming his efforts to restrict immigration, a central promise of the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">Democrats, meanwhile, sought to use Trump's attacks on the judiciary to raise questions about the independence of his Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco over the weekend denied the Trump administration's request for an immediate stay of the federal judge's temporary restraining order that blocked nationwide the implementation of key parts of the travel ban.
But the court said it would reconsider the government's request after receiving more information.
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The government has until 5 p.m. PST on Monday to submit additional legal briefs to the appeals court justifying Trump's executive order. Following that the court is expected to act quickly, and a decision either way may ultimately result in the case reaching the U.S. Supreme Court.
Several technology giants were expected to file a legal brief in the 9th Circuit late on Sunday opposing Trump's immigration order, a source said. Twitter Inc confirmed that it would participate.
Trump, who during his campaign called for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States, has repeatedly vowed to reinstate the Jan. 27 travel ban on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen and a 120-day bar on all refugees in the name of protecting the United States from Islamist militants.
His critics have said the measures are discriminatory, unhelpful and legally dubious.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-immigration-idUSKBN15L0GC </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>With All Eyes on Trump, Republicans Are Planning to Break Unions for Good</b>
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">A so-called "right to work" bill going through Congress will starve unions of funding, leaving workers at the mercy of their bosses and politicians.
One of the most successful lies in modern US politics has been that of “right to work” laws, which break unions under the guise of protecting workers, one of which was introduced in Congress on Wednesday afternoon and will probably break unions in the country for good.
A national right to work law has been a pipe dream of corporate lobbyists, the chamber of commerce, the Koch brothers, and the politicians on their payroll for decades, and is about to become a reality. Right to work laws already exist in more than half the states in the country, where unions are weak or nonexistent, wages are correspondingly low, and workers are correspondingly disposable. In theory, these laws are about guaranteeing workers’ freedom of association. In practice, they’re about keeping workers from forming unions, by making unions financially unsustainable.
www.alternet.org/labor/trump-gutting-labor-unions-advancing-right-work
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Legal Scholars: Why Congress Should Impeach Donald Trump</b>
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It has been widely acknowledged that, upon swearing the Oath of Office, President Donald Trump would be in direct violation of the foreign-emoluments clause of the U.S. Constitution.
Never heard of the foreign-emoluments clause? You’re not alone. It’s tucked away in Article I, Section 9, of the Constitution. It's clause number 8. It states, in pertinent part: "... no person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under [the United States], shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office or Title of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince or foreign State.”
This clause was included in the Articles of Confederation and, later, in the Constitution itself. It was borne out of the Framers’ obsession with preventing in the newly minted United States the sort of corruption that dominated 17th and 18th century foreign politics and governments — characterized by gift-giving, back-scratching, foreign interference in other countries and transactions that might not lead to corruption but, nonetheless, could give the appearance of impropriety.
Where Trump runs afoul of the foreign-emoluments clause is that, first and foremost, he is a businessman with significant financial interests and governmental entanglements all over the globe.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"> Indeed, as Norman Eisen, Richard Painter and Laurence Tribe stated at the Brookings Institution, “Never in American history has a [President] presented more conflict of interest questions and foreign entanglements than Donald Trump.” Moreover, Trump’s businesses dealings are veiled in complicated corporate technicalities and lack transparency.
The Trump Organization does or has done business in Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Panama, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, St. Martin, St. Vincent, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and Uruguay. And, while serving as President, Trump, through his interest in the Trump Organization, will continue to receive monetary and other benefits from these foreign powers and their agents.
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Worse, taking the position that the foreign-emoluments clause doesn’t even apply to him, Trump has stated that: “I can be President of the United States and run my business 100 percent, sign checks on my business.” And: “The law is totally on my side, meaning, the president can’t have a conflict of interest.”
To address this unprecedented corruption of the Oval Office and this threat to our Constitution and our democracy, we believe Congress must move forward now with an impeachment investigation of President Trump. More than 575,000 people from across the country have already called for this, joining a new campaign launched moments after President Trump took the Oath of Office. The President’s possible conflicts of interest have become increasingly apparent.
http://time.com/4658633/impeach-donald-trump-congress/
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>White House turmoil rankles Washington more than Trump</b>
Washington (CNN)As President Donald Trump's White House attempts to embark on a period of order and discipline, many in Washington are greeting the news with a collective eye roll.
At the start of Trump's third week in office, top advisers are trying to move beyond the infighting and feuds inside the West Wing, which have alarmed Republicans and official Washington far more than the President himself.
White House chief of staff Reince Priebus is asserting more authority to run things, administration officials say, in hopes of trying to "keep things running smoothly" after a rocky -- and active -- first two weeks.
The administration has privately pledged to do a better job of keeping relevant government agencies and congressional allies in the loop when rolling out executive actions and legislative priorities -- a far cry from the sloppy implementation of Trump's travel ban. That experience left aides cringing at the public beating they were taking, and personally irritated Trump.
Within the White House, Trump's team has been more intent on quashing stories about turf wars and internal conflict than actually resolving them, said a top Republican close to the administration.
This Republican, who spoke on condition of anonymity to frankly discuss internal workings of the administration, said any suggestion that all conflicts between Priebus and chief strategist Steve Bannon have been eliminated are mistaken.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/06/politics/white-house-turmoil-trump/ </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>California is not 'out of control,' leaders tell Trump</b>
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California leaders pushed back on Monday against President Donald Trump's claim that the state is "out of control," pointing to its balanced budget and high jobs numbers in the latest dustup between the populist Republican and the progressive state.
The state's top Democrats called Trump cruel and his proposals unconstitutional after the businessman-turned-politician threatened to withhold federal funding from the most populous U.S. state if lawmakers passed a so-called sanctuary bill aimed at protecting undocumented immigrants.
"President Trump's threat to weaponize federal funding is not only unconstitutional but emblematic of the cruelty he seeks to impose on our most vulnerable communities," state Senate Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, a Democrat from Los Angeles, said in a statement on Monday.
State Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, an L.A.-area Democrat, said the state has the most manufacturing jobs in the nation, and produces a quarter of the country's food.
“If this is what Donald Trump thinks is ‘out of control,’ I’d suggest other states should be more like us," Rendon said.
The latest war of words between Trump and Democratic leaders in California, where voters chose his opponent, Hillary Clinton, two-to-one in November's election, began Sunday, in an interview between Trump and Fox News host Bill O'Reilly.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-california-idUSKBN15M01V </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b> Democrats question independence of Trump Supreme Court nominee</b>
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Democratic U.S. senators on Monday sharpened a potential line of attack against Neil Gorsuch's nomination to the Supreme Court by questioning whether he would be sufficiently independent as a justice in light of President Donald Trump's vigorous use of unilateral presidential power including his travel ban.
Their comments came after Trump criticized James Robart, the U.S. district court judge who put on hold the Republican president's Jan. 27 order temporarily barring entry into the United States of people from seven Muslim-majority nations and halting the U.S. refugee program. Trump called Robart a "so-called judge" who made a "ridiculous" decision.
Democrats have expressed worry that Gorsuch, nominated by Trump last week, could act as a rubber stamp for the Republican president's policies on a nine-seat Supreme Court poised to revert to a conservative majority.
"It's a serious concern with a president who attacks the judiciary and seems to not respect the rule of law and the Constitution that you have a really independent justice," Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, set to meet with Gorsuch on Tuesday, told Reuters.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-gorsuch-idUSKBN15M01N </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>U.S. tech titans lead legal brief against Trump travel ban</b> <span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">
More than 100 companies, including most of high-tech's biggest names, joined a legal brief opposing President Donald Trump's temporary travel ban, arguing that it would give companies strong incentives to move jobs outside the United States.
The companies - including Apple Inc (AAPL.O), Google Inc (GOOGL.O) and Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) - banded together late on Sunday to file a "friend-of-the-court" brief with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.
They argued that the executive order temporarily banning citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries and all refugees "inflicts significant harm on American business."
Elon Musk's Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) and SpaceX were among other companies signing onto the brief on Monday, raising the number of signatories to 127.
Musk is among the few tech executives on Trump's business advisory council. He has been forced to defend his participation in recent days, particularly since Uber Technologies Inc's [UBER.UL] chief executive, Travis Kalanick, quit the group on Thursday following the travel ban.
The new Republican president's Jan. 27 executive order sparked protests and chaos at U.S. and overseas airports in the weekend that followed. Trump has defended the ban as necessary to ensure tougher vetting of people coming into the United States and better protect the country from the threat of terror attacks.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-immgration-tech-idUSKBN15L0IY
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<b> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>A German Historian's Thoughts On Trump, Bannon, Fascism & America</b>
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I expected them to move very quickly, and they did, but there were a number of things I did not expect and one of them is the elevation of Steve Bannon, who is the closest thing to a genuine fascist that I've seen ever in American government—and the removal in the National Security Council of the military leaders. That's extraordinary and unprecedented.
Bannon is not a security expert. He's not an expert in government at all. That's one thing. The second thing is the fact that the Trump Administration didn't engage in a transition. They were uninterested in both the documents prepared by the Obama administration and in meeting with the heads of the various divisions of government. The third thing is the purge of the senior-most officials in the State Department. The fourth thing is the order banning Muslims—and that's what it is—the manner in which that happened, the process, which is to say a small group of advisers with no government experience keeping it secret and then launching it. That's also unprecedented.
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">The lack of that transition, the purge of the people in the State Department, an order clearly going out to Homeland Security not to follow court orders—that's all pretty remarkable and it indicates that these people want to remove the normal functioning of government and to replace the adepts at government—the people with experience and knowledge—with toadies who will do whatever they tell them to do.
And the fact that there is not a spine to be found among the Republicans, with the possible exception of maybe McCain and maybe Lindsay Graham and possibly Collins, this stuff is going to roll over. There are no checks and balances left. I think most of us have thought that the government itself would be able to prevent some of the worst possible things, both in terms of the content of policy, but also in the manner in which policy is made and put into effect.
And it appears that they're trying very, very hard to get around that one last barrier to complete destruction of the legal status quo.
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>How does this compare to what was seen with European fascism in the 1920s and 30s?</b>
The place that I know best is the end of the Weimar Republic and the beginning of National Socialism. In fact, the purge that occurred there in government occurred primarily in Prussia, which was the largest and the most progressive state. The purge began in mid-1932 and in the end it wasn't necessary to purge all that many people to bring the government apparatus into line.
I think that the purges in the United States are going to have to be greater—if they're actually going to do this kind of thing. But the real question, historically, that I've been thinking about is whether it's 1930 that we're in or 1933. And the 1930 thing is interesting to contemplate because Hitler was not in power—it was Heinrich Brüning and other merely authoritarians.
What they did was to eviscerate the legal operation of the Weimar Republic and destroy parliamentary government, and that's the thing that provided the opportunity for a really organized and ideologically driven party to take over.
http://gothamist.com/2017/02/06/trump_bannon_german_history.php
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>Trump BANNED from giving historic address in British Parliament's hall slammed the President's "racism and sexism"</b>
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John Bercow slammed Trump for "racism and sexism", his undermining of judges and his migrant ban.
He added that although he does not have as much say over a speech in the glittering Royal Gallery in the House of Lords, "I would not wish to issue an invitation".
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted: "Well said John Bercow. We must stand up for our country's values. Trump's State Visit should not go ahead."
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/donald-trump-banned-giving-historic-9768931</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-79804913950866821412016-09-27T21:20:00.001-07:002019-03-28T00:42:50.919-07:00<h2>
Updated information:</h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Grey Faction, Satanic Temple and Lucien Greaves Fact Sheet:</strong><br /><span lang="0" style="font-family: Arial;">For
almost a decade Douglas Misicko using several aliases (including
Douglas Mesner and Lucien Greaves) has harassed groups helping child
abuse, rape and trauma survivors. He has also harassed groups providing
research in support of child abuse, rape and trauma survivors.</span></span></span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: Arial;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /><span lang="0" style="font-family: Arial;">In
2013, he and others created a group called the Satanic Temple. One part
of this group is called the Grey Faction. The Grey Faction states they
“invade” conferences. These conferences are provided to help and educate
child abuse, rape and trauma survivors and their helpers.<br /><span lang="0" style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/grey-faction-satanic-temple-and-lucien-greaves-fact-sheet/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/grey-faction-satanic-temple-and-lucien-greaves-fact-sheet/</a></span></span></span></span></span> </h2>
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<h2>
Exposing Doug Mesner/Lucien Greaves – co-founder of the Satanic Temple and Grey Faction presenter</h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">This page was created to let people know the other side of Doug Mesner/Lucien Greaves’ work.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">In the
article: “Mental Health Licensing Board Ignores Complaint Against
“Satanic Panic” Conspiracy Counselor” By Doug Mesner (alias of person
using alias Lucien Greaves) Daily Kos,<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>Doug Mesner repeats the same misinformation about Neil Brick and S.M.A.R.T.</b> This has all been refuted in previous articles:<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
(see: <span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.change.org/p/protect-child-abuse-survivors-petition-to-stop-attacks-against-child-abuse-and-ritual-abuse-survivors-and-neil-brick">https://www.change.org/p/protect-child-abuse-survivors-petition-to-stop-attacks-against-child-abuse-and-ritual-abuse-survivors-and-neil-brick</a><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
and<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-satanic-temples-grey-faction-online-guest-post/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-satanic-temples-grey-faction-online-guest-post/</a>
“Continued bullying, online harassment, name calling and personal
attacks are occurring in the comment section under the Satanic Temple’s
Grey Faction online guest post.”)<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>Interestingly in the comment section under Doug Mesner/Lucien Greaves’ article, there are several criticisms:</b><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
“If true, the entire diary is going after someone for their
disabilities, and trying to get them barred from work because of their
disabilities. Flagged.”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
“Until you’ve sat with a client and easily (I never used hypnosis)
persuaded or asked alter personalities to “come out” and saw the
complete transformation of a person to another person in a split second…
you can’t fully understand what DID is like.”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
“This is creepy and I’m flagging it for confusing weird elaborate
accusations that lack suitable citation. If someone is able to defend
this and can add some real citations, I will remove my flag.”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
“No that the letter you cite verifying that Brick is sane and in
remission isn’t linked just quoted….The website process.org claims to be
you and writes “In Defense of Neil Brick” and now you write with a
petition against him. The website I linked to first that is Brick’s blog
in rebuttal to you is from 6 years ago so obviously you’ve been writing
this for at least 6 years using the same language and I wonder why.
There’s plenty of weird ideas online and on youtube and what I
understand from this diary is you want Brick to be ineligible to act as a
Licensed Counselor but he was evaluated and passed the eval although
you offer no evidence of that part. But you say upthread you will add
that part later. You should have waited to publish until you had that to
add. That you sneer at me about hyperlinks just adds to the creepiness I
feel about what you wrote. Defensiveness doesn’t add to anyone’s
validity.”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
“It is certainly possible to have dissociative disorders that are not iatrogenic, as I myself had one.”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>Doug continues his insults in the comment section below the article:</b><br />
“hack quack therapists”<br />
“harmful BS hysteria”<br />
“Your comments are dishonest and frustratingly stupid.”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
Doug discusses psychiatric diagnoses, yet it is unknown if he has any training at all in diagnosing these or their symptoms.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>Other online criticisms of Lucien Greaves and The Satanic Temple;</b><br />
(Note: All accusations are alleged and only the opinions of the specific
websites cited. Please check websites listed for sources.)<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>Harvard can do better than give a platform to a “Black Mass” promoter who ridicules sex abuse victims</b><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"> <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/feastofeden/2014/05/harvard-can-do-better-than-give-a-platform-to-a-black-mass-promoter-who-ridicules-sex-abuse-victims/">http://www.patheos.com/blogs/feastofeden/2014/05/harvard-can-do-better-than-give-a-platform-to-a-black-mass-promoter-who-ridicules-sex-abuse-victims/</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">“More
Internet searching shows Greaves, as Doug Mesner, works….with the False
Memory Syndrome Foundation, which was founded by Pamela and Peter Freyd
after their adult daughter Jennifer accused her father of rape….One of
the organization’s founding members, the late Ralph Underwager, gave a
lengthy interview to a pro-pedophilia journal in the 1990s in which he
criticized pedophiles for not being “bold enough.” Underwager said,
“Pedophiles can make the assertion that the pursuit of intimacy and love
is what they choose. With boldness they can say, ‘I believe this is in
fact part of God’s will.”<br />
To be fair, Underwager, when criticized over the interview, said his comments had been taken out of context.”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
“All of which is to say that, as a victim of child sexual abuse, I do
not think very much of the False Memory Syndrome Foundation or its
co-founder Underwager, and so likewise do not think much of Greaves’
association with it or his ridiculing people who claim to have recovered
memories of child sex abuse. (Again, he has a long Internet trail,
which in this case shows quite a bit of vituperation directed at child
sex-abuse victims and those who support them.)”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<b> How to stop the OKC “Black Mass” for now</b><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/feastofeden/2014/07/how-to-stop-the-black-mass-for-now/">http://www.patheos.com/blogs/feastofeden/2014/07/how-to-stop-the-black-mass-for-now/</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">“I wrote about …. previously when expressing concern over Harvard “Black Mass” promoter Greaves:<br />
I am not encouraged by the fact that Greaves is close with registered
sex offender …, who, along with his wife, run a Satanic worship center
in …..<br />
Look up …..in the national sex offender registry and you will see that
he was convicted of sexual battery in 2009. The rap sheet notes that he
has satanic tattoos all over his body. The court ruled that he had to
remain on the registry for life.<br />
In what appears to be some sort of sick joke, the website of … Satanic
“church” features a “rape awareness” page decorated with images of
flowers.”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="http://www.tinfoilhattime.com/2014/05/20/doug-mesnerlucien-greaves-the-huckster-behind-the-harvard-black-mass-and-similar-shams/">http://www.tinfoilhattime.com/2014/05/20/doug-mesnerlucien-greaves-the-huckster-behind-the-harvard-black-mass-and-similar-shams/</a><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>Critiques of Lucien Greaves and the Satanic Temple from former associates:</b><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>religion: a master and slave relationship by Shane Bugbee</b><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="http://www.shanebugbee.com/?p=2161">http://www.shanebugbee.com/?p=2161</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
“I’ll try to explain why I have such a disdain for The Satanic Temple, a
practical joke turned religion and could be cult, and the reasons
behind my need to make that disdain public, as there is seldom one
reason.”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
“Then Doug told me his main motivation for The Satanic Temple was
profit, to create a “substantial income”, that was enough for me to want
to cease helping in any way, and to question the true intent of this
project. While I am all for profit, I want nothing to do with a cult.
Because the people The Satanic Temple wants to extract money from are MY
people….”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
“I recall Doug Mesner telling me the C.I.A. had asked him to write some
private reports for them, maybe in my most paranoid state I could run
with and ramble about the possibilities there… More likely, The Satanic
Temple is just the act of a group of social and career climbers using
slick psychological marketing tricks in the tradition of Edward Bernays
to meet their ends. But at the least, I think anyone could question and
everyone should question the intent of a guy from wealth and without
ties to the occult as to why he has decided to fund a Satanic religion
while pulling the strings of a guy who has such a brilliant mind, who
has studied the science of the mind at one of the top learning
facilities in the world, and maybe, just maybe you could come up with
the same conclusion I have, that The Satanic Temple has ulterior motives
above and beyond helping mankind or making a movie.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
A Satanic monument is a mindful person looking into a mirror… religion is a control mechanism.<br />
beware – be aware.”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>High Priest Brian Werner resigns from The Satanic Temple</b><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIN4aZ8IMz0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIN4aZ8IMz0</a><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="https://churchofahriman.net/2014/08/13/doug-mesner-aka-lucien-greaves-truth-about-the-satanic-monument/">https://churchofahriman.net/2014/08/13/doug-mesner-aka-lucien-greaves-truth-about-the-satanic-monument/</a><br />
“The Satanic Temple’s spokes man Doug Mesner aka Lucien Greaves, just
stabbed us in the back. It seems time and time again, we help other
Satanists get things going, then all the sudden the knife is sunk in.
Here is another one to add to the list…. Here are some emails between
Lucien Greaves and Dastur Adam Daniels”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>Articles from <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/">https://ritualabuse.us</a> :</b><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>The Urban Legends of Those Attacking Ritual Abuse Theories and
the False Logic of False Memory Proponents and Their Occultist
Supporters</b> – Presentation by Neil Brick<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2016-conference/the-urban-legends-of-those-attacking-ritual-abuse-theories/">https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2016-conference/the-urban-legends-of-those-attacking-ritual-abuse-theories/ </a><br />
“My license to practice therapy has been threatened with filed licensing
complaints by people connected to a group called the Grey Faction, a
part of the Satanic Temple. My job as a therapist has nothing to do with
my advocacy efforts to stop child abuse and I have very clear
professional and private boundaries that I maintain to ensure this
continues to occur. <b>Yet, the Grey Faction associates keep
harassing me and others in the field. Their attacks are factually
inaccurate and meritless.</b> Their attempts to silence me have not
worked. I have continued to publish research and promote the truth
about child abuse, ritual abuse and mind control crimes on the Internet.
Their campaign to silence child abuse survivors and rape victims has
combined harassment, propaganda and misinformation.”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
“I believe that the work of the Grey Faction is meant to purposefully
dehumanize and insult ideological opponents, so our ideas are derided
and not believed.”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
“We can see common threads in attacks against child abuse survivors throughout history. <b>Child
abuse survivors have been called crazy, confused, hysterical,
delusional and so on in attempts to maintain the status quo of child
abuse being covered up in our society.</b> Regardless of what the
false memory occultists write, the reality is that they are part of this
cover up. Instead of focusing on the factual information I write, I
have been attacked personally in an attempt to silence me.”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>Reply to the Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction online guest post</b><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-satanic-temples-grey-faction-online-guest-post/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-satanic-temples-grey-faction-online-guest-post/</a><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
“In conclusion, the guest post by the Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction
criticizes the strong research and theories of ritual abuse survivors
and those with years of research, experience and education in the trauma
field. (The members of the Grey Faction have unknown credentials and
may not have the experience to accurately determine trauma theory and
research.) The guest post by the Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction presents
inaccurate arguments, which are refuted in this article. <b>The
Grey Faction claims they are combating pseudoscience with rational
inquiry, but this rational inquiry is actually predetermined opinion,
bolstered by name calling, ad hominem attacks and insults. There is no
real rational inquiry because there is no evidence that all of the facts
were looked at neutrally to derive a conclusion.</b> It appears
the only facts considered were the ones that back their arguments. In
its articles, the Grey Faction hides behind the name of science and
rationality, when in reality it appears it is an advocacy organization
used to discredit ritual abuse survivors realities’ and their
resources.”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>Reply to the Grey Faction’s Petition to Revoke the License of Neil Brick</b><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-grey-factions-petition-to-revoke-the-license-of-neil-brick/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-grey-factions-petition-to-revoke-the-license-of-neil-brick/</a><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
“The petition states that The Allied Board of Health Professionals
licensure division, having previously received a complaint…did nothing. <b>The fact is that no violations were found and no disciplinary actions were taken.</b>
We believe that this new letter is part of the continued actions of
harassment against Neil Brick and those that help child and ritual abuse
survivors.”<br />
“The petition states “While we are not privy to records that indicate
methods of treatment employed in Neil Brick’s practice.” This is one of
the most important parts of the letter. <b>There is no evidence there are any problems with any methods of treatment Neil uses.</b>”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>Douglas Misicko alias Douglas Mesner update 7 – Radio Interview Rebuttal</b><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-7-radio-interview-rebuttal/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-7-radio-interview-rebuttal/</a><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>“Doug Mesner has continued his attacks on Neil Brick and other
ritual abuse survivors. He continues his use of name calling and insults
against ritual abuse survivors and their helpers.</b> He repeats
the same misstatements about the conference we have rebutted in earlier
articles on this website. He calls those he has ideological
disagreements with as having delusions and paranoia.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
In a radio interview…, Mesner states “The organization S.M.A.R.T is run
by this little shit named Neil Brick, he’s actually when I first saw
him, he’s this staggering little moron with this greasy comb over and
thick glasses, and he’s very short and very frail.” Of course, this
physical description isn’t true. Mesner paints a false caricature of an
ideological opponent to discredit them in the eyes of the reader. This
is a dishonest attempt to discredit someone and their ideas. Neil Brick
doesn’t stagger, is a genius (test score), doesn’t have thick glasses
and is in excellent physical shape now and was at the conference. This
fabricated description is part of the false narrative Mesner paints to
back up the other false ideas he promotes to incorrectly discredit
ritual abuse survivors.<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
S.M.A.R.T and Neil Brick have repeatedly contested the so-called factual
points of his articles and have disproven many of them. Mesner calls
Neil Brick’s story delusional, but has no evidence it is, other than
Mesner’s own belief system. Of course, this is not evidence of anyone’s
delusion, but evidence of Mesner’s disagreement and nothing more.”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
“Mesner in essence paints a false picture of ritual abuse survivors and
their helpers without any real evidence to try and discredit them. To
the best of our knowledge, he has little to no experience dealing with
severe abuse survivors and has no training in working with them.”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>Douglas Mesner and the Lucien Greaves Satanic Temple Connection</b><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-mesner-and-the-lucien-greaves-satanic-temple-connection/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-mesner-and-the-lucien-greaves-satanic-temple-connection/</a><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
“The Satanic Temple’s website stated: In 2012, Neil Bricke, raised in a
multigenerational Satanic Temple tradition of worship, decided, with
the blessings of his fellow Satanic devotees, to officially found the
Satanic Temple.<br />
<b>SMART believes that this was meant to be an attack on Neil Brick, the founder of SMART. </b> Neil Brick works to educate the public about the different types of child abuse and their existence.”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
“Without any evidence presented, it claims that clients are somehow
indoctrinated into believing the horrific things that actually happened
to them as children. This is unproven and false. The myth that survivors
of severe childhood abuse are somehow encouraged to remember these
memories in treatment is also false. There’s no evidence that a patient
can be “indoctrinated” into believing a memory of abuse in a normal
therapeutic setting.”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
“In another article at vice.com (also covered in other Internet
articles) about Satanists turning the founder of the Westboro Baptist
Church’s deceased mother “gay,” the article describes “Lucien Greaves”
performing a “Pink Mass” over the grave of the Westboro Baptist Church
founder’s mother. The article states that the Pink Mass is a Satanic
ritual performed after death that will turn a deceased person’s straight
spirit into a homosexual one. This event was covered on many other
news pages also. <b>The Satanic Temple states it eschews
supernaturalism, yet performs rituals over a dead person’s grave. There
were also pictures of Lucien Greaves on the Internet of him pulling his
penis while rubbing his scrotum on the gravestone.</b> In the state
of Mississippi, where this ritual occurred, “Lucien Greaves” was
charged by the police with desecration of a grave according to a
vice.com article and other articles on the Internet.”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
“”Douglas Mesner has continued using insults and attacks against
survivors of ritual abuse and the professionals that work with them. He
has followed survivors and survivor advocates around the Internet for
the last several years. Aliases have been used adding additional
insults and name calling against survivors.”<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>Additional Information on Douglas Mesner and SMART:</b><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-6-examiner-com-article/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-6-examiner-com-article/</a><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-5/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-5/</a><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-4/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-4/</a><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-3/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-3/</a><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-2/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-2/</a><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update/</a><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner/</a><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/harassment-by-false-memory-proponents/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/harassment-by-false-memory-proponents/</a><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/rebuttal-to-the-report-from-the-smart-2009-conference/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/rebuttal-to-the-report-from-the-smart-2009-conference/</a><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>Please sign this petition to show support for those attacked by Doug Mesner/Lucien Greaves:</b><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>Petition to Stop Attacks Against Child Abuse and Ritual Abuse Survivors and Neil Brick</b><br />
<a href="https://www.change.org/p/protect-child-abuse-survivors-petition-to-stop-attacks-against-child-abuse-and-ritual-abuse-survivors-and-neil-brick">https://www.change.org/p/protect-child-abuse-survivors-petition-to-stop-attacks-against-child-abuse-and-ritual-abuse-survivors-and-neil-brick</a><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
“Recently vicious online attacks have been published by The Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction and Douglas Mesner/Lucien Greaves.”</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-61027613251161488072016-09-04T10:37:00.000-07:002016-09-04T10:39:19.579-07:00The Urban Legends of Those Attacking Ritual Abuse Theories<div id="contentleft">
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>The
Urban Legends of Those Attacking Ritual Abuse Theories and the False
Logic of False Memory Proponents and Their Occultist Supporters</b> – Presentation at the 2016 Annual Ritual Abuse, Secretive Organizations and Mind Control Conference<br />
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />
Second half of the article discusses the Grey Faction, a part of the Satanic Temple and Lucien Greaves/Doug Mesner.</b></span></div>
<br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">This
presentation has been adapted for the Internet. It was presented at the
conference by Neil Brick, a survivor of ritual abuse and mind control.
His work continues to educate the public about child abuse, trauma and
ritual abuse crimes. His child abuse and ritual abuse newsletter
S.M.A.R.T. has been published for over 20 years. His articles can be
found at <a href="http://neilbrick.com/">http://neilbrick.com</a><br />
<br />
All accusations are alleged. This information is educational and not
intended as therapy or treatment. The ideas I discuss here today are
only my own or where cited taken from sources.<br />
Reading this information may or may not help your recovery process, so
please use caution while reading this. This may be heavy for survivors.<br />
<br />
<b>The Urban Legends of Those Attacking Ritual Abuse Theories and
the False Logic of False Memory Proponents and Their Occultist
Supporters</b></span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
The vicious attacks, harassment and false logic of those untrained to
ascertain recovery and therapeutic techniques continues into recent
years from the 1990s. Many of these attacks use the same propaganda
techniques, like name calling, insults and repetition as those from the
1980s and 90s. Modern examples will be given and compared to those from
prior years.<br />
<br />
In the 1980’s and early 1990’s there was a strong backlash against child abuse and ritual abuse survivors.<br />
<br />
<b>Media Manipulation by False Memory Proponents</b><br />
<br />
There are two excellent articles that discuss this backlash and how the
media was manipulated and turned against child abuse survivors.<br />
<br />
Links to two important articles discussing this are at: <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/research/">https://ritualabuse.us/research/</a><br />
<br />
<b>Controlling the Media</b><br />
<br />
1)<b> U-Turn on Memory Lane</b> by Mike Stanton – Columbia Journalism Review – July/August 1997<br />
<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20071216011151/http://backissues.cjrarchives.org/year/97/4/memory">http://web.archive.org/web/20071216011151/http://backissues.cjrarchives.org/year/97/4/memory</a>.</span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">asp<br />
<br />
“Rarely has such a strange and little-understood organization had such a
profound effect on media coverage of such a controversial matter. The
foundation is an aggressive, well-financed p.r. machine adept at
manipulating the press, harassing its critics, and mobilizing a diverse
army of psychiatrists, outspoken academics, expert defense witnesses,
litigious lawyers, Freud bashers, critics of psychotherapy, and
devastated parents. With a budget of $750,000 a year from members and
outside supporters, the foundation’s reach far exceeds its actual
membership of about 3,000.”<br />
<br />
“As controversial memory cases arose around the country, FMSF boosters
contacted journalists to pitch the false-memory argument, more and more
reporters picked up on the issue, and the foundation became an overnight
media darling. The story line that had dominated the press since the
1980s — an underreported toll of sexual abuse, including sympathetic
stories of adult survivors resurrecting long-lost memories of it — was
quickly turned around. The focus shifted to new tearful victims —
respectable, elderly parents who could no longer see their children and
grandchildren because of bad therapists who implanted memories…:”<br />
</span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>Battle Tactics of the False Memory Syndrome Foundation</b> –
Noel Packard – New School for Social Research, N.Y. History Matters
Conference April 23-24, 2004 Censorship is also a tactic that FMS
Foundation adherents use to silence voices they don’t agree with. Katy
Butler, published a critical review of Ofshe’s and Watter’s book, Making
Monsters (1994) in the Los Angeles Times. Later the newspaper’s book
review editor received a vague threat of a lawsuit from Ofshe’s
representative (K. Butler personal communication with Lynn Crook January
28, 2000). Later Butler was asked to write a story for Newsweek
examining the uncritical acceptance of Foundation claims and to provide
documented cases of recovered memory and traumatic amnesia. Upon
learning of this assignment Foundation Advisory Board members Richard
Ofshe and Fredrick Crews, as well as Peter and Pamela Freyd, wrote
strongly worded letters of complaint to Newsweek which effectively
canceled Butler’s assignment (Stanton 1997). Although these censorship
activities were reported in Mike Stanton’s article “U-Turn on Memory
Lane” (1997) Nevertheless, Newsweek editors confirmed that the FMS
Foundation letters helped kill Butler’s article. <a href="http://www.newschool.edu/nssr/historymatters/papers/NoelPackard.pdf">http://www.newschool.edu/nssr/historymatters/papers/NoelPackard.pdf</a><br />
<br />
<b>Misrepresentation of the data and the harassment of those
defending child abuse survivors were two major parts of the false memory
movement used against child abuse survivors.</b><br />
<br />
<b>The harassment was meant to scare people from discussing child
abuse, ritual abuse and mind control crimes. And this harassment
continues today.</b><br />
<br />
We have a page devoted to these tactics:<br />
<b>False memory syndrome proponents tactics</b> – False memory
syndrome proponents have done the following to try and ensure that only
their point of view is in the public view. Harassing debate opponents,
misrepresenting the data in the field and controlling the media. <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/research/memory-fms/false-memory-syndrome-proponents-tactics/">https://ritualabuse.us/research/memory-fms/false-memory-syndrome-proponents-tactics/</a></span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>Harassment</b><br />
<br />
<b>Confessions of a Whistle-Blower: Lessons Learned</b>
Author: Anna C. Salter DOI: 10.1207/s15327019eb0802_2 Published in:
Ethics & Behavior, Volume 8, Issue 2 June 1998 , pages 115 – 124
Abstract – In 1988 I began a report on the accuracy of expert testimony
in child sexual abuse cases utilizing Ralph Underwager and Hollida
Wakefield as a case study (Wakefield & Underwager, 1988). In
response, Underwager and Wakefield began a campaign of harassment and
intimidation, which included multiple lawsuits; an ethics charge; phony
(and secretly taped) phone calls; and ad hominem attacks, including one
that I was laundering federal grant monies. The harassment and
intimidation failed as the author refused demands to retract. In
addition, the lawsuits and ethics charges were dismissed.<br />
<a href="http://ritualabuse.us/research/memory-fms/confessions-of-a-whistle-blower-lessons-learned/">http://ritualabuse.us/research/memory-fms/confessions-of-a-whistle-blower-lessons-learned/</a><br />
<a href="http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content%7Edb=all%7Econtent=a918444284">http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a918444284</a><br />
<br />
Calof, D.L. (1998). <b>Notes from a practice under siege: Harassment, defamation, and intimidation in the name of science</b>,
Ethics and Behavior, 8(2) pp. 161-187. Abstract: I have practiced
psychotherapy, family therapy, and hypnotherapy for over 25 years
without a single board complaint or lawsuit by a client. For over 3
years, however, a group of proponents of the false memory syndrome (FMS)
hypothesis, including members, officials, and supporters of the False
Memory Syndrome Foundation, Inc., have waged a multimodal campaign of
harassment and defamation directed against me, my clinical clients, my
staff, my family, and others connected to me. I have neither treated
these harassers or their families nor had any professional or personal
dealings with any of them; I am not related in any way to the
disclosures of memories of sexual abuse in these families. Nonetheless,
this group disrupts my professional and personal life and threatens to
drive me out of business. In this article, I describe practicing
psychotherapy under a state of siege and place the campaign against me
in the context of a much broader effort in the FMS movement to
denigrate, defame, and harass clinicians, lecturers, writers, and
researchers identified with the abuse and trauma treatment communities. <a href="http://ritualabuse.us/research/memory-fms/notes-from-a-practice-under-siege/">http://ritualabuse.us/research/memory-fms/notes-from-a-practice-under-siege/</a><br />
<br />
David Calof author note : I should also add that this article covers the
first four years of what would become an over 10 year campaign of
harassment and the most egregious actions actually took place after this
article was published.<br />
<br />
<b>Misrepresenting the data in the field</b><br />
<br />
“Since at least 95 percent of child molesters initially deny their
abusive behaviors, how can untrained lay people like Pamela Freyd and
her staff “document” a real or “unreal” case of “FMS,” as appears to be
the case with most of their communications, which usually occur over the
telephone or by letter. (p. 76) (Memory and Abuse: Remembering and
Healing the Effects of Trauma By Charles L. Whitfield, Christine
Courtois Published by HCI, 1995)<br />
<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=z1LW3u1e04YC">http://books.google.com/books?id=z1LW3u1e04YC</a><br />
<br />
Jennifer J. Freyd, Ph.D., author of “<i>Betrayal Trauma: The Logic of Forgetting Childhood Abuse</i>”<br />
“Despite this documentation for both traumatic amnesia and essentially
accurate delayed recall, memory science is often presented as if it
supports the view that traumatic amnesia is very unlikely or perhaps
impossible and that a great many, perhaps a majority, maybe even all,
recovered memories of abuse are false….Yet no research supports such an
implication…and a great deal of research supports the premise that
forgetting sexual abuse is fairly common and that recovered memories are
sometimes essentially true.” (p. 107)<br />
<b>Science in the Memory Debate</b> – Ethics & Behavior, Volume 8, Issue 2 June 1998 , pages 101 – 113 <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130225044634/http://fmsf.com/ethics.shtml">https://web.archive.org/web/20130225044634/http://fmsf.com/ethics.shtml</a><br />
<a href="http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content%7Edb=all%7Econtent=a918444283">http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a918444283</a><br />
<br />
“Psychologists Ralph Underwager and Hollida Wakefield have written two
books…When a given reference fails to support their viewpoint they
simply misstate the conclusion. When they cannot use a quotation out of
context from an article, they make unsupported statements, some of which
are palpably untrue and others simply unprovable. David L. Chadwick,
Book Review, in 261 JAMA 3035 (May 26, 1989)” <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20100315032508/http://vlex.com/vid/underwager-hollida-wakefield-salter-36092881">https://web.archive.org/web/20100315032508/http://vlex.com/vid/underwager-hollida-wakefield-salter-36092881</a><br />
<br />
<b>The myth of panic, called Satanic Panic, a propaganda term that
rhymes so people are less likely to forget it. This false concept was
developed in the early 1990s.</b><br />
<br />
This concept has been rebutted by Ross E. Cheit, a professor of
Political Science and International & Public Affairs at Brown
University.in his book:<br />
<i>The Witch-Hunt Narrative</i> <a href="http://blogs.brown.edu/rcheit/">http://blogs.brown.edu/rcheit/</a><br />
<br />
This book goes through many of the day care and child abuse cases of the 1990s using primary sources.<br />
<br />
<i>The Witch-Hunt Narrative</i><br />
<i> Politics, Psychology, and the Sexual Abuse of Children</i><br />
Ross E. Cheit<br />
Empirically challenges the view that a series of high-profile cases in the 1980s and early 1990s were hoaxes<br />
Shows how a narrative based on empirically thin evidence became a theory
with real social force, and how that theory stood at odds with the
reality of child sexual abuse<br />
<a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-witch-hunt-narrative-9780199931224?cc=us&lang=en&">https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-witch-hunt-narrative-9780199931224?cc=us&lang=en&</a><br />
<br />
<b>Yet this book was largely ignored by the mainstream media. But
books the continue the dialogue promoting the urban legend of panic
continue to get wide spread coverage.</b><br />
<br />
This is the history of the harassment of child abuse survivors in the past. </span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>Now I will discuss the present harassment of those working to expose and present the research of child abuse crimes.</b><br />
<br />
The case study I will use today is my own.<br />
<br />
My license to practice therapy has been threatened with filed licensing
complaints by people connected to a group called the Grey Faction, a
part of the Satanic Temple. My job as a therapist has nothing to do with
my advocacy efforts to stop child abuse and I have very clear
professional and private boundaries that I maintain to ensure this
continues to occur. Yet, the Grey Faction associates keep harassing me
and others in the field. Their attacks are factually inaccurate and
meritless. Their attempts to silence me have not worked. I have
continued to publish research and promote the truth about child abuse,
ritual abuse and mind control crimes on the Internet.<br />
<br />
Their campaign to silence child abuse survivors and rape victims has combined harassment, propaganda and misinformation.<br />
<br />
<b>Harassment:</b><br />
<br />
The Grey Faction has admitted they infiltrated a survivor conference. I
believe the person attending lied about why they were at the conference,
filmed me without my permission and the Grey Faction put part of the
film on the Internet.<br />
<br />
Besides the fact that this is highly amoral, they misrepresented what I
said and used a variety of propaganda techniques to spin and twist my
words and my research.<br />
<br />
The video of me is presented in black and white with scary music similar
to a horror film. The video falsely portrays my asking people to stop
going to their face and using hand signals as paranoia and bullying, yet
if you listen to the words, the tone of my voice is calm and quiet. The
video discusses the filing of a licensing complaint against me. It
discusses and misrepresents my story as a child abuse survivor, where I
was forced to hurt others as a child.<br />
<br />
The video is in essence pure propaganda. Incredibly, over a thousand
people signed a petition written by the Grey Faction to have my license
taken away from me, not knowing who I am or the real facts about my
research or my job. This is the danger of propaganda and how the media
can be misused to hurt others.<br />
<br />
<b>The video and the petition against me are both heavily laden with propaganda, misinformation and the misrepresentation of facts.</b><br />
<br />
One fact Lucien Greaves/Doug Mesner (not his real names) repeatedly
reports is one where at our 2009 conference one table had clothing that
protected against electromagnetic frequencies for health reasons. This
got misrepresented as “tin foil hats” and this propaganda has been
repeated numerous times by Mesner/Greaves.<br />
<br />
One line from his petition states: “Neil Brick continues to propagate
debunked and disregarded narratives of concealed occult crimes from the
height of the “Satanic Panic.”<br />
<br />
I have already shown how there was no panic and these cases were
misrepresented by past false memory and now the false memory occultists
proponents.<br />
<br />
The petition goes on and on misrepresenting my arguments and my research.<br />
We replied to the Grey Faction/Lucien Greaves and their misinformation in depth at:<br />
<b>Reply to the Grey Faction’s Petition to Revoke the License of Neil Brick</b><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-grey-factions-petition-to-revoke-the-license-of-neil-brick/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-grey-factions-petition-to-revoke-the-license-of-neil-brick/</a><br />
<br />
“We believe that this new letter is part of the continued actions of
harassment against Neil Brick and those that help child and ritual abuse
survivors.”<br />
<br />
“The petition states Neil Brick has a dangerous state-of-mind and
unsubstantiated, delusional beliefs. This is pure conjecture and
unproven. There is no real evidence presented anywhere of this and
Neil’s evaluation during the filing of the previous complaint found
there were no problems at all with Neil’s mental state. Neil’s beliefs
are clearly substantiated with research at <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/">https://ritualabuse.us</a>
The use of the pejorative terms in the petition mentioned above are
unproven and are used to mischaracterize Neil Brick and his work.”<br />
<br />
“The petition links to several articles at the <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/">https://ritualabuse.us</a>
website. The petition mischaracterizes the content of these articles.
Neil as a child was forced to kill people in a cult. He was brainwashed
in this group as a small child. Many well known cults today program
their members to join and not leave and to follow them, asking them to
commit acts they would not do outside of the cult. This is a well
researched topic.”<br />
<br />
“The (Grey Faction) petition states “While we are not privy to records
that indicate methods of treatment employed in Neil Brick’s practice.”
This is one of the most important parts of their petition. There is no
evidence there are any problems with any methods of treatment Neil
uses.”<br />
<br />
“The petition mentions Neil Brick promotes implausible ideas, yet Neil’s
ideas are backed by research and journal articles. If the Grey Faction
decides to ignore or disbelieve this research, this does not mean Neil’s
research is implausible. As previously stated, Neil does not and would
never promote his research in his role as a licensed mental health care
professional as this would be a clear violation of professional
boundaries. In our opinion, this is simply part of a continued pattern
of on and offline harassment against Neil Brick and others who are
trying to get the research out about child and ritual abuse and trauma.”<br />
<br />
This is from our website replying to a guest post by the Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction:<br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-satanic-temples-grey-faction-online-guest-post/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-satanic-temples-grey-faction-online-guest-post/</a><br />
<br />
In conclusion, the guest post by the Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction
criticizes the strong research and theories of ritual abuse survivors
and those with years of research, experience and education in the trauma
field. (The members of the Grey Faction have unknown credentials and
may not have the experience to accurately determine trauma theory and
research.) The guest post by the Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction presents
inaccurate arguments, which are refuted in this article.<b> The
Grey Faction claims they are combating pseudoscience with rational
inquiry, but this rational inquiry is actually predetermined opinion,
bolstered by name calling, ad hominem attacks and insults. There is no
real rational inquiry because there is no evidence that all of the facts
were looked at neutrally to derive a conclusion.</b> It appears
the only facts considered were the ones that back their arguments. In
its articles, the Grey Faction hides behind the name of science and
rationality, when in reality it appears it is an advocacy organization
used to discredit ritual abuse survivors realities’ and their resources.<br />
<br /><br />
Mesner’s work has critiqued D C Hammond’s research of the early
1990’s.</span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">Copy of Hammond's speech:<br />
<a href="http://www.empty-memories.nl/science/greenbaum.pdf">http://www.empty-memories.nl/science/greenbaum.pdf</a><br />
<a href="http://whale.to/b/greenbaum.html">http://whale.to/b/greenbaum.html</a><br />
https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=9FUersarZuo (remove spaces to cut and paste and watch video)<br />
</span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br />
<i>Propaganda</i> (1928) by Edward Bernays<br />
<br />
“….But when the example of the leader is not at hand and the herd must
think for itself, it does so by means of cliches, pat words or images
which stand for a whole group of ideas or experiences. Not many years
ago, it was only necessary to tag a political candidate with the word
interests to stampede millions of people into voting against him,
because anything associated with “the interests” seemed necessarily
corrupt. Recently the word Bolshevik has performed a similar service for
persons who wished to frighten the public away from a line of action. <br />
By playing upon an old cliche, or manipulating a new one, the
propagandist can sometimes swing a whole mass of group emotions. In
Great Britain, during the war, the evacuation hospitals came in for a
considerable amount of criticism because of the summary way in which
they handled their wounded. It was assumed by the public that a hospital
gives prolonged and conscientious attention to its patients. When the
name was changed to evacuation posts the critical reaction vanished. No
one expected more than an adequate emergency treatment from an
institution so named. The cliche hospital was indelibly associated in
the public mind with a certain picture. To persuade the public to
discriminate between one type of hospital and another, to dissociate the
cliche from the picture it evoked, would have been an impossible task.
Instead, a new cliche automatically conditioned the public emotion
toward these hospitals.”<br />
<a href="http://www.historyisaweapon.org/defcon1/bernprop.html">http://www.historyisaweapon.org/defcon1/bernprop.html</a><br />
<br />
The Grey Faction uses specific phrases repeated to describe my work and
the work of researchers in our field. These include “delusional”
“paranoid” and “dangerous state-of-mind.” One common concepts they
promote is that our researchers “sell(ing) delusion to the mentally
vulnerable.” Of course no one is selling anything, there is no presented
evidence anyone is delusional (this is unsubstantiated opinion) and
there is no presented evidence anyone is “vulnerable” or being taken
advantage of in any way.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, others in our field have joined the Grey Faction in their
attacks on me and the belief in mind control techniques. Remember that
some of our best researchers, who will be speaking tomorrow at our
conference have done years of research backing the validity of the use
of cult hand signals and other forms of triggers to access survivors’
programming.<br />
<br />
I believe that the work of the Grey Faction is meant to purposefully
dehumanize and insult ideological opponents, so our ideas are derided
and not believed. This is similar to the political cartoons and
caricatures of one hundred years ago, when a political figure may be
drawn in a demeaning manner. This is similar to the way dictatorships in
history have demeaned their targets to gain public acceptance. These
dishonest debate tactics go beyond simple ad hominems into personal
insults. This is often seen by those in the comment sections below the
articles attacking myself and others in our field.<br />
<br />
Also from Bernay:<br />
“<b>THE conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized
habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic
society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society
constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our
country.</b> <br />
We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas
suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical
result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast
numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to
live together as a smoothly functioning society.”<br />
<br />
I disagree with Bernay for the need for our society to do this, but this
is the society we live in today. This is why it is almost impossible to
get our research into the mainstream media, but the occultists and
false memory people have no problem getting large amounts of media
coverage.<br />
<br />
<b>We can see common threads in attacks against child abuse survivors throughout history.</b>
Child abuse survivors have been called crazy, confused, hysterical,
delusional and so on in attempts to maintain the status quo of child
abuse being covered up in our society. Regardless of what the false
memory occultists write, the reality is that they are part of this cover
up. Instead of focusing on the factual information I write, I have been
attacked personally in an attempt to silence me. It has not worked.
Historically, when those that harass others win, our society suffers.
They will not win. We will.</span>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-87462198097503144732016-08-16T18:52:00.000-07:002016-08-16T18:52:23.588-07:00How to Avoid Being Mind Controlled at a Conference<span style="font-size: large;"><b>How to Avoid Being Mind Controlled at a Conference - Presentation at the 2016 Annual Ritual Abuse, Secretive Organizations and Mind Control Conference - August 2016</b>
<b> </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The information in this article was written with the help and research of several survivors and well-known, well-published therapists in the child abuse, ritual abuse and mind control fields over almost a twenty year period. Participants of several ritual abuse conferences helped research the information in this article. </b> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Article copied with permission from <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/">https://ritualabuse.us</a> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The most recent updated version of this information is at:
<a href="https://survivorship.org/survivorship-articles/how-to-avoid-being-mind-controlled-at-a-conference/">https://survivorship.org/survivorship-articles/how-to-avoid-being-mind-controlled-at-a-conference/</a> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The information at the above webpage was reviewed and written by several people at Survivorship. The article below has direct quotes from this page, which will be cited as “Survivorship article.” Parts added by Neil Brick for his presentation will be in parenthesis. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Please note: The experiences and triggers mentioned below may or may not be forms of programmed mind controlled for all survivors. Different survivors have different types of programming. Some people do not have severe forms of mind control programming, but they may be susceptible to media propaganda, societal forms of mind control and socialization, and cult techniques of mind control. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">This presentation has been adapted for the Internet. It was presented at the conference by Neil Brick, a survivor of ritual abuse and mind control. His work continues to educate the public about child abuse, trauma and ritual abuse crimes. His child abuse and ritual abuse newsletter S.M.A.R.T. has been published for over 20 years. His articles can be found at <a href="http://neilbrick.com/">http://neilbrick.com</a>
All accusations are alleged. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The ideas I discuss here today are solely my own or where cited taken from specific cited sources.
The idea for this article originally came from two presentations written for the early S.M.A.R.T. conferences by several people. It was re-written this year by the Survivorship Board of Directors and can be found on their website. I have adapted and changed some of this article for this presentation. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Survivorship article: </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">“<b>How to Avoid Being Mind Controlled at a Conference</b> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">This information is for educational value only and is not intended as therapy or treatment. Reading this information may or may not help your recovery process, so please use caution while reading this. This may be heavy for survivors.
<b> </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Precautions</b> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">While the Conference organizers are doing everything possible to make this conference safe, we are not able to make guarantees, and attendees should also take their own precautions. Because of the controversial nature of the topics covered in this conference, you might want to take additional precautions.
You might want to use an alias at the conference, and put that alias on your conference name tag. Do not give your real name or information about where you live or your contact information to other conference attendees. If a conference presenter asks for such information, ask the conference organizer whether this is permissible.
If you find this helpful, bring a small object which you find comforting, and can keep in your hand or pocket to hold on to in order to keep you in the present if you find yourself triggered.”
(Please note: We strongly discourage going into child alters at this or any conference. Child alters are easier to access with triggers. Please try to stay in adult alters that are fully aware and cognizant of your surroundings. You can use mindfulness exercises to do this.) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> “<b>Bringing Support Persons</b> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We encourage conference attendees to travel in pairs with a safe support person as much as possible at the conference. I am not saying this to scare anyone. I believe this is simply more sensible. That way, if anyone does attempt to trigger you, there will be another person there to help you and tell the other person to leave. If anyone has any trouble with anyone at the conference, please let us know either verbally or on paper during or after the conference. We have tried to make the conference as safe as possible, but it is impossible to make anything totally safe. A safe support person can be an excellent help at a conference. Such a person can help a survivor avoid and process post-traumatic and programming triggers.
However, sometimes persons that survivors think are their supports are actually their handlers, persons who report their behavior to the abuser group and make sure they are obedient. Such a person can be a therapist, a spouse, a friend or another survivor. If you knew the support person before you knew you were a survivor, this person could be a handler. It is difficult in early recovery to know if a support person is a handler. Someone in your life may be a handler if seeing that person makes you feel overly dependent, in a trance state or addicted to being with that person.
Before you bring a support person to a conference, you need to check with your inside parts to make sure that all parts trust this person and do not believe them to be a handler.
<b> </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Observing Others</b> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">It is helpful to know the accessing methods of secretive organizations and/or cults. Following are some known methods. Look for odd hand gestures, such as opening a book, making the shape of a gun with the pointer finger and thumb and "shooting" it, using the cut sign (hand drawn horizontally across the throat), tapping something (a book, the wrist (as in asking for the time), forearm, leg, etc., drawing something in the air (like a letter of the alphabet or an unknown sign)). Winks or facial expressions: winks, or eyes shutting and opening in sequence, or eyebrows, weird grins or bared teeth, snarl (raised upper lip), pout (dropped and protruded lower lip), lopsided smile or grimace (corner of mouth down or up). Though some of these may or may not always signify triggers, it is important to be aware of them.” (Also, a common hand signal is covering one’s mouth, to encourage don’t talk programming.) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> (I was strongly attacked and criticized publicly for discouraging the use of hand signals during a ritual abuse conference. This was done by people working to discredit the research in our field and to silence the work of many professionals who are helping survivors work through their triggers and programming.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(Those using dishonest debate tactics, will use the words delusional or paranoid to describe researchers who believe in mind control techniques. Name calling is a propaganda technique used to unfairly discredit a person and their ideas without discussing the reality of their ideas. There is no evidence anyone is delusional or paranoid, simply because they believe in the nefarious use of mind control techniques. The concepts I am talking about here today are scientifically proven by specialists in our field (several of whom are speaking this weekend), whose research is backed by the theories of those in the field of behavioralism and those studying cult mind control.) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(<b>It is important people learn to not use hand signals and also learn to not trigger other people’s programming in other ways at this conference and in their own lives. This is why we emphasize this concept so strongly at this conference. Understanding this is an important part of recovery from mind control.</b>)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(There are two important reasons for learning about triggers:
1) Other survivors can recover more quickly if their programming is not accessed and re-activated.
2) You can learn about your own triggers. In a safe setting with your own therapist you can learn about the subliminal programming you may have.) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> (If at any time during the conference you have the sensation of your face getting itchy and then your hands go to your face in a dissociated state, you may possibly have programming to use hand signals. You can work on these trauma memories in a professional setting with a safe professional person to figure out why you do this.) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The following comes from a petition written to defend survivors. This excerpt explains the logic and research behind the theory of the misuse of hand signals.
Hand signals function as post-hypnotic suggestions, as anyone who is familiar with hypnosis will know. You might also remember Pavlov’s dog, who salivated at the sound of a bell. This is basic conditioning, stimulus-response. Child traffickers teach such signals to the children they traffic and they condition these children to respond immediately in particular ways and are used in many cults to control members. More complex conditioning can be done on human beings. It is well known that PTSD flashbacks can be triggered by certain stimuli (like sounds, smells or colors) in veterans, trauma and accident survivors. These PTSD survivors may fully believe they are back in the trauma situation and react as if they are in that situation. The concept of PTSD and PTSD triggers is similar to the programmed triggers we discuss at this conference.
The concept of triggers and programmed reactions is scientifically proven through years of behavioral research and research on cults and mind control situations. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">There are several excellent articles at the ritualabuse.us website about this concept, including:
An article written by me describing this phenomenon:
<b> </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>How Cues and Programming Work in Mind Control and Propaganda</b>
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/mindcontrol/how-cues-and-programming-work-in-mind-control-and-propaganda/">https://ritualabuse.us/mindcontrol/how-cues-and-programming-work-in-mind-control-and-propaganda/</a> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">This article cites the research of Pavlov, Skinner and Sargant (Battle for the Mind: A Physiology of Conversion and Brainwashing). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Quotes from the “Cues and Programming” article: </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">“Programming is similar to this in several ways. A survivor may be tortured repeatedly until an new alter is created. This alter will be given a cue to let them know when to come out, this could be a smell, word, number, sound, color and so on. This cue is either paired with the alter’s creation and is given to the alter to listen for or to look for.”
“William Sargant first looked at combat PTSD and compared it to Pavlov’s classical conditioning. He extended Pavlov’s model to explain how people could change their world view suddenly. This was caused by intense trauma, followed by a person’s personality breaking down, followed by the application of new ways of thinking. Pavlov’s dogs during a flood either forgot or reversed their previous training. First, Pavlov’s “equivalent” phase of brain activity or breakdown occurred. Second, Pavlov’s “paradoxical inhibition” occurred where weak stimuli would produce strong responses and strong stimuli would produce weak responses (inappropriate responses). Third, in the “ultraparadoxical” stage, responses changed from positive to negative and vice-versa. Current models of PTSD suggest that PTSD can be understood as learned helplessness, a set of foci in the brain firing repeatedly and inappropriately. Cognitively, a person’s world view is so changed as to become untenable. Pavlov’s observations on animals breaking down under extreme stress could be applied to humans and survivors. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Pavlov was able to build up and break down behavior patterns in dogs. Pavlov’s work seems to have influenced confession getting and brainwashing techniques. Pavlov’s dogs had four basic temperaments, strong excitatory, lively, calm imperturbable type and melancholic. Each type reacted differently to stress. Pavlov could cause a dog to break down by increasing the intensity of a signal (electricity), delaying the time between the signal and food, confusing them with positive and negative signals interchanged or tampering with its physical condition. If a dog of stable temperament acquires a behavior after extreme stress, it is hard to break this behavior. The could be compared to a person of strong character becoming a one-track minded fanatic. Some survivors may also become fanatics.
The implications for survivors of ritual abuse and their symptoms are obvious. Increased trauma could cause dissociation, making a person more susceptible to suggestion. The delay of gratification could also make one more suggestible. Positive and negative signals interchanged, like praise and insults given rapidly may cause a psychological break. Or the lack of sleep, food or drugging can also make one more suggestible. And once a survivor becomes suggestible, they are easier to program or reprogram.” </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(Let’s take a quick break. Lightly tap your feet, feel the chair under you, move around in your chair a bit and become mindful of your surroundings. If you feel dissociated or spacey at all, lightly shake your head or do other mindfulness exercises to stay present. Later you can try to remember what may have caused you to feel dissociated and discuss this with a support person. ) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">To continue with the different types of programming and triggers: </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Survivorship article: </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">“Some forms of programming use Christian or New Age religious phrases or dogma to cue people and remind them of their programming. Other that may be used include Disney themes, like Alice in Wonderland, Aladdin, or The Little Mermaid. Any children's stories or movies which were around during your childhood, such as the Wizard of Oz, may have cult meanings.
Other more general methods are any form of double-talk or double entendres, or words or phrases with double meanings, off-color jokes, and so on. Any out of place references to morbid, violent, ugly, sexual topics. Disorienting or confusing speakers: such as those who start a sentence on one topic and use an incongruency to finish it." e.g., "My glasses are red [because/and] it's raining outside." When questioned about what s/he means, the speaker may say something like "I'm hungry" (which may be an excuse for the confusion, or may just be another non sequitur). Disorientation increases suggestibility. Disorientation is used in some forms of hypnotic induction. Word plays or sayings, especially those which could refer to political or famous persons.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(Shock type techniques may be used to mind control people, to get people to remember or believe an idea without thinking logically about it. Skeptical organizations attacking survivors may use this technique. This is a dishonest way to promote one’s ideology. It is done without the recipient person’s consent or knowledge of what is happening. The person often leaves the situation believing the idea presented by the shock type technique without it being logically discussed with them and usually without their intellectual analysis. This often happens in the United States media. People are scared into focusing on an enemy or another fear causing situation and then they forget about the problems with our political leaders and our economic system.) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Survivorship article: </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">“<b>Survivors may sometimes be triggered without knowing it. Whole groups of people can be put in a trance and given instructions through cues.</b>
Use caution on the telephone. If you feel you are getting hypnotized or spacey on the phone, shake your head hard and excuse yourself from the conversation. Texts and e-mails received during the conference may be designed to make you susceptible to your programming. It is wisest not to take phone calls during the conference unless they are from someone you are completely sure is safe.
(There are specific technologies that uses tones and sounds to induce meditative states. When used properly, this technology can help people relax. When not used properly, this technology can be used plant suggestions in people. Large cults in the US use a wide variety of techniques to produce suggestible states and eventually new cult personas. These new personas may work twenty hours a day for the cult for free or cause people to totally change their personal belief systems in a few weeks or less. This is scientifically proven and well documented.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Survivorship article: </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">“<b>Attending Presentations</b> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Some of the presentations might be triggering due to their content.
If you feel triggered, please step back and do some self care. To stay present, take deep breaths, touch your clothing, and try to feel the chair you are sitting on and the floor under your feet. Use the small object you brought to let you know where you are.
If this is insufficient, take a break but do not go for a walk alone. Tell your safe support person, if you have one, that you are feeling triggered and need to leave with them and go outside. Stand up, making sure your safe support person (if you have one) is leaving with you. Sometimes the safe support person may not know you need to them to be with you. Often perpetrators will corner a person either in the back of a conference room or another room. This may occur when the survivor goes to the bathroom or walks down the hall to another room. Teddy bears and children’s books can bring a survivor into a child state in which he or she is more susceptible to being accessed. For this reason we do not encourage survivors to bring such things to the conference, and we no longer provide them.” </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> (If you feel cornered or uneasy with a person in the hallway or other place away from the conference, quickly walk away from them and come back to the conference area and find me or another volunteer at the conference. It is not rude to walk away and this may greatly help your recovery and help you become aware of being triggered and accessed.) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Survivorship article:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">“Check inside to see which parts of you are upset and why. Inquire internally whether you are having a post-traumatic reaction, in which something reminded you of some past event or person in your own life, or whether programming has been triggered.
Try and figure out what the presenter did or said which caused these feelings. Did the presenter use a particular phrase or body movement that was once used as a threat against you or as a signal to deliberately trigger programming? Remember that your perpetrators used common words and gestures and twisted their meaning. It is likely that the presenter used those words or gestures in the regular way, not the cult way, but it is possible that he or she meant to trigger programming.
Write down what was triggering and discuss it with your support person or one of the conference organizers. Please report any use of program trigger words or behaviors to the conference organizers, either in person or through a note during or after the conference.
<b> </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Dealing with Other Conference Attendees</b> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Most people are going to act fairly normally, and because programmers/handlers or scouts for secretive organizations or cults are not likely to look any different from most people, it is helpful to be alert to possible signs of attempted accessing.
Do not give any personal details about your life to conference attendees, even if you believe you have met them online. Almost every ritual abuse survivor has parts inside who are trained to report on other survivors to the perpetrators. You do not want anyone reporting about you.
Don't shake hands or exchange hugs with anyone you don't know. Certain cults use handshakes to remind people of their programming and/or access certain alter states. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Survivors are in different places in their healing, and their knowledge about programming methods and their ability to recognize such things. There are two ways to catch triggers: one is by your own reactions. If you notice you are suddenly dizzy or foggy, or spaced out, you may be triggered. It is good to know some grounding techniques to use when this begins to happen. Try to remember what just happened around you. The second is by looking for some specific behaviors, odd out of place phrases, or discrepancies between behaviors and words. Pay close attention to hand gestures, winks, taps, etc. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Most people are probably safe, but it is a good idea to be aware of your surroundings as much as possible. You might want to watch who is around you, who is within your physical space, who brushes shoulders with you, who touches you, who sits next to you, who is near your food, in all areas of the hotel, as well as watch where you drive and what cars are behind or near you. Don’t go off to a secluded area with anyone you don’t know well.
One important thing is if you are feeling triggered or dissociated or tired or weak, don’t let people that you don’t know or trust and/or people that aren’t safe ask you to leave the conference room to talk with you. If you see someone you don’t know walking up to you when you are feeling triggered or dissociated you might want to say “excuse me” and quickly walk away from them and find a support person or a conference organizer.
Please notify us during or after the conference if you see any of the things, such as deliberate triggering, mentioned in this article. Try to let us know what happened in as much detail as possible.
<b> </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Trigger Management</b>
<b>Triggers are more than phrases. They can be pictures, sounds, smells, tastes, gestures or touches on the body. The added dangers for triggers for ritual abuse survivors are that triggers can be used to open alter states, or very complex programs. These programs could be used to cause a return to the cult or cause someone to hurt themselves or someone else.</b> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Triggering can occur in so many forms that it is impossible to delineate them all here. Some signs of triggering may be: feeling like you're looking or walking down a tunnel, feeling "unreal" or invisible, feeling like something bad is about to happen, ominous sense, inability to concentrate, spacing out, blanking, dizziness, fogginess, stomach upset or pain, tingling in arms or legs, twitching on any part of the body, dropping objects, mishearing things or inability to hear (where others appear to hear okay), seeing visual flashes (such as a flash of another object where a chair is), hearing voices in your head, or losing bits of time and not knowing what happened. If you brought a safe support person, let that person know what is happening.
Trigger management is one of the keys to recovery. By being able to manage your triggers, you can hopefully keep from being triggered into alter states that could possibly be used to get you to return to the cult. This entails knowing the trigger and the feeling accompanying the trigger, the memory connected to the trigger and the action required of the trigger. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Working through programming is having the memory in a safe setting with a safe support person and learning the accompanying trigger and subliminal instruction.
Trigger management involves learning to recognize the feeling of falling into a deep hypnotic state, snapping out of it, and then trying to figure out why it happened. It also involves learning how not to fall into these states while feeling the “pull” of them. One technique that can be used is: Shake your head side to side (fairly hard) or walk around.
Susceptibility to triggers can come from being tired or confused. This is why it is important to try not to be tired or confused in possibly triggering situations. Try to stay awake and alert. Get enough sleep.
<b> </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Practicing Trigger Management Techniques.</b> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Think of a time when you were triggered. It could be a minor triggering event, one that made you feel a little bit scared, or a major event that caused you to switch into a different alter. You may want to start with a more minor triggering event for safety reasons.
Practice leaving the room: Pretend you are triggered and need to leave. If you have a safe support person with you, take that person along.
Think about the feeling that accompanied the triggering event. This may vary from one trigger to another. Did you begin to feel spacey, like a fog rolling in, or did your ears begin to feel like they were filled with something, so it was difficult to hear? Did you lose a connection to the feelings in your body and your chair? What other feelings or thoughts did you have?
Now, think about the physical feelings that accompanied the trigger, while you are writing, think about these questions. Did a different part of you come out? Were you co-conscious with this part, or did you actually lose time? If you switched, either completely or behind the front person, what do you know about the part who came out?
Think about what triggered the event in the first place: a sound, smell, picture, word or phrase, a touch or a combination of these senses. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Safety at Home</b>
<b> </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Please remember that your recovery is your own. It is important for survivors to choose their own spiritual systems.</b> Unfortunately, certain religious and healing techniques are used for programming people (to put people into hypnotic states) sometimes and are used on RA/MC survivors. Be wary of those that emphasis that there is only one way to heal. Educate yourself about cults and their techniques also. There are several very good books that can help with this.
(Some types of prayer and certain houses of worship are specifically designed to put people into trances. High ceilings, repeated phrases, putting prayers to music, repeating the same phrases, making people feel guilty in spiritual settings are all techniques that can be used to make people more suggestible. Some of the same dynamics may be found at a mall or used car dealership, including the uses of special lighting, high ceilings and other techniques, where the goal is to get people to buy things.) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Survivorship article: </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Look very closely at the relationships in your life. Does a certain person in your life fit the profile of a handler or an abuser? Can you say something about the profile of a handler or an abuser? Ask inside whether anyone recognizes things the person is doing or saying which indicates they may be one? If they do, find out more about this, work with a safe therapist and if necessary get away from the person, place and/or situation. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">An important part of recovery and not being triggered is to think for yourself. Don’t let others control you or scare you. Scaring you or startling you can put you into a hypnotic state also. Fear can also create hypnotic states.
Some people in the survivor movement (from ritual abuse and mind control) appear to have a cult like following. Some speak regularly at conferences, and have lots of books, media support, etc. While this is not indicative of the fact that the person may not be safe, it may be an indicator of this if other factors are in place, especially if numerous allegations are made against the person. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The important thing is not to have any gurus. To critically analyze everything someone says. </b>This is a learning process. Does the person want to have followers? Are they always overstating their power and connections? Do they have appropriate personal boundaries? How does your “gut” feel when you hear them speak or when you meet them? You might not like someone personally and you may disagree with them from time to time, but how do they really make you feel? Do they encourage you to think for yourself rather than follow them? Or do they tell you there is only one way to heal? Do they try to manipulate you and use you, either financially, sexually or otherwise? Who are they connected with financially, and what conferences do they speak at? A combination of many of these negative factors may indicate an unsafe person. An important thing to realize is that people don’t know they are being brainwashed, because it is subliminal. Often those brainwashed will love and admire their abuser, which is called Stockholm syndrome. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The important thing is whether the person tells you to think for yourself and find your own answers and whether they really mean this. Speakers at other conferences may prophesy that certain things are going to happen on certain dates. While it is good to be aware of the fact that cult programming can entrain a person to connect a future occurrence with a future date, it is also important to realize that this is only programming. Cults will often move dates up when the expected occurrence does not happen.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Discernment is crucial here. It is also important not to be constantly paranoid, though this can help at times to avoid programming. There are safe people in the world that want to help us. The important thing is figuring out who is safe and who isn’t. Staying present rather than dissociating can really be helpful in this area.</b> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Make your own decisions. There are good support systems and advice out there, but make sure you make your own decisions. Healthy intelligent change is good. Follow you own path or way and be strong enough to do this. If you do this, you will begin to take control of your own triggers and develop a healthy, trigger management system. Please feel free to let us know how you feel about this topic. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Our future is up to us. If we keep healing, working hard and getting strong, then the survivor movement as a whole will also get stronger. Once you are strong enough to help others, you might want to do so. By attending a conference which shows the unity of the survivor movement, you are doing this. By being here, you are helping everyone get stronger. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">This information for the Survivorship article was primarily taken from these two articles : <b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Safety Management for Conference Attendees </b> <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/conf2002/safety-management-for-conference-attendees/">https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/conf2002/safety-management-for-conference-attendees/</a>
and <b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Trigger Management and Conference Safety Presentation</b>
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/conf1999/trigger-management-and-conference-safety-presentation/">https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/conf1999/trigger-management-and-conference-safety-presentation/</a> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Copyright Neil Brick and SMART c 2016 unless otherwise cited
</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-39413668679838524092016-07-14T19:38:00.001-07:002017-02-07T20:50:09.780-08:00Reply to the Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction online guest post<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Reply to the Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction online guest post.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Doug Mesner/Lucien Greaves (both aliases) is the co-founder of the Satanic Temple and one of the presenters for the Grey Faction</b>. This article discusses the continuing attacks and online harassment of Neil Brick and S.M.A.R.T. by these groups and others.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">This article represents the views of the S.M.A.R.T. Newsletter and this website.<br />
Copied with permission from <a href="http://neilbrick.com/">neilbrick.com</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Original article is at:</span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Reply to the Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction online guest post</b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-satanic-temples-grey-faction-online-guest-post/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-satanic-temples-grey-faction-online-guest-post/</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Recently another article attacking S.M.A.R.T., Neil Brick and the
child abuse/ritual abuse field appeared on the Internet, called “The
Satanic Temple sent observers to a Ritual Abuse survivors’ conference.”
The article states it is a guest post and a collaboration produced by
The Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction. S.M.A.R.T. has replied to the Grey
Faction’s misinformation previously in this article:</span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Rebuttal to the Grey Faction Lucien Greaves presentation about SMART and additional Grey Faction information about Neil Brick</b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/rebuttal-to-the-grey-faction-lucien-greaves-presentation-about-smart-and-additional-grey-faction-information-about-neil-brick/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/rebuttal-to-the-grey-faction-lucien-greaves-presentation-about-smart-and-additional-grey-faction-information-about-neil-brick/</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Grey Faction’s views of the ritual abuse field and recovered memory are inaccurate.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b><br />
Accurate scientific information is at:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Proof the Ritual Abuse Exists</b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ritual Abuse References</b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/studies/satanic-ritual-abuse-evidence-with-information-on-the-mcmartin-preschool-case/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/studies/satanic-ritual-abuse-evidence-with-information-on-the-mcmartin-preschool-case/</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Research </b> <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/research/">https://ritualabuse.us/research/</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Recovered Memories</b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/research/memory-fms/recovered-memory-corroboration-rates/">https://ritualabuse.us/research/memory-fms/recovered-memory-corroboration-rates/</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Please don’t forget to read the conclusion at the end of the article. </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Update: Continued bullying, online harassment, name calling
and personal attacks are occurring in the comment section under the
Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction online guest post.</b> New aliases
believed to belong to Doug Mesner/Lucien Greaves (also aliases) continue
these comments. These comments continue to attack Neil Brick for not
allowing hands to go to the face which could be hand signals at the
conference.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">One poster (defending survivors) in the comment section wrote:</span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>“Thank you for allowing my clarification of hand signals to be
posted on the website. These signals function as post-hypnotic
suggestions, as anyone who is familiar with hypnosis will know. You
might also remember Pavlov’s dog, who salivated at the sound of a bell.
This is basic conditioning, stimulus-response. Child traffickers teach
such signals to the children they traffic and they condition these
children to respond immediately in particular ways.” </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b><br />
Hand signals are also discussed below.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
Yet commenters below the article continue to make fun off and insult Neil Brick for this conference guideline.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">–</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The guest post has a video of Neil Brick, recorded without permission at a private conference</b>
where video and audio recording is not permitted to protect the
anonymity of the attendees, who were rape and trauma victims. It appears
the person who recorded the video of Neil Brick misrepresented their
reasons for attending the conference and did not tell the truth about
their personal information. The video falsely insults Neil Brick by
using the word paranoid to describe his presentation. Neil presents
material backed by research during the video. The video discusses the
use of hand signals to trigger certain mind states.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>It is well known in the scientific field that triggers or certain stimuli can trigger mind states and/or thought patterns.</b>
In the modern era, Pavlov did extensive research on classical
conditioning, where a conditioned stimuli produces a conditioned
response. His dogs would salivate when they heard a bell without the
presence of food. More complex conditioning can be done on human beings.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>It is well known that PTSD flashbacks can be triggered by certain stimuli</b>
(like sounds, smells or colors) in veterans, trauma and accident
survivors. These survivors may totally believe they are back in the
trauma situation and react as if they are in that situation. This is
similar to the programmed triggers discussed in the conference and their
programmed reactions.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">An article written by Neil Brick describes this phenomenon:</span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>How Cues and Programming Work in Mind Control and Propaganda</b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/mindcontrol/how-cues-and-programming-work-in-mind-control-and-propaganda/">https://ritualabuse.us/mindcontrol/how-cues-and-programming-work-in-mind-control-and-propaganda/</a><br />
“Programming is similar to this in several ways. A survivor may be
tortured repeatedly until an new alter is created. This alter will be
given a cue to let them know when to come out, this could be a smell,
word, number, sound, color and so on. This cue is either paired with the
alter’s creation and is given to the alter to listen for or to look
for.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Grey Faction’s guest post makes other factually inaccurate statements.</b><br />
The article calls these bizarre, irrational and paranoid claims. But are they?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1) “Your spouse or your lover is not to be trusted” as they may be
used by the cult to control the victim. The reality is that many famous
cults use this technique frequently. Some people are used to report back
to the cult on their spouse. Others are used to remind people of what
will happen if they leave the cult.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2) “using trauma-based mind-control to completely subjugate their
victims, begin programming victims at the earliest possible age.” This
is very possible. It is well known that very early childhood trauma can
destabilize a victim and make them susceptible to attachment, anxiety,
mood and trauma disorders.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3) In “the conference there was a….prohibition against touching one’s
face.” Touching one’s face can be a triggered just like Pavlov’s dogs
hearing a bell or a war veteran hearing a firecracker and having a
flashback.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
The guest post states: “Researchers have found that the average
individual touches her/his face 3.6 times per hour.” It describes that
this is a natural, human behavior.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
This does not mean touching one’s face cannot be used a conditioned
stimuli, just like a firecracker could trigger a flashback in a veteran
or a bell could trigger Pavlov’s dogs. Anything can be a conditioned
stimuli, including hand signals.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">4) The guest post discusses that Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)
may be intentionally induced as a means of mind-control. There is
scientific evidence this is true. Journal articles and scientific
research discussing this phenomenon are at <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/">https://ritualabuse.us</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">5) Cults may look for former members in different social and clinical
settings. This has been verified by many trauma survivors. The article
states “This served as a way to discredit medical professionals outside
of” certain ritual abuse survivor groups. This is not true and no
statements were made to this effect at the conference.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">6) The guest post stated “Ritual Abuse was presented throughout the
conference as the first place to start when investigating any personal
ailment, rather than a last option after all avenues of modern medicine
are exhausted.” This is totally false. Professionals recommend ruling
out medical causes before looking at mental health causes. It is true
that trauma may cause certain health symptoms. This is discussed and
well researched in the very large study: Adverse Childhood Experiences
(ACEs) <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/">https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
“Childhood experiences, both positive and negative, have a tremendous
impact on future violence victimization and perpetration, and lifelong
health and opportunity.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">7) The guest post states “Therapy is not a quest for truth, and the
reality of what may or may not have happened is irrelevant.” The guest
post states this is an absurd claim. A doctor may be more concerned
about fixing a broken leg than finding out the cause of why it was
broken and proving whether this cause is true or not. Another doctor may
be more concerned about stopping an infection than finding out the
cause. Therapy is the same. Symptom relief is often the most important
goal of therapy. In other words, if a client suffers from depression,
the goal is to decrease their depression symptoms. This may or may not
entail discussing the symptoms’ causes and it is unlikely there would be
an investigation of the reasons why the person is depressed.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">8) The guest post states therapy should help “provid(e) mental health
consumers with the cognitive tools to distinguish fantasy from
reality.” The important question here is what is fantasy, and what is
reality. Child abuse skeptics do not believe these ritual abuse crimes
exist, and this belief is inaccurate. It would be inappropriate to
promote this false skeptical belief.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">9) The guest post states: “Whenever someone tried to ask about
efforts to catch the cults and bring them to justice, the presenters
turned it around by claiming that the cults are too secretive and far
reaching to expose and that their primary focus as therapists and ritual
abuse survivor advocates is to heal the victim rather than go after the
abusers.” How would one go after the abusers if these crimes happened
30 or more years ago? The other problem is getting adequate support to
bring perpetrators to justice. It sometimes took decades to bring the
Catholic Church, certain Satanic groups and even Bill Cosby to justice,
even though there were many victims and some came forward to authorities
and were ignored. Of course, bringing the perpetrators to justice would
be the best idea, but inaccurate skeptical articles like the guest post
make this more difficult.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">10) The guest post states; “[one is advised not to] try to understand
why these cults do the horrible things they do.” Actually this was
discussed at times during the conference. But more importantly,
stopping these crimes and helping the victims of these crimes comes
first.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The article repeats Doug Mesner’s (alias Lucien Greaves) claims about
a vendor table at the 2009 Connecticut conference selling hats meant to
block out electromagnetic signals. These were sold for health reasons.
<b>Doug did not tell conference coordinators he was coming to the
2009 conference to write an article, nor did he state he was a
journalist.</b> Since the conference was for rape survivors, the
media was not allowed to attend to protect the conference attendees’
anonymity and safety.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
S.M.A.R.T. replied to this in our “<b>Douglas Misicko alias Douglas Mesner update 6</b>” article.</span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-6-examiner-com-article/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-6-examiner-com-article/</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
Doug Mesner (alias Lucien Greaves) repeated the fact that one display
table out of many at the conference had a hat (as well as many other
items) used to protect the wearer from electromagnetism. He took this
one thing totally out of proportion to attack the conference. He used
this to attack and insult our conference and our work, ignoring the
strong research base backing the reality of ritual abuse and the many
presentations at our conference verifying the reality of ritual abuse.
In the original article, he used the terms “lunacy” and “delusional
assertions” to further insult the work of S.M.A.R.T. Mr. Mesner
continues taking facts out of context and using these to disparage Neil
Brick and S.M.A.R.T.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The guest post states: “Combating child sexual abuse and human
trafficking are unquestionably noble causes.” Yet it appears that the
Grey Faction and Doug Mesner spend much more time attacking child abuse
survivors and their stories, than combating them.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Ellen Lacter wrote an interesting article a few years ago called</span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>“Common Forms of Misinformation and Tactics of Disinformation
about Psychotherapy for Trauma Originating in Ritual Abuse and Mind
Control”</b> December 18, 2012.<br />
This page on my website seeks to expose a number of common forms of
misinformation and tactics of disinformation about psychotherapy for
trauma originating in ritual abuse and mind control. Disinformation is
distinguished from misinformation in that it is intentionally
fraudulent. <b>Misinformation and disinformation about ritual abuse
and mind control trauma and psychotherapy to treat such trauma appear
in both paper and electronic media, but are particularly abundant on the
Internet on websites of individuals and organizations</b>,
bookseller reviews, blogs, newsletters, online encyclopedias, social
networking sites, and e-group listservs…..Disclaimer: This page neither
cites, quotes, names, nor alludes to any specific paper or electronic
articles or statements by individual. Any similarity between examples of
misinformation or disinformation used herein and actual articles or
other statements is purely coincidental. <a href="http://endritualabuse.org/activism/misinfo/">http://endritualabuse.org/activism/misinfo/</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The guest post then goes on to attack Neil Brick. It discussed how a
complaint was filed against Neil Brick’s licensure in Massachusetts.
This was filed by an out of state party that did not know Neil Brick
professionally or personally. An previous online video discusses how the
complaint was filed through one of their Grey Faction members and to
his licensing board and they dismissed the complaint without prejudice.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The complaint was dismissed and Neil Brick was found fit to
practice with sound moral character after a full year of review from
several sources.</b> SMART believes these type of complaints may be part of a harassment campaign to silence anti-child abuse advocates and helpers.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The guest post states: Neil Brick “had claimed that he’d committed rape and murder while in an altered state of mind.” <b>Neil
Brick does write about being forced as a small child to kill in a cult.
This was against his will and many others have written about being
forced to kill as children in cults and gangs.</b> It is incorrect
to extrapolate this further as an issue of moral character or adult
competency. Children are victims forced to do things. We would not blame
a child forced to hit another child by an adult. Nor would we blame or
question the grown child now fully grown who was forced to do this.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The guest post discusses Neil Brick’s statement about cult members
trying to look normal to find former cult members to possibly victimize.
Most criminals and people who want to hurt others want to look normal. A
thief would not have a sign stating “thief” on them. Likewise, one
wanting to hurt a cult member or survivor would not want to indicate
they are doing this. It makes sense to look for other indicators to
check a person out. This is similar to a person who is a victim of
violence as a child checking out a partner thoroughly to make sure they
do not become a victim of domestic violence as an adult.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">In conclusion, the guest post by the Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction
criticizes the strong research and theories of ritual abuse survivors
and those with years of research, experience and education in the trauma
field. (The members of the Grey Faction have unknown credentials and
may not have the experience to accurately determine trauma theory and
research.) <b>The guest post by the Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction presents inaccurate arguments, which are refuted in this article. </b> <b>The
Grey Faction claims they are combating pseudoscience with rational
inquiry, but this “rational inquiry” is actually predetermined opinion,
bolstered by name calling, ad hominem attacks and insults. There is no
real “rational inquiry” because there is no evidence that all of the
facts were looked at neutrally to derive a conclusion. It appears the
only facts considered were the ones that back their arguments. In its
articles, the Grey Faction hides behind the name of science and
rationality, when in reality it appears it is an advocacy organization
used to discredit ritual abuse survivors realities’ and their resources.</b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Update: David Shurter has been repeatedly making factually inaccurate statements about S.M.A.R.T. and Neil Brick</b>, some that are incredibly bizarre in nature. <b>David Shurter makes the entirely false statement that a survivor was removed from the Survivorship conference. </b> This is entirely untrue. No survivors were removed from this conference or any Survivorship or S.M.A.R.T. conference.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">David Shurter makes another false statement that Survivorship allowed
the person who infiltrated the conference and filmed speakers without
permission to stay. This is also false. They were removed from the
conference. Sadly, David Shurter states he agrees with Lucien Greaves
and the Grey Faction about Neil Brick, a group that has attacked
survivors and their supporters. David Shurter makes false statements
about the North American Truth and Reconciliation Coalition
(NATRC). David Shurter makes the false statement that Neil attacks other
survivors’ conferences. This is totally untrue.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The reality is that David Shurter has attacked several survivor
organizations viciously and many people in the survivor movement do not
trust him at all anymore.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">A good article to read about this is:<b> Evolving as a Movement – Taking a Step Forward</b> <a href="http://neilbrick.com/articles/evolving-as-a-movement-taking-a-step-forward/">http://neilbrick.com/articles/evolving-as-a-movement-taking-a-step-forward/</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">“<b>Survivors that publicly attack other child or ritual abuse
advocates are not helping others nor are they helping the movement move
forward. </b> The child abuse “skeptics” watch these attacks, promote
and encourage them and benefit from them. Survivor resources are only
destroyed more by these attacks. <b>Certain members of the survivor movement are sent to the movement to disable the movement in different ways.</b>
Some are programmed to attack others. Their goals (usually unknown to
them) is to fragment the movement and destroy legitimate sources of
education and support for survivors.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">It appears that this may apply to David Shurter. <b>David Shurter’s attacks have hurt the survivor movement.</b> We recommend reading this article to find out more about this. <b>Evolving as a Movement – Taking a Step Forward</b> <a href="http://neilbrick.com/articles/evolving-as-a-movement-taking-a-step-forward/">http://neilbrick.com/articles/evolving-as-a-movement-taking-a-step-forward/</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><b>2017 Update:</b><br />David Shurter has continued making false statements about Neil Brick and S.M.A.R.T. David Shurter writes "he and his group are deperately (sic) trying to associate me with them." This is absolutely false. S.M.A.R.T. and Neil Brick have made no efforts whatsoever to contact David Shurter, work with David Shurter in any way or "associate" with David Shurter. David Shurter closes his post with another insult toward Neil Brick "Brick can kiss my ass- but I don’t want his hairy monkey lips anywhere near me." David Shurter previously made additional erroneous statements about Neil Brick and his research. David Shurter stated "MANY secret groups- 20 of them or so are run by a man named Neil Brick- who are telling survivors that they can be mass programmed by hand signals- that bad guys are everywhere, behind every bush." There is absolutely no truth to this statement by David Shurter either. Neil nor anyone connected to S.M.A.R.T. has ever stated there are "bad guys everywhere" nor are there 20 secret groups run by Neil or anyone else he works with. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-4680520202576911282016-06-13T00:17:00.000-07:002016-06-13T04:15:53.540-07:00Reply to the Grey Faction’s Petition to Revoke the License of Neil Brick<b>Recently the Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction has put up a petition to revoke the license of Neil Brick. </b><br />
<b></b><br />
<br />
The petition states that The Allied Board of Health Professionals
licensure division, having previously received a complaint…did nothing. <b>The fact is that no violations were found and no disciplinary actions were taken.</b> <b>We
believe that this new letter is part of the continued actions of
harassment against Neil Brick and those that help child and ritual abuse
survivors. </b><br />
<br />
<b>The petition starts with a video taken by a person who used a
fake name and false motives to gain access to the Survivorship
Conference in Oakland in May 2016. He took the video of Neil Brick at
the conference without permission.</b> As per an article at the
website patheos, The Satanic Temple claims they sent observers to a
Ritual Abuse survivors’ conference. This video was originally posted
without permission at the patheos website (later removed) and posted by
the Grey Faction at youtube without Neil’s permission.<br />
<br />
<b>The petition misinterprets the video and the problems with hand signals. </b> Cult hand signals are used by many cults.<br />
Here is an explanation:<br />
These signals function as post-hypnotic suggestions, as anyone who is
familiar with hypnosis will know. You might also remember Pavlov’s dog,
who salivated at the sound of a bell. This is basic conditioning,
stimulus-response. Child traffickers teach such signals to the children
they traffic and they condition these children to respond immediately in
particular ways and are used in many cults to control members.<br />
<br />
Our reply to the Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction online guest post (at the website mentioned above) can be found here:<br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-satanic-temples-grey-faction-online-guest-post/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-satanic-temples-grey-faction-online-guest-post/</a><br />
<b>This article discusses the continued online harassment of Neil Brick by this group.</b><br />
<br />
The petition states there is a potential danger to health care
consumers. But no such danger is proven in the letter or anywhere else.
This is another false statement made by the Grey Faction without proof
or evidence. The petition states Neil Brick has a dangerous state-of-mind and
unsubstantiated, delusional beliefs. This is pure conjecture and
unproven. <b>There is no real evidence presented anywhere of this
and Neil’s evaluation during the filing of the previous complaint found
there were no problems at all with Neil’s mental state.</b> Neil’s beliefs are clearly substantiated with research at <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/">https://ritualabuse.us</a>
The use of the prejorative terms in the petition mentioned above are
unproven and are used to mischaracterize Neil Brick and his work.<br />
<br />
The petition links to several articles at the <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/">https://ritualabuse.us</a>
website. The petition mischaracterizes the content of these articles.
Neil as a child was forced to kill people in a cult. He was brainwashed
in this group as a small child. Many cults today program their members
to join and not leave and to follow them, asking them to commit acts
they would not do outside of the cult. This is a well researched topic.
The letter discusses torturing fetuses, but the link in the letter does
not discuss this, only discussing torture in early childhood, which
could obviously effect a child. There is scientific evidence that
certain groups use the torture of children at a young age to cause
dissociation and dissociative identity disorder.<br />
<br />
The petition states that this child abuse research is directly
relevant to Neil Brick’s Mental Health Care practice. But this is not
true at all. <b>Neil Brick’s and S.M.A.R.T.’s research is backed by cited research, articles and journal sources at the <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/">https://ritualabuse.us</a> website.</b>
Neil as a therapist never brings his outside life into his therapy
practice, by setting appropriate therapeutic boundaries like any
therapist or professional would.<br />
<br />
The letter mentions violation of ethical standards and code of ethics, yet <b>there is no evidence that Neil Brick has ever violated any ethical code or standard in his practice.</b>
The letter goes on to state that Neil Brick’s public lectures printed
articles, etc. in no way represent appropriate counseling literature.
But they aren’t meant as counseling literature. The letter states that
Neil Brick’s public lectures printed articles and so on are not based on
proper, scientific, or a rational assessment of available, empirical
data, Of course this is pure conjecture and opinion also. The scientific
research at the website <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/">https://ritualabuse.us</a> proves this to be incorrect.<br />
<br />
<b>The petition states “While we are not privy to records that
indicate methods of treatment employed in Neil Brick’s practice.” We believe this
is one of the most important parts of the letter. There is no evidence
there are any problems with any methods of treatment Neil uses. </b>
A full year of investigation by the board after a similar complaint
those connected to the Grey Faction filed did not find any problems
either. The letter continues to attack Neil claiming Neil “lacks a solid
rational foundation” discussing the evaluation of scientific evidence.
This is conjecture again and unproven. <b>Neil repeatedly cites a wide variety of scientific sources at his website backing his conclusions. </b>The
letter discuss the Extreme Abuse Survey, This survey was only meant to
be a preliminary study and is this is mentioned in their research.
However the data found in the study is important and definitely not
“worthless” as the letter mentions.<br />
<br />
The petition mentions personal public statements made. Neil always
clearly states the conferences and presentations are not meant as
therapy or treatment. Previously there were a few clinician conferences
where clinicians discussed important research and theories about severe
abuse and trauma.<br />
<br />
The petition mentions Neil Brick promotes implausible ideas, yet
Neil’s ideas are backed by research and journal articles. If the Grey
Faction decides to ignore or disbelieve this research, this does not
mean Neil’s research is implausible. As previously stated, <b>Neil
does not and would never promote his research in his role as a licensed
mental health care professional as this would be a clear violation of
professional boundaries.</b><br />
<br />
<b>In our opinion, this is simply part of a continued pattern of
on and offline harassment against Neil Brick and others who are trying
to get the research out about child and ritual abuse and trauma. </b><br />
<br />
This is from our website replying to the guest post by the Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction:<br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-satanic-temples-grey-faction-online-guest-post/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/reply-to-the-satanic-temples-grey-faction-online-guest-post/</a><br />
In conclusion, the guest post by the Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction
criticizes the strong research and theories of ritual abuse survivors
and those with years of research, experience and education in the trauma
field. (The members of the Grey Faction have unknown credentials and
may not have the experience to accurately determine trauma theory and
research.) The guest post by the Satanic Temple’s Grey Faction presents
inaccurate arguments, which are refuted in this article. <b>The
Grey Faction claims they are combating pseudoscience with rational
inquiry, but this rational inquiry is actually predetermined opinion,
bolstered by name calling, ad hominem attacks and insults. </b>
There is no real rational inquiry because there is no evidence that all
of the facts were looked at neutrally to derive a conclusion. It appears
the only facts considered were the ones that back their arguments. In
its articles, the Grey Faction hides behind the name of science and
rationality, when in reality it appears it is an advocacy organization
used to discredit ritual abuse survivors realities’ and their resources.<br />
<br />
<b>Neil Brick and S.M.A.R.T. ask child abuse survivors and their
advocates to continue publishing their research and not be silenced by
on and offline harassment.</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-10657281539264187202015-10-20T22:08:00.000-07:002015-10-20T22:08:20.231-07:00The Battle to Stop Ritual Abuse<div id="contentleft">
Neil Brick’s conference transcript from the 2015 Annual Ritual Abuse, Secretive Organizations and Mind Control Conference<br />
<br />
Please use caution while reading this presentation. It may be
triggering. All accusations are alleged. The conference and this
transcript are educational and not intended as therapy or treatment.<br />
<br />
<strong>The Battle to Stop Ritual Abuse</strong><br />
For over 25 years, survivors and their advocates have worked to stop
ritual abuse by educating the general public about these crimes. Through
an intense struggle this research has been made public and survivors
have been helped. Exposing the backlash and its true motives and how
their work continues to promote social injustice will be discussed in
this presentation.<br />
<br />
<strong>Neil Brick </strong>is a survivor of ritual abuse and mind
control. His work continues to educate the public about child abuse,
trauma and ritual abuse crimes. His child abuse and ritual abuse
newsletter S.M.A.R.T. has been published for over 20 years. <a href="http://neilbrick.com/">http://neilbrick.com</a><br />
<br />
(Please note: This article is strictly the opinion of the author and
not necessarily the opinion of the SMART newsletter or the webmaster.)<br />
<br />
<strong>The Battle to Stop Ritual Abuse</strong><br />
For over 25 years, survivors and their advocates have worked to stop
ritual abuse by educating the general public about these crimes. Through
an intense struggle this research has been made public and survivors
have been helped.<br />
<br />
A backlash continues, covering up crimes against children and
protecting a hierarchical and unjust social structure that exists by
propagandizing and mind controlling its members. Exposing the backlash
and its true motives and how their work continues to promote social
injustice will be discussed in this presentation.<br />
<br />
For many years, we have fought to stop ritual abuse crimes and
educate people about these crimes. But even today, the backlash
continues, misrepresenting the research, hiding important data,
harassing anti-child abuse advocates and repeating the same lies about
many of the child abuse and day care cases of the past. I have covered
these topics in many of my prior speeches and all of this information is
available on the Internet at this website.<br />
<br />
Today, I will speaking about why we have been so viciously attacked
and why there are repeated attempts to misrepresent and cover up our
work.<br />
<br />
Our work exposes those that attempt to control social thinking
patterns. If our realities are seen as accurate by society, then this
exposes the lies that our present society is built on.<br />
Mind control and propaganda exist in every part of our society. From
how people dress, to how people speak, to how people believe.<br />
There are many lies that most in our society believe in. These lies are taught to children at an early age.<br />
<br />
<strong>These are some of the lies people are taught:</strong><br />
1) <strong>We live in a democracy</strong> – The reality is the media
is controlled by a few companies and the information people receive is
controlled by these same companies. It is rare that people would
receive any different information. All one has to do to prove this is
to listen to conversations at work or at a social event. Many people
will be talking about the same thing and at times quoting the ideas of
the local media sources.<br />
<br />
It is impossible to have a democracy when few think for themselves. A
democracy needs a free flow of information, which does not exist in our
society or most societies in the world.<br />
Ritual abuse is a more extreme example of how the free flow of
information is denied. Survivors live in families and social systems
that trap them and make it difficult for them to get information about
cults and mind control. A survivor may move from a cult family to a
cult marriage or neighborhood or job where cult members live.<br />
<br />
2)<strong> Religion helps people grow</strong> – The reality is that
this is rare. When one chooses a religion, they give up their own
freedom of thought. It is better to develop your own ideas and think
for yourself than to give up your intellectual and spiritual freedom to
someone else’s ideas. Often the spiritual or religious system is a
system of mind control. People that are unaware of mind control
techniques and that are unfamiliar of the feeling of being in a trance
are prone to be victimized by a religion. Be aware of the feeling of
going into a trance and leave the area you are in. One mind control
technique religious leaders and other groups use are hypnotizing people
by moving their hand at the bottom of a person’s visual field. Internet
pages may put ads on the sides or bottoms of ones visual field.<br />
Ritual abuse has its own hidden spiritual system, that people believe
in their cult alters. These believes may become more conscious in
those that follow dark spiritual systems.<br />
<br />
3) <strong>There is a god</strong> – The reality is that god is a concept that was and is used to control people.<br />
It is better to develop one’s own concept of the world than to read a
book or go to a house of worship to get one’s entire spiritual system
from.<br />
<br />
Ritual abuse systems may be hidden in a variety of different
religions. Hammond, LA is an example of a ritual abuse system being
hidden in a Christian religion. Many occult and dark religions have
been found to have ritual abuse systems hidden in them also.<br />
<br />
4)<strong> Soldiers in our society</strong> – the sad reality is that
soldiers are often unknowingly working to protect corporate interests
in other parts of the world. They like most of society are indoctrinated
into a social system that teaches them that war is okay if our
government says so. They are trained to follow orders in their basic
training that some have compared to mind control systems. This is not to
state that soldiers are bad people. They are often good people that
have been indoctrinated by our social system.<br />
<br />
Ritual abuse victims are like soldiers in some ways. They have roles
they follow due to their indoctrination. Child soldiers are an example
of soldiers being indoctrinated in a cult manner to fight and kill.<br />
<br />
5) <strong>Capitalism is a beneficial economic system</strong> – the
truth is that it is impossible to have a fair and equal society in a
society where the most important thing is to make money. The focus to
help others is lost. As we see in our own society, over time the rich
get richer and the poor suffer greatly. This systems causes immense
suffering and death for those unable to survive in it.<br />
Ritual abuse victims are part of this system. They often make money
for the cults as sex slaves, prostitutes or bringing in others to do
this kind of work.<br />
<br />
6) <strong>The media presents information fairly and equally</strong>
– The reality is that the media often does not tell the truth and
packages misinformation as the truth, repeating this as propaganda until
people do not believe the truth. A good example of this is any of the
mentioned points or our own topic, ritual abuse. The reality is that
ritual abuse and cults exist and have existed for years. The media
refuses to present our stories and the research around this, repeating
the same lies about McMartin and other child abuse and day care cases.
We have thousands of research articles refuting media lies, yet it is
impossible to get this information into the media.<br />
<br />
7)<strong> People believe they are not mind controlled</strong> – the
reality is that everyone is, the question is how much are they mind
controlled. Gender roles are a good example of mind control that almost
everyone follows. TV is an example of a mind control device. People
are put into a trance and become very susceptible to mind control and
social programming. Religion has many mind control techniques,
including certain types of prayer, fear programming and repetition.
Many sales techniques are based on mind control techniques. Car sales
techniques are a good example of mind control techniques. The way
churches and malls are set up are meant to disorient one and make one
more susceptible to mind control.<br />
<br />
Ritual abuse survivors, even those in recovery for years do not
realize they are still mind controlled, nor do they realize when they
are being accessed by others. They fall for emotional appeals. If
someone asks you lots of questions about yourself when you are tired or
more relaxed, they could be using mind control techniques to get more
information about you.<br />
<br />
<strong>The way to heal is to realize that anyone can be mind
controlled. And those that are not familiar with mind control, social
programming and propaganda techniques are being mind controlled. </strong><br />
<br />
Break through all programming. If you don’t, you may be susceptible
to being revictimized by cult and ritual abuse mind control.<br />
<br />
<strong>How do we break through programming?</strong><br />
1)<strong> Know when you are being mind controlled. </strong> If you
are feeling spacey or dissociated, this means you may be susceptible to
mind control. Try to get away from wherever you are. Mind control
methods can include any of these media misused : TV (often misused),
music, repetition, prayer, certain phrases, tone and the pacing of
speech. Some religious and cult leaders know how to use these
techniques and will use them. Hand movements can also be used to
hypnotize people. Learn how different tones and types of music can be
used to put one into a trance and avoid these.<br />
<br />
2) <strong>A person that wants to mind control or access you will wait until you are susceptible.</strong>
They know people want to connect to others. Love bombing is an overt
form of mind control cults use. At a conference, people may wait until
you are tired, be careful of evening and second day conversations,
especially the end of conferences when people are tired. People that
want to access you will ask a lot of questions. Cult people will want
specific details, like demographic and other personal information.
Trust your gut. If you feel uneasy when someone is asking you
something, you don’t need to tell them. You can politely say “I prefer
not to discuss that.” A cult person may lead up to these questions with
more general details, even divulging their own info so you give them
yours. Again, go with your gut feelings around this. If you aren’t
sure, you don’t have to say anything.<br />
<br />
3) <strong>People misrepresent themselves. </strong> Rarely, will a
person admit they are using mind control techniques on you. They may
appear to be the nicest, friendliest or shyest person in the world. They
may state they want to help you. The religious leaders now accused of
raping 100s of children were often well loved charismatic people. On
message boards, these people will often appear to be very helpful. When
reading their messages, consider how they feel. Are they sincere or do
they feel phony.<br />
<br />
4) <strong>Don’t trust those hiding behind undefined philosophies.</strong>
They may talk about how they are healing others, or ask you to listen
to your inner voice. They may ask you to find the god within you or
something like that. These philosophies may be new age, occult or
Christian based philosophies. Mind controllers will find which
philosophy or approach works best with you. Then they will use it.<br />
<br />
5)<strong> Mind controllers will use shock techniques. </strong>
These get more attention. You will especially see these often in the
media. Or they may use an emotional appeal. Their writing will have
strong emotional words in it, that will seem overdone and out of place.
Shock techniques and strong emotions make one more susceptible to mind
control.<br />
<br />
6) <strong>Repetition is another technique</strong>. The media will often repeat the same message repeatedly. The denialists of ritual abuse crimes use these techniques.<br />
<br />
7) <strong>Be careful of those that deny they are ritual abuse survivors when it appears they are.</strong>
These people may have a role in social situations, like gathering
information or finding out more about people’s programming and personal
information.<br />
<br />
8) <strong>A person with less mind control or not mind controlled will feel more real. </strong>
They won’t feel like part of a person with a mask. They won’t discuss
how they want to save the world or heal in an undefined way. You will
be able to have a real conversation with them and realize they are
really there. As you work hard to recover with therapy and breaking
through traumas, you will be able to notice this in others more.<br />
<br />
<strong>Why is this all important? </strong><br />
Living without mind control is like living without addictions.
Everything looks, feels and becomes real. The fog disappears. One’s
memory improves. One can truly help others. Expect to encounter
resistant. Those that are not mind controlled are not liked by cults or
those that control society to profit off of others’ work. They will try
to silence you. Remember “your silence will NOT protect you.” They will
work to keep your message from reaching others. Don’t let this happen.
Speak out and help others heal from mind control.<br />
<br />
Remember, a free life is the best life.<br />
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-18594005105256287472015-10-20T22:03:00.001-07:002015-10-20T22:03:31.596-07:00 Doing the right thing and getting stronger at the same time, a survivor’s path to recovery and helping others.<div id="contentleft">
<b>Doing the right thing and getting stronger at the same time, a survivor’s path to recovery and helping others. </b><br />
<br />
Neil Brick’s conference transcript from the 2014 Annual Ritual Abuse, Secretive Organizations and Mind Control Conference<br />
<br />
Please use caution while reading this presentation. It may be
triggering. All accusations are alleged. The conference and this
transcript are educational and not intended as therapy or treatment<br />
<br />
<strong>Neil Brick</strong> is a survivor of child abuse and ritual
abuse. He has worked for over twenty years in the child abuse education
and prevention field. He has written many articles and spoken at several
conferences on the topic of ritual abuse. His articles can be found at <a href="http://neilbrick.com/">http://neilbrick.com</a> and <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/">https://ritualabuse.us</a> His topic is: Doing the right thing and getting stronger at the same time, a survivor’s path to recovery and helping others.<br />
<br />
(Please note: This article is strictly the opinion of the author and
not necessarily the opinion of the SMART newsletter or the webmaster.)<br />
<br />
Today’s topic could be equally applied to any spiritual path or
social endeavor where one wants to make personal and social progress.<br />
<br />
I will describe how one can do the right thing and also get stronger in
their lives. Without doing the right things and persevering to do the
right things, one cannot grow and change, nor can one help others or the
world. The right thing is determined by one’s personal goals and
personal instincts.<br />
I will break each idea down into two sections: what works and what doesn’t.<br />
<br />
<strong>1) Social advocacy</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Social advocacy entails speaking out.</strong><br />
For years, survivors have been silenced, first by harassment and
threats. In the last ten years, the harassment and threats have moved
more toward Internet bullying and Internet trolling. The Internet has
allowed two phenomena to grow. One is the phenomena of Internet
attacks. Two is the phenomena of inaccurate information used against
child abuse survivors combined with insults. These phenomena and their
power are increased by the anonymity of the Internet and by the shelter
of Section 230 of the Communication Decency Act. This act in essence
protects providers from being responsible from much of what is on their
web pages. This has allowed attacks and misinformation to expand
exponentially against survivors and anti-child abuse advocates. The
harassment spreads misinformation and works to scare off and silence
anti-child abuse advocates.<br />
The antidote is to speak up and counter the misinformation, insults,
bullying and name calling by those fighting anti-child abuse advocates.<br />
<br />
For years, I have been explaining the importance of speaking up and
defending our work. When misinformation is published in any forum about
our work, it must be countered and rebutted. Otherwise, only the
misinformation stands in the public forum and public minds. And we lose.<br />
What has happened over the last twenty years is the reluctance and at
times mistaken ideology that if these attacks are ignored, they won’t
be noticed. This is not true. The Internet and search engines make all
attacks public and accessible to all. This has caused our point of view
and research to disappear from the public view. All that is left is the
insults and misinformation.<br />
<br />
The misinformation is that we are “crazy” and that there was some sort
of “panic” when child abuse crimes were exposed twenty years ago.
Calling someone crazy is a cheap and well known tactic used to discredit
someone instead of rebutting their actual research. Repeating untrue
and disproved theories, like “panic” is another false tactic used to
discredit our work.<br />
The antidote is to speak up. If we don’t speak up, survivors suffer and children suffer.<br />
<strong>What works is to speak up. What doesn’t work is silence.</strong><br />
<strong> </strong><br />
<strong> </strong><br />
<strong>2) Misalignment with non-growth philosophies</strong><br />
Another mistake survivors make is to align themselves with either
religious or negative political philosophies. To try to grow and help
the world change, without thinking through and developing one’s own
philosophy and using it, doesn’t work.<br />
<br />
Religions and religious books may be helpful to get information from,
but not to follow or join. They may be helpful as a temporary step for
some when leaving a cult, but in the long run, they become a trap.<br />
<br />
Many religions discourage original thought and personal action.
Members do not realize this. Religions use different techniques to get
people to follow them and not think for themselves. They encourage rote
learning and repetition to instill ideas in people’s mind. Some are
even used to re-access ritual abuse survivors and control them.
Socialization in general involves levels of programming, though these
may be more mundane and less nefarious than mind control programming.
Religion uses a variety of techniques to make a person feel good, but
most are not truly one’s own, but are contrived and manufactured by the
religion itself.<br />
Many of us escaped groups that controlled us. Now we are free. Let’s
use that freedom to develop our own lives and our own ideas.<br />
<br />
<strong>What works is thinking for oneself. What doesn’t is following another’s ideas without clear analysis.</strong><br />
Another mistake child abuse survivors make is following negative
political philosophies. Many of us as cult survivors were used to make a
profit for the cult. The society turned its back on us (and still
does) because money was made and power was increased. Many survivors
follow right wing jingoistic philosophies that in reality are
philosophies of hate. These philosophies back the hatred of immigrants
or the promotion of war and bombing other countries. Others in the US
believe they may be following more progressive philosophies, but in
reality many of these philosophies also promote hatred, injustice and
violence.<br />
<br />
The reality is that as long as there is an imbalance in the social
power dynamic, the encouragement of profit over morality and right
action and the control of information via the mass media, it will be
impossible to have any sort of justice in our country or the world. The
only way to help survivors grow and to help the world around us grow is
to embrace philosophies that do not foster hate, power imbalances or
violence. This means believing in political systems that promote
economic and social equality and justice. It will be impossible to stop
child abuse and help survivors fully until we live in a world where
equality is promoted, violence is stopped and ethics triumph profit
motives.<br />
<strong>What works is equality, nonviolence and ethics. What doesn’t
work is inequity, war and violence (in words or actions) and monetary
profit motives above all other goals. </strong><br />
<br />
<strong>3) Right action equals personal and social growth</strong><br />
If one is really thinking for oneself and really trying hard not to
hurt others, then one can begin to make a large difference in the world.<br />
Following through on right action can be difficult without the development of personal courage and personal integrity.<br />
<br />
One needs to leave the ego behind. Many survivors get caught up in
their health issues, personal struggles and personal relationships to
the point where they lose focus on what needs to be done in the survivor
movement. In long term recovery, eventually one needs to move on to
doing service work.<br />
<br />
There is no way one can grow and get stronger without helping
others. It is impossible. Helping others builds connections with
others. It breaks down the symptoms of attachment disorders, it helps
build bonds of trusts between others and it increases the overall
connections between people. Doing service also helps people build
insights into their own actions and psychological condition.<br />
Right action builds social growth. When one helps others, one helps
the people around them and our society. Stopping child abuse by telling
our stories, helping others get their stories out and making sure there
are adequate resources for child abuse survivors, including adults and
children, helps our society grow.<br />
<br />
Child abuse robs people and our society as a whole in many ways.
From addictions, to health issues, to psychological problems, to long
term disabilities, child abuse destroys our society. Exposing child
abuse and exposing those that cover up child abuse crimes due to their
own denial and self interest helps build a world where someday child
abuse will no longer exist. A world where trauma crimes can no longer be
hidden. When they can no longer be hidden, covered up or denied, child
abuse will no longer be allowed to exist.<br />
<strong>What works is right action and helping others. What doesn’t work is being caught up in one’s own personal struggles.</strong><br />
<strong> </strong><br />
<strong>4) Getting Stronger</strong><br />
This is what it is all about. One cannot get stronger by pulling
others down. Their strength is a facade. Their actions damage the world,
but most of all themselves. Insults, name calling and personal attacks
are never part of any growth philosophy and only weaken the proponent of
these actions. Standing up to and exposing these tactics is crucial.
Running from any false philosophy or believe systems being promoted by
others only strengthens the hold these beliefs have on society. Lack of
action exponentially damages the individuals involved and our society.
All participants are hurt, those watching are hurt and those that do not
get help or correct information due to the damage done also get hurt.<br />
<br />
Strength entails addressing problems compassionately and
intelligently. The ends are the means. Our actions govern the final
result. By addressing a problem with strength and caring for those
involved, we can build end results that help everyone and others later.<br />
History is written by those that act. It is decided by those that
are strong enough to speak up and tell the truth. The only way to grow
is to work one’s way to the truth through hard work, courage and right
action. This makes all of us strong.<br />
<strong>What works is working hard and persevering to get stronger. What doesn’t work is hurting others and running from challenges.</strong><br />
<br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Conclusion</strong></span><br />
If you do the right thing, you will get stronger. Your recovery as a
survivor will get stronger by helping others. And others will get
stronger also.<br />
<strong>What works is to speak up. </strong><br />
<strong>What works is thinking for oneself. </strong><br />
<strong>What works is equality, nonviolence and ethics. </strong><br />
<strong>What works is right action and helping others.</strong><br />
<strong>What works is working hard and persevering to get stronger.</strong><br />
<br />
We are at a turning point in the survivor movement. Whether the
movement continues or gets lost like last century is up to everyone. A
lot of people and children depend on us to do the right thing. We can
stop child abuse and trauma crimes and change the future.<br />
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-30839544461194648202015-10-20T21:59:00.000-07:002015-10-20T21:59:41.781-07:00Rebuttal to the Grey Faction Lucien Greaves presentation about SMART and additional Grey Faction information about Neil Brick<strong>Rebuttal to the Grey Faction Lucien Greaves presentation about SMART and additional Grey Faction information about Neil Brick</strong><br />
Recently Lucien Greaves (aka Doug Mesner) and Sarah Ponto Rivera
spoke at a conference about Satanism’s fight against “witch hunters.”
They state they are part of the “Grey Faction.” Their presentation
contains many falsehoods, distortions and inaccuracies.<br />
<br />
Mr. Mesner has harassed SMART and other survivors and helpers of
ritual abuse for several years online. We believe aliases have been used
adding additional insults and name calling against survivors. We
believe this is an attempt to silence child abuse and ritual abuse
survivors and their helpers.<br />
<br />
<strong>Many of the articles written in rebuttal about his repeated attacks can be found at:</strong><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-mesner-and-the-lucien-greaves-satanic-temple-connection/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-mesner-and-the-lucien-greaves-satanic-temple-connection/</a><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-7-radio-interview-rebuttal/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-7-radio-interview-rebuttal/</a><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-6-examiner-com-article/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-6-examiner-com-article/</a><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-5/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-5/</a><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-4/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-4/</a><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-3/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-3/</a><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-2/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-2/</a><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update/</a><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner/</a><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/harassment-by-false-memory-proponents/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/harassment-by-false-memory-proponents/</a><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/rebuttal-to-the-report-from-the-smart-2009-conference/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/rebuttal-to-the-report-from-the-smart-2009-conference/</a><br />
<br />
<strong>Lucien Greaves (aka Doug Mesner) begins the presentation discussing an overview of the field.</strong><br />
His overview is scientifically inaccurate. He talks about conspiracists,
yet those working in the ritual abuse field have strong evidence to
back their theories. Some of the theories are listed at:<br />
<br />
<strong>Proof the Ritual Abuse Exists</strong><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/</a><br />
<br />
and<br />
<strong> Ritual Abuse References</strong><br />
<a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/studies/satanic-ritual-abuse-evidence-with-information-on-the-mcmartin-preschool-case/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/studies/satanic-ritual-abuse-evidence-with-information-on-the-mcmartin-preschool-case/</a><br />
<br />
He talks about the idea of “satanic panic” yet there was no panic.
There were a variety of child abuse cases being exposed in the 1980s and
1990s and some contained ritual abuse and Satanic elements.<br />
<br />
<strong>He discussed the idea of multiple personality disorder</strong>
(now called Dissociative Identity Disorder or DID). This is a
legitimate and scientifically proven mental health condition, which
continues to be listed in the latest version of the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) released in the last
year.<br />
<br />
<strong>Research on DID </strong>is at <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/research/">https://ritualabuse.us/research/</a><br />
There are a few extremists in the mental health field, like any field,
that believe DID does not exist. There is no legitimate scientific data
that validates this.<br />
<br />
Mr. Greaves (aka Mesner) discusses the idea of repressed memories.<br />
<strong>There are many studies that show fairly high corroboration rates for recovered memories.</strong><br />
<a href="https://ritualabuse.us/research/memory-fms/recovered-memory-corroboration-rates/">https://ritualabuse.us/research/memory-fms/recovered-memory-corroboration-rates/</a><br />
<br />
<strong>He talks about a “sales booth” at one of SMART’s conferences.</strong>
The table was one of many that contained clothing items that block
electronic magnetic rays from users for health reasons. These items were
only at one of our 18 conferences and were brought by an independent
vendor to the conference. Yet Mr. Greaves repeatedly discusses this
topic to discredit our work and adds to it by talking about “tin foil
hats” (there were no such hats at the conference).<br />
<br />
He attributes further theories to SMART and its conference attendees
that many do not prescribe to. This misattribution is used to further
malign and discredit our work to help child abuse survivors.<br />
<br />
<strong>Sarah Ponto Rivera presents the second half of the material with more factual inaccuracies.</strong><br />
She states: “Neil Brick believes he is a CIA super soldier.” This is not
true. Neil Brick does not believe this, this characterization is only
used to further discredit Neil Brick and SMART’s work to help survivors.
She continues: “Pretty much any conspiracy theory kind of just take a
part of it and you’ve got Neil Brick.” Neil Brick does not believe in
conspiracy theories (only factually accurate information) and all
information presented on our website is researched in detail before it
is added to the website.<br />
<br />
She repeatedly mentions that Neil Brick “admitted when in an altered
state of mind which he believes was in another personality of his that
he raped and murdered.” Neil does write about being forced as a small
child to kill in a cult. This was against his will and many others have
written about being forced to kill as children in cults and gangs. Ms.
Rivera incorrectly extrapolates further that this may mean that Neil
Brick may not be of “good moral character.” She makes this statement,
yet she does not know Neil Brick and has never met Neil Brick. Neil has
worked for years under severe harassment like this to help survivors of
child abuse and makes sure that information and research make it out to
the public about child abuse crimes.<br />
<br />
She discusses how “a complaint was filed through one of our Grey
Faction members and to his licensing board and they dismissed the
complaint without prejudice.” The complaint was dismissed and Neil Brick
was found fit to practice with sound moral character. This was after a
full year of review from several sources. Ms. Rivera’s perspective may
be biased by her work with the “Grey Faction.” During her presentation
she discusses filing a complaint against another person. SMART believes
these type of complaints may be part of a harassment campaign to silence
anti-child abuse advocates and helpers.<br />
<br />
<strong>In conclusion, we believe that many statements made against
SMART and Neil Brick during the video were inaccurate and contained
distortions.</strong> We encourage readers to visit the links listed
above to get full information about this online harassment campaign
against child abuse survivors and to read about the scientific research
about dissociation and trauma from journal articles written by
experienced professionals.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-19443876784396261412013-11-08T21:07:00.000-08:002014-09-06T13:34:24.588-07:00Douglas Misicko alias Douglas Mesner update 7 – Radio Interview Rebuttal<br />
We recommend you read these pages before reading this page:<br />
<a title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-6-examiner-com-article/" href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-6-examiner-com-article/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-6-examiner-com-article/</a>
<a title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-5/" href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-5/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-5/</a>
<a title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-4/" href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-4/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-4/</a>
<a title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-3/" href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-3/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-3/</a>
<a title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-2/" href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-2/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-2/</a>
<a title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update/" href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update/</a>
<a title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner/" href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner/</a>
<a title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/harassment-by-false-memory-proponents/" href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/ritualabuse/harassment-by-false-memory-proponents/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/harassment-by-false-memory-proponents/</a>
<a title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/rebuttal-to-the-report-from-the-smart-2009-conference/" href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/ritualabuse/rebuttal-to-the-report-from-the-smart-2009-conference/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/rebuttal-to-the-report-from-the-smart-2009-conference/</a>
<br />
<br />
These pages will give readers the full background on this subject as
well as a rebuttal to Mesner’s comments about ritual abuse and our
conference. These pages list many of the comments posted by Douglas
Mesner as well as other aliases. These pages will show connections
between Mesner and websites like process, radiofreesatan.com and the
book “Might is Right.”<br />
<br />
Douglas Mesner has continued using insults and attacks against
survivors of ritual abuse and the professionals that work with them. He
has harassed and followed survivors and survivor advocates around the
Internet for the last several years. Aliases have been used adding
additional insults and name calling against survivors.<br />
<br />
<b>Radio Interview Rebuttal</b><br />
<br />
Recently, Doug Mesner has continued his attacks on Neil Brick and
other ritual abuse survivors. He continues his use of name calling and
insults against ritual abuse survivors and their helpers. He repeats the
same misstatements about the conference we have rebutted in earlier
articles on this website. He calls those he has ideological
disagreements with as having delusions and paranoia.<br />
<br />
In a radio interview this week, Mesner states “The organization
S.M.A.R.T is run by this little shit named Neil Brick, he’s actually
when I first saw him, he’s this staggering little moron with this greasy
combover and thick glasses, and he’s very short and very frail …” Of
course, this physical description isn’t true. Mesner paints a false
caricature of an ideological opponent to discredit them in the eyes of
the reader. This is a dishonest attempt to discredit someone and their
ideas. Neil Brick doesn’t stagger, is a genius (test score), doesn’t
have thick glasses and is in excellent physical shape now and was at the
conference. This fabricated description is part of the false narrative
Mesner paints to back up the other false ideas he promotes to
incorrectly discredit ritual abuse survivors.<br />
<br />
S.M.A.R.T and Neil Brick have repeatedly contested the so-called factual points of his articles
and have disproven many of them. Mesner calls Neil Brick’s story
delusional, but has no evidence it is, other than Mesner’s own belief
system. Of course, this is not evidence of anyone’s delusion, but
evidence of Mesner’s disagreement and nothing more.<br />
<br />
Mesner analyzes Neil Brick’s motives for having a specific memory of
trauma, yet he knows little about Neil Brick and has never had a
conversation with him. The fact is that Neil Brick had a memory
triggered by specific events that had occured during that weekend. Neil
Brick and most survivors critically analyze their memories and make sure
that their memories are not influenced by others. Ritual abuse
survivors discuss the importance of this a lot. He claims that Neil
Brick had an “attack of paranoia.” Of course, he and most survivors do
not suffer from paranoia or any other delusional symptoms. To the
contrary, many survivors are very concrete in their thinking and do not
fully accept any ideas unless they are well proven. Mesner states that
Neil Brick “might need some help” without ever having talked to him at
length or having any experience in the mental health field, he makes
this incorrect statement.<br />
<br />
Mesner makes a statement that implies he doesn’t believe that
suppressed trauma can cause personal problems, yet this has been proven
by scientific research studies to be true. He mentions the backlash
after he published his articles. The reality is that ritual abuse
survivors wanted to correct Mesner’s repeated misstatements on the
Internet and address his personal insults and name calling toward ritual
abuse survivors.<br />
<br />
Mesner continues his false narrative stating that ritual abuse
survivors don’t really care about children and that they don’t care
about victims of pedophilia, unless a person is talking about ritual
abuse survivors in particular. This is false. One good example is this
website <a href="http://ritualabuse.us/" title="http://ritualabuse.us">http://ritualabuse.us</a>
. This one website has many articles about all sorts of different types
of child abuse, including clergy abuse, cult abuse, organized
pedophilia, child trafficking, etc. Many other ritual abuse and child
abuse websites cover all of these topics also. He continues by stating
that ritual abuse survivors believe that the world owes them everything
because they have declared themselves victims. This is not true either.
He makes this blanket statement and many others without knowing ritual
abuse survivors.<br />
<br />
<b>Mesner in essence paints a false picture of ritual abuse
survivors and their helpers without any real evidence to try and
discredit them. </b> To the best of our knowledge, he has little to
no experience dealing with severe abuse survivors and has no training
in working with them.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-92208056049423211482013-06-19T20:28:00.000-07:002013-06-21T19:05:59.176-07:00Letter of Support for Neil BrickLetter of Support for Neil Brick:<br />
<br />
For the many years we have been active as advocates for survivors of extreme abuse, we have been dismayed that no matter how cogent and consistent the message we deliver, we are regularly shouted down by the backlash that appears so united it speaks with one voice. The survivor movement has many factions with frequently competing agendas and it has been disheartening to see the conflicts that have periodically erupted as differing viewpoints collide. This prevents us from presenting a united front and detracts from the force of our message.<br />
<br />
One strong voice that has emerged from the fray has always concentrated exclusively on getting out the truth of ritual abuse and child sexual abuse in general. We are speaking of Neil Brick. Neil founded SMART and in 1995 started publishing a newsletter that included news and items of interest, announcements of books and articles, and in-depth discussions of issues. For sixteen consecutive years he has organized a conference with the goals of "helping stop future occurrences of ritual abuse, helping survivors of ritual abuse, naming groups that have participated in alleged illegal activities, and uniting those working to stop ritual abuse." These conferences have done enormous good for the survivor community. Neil has provided a safe and congenial environment where survivors and their advocates can share, learn, and teach.<br />
<br />
Recently Neil has been engulfed in controversies not of his choosing or making. He has been the target of salacious and slanderous attacks that impugn his integrity, morality, and values. In the face of this barrage of innuendo and lies, Neil has tried to remain focused on the bigger picture: the survival of the survivor movement. To this end he has attempted to disconnect himself from the battle that threatens his reputation and direct his energies and passions toward the success of the upcoming SMART conference in August. Neil’s efforts are laudable and deserve the respect and support of the advocacy and survivor communities.<br />
<br />
We ask you to join us in a demonstration of our support for our friend, Neil Brick, and for the courage and compassion at the core of his dedication to survivors and their right to take control of their own lives. We encourage you all to show your confidence in Neil by committing to attend the SMART conferences whenever you are able. They are not only a valuable resource from which we all benefit from sharing and learning, they offer us the opportunity for renewal, connection, and integration into the wider world beyond our personal borders. Engaging with one another and joining together to confront the challenging social, criminal, psychological and physical effects of victimization gives meaning to the suffering of survivors past and present, and brings closer a time when we can assert that there will be no future victims to join their ranks.<br />
<br />
Neil has our unwavering and unconditional support. Please let him know he has yours too by adding your signatures to this letter of support.<br />
<br />
Sincerely, <br />
<br />
Written by Randy and Pam Noblitt<br />
<br />
Endorsed by:<br />
<br />
Jean Riseman<br />
Eileen King<br />
Shamai Currim PhD<br />
Laurie Matthew<br />
Nick Bryant<br />
Micaela Martinez<br />
Pamela J. Monday, Ph.D., Austin, Texas<br />
E. Sue Blume, LCSW, Diplomate in Clinical Social Work <br />Kathy Downing, Burbank, CA <br />
Jan White<br />
deJoly LaBrier<br />
Lynn Crook, MEd<br />
Wanda Karriker, Ph.D.<br />
Sarah S.<br />
Maria Pirone<br />
Sandra Buck<br />
Patricia Kirby<br />
Connie Valentine<br />
Ginny Fouts<br />
Jan Kraft, M.A., Ed.<br />
Carl Raschke<br />
Spence Everson<br />
Dave Staffen<br />
Mary Jo Schneller<br />
Helen L. McGonigle<br />
Judy Byington, MSW, LCSW, ret<br />
Dana Raphael, PhD<br />
Dale Griffis<br />
Sandra Fecht M.A.<br />
Janet Thomas<br />
Mary Moore<br />
Staci Sprout, LICSW, CSAT<br />
Carmen Holiday<br />
Keely S. Dorran<br />
Julaine Cooper, aka Judith Swanson<br />
Dr Carl Stonier PhD<br />
<br />
I want to thank everyone for their tremendous support of my work. I really appreciate all those working together to help stop child abuse. Sincerely, Neil BrickUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-85105189318069785902013-06-02T21:57:00.000-07:002014-09-06T13:39:04.380-07:00Douglas Misicko alias Douglas Mesner update 6 – Examiner.com article<div id="contentleft">
<h3>
Douglas Misicko alias Douglas Mesner update 6 – Examiner.com article</h3>
<br />
We recommend you read these pages before reading this page:<br />
<a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-5/" title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-5/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-5/</a>
<br />
<a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-4/" title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-4/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-4/</a><br />
<a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-3/" title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-3/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-3/</a><br />
<a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-2/" title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-2/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-2/</a>
<br />
<a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update/" title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update/</a><br />
<a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner/" title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner/</a><br />
<a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/ritualabuse/harassment-by-false-memory-proponents/" title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/harassment-by-false-memory-proponents/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/harassment-by-false-memory-proponents/</a><br />
<a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/ritualabuse/rebuttal-to-the-report-from-the-smart-2009-conference/" title="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/rebuttal-to-the-report-from-the-smart-2009-conference/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/rebuttal-to-the-report-from-the-smart-2009-conference/</a><br />
<br />
These pages will give readers the full background on this subject as
well as a rebuttal to Mesner’s comments about ritual abuse and our
conference. These pages list many of the comments posted by Douglas
Mesner as well as other aliases. These pages will show connections
between Mesner and websites like process, radiofreesatan.com and the
book “Might is Right.”<br />
<br />
Douglas Mesner has continued using insults and attacks against
survivors of ritual abuse and the professionals that work with them. He
has harassed and followed survivors and survivor advocates around the
Internet for the last several years. Aliases have been used adding
additional insults and name calling against survivors.<br />
<br />
<b>Examiner.com article</b><br />
<br />
On approximately May 25, 2013, Mr. Mesner published an article on the
examiner.com about the Castlewood Treatment Center and its founder Mark
Schwartz. This article originally contained another attack against Neil
Brick and S.M.A.R.T.<br />
<br />
In the original article at the examiner.com in 2009, Mr. Mesner wrote
about 2009 S.M.A.R.T. conference he attended. He attended without
telling S.M.A.R.T. he was a reporter. The media is not allowed into the
presentations at the S.M.A.R.T. conference for the safety of the
conference participants, who are survivors of child abuse and their
supporters. He cancelled his conference check immediately after
attending the conference without notifying S.M.A.R.T.<br />
<br />
In 2011, in written correspondence with the examiner.com, Mr. Brick
was notified by the examiner.com that Mr. Mesner had agreed to stop
writing about Mr. Brick and his organization.<br />
<br />
In the original 2013 examiner article, Mr. Mesner repeated the fact
that one display table out of many at the conference had a hat (as well
as many other items) used to protect the wearer from electromagnetism.
He took this one thing totally out of proportion to attack the
conference. He repeated the fact that one woman at the conference talked
about supernatural occurrences in her abuse story. He used these two
occurrences at our conference to attack and insult our conference and
our work, ignoring the strong research base backing the reality of
ritual abuse and the many presentations at our conference verifying the
reality of ritual abuse. In the original examiner.com article, he used
the terms “lunacy” and “delusional assertions” to further insult the
work of S.M.A.R.T. Mr. Mesner continues taking facts out of context and
using these to disparage Neil Brick and S.M.A.R.T.<br />
<br />
S.M.A.R.T. has written rebuttals about different parts of
Mesner’s conference report.<br />
<br />
Neil Brick called the examiner.com to request removal of the section
of the article about S.M.A.R.T., due to its misrepresenting and
insulting the work of S.M.A.R.T. The article was taken down temporarily
pending further discussion.<br />
<br />
Before this could occur, it is believed Mr. Mesner put the article
back up under a different url. Mesner had apparently removed the name
“Neil Brick” and “S.M.A.R.T”, and instead had the word “Censored” with
hyperlinks which go directly to his article about the 2009 S.M.A.R.T.
conference. In the one paragraph about S.M.A.R.T., Mr. Mesner links six
times to his articles, either about the S.M.A.R.T. conference or the law
suit. Furthermore, Mr. Mesner mentions who and what is censored in the
comment section below the article.<br />
<br />
Mesner writes in the comment section, “If ever there are factual
disputes with any of my articles, I am happy to correct any error.”
S.M.A.R.T. believes this not to be the case. Mr. Mesner has been
notified of factual errors and has not changed these. One example was
the title of his examiner article itself, “Mark Schwartz, accused of
malpractice, removed from Castlewood clinic staff.” There is no evidence
presented that Dr. Schwartz was “removed” from the Castlewood Clinical
Staff. The two articles Mr. Mesner links to in the comment section state
Dr. Schwartz “stepped down.” To the best of our knowledge, this was
never corrected before the article was taken down.<br />
<br />
In the comment section, Mr Mesner stated that Mr. Brick made
“incessant phone calls” to the examiner. This is not true also and is
another exaggeration of Mr. Mesner’s. He states the “Examiner pulled the
article out of convenience.” No, the examiner pulled the article
pending further investigation.<br />
<br />
<b>Updates</b><br />
<br />
Later, the paragraphs in the examiner article mentioning Neil Brick
and S.M.A.R.T were deleted, but the comment in the comment section about
Neil Brick and S.M.A.R.T. remained. After this, the entire article was
deleted from the examiner.com . Then it appears he was terminated as
an editor by the examiner.com (by his account at a new Internet
article).<br />
<br />
At a new article about all this, he wrote about a woman called Julaine, who spoke at our conference.<br />
<br />
This is what she wrote for us in rebuttal to him previously:<br />
<br />
“As a speaker at the conference as well as “named” throughout this
commentary, I am amazed and appalled at the inclusion of a seriously
flawed “report” from a man who canceled his check that was to pay for
his attendance….and then failed to check his “facts” about not only
myself but others in attendance as well. His errors include such small
details as my age and health, reason for sitting at a table (too many
papers to juggle standing up), and larger ones such as misquoting and
putting words in my mouth. My presentation is on tape, and it would
have been easy for him to verify any of his shaky “facts”, but he chose
to make fun of our pain, as well.”<br />
<br />
In the new article about his no longer being at the examiner.com, he
writes about his interactions with the examiner.com Neil Brick did send
the examiner.com correspondence indicating errors in Mr. Mesner’s
examiner.com article about Castlewood, which included information about
Mr. Brick and S.M.A.R.T.<br />
In the new article, Mr. Mesner writes “In fact, Brick was just
awarded some type of honors from an organization that (a former member
of the Castlewood clinical staff) is a board member of…” Neil Brick is
unaware of receiving any award from anywhere. This appears to be a
total fabrication.<br />
<br />
In the new article, Mr. Mesner quotes his private correspondence with
the examiner.com and some of their replies. As a general rule, private
correspondence is kept private.<br />
<br />
In the new article, Mr. Mesner keeps mentioning the word
“harassment.” S.M.A.R.T. believes this is not true. Some correspondence
was made as needed to let the examiner know about the problems with the
article.<br />
<br />
Douglas Mesner also writes “Remarkably, Examiner never questioned
what the facts were…” The examiner did request Neil Brick to send them
information about problems with the article, and this was sent.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Internet Information</b><br />
<br />
<br />
Other supporters of Mr. Mesner also wrote about Neil Brick and S.M.A.R.T. in regard to Mesner’s Castlewood article.<br />
<br />
A supporter states Mr. Brick promotes
harmful and inaccurate information to the public. This is obviously not
true. Everything published by Neil Brick and S.M.A.R.T. is primarily
from scientific and mainstream media sources. The information published
by S.M.A.R.T. has helped many trauma survivors and their helpers<br />
<br />
The harassment of trauma survivors and their supporters continues,
but survivors and their helpers still continue to publish their research
and work. They continue to speak out for themselves and other
survivors. The most important thing is to not be silenced, regardless
of the harassment, insults and inaccurate statements made by the false
memory syndrome proponents.<br />
<br />
copied with permission from:<br />
<a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-6-examiner-com-article/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-6-examiner-com-article/ </a><br />
<a href="http://neilbrick.com/articles/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-6-examiner-com-article/">http://neilbrick.com/articles/douglas-misicko-alias-douglas-mesner-update-6-examiner-com-article/</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-8220599723720019112012-09-05T20:47:00.001-07:002012-09-05T20:47:47.958-07:00Recent Child Abuse Crimes and Efforts to Unite Survivorsfrom a transcript at the 2012 conference<br />
<br />
<br />
During the last year there have been some major developments in the
child abuse prevention field. Several legal cases developed involving
either cover ups or the networking of serial child abusers.<br />
<br />
<strong>Probably the most famous case is the case of Jerry Sandusky and Penn State.</strong><br />
<br />
This case includes many media reports over the last few months.
Sandusky faced 52 criminal counts for alleged abuse involving ten boys.<br />
<br />
It was reported he wrote intimate letters to the victims. He had a
charity, which tried to help children from disadvantaged families and
broken homes. Sandusky kept a private list of boys the charity was
helping. It is believed this list may have been a list of potential
targets for him to abuse. Victims alleged that contact with Sandusky
began with showering together and progress to abuse over time.<br />
<br />
In June, Pennsylvania prosecutors considered bringing criminal
charges against former top Penn State University officials for allegedly
concealing what they knew about Sandusky’s conduct.<br />
<br />
Sources stated, that former university President Graham Spanier and
others discussed whether they were obligated to tell authorities about a
2001 allegation involving a late-night encounter in a Penn State shower
room between Sandusky and a young boy, both of whom were naked. They
decided not to inform social services agencies. Later it was found that
they decided this after meeting with Joe Paterno. It was alleged that
Sandusky threatened a victim that if he told, he would never see his
family again. Descriptions during the trial included ways Sandusky
“groomed” his victims, including giving them tickets to football games.
Three people in the late 1990s or early 2000s saw Sandusky in the
showers with boys, one alleged he saw behavior that could be seen as
sexual. There were also allegations of abuse in Sandusky’s basement. One
victim hesitated talking to legal authorities, stating “Who would
believe kids?”<br />
<br />
During an interesting interview with NBC’s Bob Costas before the trial, Sandusky stated,<br />
“And I didn’t go around seeking out every young person for sexual needs
that I’ve helped. There are many that I didn’t have – I hardly had any
contact with who I have helped in many, many ways.”<br />
<br />
In late June, Sandusky’s adopted son stated he was molested also.
Sandusky was found guilty on dozens of child sex abuse charges. There
were convictions related to all 10 sexual abuse victims on 45 counts of
sexual abuse. Two former Penn State officials face charges of perjury
and failure to report suspected abuse in an alleged cover-up of the
incident.<br />
<br />
This case has important ramifications for the child abuse protection
field. It showed how institutions could cover up abuse for years. It
shows how perpetrators find victims, groom them and threaten them so
they don’t talk. It shows how many people didn’t believe that he was
abusing children, even verbally attacking those that stated he did.<br />
<br />
I want to read a quote from an article in Boston Magazine.<br />
In the Wake of Jerry Sandusky – To prevent child abuse, something has to change. So why won’t it? By Barry Nolan 6/25/2012<br />
<br />
After the verdict came down in the Jerry Sandusky case, Linda Kelly,
the Pennsylvania State Attorney General, stood before the assembled
press and said something very important. She said: “One of the recurring
themes of the witness’ testimony was … ‘Who would believe a kid?’”<br />
<br />
Yes indeed, who would take the word of a mere child over that of a
beloved coach like Jerry Sandusky about sexual abuse? Even though we
know that such terrible crimes are far too common and the numbers are
staggering, we can’t believe it. So, from 2005 to 2006 about 135,300
children were sexually abused.<br />
Who would take the word of a child against a respected adult even
though we know that in up to 93 percent of the time, the child knows his
abuser and as many as 47 percent of the perpetrators are family
members.<br />
Who would take the word of a child even though in the vast majority of cases the only witness to child sex abuse is the child?<br />
<br />
The ugly truth about child sexual abuse is that we really don’t want
to hear about it. And far too much of it happens after an initial
complaint about a perpetrator has been made and it’s not investigated
thoroughly.<br />
Take the tragic sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church, and just
imagine how things could have been different if there had been real
listening and forceful action early on. There were 10,667 complaints of
sexual abuse against 4,392 priests and deacons between 1950 and 2002 and
yet no serious or thorough investigation took place. And so the abuse
was allowed to continue. Until the Globe’s Pulitzer Prize winning series
compelled self-examination and change….<br />
<br />
The first child to make a complaint in the Sandusky case came forward
14 years ago. But who was going to believe a kid over Jerry Sandusky?
So the complaint was not thoroughly investigated and, tragically, the
abuse continued….<br />
<br />
Back in 1993, most people simply didn’t want to believe the awful
things a kid had to say about what Jackson did behind closed doors.
After all, Michael Jackson was a lavishly talented and beloved public
figure. But Dimond, and a few others, listened carefully and pursued
leads and looked at the evidence. And the awful truth began to come out.
The boy in that case would eventually accept a settlement from Jackson
that was widely reported to be in the range of $20 million.<br />
<br />
I asked her for her thoughts on the bigger picture, the Sandusky
case, the scandal in the church, and the Jackson matter. Here is part of
what she sent me in an e-mail:<br />
<br />
“Pedophiles are really the very person you think they could never be.
They are the most charming, personable, charitable, and kid-friendly
people you would ever want to meet. They pay their taxes, they go to
church, they cloak themselves in acts of charity and they say they just
want to help you raise your child by being a positive influence in their
lives … Too often detectives believe the perpetrator’s version of
events and they are freed to violate again.”<br />
<br />
http://blogs.bostonmagazine.com/boston_daily/2012/06/25/jerry-sandusky-abuse/<br />
<br />
<br />
Louis J. Freeh, the former federal judge and director of the F.B.I.
spent seven months invesitgating the Sandusky scandal at Penn State.
(from Abuse Inquiry Faults Paterno and Others at Penn State By KEN
BELSON July 12, 2012 NYT)<br />
<br />
His report stated:<br />
The most senior officials at Penn State had shown a “total and
consistent disregard” for the welfare of children, had worked together
to actively conceal Mr. Sandusky’s assaults, and had done so for one
central reason: fear of bad publicity. That publicity, Mr. Freeh said
Thursday, would have hurt the nationally ranked football program, Mr.
Paterno’s reputation as a coach of high principles, the Penn State
“brand” and the university’s ability to raise money as one of the most
respected public institutions in the country….<br />
In 2000, a janitor at the football building saw Mr. Sandusky
assaulting a boy in the showers. Horrified, he consulted with his
colleagues, but decided not to do anything. They were all, Mr. Freeh
said, afraid to “take on the football program.” “They said the
university would circle around it,” Mr. Freeh said of the employees. “It
was like going against the president of the United States. If that’s
the culture on the bottom, then God help the culture at the top.”<br />
<br />
….One new and central finding of the Freeh investigation is that Mr.
Paterno, who died in January, knew as far back as 1998 that there were
concerns Mr. Sandusky might be behaving inappropriately with children.
It was then that the campus police investigated a claim by a mother that
her son had been molested by Mr. Sandusky in a shower at Penn State.
Mr. Paterno, through his family, had insisted after Mr. Sandusky’s
arrest that he never knew anything about the 1998 case. In fact, he had
testified under oath before the grand jury hearing evidence against Mr.
Sandusky that he was not aware of the 1998 investigation.<br />
But Mr. Freeh’s report asserts that Mr. Paterno not only knew of the
investigation, but followed it closely. Local prosecutors ultimately
decided not to charge Mr. Sandusky, and Mr. Paterno did nothing. Mr.
Paterno failed to take any action, the investigation found, “even though
Sandusky had been a key member of his coaching staff for almost 30
years and had an office just steps away from Mr. Paterno’s.” “In order
to avoid the consequences of bad publicity,” the most powerful leaders
of Penn State, Mr. Freeh’s group said, “repeatedly concealed critical
facts relating to Sandusky’s child abuse from the authorities, the board
of trustees, the Penn State community and the public at large.”….<br />
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/13/sports/ncaafootball/13pennstate.html<br />
<br />
<b>Freeh Report on The Pennsylvania State University</b><br />
<br />
The independent report by Louis Freeh and his law firm, Freeh Sporkin
& Sullivan, LLP, into the facts and circumstances of the actions of
The Pennsylvania State University surrounding the child abuse committed
by a former employee, Gerald A. Sandusky<br />
http://thefreehreportonpsu.com/<br />
<br />
In mid July it was found that Penn State did not fully cooperate in
the Sandusky prob, according to the state’s governor. Coach Joe Paterno
(the long time coach and football icon at Penn Sate had his statue
removed.<br />
<br />
In July, the NCAA levied unprecedented sanctions against the program
for its role in the sexual abuse scandal involving former assistant
coach Jerry Sandusky, fining the school $60 million, imposing a
four-year postseason ban on Penn State football, significantly reducing
the number of scholarship players the team can field over the next four
years and placing the program on probation for five years. All of Penn
State’s football program wins from 1998 to 2011 were vacated.<br />
<br />
<strong>Another large international child-porn network was uncovered this year.</strong><br />
….Authorities have identified more than 140 young victims so far and
say there is no end in sight as they pore through hundreds of thousands
of images found on the suspects’ computers. They are also trying to
determine whether the men who talked about murder and cannibalism
actually committed such acts or were just sharing twisted fantasies….<br />
<br />
Robert Mikelsons, a 27-year-old day care worker who baby-sat the boy,
was arrested. On his computer were thousands and thousands of images of
children being molested and raped….<br />
<br />
Photos and online chats found on computers owned by Diduca and
Mikelsons led to more than three dozen other suspects in seven
countries, including Canada, Britain, Germany, Sweden and Mexico. The
oldest victim in the Netherlands was 4, the youngest just 19 days old….<br />
<br />
Mikelsons also received an 18-year sentence, followed by indefinite
psychiatric commitment, after confessing to sexually abusing more than
80 children….<br />
<br />
Vast international child-porn network uncovered By DENISE LAVOIE AP Legal Affairs Writer Aug 4, 2012 BOSTON (AP)<br />
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CHILD_PORN_NETWORK?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-08-04-10-44-22<br />
<br />
Another large case was Operation Ore – the UK wing of a huge FBI operation.<br />
(50 police officers arrested in child porn raids Wednesday, Aug 01 2012)<br />
<br />
Operation Ore is the UK wing of a huge FBI operation which traced
250,000 paedophiles worldwide last year through credit card details used
to pay for downloading child porn. The names of British suspects were
passed on by US investigators. Suspects were traced through the
Landslide web site – a gateway to an international collection of child
pornography sites. Thomas Reedy, who ran the web site and earned
millions from it, is now serving several life sentences in the US.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-151784/50-police-officers-arrested-child-porn-raids.html<br />
<br />
<strong>The Boy Scout case is also a large case revealing repeat child abuse allegations.</strong><br />
Boy Scout files reveal repeat child abuse by sexual predators<br />
Los Angeles Times review of Boy Scout documents shows that a blacklist
meant to protect boys from sexual predators too often failed in its
mission.<br />
By Jason Felch and Kim Christensen, Los Angeles Times August 5, 2012<br />
For nearly a century, the Boy Scouts of America has relied on a
confidential blacklist known as the “perversion files” as a crucial line
of defense against sexual predators….<br />
<br />
Scouting officials say they’ve used the files to prevent hundreds of men
who had been expelled for alleged sexual abuse from returning to the
ranks. They’ve fought hard in court to keep the records from public
view, saying confidentiality was needed to protect victims, witnesses
and anyone falsely accused….<br />
A Los Angeles Times review of more than 1,200 files dating from 1970
to 1991 found more than 125 cases across the country in which men
allegedly continued to molest Scouts after the organization was first
presented with detailed allegations of abusive behavior….<br />
<br />
In at least 50 cases, the Boy Scouts expelled suspected abusers, only
to discover later that they had reentered the program and were accused
of molesting again.<br />
One scoutmaster was expelled in 1970 for sexually assaulting a
14-year-old boy in Indiana. Even after being convicted of the crime, he
went on to join two troops in Illinois between 1971 and 1988. He later
admitted to molesting more than 100 boys, was convicted of the sexual
assault of a Scout in 1989 and was sentenced to 100 years in prison,
according to his file and court records.<br />
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-boyscouts-20120805-m,0,5822319.story<br />
<br />
<strong>A landmark Philadelphia priest sex-abuse trial occurred this year. </strong><br />
Allegations were made Msgr. William J. Lynn moved accused priests
around to different parishes, enabling them to prey upon other children.<br />
<br />
“Prosecutors say Lynn, 61, covered up child sex abuse allegations,
often by transferring priests to unsuspecting parishes. Lynn’s motive
was to avoid scandal and any potential loss of money for the church,
they argued. His job was to supervise 800 priests, which included
investigating sex abuse claims, from 1992 to 2004. The defense said Lynn
tried to handle documented cases of pedophile priests, making a list in
1994 of 35 accused predators and writing memos to suggest treatment and
suspensions.”<br />
<br />
Jury breaks without verdict in Philadelphia church abuse case June 7, 2012 PHILADELPHIA (Reuters)<br />
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-usa-crime-churchbre8561g8-20120607,0,7146796.story<br />
<br />
Philadelphia Priest Trial: Jury Reaches Split Verdict In Case Of Monsignor William Lynn By MARYCLAIRE DALE 06/22/12 PHILADELPHIA<br />
“A Roman Catholic church official was convicted of child endangerment
but acquitted of conspiracy Friday in a landmark clergy-abuse trial,
making him the first U.S. church official branded a felon for covering
up abuse claims. Monsignor William Lynn helped the archdiocese keep
predators in ministry, and the public in the dark, by telling parishes
their priests were being removed for health reasons and then sending the
men to unsuspecting churches, prosecutors said. Lynn, 61, served as
secretary for clergy from 1992 to 2004, mostly under Cardinal Anthony
Bevilacqua….He was convicted of only a single endangerment count, which
carries a possible 3 1/2- to seven-year prison term. The jury could not
reach a verdict for Lynn’s co-defendant, the Rev. James Brennan, who was
accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy in 1999….<br />
The jury, however, did find that Lynn endangered the victim of defrocked
priest Edward Avery, who pleaded guilty before trial to a 1999 sexual
assault.<br />
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/22/philadelphia-priest-trial_n_1619355.html<br />
<br />
As many people know, <strong>the West Memphis Three were released from prison last year after spending 18 years there.</strong> One of them was on death row before he was released.<br />
The three entered what are known as Alford pleas, which in essence is
that they admit there is enough evidence to possibly convict them, but
at the same time they don’t have to admit guilt. The court then
pronounced them guilty. This event revived interested in the West
Memphis Three case. Many believe that the murders of the three eight
year old boys were occult crimes. These murders occurred on a full moon
and court testimony stated that the three murders belonged to a teenage
cult. A great deal of information has been written about the case from
the perspectives of those that believe they were innocent and those that
believe they were guilty.<br />
<br />
The movies that have been or are being produced about the case are from the perspective of those that think they are innocent.<br />
Most of the easily accessible information on the case on the Internet
is from the perspective of those that think they are innocent. I will
list some resources for the perspective of those that think they are
guilty below.<br />
One good webpage for information on this case is http://wm3truth.com<br />
<br />
Our webpage with information on the day care cases from the
perspectives of the alleged victims has an article titled “West Memphis 3
confession, witness corroboration and physical evidence” <a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/day-care-and-child-abuse-cases/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/day-care-and-child-abuse-cases/</a><br />
<br />
Another good page with information is http://callahan.8k.com<br />
This is the most extensive web page on the case on the Internet, with
information from both sides of the case, including many documents.<br />
<br />
Dale Griffis, the longtime cult researcher, also has information on his perspective of the case, at:<br />
Dale Griffis – West Memphis Three Case Information
<a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/dale-griffis-west-memphis-three-case-information/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/dale-griffis-west-memphis-three-case-information/</a><br />
<br />
Todd Moore wrote the below article in response to an editorial
published in the Jonesboro Sun by Chris Wessel. He is the father of one
of the West Memphis Three murder victims. Father of WM3 murder victim
certain who killed 3 boys By Todd Moore<br />
Guest Columnist Opinion Section of the Jonesboro Sun on Tuesday, June 12, 2012<br />
http://www.terryhobbs.com/2012/06/todd-moore-sets-record-straight.html<br />
<br />
<strong>These many cases show the repeated cover ups of child abuse crimes and how child abuse exists worldwide. </strong> The cover ups of these crimes are similar to the techniques used to cover up ritual abuse crimes today.<br />
<br />
As survivors, we should educate ourselves about these cases and learn
from them. For many years, clergy abuse crimes were covered up. The
Sandusky case was not investigated. Many of the techniques used against
survivors in these cases are being used against ritual abuse survivors
today. Abused children were not believed. Through hard work, some are
now being believed.<br />
<br />
Often times, what is missing from our side of the story is the
research, which can help unify the survivor movement. This research
strengthens our stories, and shows patterns across all areas of child
abuse. Some of those on the other side want to divide us up. Don’t let
them. Make sure everyone hears our story and the stories of other abused
survivors. Continue to speak out.<br />
<br />
The most important thing is to help others. By speaking out, we do this.<br />
<br />
<strong>Remember “Your silence will not protect you.” Please continue to speak out.</strong> Thank you.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-69339015843784320812011-08-27T18:18:00.000-07:002011-08-27T18:19:28.779-07:00The Myth of Panic – Exposing Theories Used to Cover Up Ritual Abuse CrimesFrom a transcript from the 2011 Ritual Abuse Conference <br />
<br />
A variety of theories have been used to cover up and deny ritual abuse crimes. The old arguments of therapists somehow planting ideas in their clients’ minds had brought back from previous years to deny ritual abuse crimes. Ideas of social suggestion have also been brought back to deny the realities of the crimes perpetrated against children.<br />
<br />
A new version of the denial of these crimes is called “panic.” Not surprisingly, one of the early major proponents of this theory aligned themselves with the false memory movement. Many working in the false memory movement were accused or even convicted of child abuse crimes. Others in this movement worked to exonerate those accused of child abuse crimes.<br />
<br />
Proponents of the theory of panic often compare modern events to the “witch hunts” of the middle ages. Of course, the major difference is that ritual abuse crimes did occur. The use of the term “witch hunt” is using propaganda to connect two different ideas, one disliked (actual witch hunts) with real child abuse crimes. This propaganda technique is called transfer.<br />
<br />
Other propaganda techniques, like name calling, are also used by false memory proponents. False memory proponents also repeat the same ideas and phrases to get them to stick in people’s minds. The use of rhymes, like “Satanic Panic” is also used to get ideas to stick in people’s minds.<br />
<br />
Panic theorists may state that the increased awareness of ritual crimes is only due to social exposure and social influence. However, they ignore the fact that this increased awareness may simply be the increased awareness of real crimes that have real evidence backing their existence, like ritual abuse crimes. They ignore evidence showing these crimes to have occurred, ignoring and even purposefully burying evidence that shows these crimes may have occurred.<br />
<br />
These ritual abuse crimes had been covered up for years, but due to the increased awareness of child abuse crimes in general and the increased rights of women and children to be treated respectfully and equally, these ritual abuse crimes were being exposed and heard.<br />
<br />
Child abuse crimes were denied by society for centuries until social movements in the 1960′s, 70s and 80s began to expose the high frequency of these crimes. Before this era, incest was incorrectly perceived to be a rare occurrence in our society. Likewise, clergy abuse crimes were perceived to be nonexistent and few would believe that a priest was capable of raping children. Now we know that not only is this possible, but that some of these crimes were covered up for years.<br />
<br />
Certain panic theorists deny that ritual abuse crimes do not exist simply because others that may have participated in them, such as family members, deny they have occurred. Of course, people participating in these crimes may deny they occurred for a variety of reasons, including amnesia or not wanting to admit they participated in the rape, torture and even murder of others.<br />
<br />
The theory of panic is used by some theorists to deny all ritual abuse crimes. Where a criminal may have been convicted and lost several appeals, the crime is written off by panic theorists as a “miscarriage of justice” even though the victims themselves emphatically stated when they were adults they were abused and there was physical evidence of abuse. This happened in the Amirault case.<br />
<br />
Other cases may be overturned, yet the victims’ voices are lost in the future telling of the accounts of these cases and may be purposefully deleted from public accounts. Those working to make sure that victims accounts are heard may be harassed or banned from working in public areas where these accounts are told. One place to find the victims side of the story is at our website in the article :<br />
<br />
Day Care and Child Abuse Cases<br />
<br />
This page has information on the McMartin Preschool Case, Michelle Remembers, the Fells Acres – Amirault Case, the Wenatchee, Washington Case, the Dale Akiki Case, the Glendale Montessori – Toward case, the Little Rascals Day Care Center case, Fran’s Day Care case, the Baran case, the Halsey case, the West Memphis 3 case, the Friedman’s case, the Christchurch Civic Creche sex abuse – Peter Ellis case, the Ramona case and the West Point Day Care Case.<br />
<a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/day-care-and-child-abuse-cases/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/day-care-and-child-abuse-cases/</a><br />
<br />
We have a separate page for the McMartin Case, at:<br />
McMartin Preschool Case – What Really Happened and the Coverup<br />
<a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/mcmartin-preschool-case-what-really-happened-and-the-coverup/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/mcmartin-preschool-case-what-really-happened-and-the-coverup/</a><br />
<br />
There is little evidence to prove actual contagion among different parts of the population showing that ritual abuse accusations were part of a panic. This is especially true in the criminal cases. In many of these crimes there were reports of strong changes in the children’s behavior and even physical evidence of abuse. Just because there is an increased awareness of ritual abuse crimes does not in itself mean that there was any contagion or actual social influence. One would have to examine each individual criminal case and find out if the victims had heard about other cases and had not actually been abused. This has never been done.<br />
<br />
The theory of panic has been used like a blanket to deny all ritual abuse crimes. Even with cases with conclusive evidence and convictions, the convictions themselves are attacked as being part of a panic of the 1980s and 1990.<br />
<br />
This theory erroneously backs the idea that therapists plant ideas in their client’s minds. The idea of implantation has little evidence, yet it is repeated until believed by those promoting the theory of panic. Research has shown it is very difficult to convince most people that abuse crimes occurred in their histories. It is more likely that people will deny being abused due to social and familial pressures.<br />
<br />
The theory of panic, like other social denial theories, ended up causing a great deal of harm in the child protection movement. People that came forward after this, describing ritual abuse crimes, were less likely to be believed. This social denial has allowed these crimes to continue after a brief period in history where they were exposed.<br />
<br />
What needs to happen is:<br />
<br />
1) Making sure that the victims’ sides of the stories of ritual abuse crimes are heard in as many places as possible.<br />
<br />
2) Exposing the incorrect techniques used by false memory proponents and panic theorists. Showing their work and ideas to be incorrect and when possible, showing their true motives for developing these theories.<br />
<br />
3) Not allowing panic theorists to use their theory like a blanket covering all cases.<br />
<br />
4) Forcing panic theorists to actually prove their case and show clear social influence in each case where they claim social influence actually occurred.<br />
<br />
5) Not allowing the harassment and attacks of the panic theorists and false memory proponents to slow down our work to expose their techniques and to tell the stories of the victims of these crimes.<br />
<br />
Let’s discuss ways we can do this.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-60841734029989540302011-08-27T18:15:00.000-07:002011-08-27T18:15:00.803-07:00Always Getting Stronger: Giving Survivors a Voice in the WorldTranscript from the 2011 ritual abuse conference<br />
<br />
The Child Abuse Survivor Movement has been under strong attack for the last twenty years. At the same times, it has grown stronger and developed a strong research base. Survivors that have healed are now able to help other survivors that are beginning to heal from ritual abuse. Many survivors now have blogs and web pages telling their stories and presenting the research that backs up their stories.<br />
<br />
Many of the child abuse crimes of the past that were either ignored, seen as acceptable or covered up, are now given coverage in the media, seen as detrimental to children and society and the cover ups are now being exposed.<br />
<br />
Child abuse is seen by most media outlets and researchers as being clearly traumatic. Most understand that the traumatic effects of child abuse cause clear symptoms that are detrimental to child abuse survivors. Those that misrepresent the fact that child abuse trauma symptoms are some sort of myth have been rebutted and answered.<br />
<br />
Those attacking the child abuse survivor field and child abuse research have picked and chosen the less believable aspects of the field to attack, like ritual abuse and dissociation, especially dissociative identity disorder (formerly called multiple personality disorder.)<br />
<br />
They have misrepresented the research, literature and criminal cases in both areas, ignoring the large research base showing that both ritual abuse and dissociative identity disorder are realities. They claim that those that believe in dissociation, hurt the child abuse research field, yet most that claim this actually do little or nothing to try and stop child abuse crimes.<br />
<br />
Some of those skeptical of certain child abuse crimes insult and harass those working in the child abuse field in an attempt to silence them. There are several documented occurrences of this on the Internet and in the literature. This harassment is meant to silence those that attempt to expose different child abuse crimes, including those in the fields of ritual abuse, dissociation and trauma.<br />
<br />
Other skeptics have done whatever they can to make sure that accurate research on child abuse and ritual abuse crimes does not make it into the public arena. It has been difficult at times to get accurate information into the media and mainstream websites.<br />
<br />
The problem of survivors getting a voice to speak out with all of this going on is problematic.<br />
<br />
How do we as researchers and survivors organize and demand if necessary in large enough numbers that:<br />
<br />
1) The media needs to cover the issue of ritual abuse and dissociation more thoroughly and fairly.<br />
<br />
2) The misinformation about certain ritual abuse crimes and dissociative identity disorder is accurately rebutted with our own scientific research.<br />
<br />
3) Those that insult and harass researchers in our field are accurately exposed and that the techniques they use to unfairly manipulate public opinion are also exposed.<br />
<br />
How do we develop a common voice strong enough to withstand the attacks on our movement?<br />
<br />
1) Organize<br />
<br />
a) Develop a group solely dedication to research and advocacy.<br />
<br />
One that will develop a research base that will cover all of the child abuse cases and books of the last thirty years and then make this public to rebut all of the misinformation that has been made public about these cases.<br />
<br />
2) Speak out<br />
<br />
a) Make sure that everyone hears our side of the story.<br />
<br />
Everyone gets a blog and/or a web page. They put their story on it and list all of the research in our field that backs their story.<br />
<br />
3) Debate when necessary and when prudent.<br />
<br />
Our voices are not heard in the public arena. Repeated attacks on the realities of the crimes committed against us are not answered. We need to answer every attack, with letters to the editor, our own articles, our own comments, our own web pages.<br />
<br />
Where are our voices?<br />
<br />
We need to commit a certain amount of time everyday to getting our stories out. This is a crucial time to do this. The attacks will continue, the question is what will our answer be to these attacks. Will we be too busy to reply? Will we ignore requests to help? Or will we do everything we can to make sure that these crimes will not be repeated in the future by exposing them now.<br />
<br />
The anti-clergy abuse movement has shown how this can be done. For years, they were not believed. Skeptics stated that priests could not do the things they have been accused of doing. Those committing these crimes told the children and parents they would not be believed when they talked about the abuse. And for many years, they weren’t believed. But they are now. Because they organized. Because they spoke up. Because they did not stop or block each others efforts in their own movement to expose child abuse crimes, but instead they worked together, had conferences, had press releases and fought in the courts and the media for recognition. And now they have received it. Even certain members of the church admit these crimes occurred.<br />
<br />
So, where are our voices?<br />
<br />
Where are our ritual abuse conferences?<br />
<br />
Where are our ritual abuse websites?<br />
<br />
Where are our letters to the editor?<br />
<br />
Where are voices in the public arena?<br />
<br />
Are we believed when we tell our stories or is the false label of “panic” slapped on all our suffering, emotional scars and evidence.<br />
<br />
We have a choice. We can be silent, or we can all organize. I propose we organize. I propose we start a group today, right now, that will work on developing a research base to answer every skeptics’ response to the crimes committed against us. I propose that every one of us create their own website and conference in their own area to educate the public about ritual abuse crimes. I propose the we have regional groups across the country linked together working to expose these crimes.<br />
<br />
I propose that each and every one of us commit 30 minutes a day to doing this.<br />
<br />
We can organize by e-mail. I will develop an e-mail group for this purpose. We can call it “The Ritual Abuse Survivors Research and Advocacy Group.” Our group will have two parts, one for advocacy and one for research. The advocacy group will publish the research group’s work. We will have chapters nationwide and in as many countries as we can.<br />
<br />
This group will work with the other groups already out there and add to the voices survivors presently have. It will coordinate research and advocacy efforts with the other groups. It will build on the research and advocacy of these groups.<br />
<br />
This way we can all leave the conference stronger. This way we can continue getting stronger. This way we can have give all survivors a voice in the world. We will be heard. Our research will be heard. Our voices will be heard. And the crimes that were committed against us will stop. No more children will be abused. No more children will be hurt.<br />
<br />
We all need to decide what kind of world we want to see in twenty years. One where children are abused and not believed, or one where children aren’t abused and those that abuse them are held accountable.<br />
<br />
No one will fight our battles for us. We need to fight them ourselves. Let’s start now. We can change the world and our voices will be heard. We will no longer be silenced. Those that attack us and spread misinformation about the crimes committed against us will be answered.<br />
<br />
Let’s start now. Please tell me your ideas for our group and let’s move forward. In one year from now, our group will have a strong research and advocacy base. We will give all child abuse and ritual abuse trauma survivors a safe place to be heard, to get the research they need to answer those that refuse to believe them, to answer societies’ denial of our trauma and reality and to make the reality of our stories public to all.<br />
<br />
Let’s start now. Please tell me your ideas about how we can be heard. Please tell me your ideas about how we can make this organization successful. Thank you.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-52096897216767809962011-08-06T20:17:00.000-07:002016-12-08T20:18:22.206-08:00 Ritual Abuse and Its Political Implications<span style="font-size: large;"><b>This transcript is from a presentation by Neil Brick at the
Association for Humanist Sociology Conference in Madison WI on October
12, 2002</b>. Some of the topics discussed may be triggering. This is
intended to be educational and is not intended as therapy or treatment.
All accusations are alleged. Our providing the information below does
not necessarily constitute our endorsement of it. The resources listed
below are for educational value only.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">This page has been put on the web by S.M.A.R.T., P O Box 1295, Easthampton, MA 01027 E-mail: <a href="mailto:smartnews@aol.com">smartnews@aol.com</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><b><span style="font-size: large;">Ritual Abuse and Its Political Implications</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">As a survivor of ritual abuse and mind control, I have personally had
the opportunity to examine how I was discouraged from expressing myself
and forced to follow others. This eventually caused me to constantly
examine my surroundings and create my own intellectual reality.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I have seen others blindly follow proscribed sex roles in terms of
dress, behavior and career and blindly follow proscribed religious and
political guidelines.</b> I somehow seem to have escaped much of this, only
following what was absolutely necessary to survive in the world.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">Some of my discussion will quote billie rain’s ’02 conference
transcript from our August ’02 ritual abuse conference. (listed as BR)
It is available on the web at <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/conf2002/the-healing-journey-as-a-site-of-resistance/">https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/conf2002/the-healing-journey-as-a-site-of-resistance/</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">1) <b>How mind control encourages silence</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">from BR : “When my abusers were raping me, they had me convinced that
nobody would believe me if I told, and if that didn’t deter me, they
would kill me….In her book <b><i>Thinking Class</i></b>, Joanna Kadi writes: <b>Child
sexual abuse teaches us lessons about power- who has it and who doesn’t.
</b> These lessons, experienced on a bodily level, transfer into the deepest
levels of our conscious and subconscious being, and correspond with
other oppressive systems. <b>Widespread child sexual abuse supports a
racist, sexist, classist and ableist society that attempts to train
citizens into docility and unthinking acceptance of whatever the
government and big business deem fit to hand out</b> (Kadi, 73).” <a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Thinking_Class.html?id=Y9IANdKL51YC">https://books.google.com/books/about/Thinking_Class.html?id=Y9IANdKL51YC</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">Being believed has been shown to help people heal. Part of the false
memories emphasis on discreditation has been to slow down the healing of
survivors, especially ritual abuse survivors. Several of the people in
the false memory field have been tied to mind control experimentation
and pro-pedophilia philosophies. It is well known in the child abuse
field that ritual abuse exists. But the big lie has been promoted
throughout the mainstream media that the opposite is true. This has
encouraged some survivors to be silent. Others, like myself, have spoken
out more.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">Fear of harm would also be another proponent that could cause a
survivor to be silent. If the statistics are true that child abuse is
endemic and that ritual abuse is widely spread, then child abuse could
be scaring people into silence.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">from “<b>Cultural and Economic Barriers to Protecting Children from
Ritual Abuse and Mind Control</b>,” Catherine Gould, Ph.D. “Among 2,709
members of the American Psychological Association who responded to a
poll, 2,292 cases of ritual abuse were reported (Bottoms, Shaver, &
Goodman, 1993). …Childhelp USA logged 1,741 calls pertaining to ritual
abuse,… Real Active Survivors tallied nearly 3,600, Justus Unlimited of
Colorado received almost 7,000, and Looking Up of Maine handled around
6,000.” <b>“Evidence also continues to accumulate that the ritual abuse of
children constitutes a child abuse problem of significant scope.”</b>
(Studies and numbers are listed.) “Finkelhor, Williams and Burns
(1988)…substantiated reports of sexual abuse …involving 1,639 … child
victims…” Other reports of possible ritual abuse include: Kelly (1988;
1989; 1992a; 1992b; 1993) 35 day care victims, Waterman et al.(1993) 82
children, Faller (1988; 1990) 18 children, Bybee and Mowbray(1993) 62
children, 53 children seeing others being ritually abused, Snow and
Sorenson (1990) 39 children reporting ritual abuse, in Utah, and Jonker
and Jonker-Bakker(1991) 48 victims of ritual abuse.” “..58% of the
ritual abuse cases in the Finkelhor(1988) study that went to trial
resulted in convictions. In the Kelly (1992b) study,<b> convictions were
obtained in 80% of the ritual and sexual abuse cases combined</b>.”
“convictions were obtained in 11% of all ritual child abuse cases
studied by Bottoms et al. (1991; 1993).” </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><b>Denying Ritual Abuse of Children </b>– Catherine Gould, The Journal of Psychohistory 22 (3) 1995 <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/denying-ritual-abuse-of-children-catherine-gould/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/denying-ritual-abuse-of-children-catherine-gould/</a></span><br />
<span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: medium;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: medium;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: medium;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: medium;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: medium;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: medium;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: medium;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: medium;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: medium;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: medium;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: medium;"><span lang="0" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Cult and Ritual Abuse</b></i> (Noblitt and Perskin, Praeger, 1995),
Page 170, “One of the best sources of evaluative research on ritual
abuse is the article “Ritual Abuse: A Review of Research” by Kathleen
Coulborn Faller (1994)….in a survey of 2,709 members of the American
Psychological Association, it was found that 30 percent of these
professionals had seen cases of ritual or religion- related abuse
(Bottoms, Shaver & Goodman, 1991).<b> Of those psychologists who have
seen cases of ritual abuse, 93 percent believed that the reported harm
took place and 93 percent believed that the alleged ritualism occurred.
</b>This is a remarkable finding. Mental health professionals are known to
be divergent in their thinking and frequently do not agree with one
another regarding questions of the diagnosis and etiology of psychiatric
problems…this level of concurrence in a large national sample of
psychologists…would be impressive….the similar research of Nancy Perry
(1992) which further supports (the previous findings)…Perry also
conducted a national survey of therapists who work with clients with
dissociative disorders and she found that 88 percent of the 1,185
respondents indicated “belief in ritual abuse, involving mind control
and programming” (p. 3).” </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Noblitt, JR; Perskin PS (2000). <i><b>Cult and ritual abuse: its history, anthropology, and recent discovery in contemporary America</b></i>. New York: Praeger. ISBN 0-275-96665-8. <a href="http://books.google.ca/books?id=zJkTTpfyJ-8C&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0">http://books.google.ca/books?id=zJkTTpfyJ-8C&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>These numbers show us that many people are mind controlled into
silence through extreme fear, and torture. </b>Healing from abuse is one
way to empower oneself and get one’s voice back. A variety of
statistical studies have shown that between ten to thirty three percent
of children are sexually abused before the age of 18.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The History of Childhood As the History of Child Abuse</b> – Lloyd
deMause, “The historical record points to childhood being a nightmare
from which we have only recently begun to awaken. Children have
historically been killed, abandoned, terrorized, and sexually abused by
their caretakers…. Rather than the incest taboo being universal, it is
incest itself that is universal.” </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><b>The History of Child Abuse</b> – Lloyd deMause <a href="https://www.blogger.com/The%20History%20of%20Child%20Abuse%20%E2%80%93%20Lloyd%20deMause%20https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/the-history-of-child-abuse-lloyd-demause-the-journal-of-psychohistory/">https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/the-history-of-child-abuse-lloyd-demause-the-journal-of-psychohistory/ </a> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">From BR : “I know too many people, male and female, who were sexually
abused as children. Most of them were not able to comprehend what
happened to them or speak out about it until they were adults. Child
sexual abuse is such a crime, not because it is illegal, but because of
the incredible damages it does to a young mind, body and heart.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">Ritualized forms of abuse have also occurred in institutionalized
settings. Many court trails and hearings have occurred in Canada.
Several of these have also concerned cultural genocide.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>School abuse suits may cost $1 billion FSIN is outraged government is
adding more lawyers to handle influx of lawsuits </b>James Parker – The
StarPhoenix 9/4/02 “The federal government and the churches that ran the
residential schools on behalf of Ottawa are facing more than 4,500
cases involving about 11,000 individuals. About 540 cases have been
settled since 1996. So far, the government has paid out $37 million to
compensate plaintiffs for physical and sexual abuse and expects to spend
more than a $1 billion dealing with the cases. Some suits also claim
the schools perpetrated cultural genocide.” http://www.canada.com/</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Fear is a major component of abuse.</b> The abuser may tell the child
that something will happen to themselves or others if they tell. The
political implications of this are fairly obvious. It will be much more
difficult for a survivor of child abuse to speak out about world
injustices due to their trained silence and disempowerment.. Many
survivors have severe adjustment and addiction problems (as cited in our
newsletter), making political advocacy and analysis nearly impossible
for some until healing occurs.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">Not only has child abuse been used to control and manipulate people,
but it has also been used by the US government to control internal and
foreign policy.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mind Control – Experiments On Children – CIA Experiments With Mind
Control on Children </b>by Jon Rappoport, Source: Perceptions Magazine,
September/October 1995 </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">“Officially spanning ten years from 1952-62,
MK-ULTRA involved the use of LSD on unwitting military and civilian
subjects in the United States. LSD and more powerful compounds were
given under duress as brainwashing and truth serum drugs. The program’s
aim was to find drugs which would irresistibly bring out deep
confessions or wipe a subject’ s mind clean and program him or her as “a
robot agent.” ….Dr. Louis “Jolly” West of UCLA, who tried to establish a
center for “the study of violence” at the university in the 1970s. This
center’s specialty would have been psychosurgery, a horrendous melting
of brain connections, supposedly to curb people’s “violent tendencies.” ” </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mind Control – The CIA, Mind Control & Children – CKLN-FM Mind
Control Series</b> – Part 10, A Talk by John Rappoport – CKLN FM 88.1 –
Ryerson Polytechnic University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada <a href="http://www.whale.to/b/rappoport_i.html">http://www.whale.to/b/rappoport_i.html</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Claudia Mullin spoke at the “Statement to Presidential Report on
Radiation, Claudia S. Mullen, March 15, 1995</b>. From Smart Issue #15
“Between the years of 1957 and 1984, I (allegedly) became a pawn in a
government scheme, whose ultimate goal was mind control and ultimately
to create the “perfect spy”. All through the use of chemicals,
radiation, drugs, hypnosis, electric shock, isolation in large tubs of
hot or cold water, sleep deprivation, brainwashing; and verbal, physical
and emotional abuse. By the time I was 9, I was also being sexually
abused and humiliated as a coercive technique.” <a href="https://ritualabuse.us/2008/10/issue-15-july-1997/">https://ritualabuse.us/2008/10/issue-15-july-1997/</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">From Rappoport : “<b>Claudia Mullin, the other of Dr. Wolf’s patients
who testified before the President’s Committee on Radiation, said her
experiences with CIA mind-control experiences began when she was seven
years old</b>: "In 1958, 1 was to be tested, they told me, by some important
doctors coming from a place called the ‘Society’ [the Human Ecology
Society, a CIA front]. I was told to cooperate; answer any of their
questions. Then, since the test ‘might hurt,’ I would be given ‘shots,
x-rays, and a few jolts of electricity.’I was instructed not to look at
anyone’s face too hard and to ignore names,’ as this was ‘a very secret
project’ but to be brave an all those things would help me forget…”A Dr.
John Gittinger tested me and Dr. Cameron gave me the shocks and Dr.
Greene the x-rays…By the time I left to go home, just like every time
from then on, I would recall nothing of my tests or the different
doctors. I would only remember whatever explanations Dr. Robert G. Heath
[of Tulane Medical School] gave me for the odd bruises, needle marks,
burns on my head and fingers and even the genital soreness. I had no
reason to believe otherwise. Already, they had begun to control my
mind!”The next year, I was sent to a place in Maryland called Deep Creek
Cabins to learn how to ‘sexually please men.’ Also, I was taught how to
coerce them into talking about themselves. It was Richard Helms (Deputy
Director of the CIA), Dr. Gottlieb, Captain George White and Morse
Allen, who all planned on filming as many high government and agency
officials and heads of academic institutions and foundations as
possible…I was to become a regular little ‘spy’ for them, after that
summer, eventually entrapping many unwitting men, including themselves,
all with the use of a hidden camera. I was only nine when this kind of
sexual humiliation began.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">There are also two more excellent personal accounts now available on
how children were ritually abused and used for political purposes.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">From a book review written by Lynn Hersha, one of the authors of the
book, “<i><b>Secret Weapons – Two Sisters’ Terrifying True Story of Sex, Spies
and Sabotage</b></i>” by Cheryl and Lynn Hersha with Dale Griffis, Ph D. and
Ted Schwartz. New Horizon Press, P O Box 669 Far Hills, NJ 07931 – ISBN
0-88282-196-2. <a href="http://www.abebooks.com/book-search/author/lynn-hersha-dale-griffis-ted-schwarz/">http://www.abebooks.com/book-search/author/lynn-hersha-dale-griffis-ted-schwarz/</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">“In the United States, the American public have had the knowledge of
the CIA’s Top Secret Program, MKUltra, and its experimentation in Mind
Control on adult volunteers and unwitting subjects. Now, we have a
well-documented, verifiable account of not one, but two childrens’ long
untold stories of being CHILD subjects of Project MKUltra. Quotes from
the book: “<b>By the time Cheryl Hersha came to the facility, knowledge of
multiple personality was so complete that doctors understood how the
mind separated into distinct ego states, each unaware of the other.
First, the person traumatized had to be both extremely intelligent and
under the age of seven, two conditions not yet understood though
remaining consistent as factors. The trauma was almost always of a
sexual nature</b>…” p. 52 “The government researchers, aware of the
information in the professional journals, decided to reverse the process
(of healing from hysteric dissociation). They decided to use selective
trauma on healthy children to create personalities capable of committing
acts desired for national security and defense.” p. 53 – 54″</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>A Nation Betrayed: The Chilling and true story of Secret Cold War
Experiments Performed on Our Children and Other Innocent People </b>by Carol
Rutz</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">“<b>A Nation Betrayed is the culmination of documentation obtained from
over 18,000 pages of declassified documents and testimony from survivors
of these experiments.</b> Rutz’s book gives us a first hand view of a
government in such fear of communism that it loses sight of the safety
of it’s own people. To counter the threat of communism, the CIA
conspires to build the perfect spy from our country’s innocent children.
After being imported for their knowledge and expertise, some of the
same Nazi scientists and doctors who performed grizzly experiments
carried out in the death camps during World War II join forces with the
U.S. Government in these efforts.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">Her book walks us through her horrifying journey of experimentation
and training by her CIA torturers beginning at the age of four as part
of the government sanctioned Bluebird/Artichoke and MKULTRA Projects.
Using electroshock, drugs, hypnosis, sensory deprivation, and insidious
trauma, our government performs Mind Control experiments on her and
other innocent children. The objective is creation of a Manchurian
Candidate-a sleeper assassin-as well as instilling skills in ESP and
remote viewing.” Table of Contents and Preface can be read at
<a href="http://www2.dmci.net/users/casey">http://www2.dmci.net/users/casey</a> . casey@dmci.net </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>“Deviant Scriptualism and Ritual Satanic Abuse Part Two: Possible
Masonic, Mormon, Magick, and Pagan Influence</b>,” by professor Stephen A.
Kent, Department of Sociology, University of Alberta, Edmonton (Canada).
His article was originally published by Religion (1993) 23, 355-367, c
1993 Academic press Limited. “…This study compares portions of people’s
accounts (using interviews and diaries from several alleged survivors),
with doctrinal precedents for satanic ritual abuse in deviant
interpretations of Masonic, Mormon, Magick and Pagan traditions… Just as
parts of the Bible may provide direct inspiration or justification for
satanic worshipers, so too may some of these same parts provide
additional sanctification of satanic worship through aberrant
Freemasonry.” <a href="https://skent.ualberta.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Satanic-abuse-2nd-Masonic.pdf">https://skent.ualberta.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Satanic-abuse-2nd-Masonic.pdf</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">LETTER FROM PROFESSOR STEPHEN KENT Ph.D., SOCIOLOGY DEPT, AT
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY. I am a sociologist of religion who has presented
research findings about ritual abuse allegations at a conferences about
ritual abuse. I will be pleased to snail-mail you three published
articles that I have written about ritual abuse allegations, two of
which contain sections on the deviant Masonic accounts that I have
heard. In essence, no other philanthropic group shows up in so many
accounts as does Freemasonry. Specifically in one of the articles, I
discuss why this may be so–what is it about Freemasonry that could
harbor paedophiles and abusers. Please know that I maintain appropriate
academic detachment in my analysis, so that the lack of definitive proof
for these allegations forces me to stop short of saying that they
represent accurate memories. Nonetheless, I sure do hear lots of tales
about very bad abuse in deviant Masonic settings, and I take them VERY
seriously. Best Regards, Steve Kent</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">My note: Ritual abusers do not normally leave any evidence around,
so personal accounts are often the only data available to researchers.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></b><b><span style="font-size: large;">2) How mind control discourages freedom of thought</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">I have already begun to touch upon how freedom of thought would be
limited in the previous section. Reiterating a previous quote from BR :
“Joanna Kadi writes: <b>Child sexual abuse teaches us lessons about power-
who has it and who doesn’t. These lessons, experienced on a bodily
level, transfer into the deepest levels of our conscious and
subconscious being, and correspond with other oppressive systems.
Widespread child sexual abuse supports a racist, sexist, classist and
ableist society that attempts to train citizens into docility and
unthinking acceptance of whatever the government and big business deem
fit to hand out </b>(Kadi, 73).”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">“…ritual abuse groups may share the following characteristics with
coercive cults: …dogma is more important than people, …a radical
separation of good and evil,…a demand for purity,” members are watched
all the time and their loyalty is tested “…the dogma is enacted through
rituals,… regularly observe(d) rituals, rituals frequently invoke
supernatural intervention,… staged events such as planned spontaneity…
mystical manipulations, cults capitalize on members’ fear and
ignorance,…a sense of separateness (is promoted) through an “us” and
“them” mentality, … siege mentality with a paranoid view of the outside
world, humor is forbidden, resistance of members is worn down through
physical and emotional manipulations, a person’s identity is destroyed…
to create a new one,” members give up their autonomy to be approved,”
mind control is used to indoctrinate the victim into the group’s belief
system, individuality is uniformly suppressed,… a well-defined
hierarchy,” members are used to benefit leader(s), “mind control is used
…to convert the victim to the group’s belief system,… to insure
secrecy… and to carry out cult instructions.”(“<b><i>Safe Passage to Healing</i></b>” p 47 – 48) “<b><i>Safe Passage to Healing – A Guide for Survivors of Ritual
Abuse</i></b>” Chrystine Oksana, HarperCollins, c 1994 <br /><a href="http://www.abebooks.com/Safe-Passage-Healing-Guide-Survivors-Ritual/14041286994/bd">http://www.abebooks.com/Safe-Passage-Healing-Guide-Survivors-Ritual/14041286994/bd</a> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cult techniques have been well documented to control thought. </b>Ritual
abuse is a combination of a cult techniques and severe child abuse. A
survivor’s decreased mental capacity and organic brain damage due to the
abuse may inhibit a survivor’s ability to make choices and to see
choices, thereby inhibiting freedom of thought. An unrecovered survivor
may be even more likely than the brainwashed general populace to follow
the media and its instructions in terms of day-to-day political beliefs.
The recovered survivor will obviously be much more cynical of the
government and therefore much more likely to analyze its lies and
propaganda and find their own reality.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">As mentioned previously, fear may cause a survivor’s silence, this
could also cause a survivor to follow the acceptable social mores and
beliefs, even if these are at times sociopathic and genocidal, thereby
limiting a survivor’s freedom of thought. More research is needed on
this topic, but I feel a case has been made to back up the postulation that
ritual abuse has very serious political implications in our society and
in the world at large.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-51549291757035877712011-07-17T18:39:00.000-07:002011-07-17T18:39:41.737-07:00How Childhood Sexual Abuse Affects Interpersonal Relationships<div id="MainContent"> <div class="Post clearfix"> <div class="PostContent"> How Childhood Sexual Abuse Affects Interpersonal Relationships<br />
By Neil Brick<br />
<br />
Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and its effect on symptomology and interpersonal relationships is a relatively new field historically. Legislation has been passed protecting children from rape and sodomy in many European countries. In the 18th and 19th centuries, books advised parents how to prevent child sexual abuse. But child sex abuse was not seen as a major problem in Europe and the United States until fairly recently. Only in the last two decades has childhood sexual abuse been seen in the field of mental health, psychiatry and social work as an important social problem with effects connected to this trauma (Baker, 2003). Though there has been a lot of discussion about how it correlates with a variety of illnesses and psychiatric diagnoses (Styron & Janoff-Bulman, 1997; Gelinas, 1983) there has been little discussion of how childhood sexual abuse actually affects interpersonal relationships directly.<br />
<br />
Childhood sexual abuse has been defined in a variety of ways. These different definitions include overt (defined as direct physical abuse or contact) and covert abuse (nonphysical abuse or noncontact), as well as differentiations in each category, including penetration and fondling for overt abuse and spying (or peeping), exposing and inappropriate sexual comments for covert abuse (Collings, 1995).<br />
<br />
Interpersonal relationships can be defined as the connection between two people, communicative and physical (which includes touch and body language). Variables that affect interpersonal relationships include emotional states (such as fear or depression), social skill levels, repetition compulsion (including revictimization), trust of others, oneself and life situations, brain damage or conditioning (as seen in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD), styles of relating and attachment, sexual needs, desires and dysfunctions, transference issues, codependency issues, diagnoses and psychopathology and general intimacy and relationship issues.<br />
<br />
<b>Introduction</b><br />
“How Does Childhood Sexual Abuse Affect Interpersonal Relationships?” and the hypothesis “does childhood sexual abuse have deleterious effects on the variables pertaining to adult interpersonal relationships?” will be discussed by examining each of the various parts of the hypothesis and then by breaking them down into variables. This topic is of great importance because once one can look at the adult symptomology pertaining to childhood sexual abuse, one will be able to make more appropriate diagnoses and interventions of adult pathological symptoms and problems for those patients with abuse histories. Patients with misdiagnoses may not receive appropriate treatment and may not recover as quickly as those that are properly diagnosed (Gelinas, 1983). This article will first discuss the different definitions of childhood sexual abuse (CSA), including the delineations between covert and overt sexual abuse. It will also cover the comparisons of these types of abuse to the deleterious effects they may cause on the variables.<br />
The variables will then be separated by category. These categories will include social problems, psychiatric diagnoses, physiological diagnoses or aspects, sexual dysfunctions or problems and thought problems or perceived disorders. Though there is some overlap between the variables in these categories, these categories have been chosen to divide up the research. This article will cover the views in journal articles, theses and the popular literature. Similarities and discrepancies that arise between these different views and types of presentations will be discussed and compared.<br />
<br />
<b>Covert and Overt Sexual Abuse</b><br />
Contact and noncontact forms of CSA may each have different findings in terms of abuse related effects. Definitional issues may affect the results measured from abuse related effects. Dysfunctional family relationships may also contribute to adult maladjustment (Collings, 1994). A study by Collings (1994), attempted to measure these variables by looking at a nonclinical sample of adult males reporting CSA. It compared them to a nonvictimized sample from the same population and measured their psychological adjustment using certain outcome measures. One pre-research hypothesis explored was that men who had experienced CSA before age 18 were thought to have more psychological difficulties than those with no CSA The subjects were 284 male undergraduates at the University of Natal in South Africa. Two definitions of abuse were used. All were defined as unwanted before the age of 18. One definition involved contact (overt), such as manual genital contact or intercourse. The second definition was defined as noncontact (covert), involving exhibitionism and sexual invitations. The study used the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), which is a 53-item self-report checklist, which measures nine main symptom dimensions. These include Psychoticism, Paranoid Ideation, Phobic Anxiety, Hostility, Anxiety, Depression, Interpersonal Sensitivity, Obsessive-Compulsive and Somatization. In addition to the BSI dimensions, two different measures of parental rearing behavior were measured in the study. Two subscales of the EMBU (Swedish initials for own memories of chid-rearing experiences) were used. These subscales were the “Abusive” and “Rejecting” subscales (Collings, 1994). The respondents were divided into three categories: a control group that did not experience CSA, a noncontact CSA group and a contact CSA group. The control group was 71% of the entire sample. The noncontact group was 20% of the sample. The contact abuse group was 9% of the sample. None of the CSA experiences were reported to the police and none of the men sought counseling after the abuse. The noncontact group compared to the control group showed no real significant effect for CSA when the covariates of abusive and rejecting parenting were also looked at. The contact group however showed significant effects for both parenting variables. This group also showed a significant main effect for the history of abuse. All scales of the BSI were significantly elevated, producing a significant increase in the BSI Global Severity Index. The author concludes that the hypothesis that CSA causes later problems in adult psychological adjustment was supported for those with overt (contact) abuse, but not for those with covert (noncontact) abuse (Collings, 1994).<br />
<br />
In a review of the CSA research by Browne and Finklehor (1986), it was found that the types of abuse that were the most damaging involved father figures, force and genital contact. This review limited its research to studies to female subjects, due to the fact that at this time few studies had been done with male survivors of CSA. In terms of the duration and frequency of abuse, only four out of the nine studies examined found that duration was connected to greater trauma. Three of the studies found that there was no relationship between the two and two of the studies found some evidence that less trauma was associated with longer duration. Three studies found increased trauma with relatives over nonrelatives. Other studies showed no difference between the abuse impacting family members and others. However, it was found that abuse trauma was greater when perpetrated by fathers or father figures<br />
<br />
Browne and Finklehor (1986) discuss a study by Russell where 59% of adult women reporting attempted or completed intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, analingus, or anal intercourse stated they were extremely traumatized, where only 36% of women that experienced manual touching of unclothed genitals or breasts and 22% reporting unwanted touching or kissing of clothed body parts reported they were extremely traumatized. Penetration is also found in other studies to be the most powerful variable which explains the strength of one’s mental health impairment. There is disagreement in some studies as to whether penetration and intercourse can be shown to be more serious than manual contact.<br />
<br />
Browne and Finklehor’s (1986) review of the research also found that an abuser’s use of force explained more of the variance of the victim’s negative reactions than any other variable. The argument that survivors of forced abuse would have less long-term trauma due to the fact they could more easily blame the abuser does not appear to be backed by empirical studies. They also looked at the age of onset as a factor in measuring the extent of trauma. It has been found in some studies that younger children are somewhat more vulnerable than older children to trauma. It was found that prepubertal CSA experiences correlated with an impact on a woman’s sense of self and long-term relationships with men. Other studies did not find a significant impact between age of onset and impact.<br />
<br />
Browne and Finklehor (1986) tempers their findings due to the fact that they claim that body of research is very new. They also state that most of the studies available have methodological problems, including design, sample and measurement problems. These, according to Browne and Finklehor (1986), could invalidate some of these studies’ findings.<br />
<br />
Russell (1999) in her study on girls and women discusses whether incest can be nonabusive. She answers the question with “yes,” when related peers engage in mutually desired sex, she considers it to be nonabusive. She defines incestuous abuse as any contact that is exploitative before the victim turns eighteen years old.<br />
Russell (1999) also discusses individuals’ self-reported levels of trauma, as extreme, considerable, some and no trauma in terms of the severity of CSA (incest) and the degree of trauma. She only looks at the overt forms of abuse, from nonforceful kissing to forced rape. She found a statistically significant relationship between how severe the abuse was and strength of trauma reported. Fifty-four percent of very severe incestuous abuse was found to be extremely traumatic. Thirty-five percent of severe abuse was found to be extremely traumatic. Only 19% of the least severe abuse was found to be extremely traumatic. Another study by Browne and Finklehor contradicts the finding that there is a significant relationship between CSA and trauma (Russell, 1999). Russell cites another study by Bagley and Ramsay, with a random sample of 387 women, that found CSA involving any form of penetration to correlate with mental health problems in adulthood.<br />
<br />
Russell found an almost perfect linear relationship between trauma and the severity of CSA, when differentiating between extreme trauma, considerable, some and no trauma. This differentiation showed extreme trauma for genital intercourse at 63%, attempted genital intercourse at 50%, fellation, cunnilingus, analingus and anal intercourse – completed and attempted at 40%, genital contact unclothed, which included manual touching or penetration, attempted or completed at 35%, breast contact unclothed or simulated intercourse attempted or completed at 35% and sexual kissing, intentional sexual touching of clothed breasts, genitals, or buttocks, thighs or leg, attempted or completed at 19% (Russell, 1999).<br />
<br />
Russell (1999) also found, in contrast to Browne and Finklehor’s 1985 study that there is a statistically significant relationship within the frequency of how often the incestuous abuse occurred and the amount or degree of trauma that was caused. Those that reported a frequency of abuse of only one time reported extreme or considerable trauma 46% of the time as opposed to 54% for those with some or no trauma. Those with a frequency of two to twenty times reported extreme or considerable trauma 61% of the time. And those with more than twenty times reported extreme or considerable trauma 78% of the time. But duration can have an effect over these variables, and the relationship is not totally linear when more discriminating measures are used (Russell, 1999).<br />
<br />
When physical force is looked at, there is a statistically significant relationship between the amount of force and the degree of trauma that was reported. This backs up Browne and Finklehor’s 1985 findings and conclusions. Of the violent force group, 100% found this to cause extreme or considerable trauma. Of the forceful group, 74% found this to cause extreme or considerable trauma. Of the nonforceful group, only 46% found the abuse to cause extreme or considerable trauma (Russell, 1999).<br />
<br />
Questions about Russell’s (1999) study include the accuracy of self-reported trauma and the low n numbers in some categories, such as seven for violent trauma and five for fellatio, cunnilingus, analingus, and anal intercourse, attempted and completed. However, many of the categories have much higher n counts, such as an overall n count of 181 for all CSA survivors.<br />
<br />
The above studies show that for the most part, that overt abuse has stronger deleterious effects than covert abuse. Also, the force used during abuse appears to positively correspond to the amount of damage done during the abuse.<br />
<br />
<b> </b><b>Social Problems</b><br />
Social problems which correlate with CSA trauma include: conflict resolution, interpersonal sensitivity, adult attachment issues, feelings of isolation and stigma, social alienation, difficulty trusting others, child social relationship problems, relational imbalances, intimacy, tendencies toward revictimization, personality, unstable personal relationships, the victim-perpetrator cycle, social introversion and violence.<br />
<br />
Colman and Widom (2004) looked at the effects of child abuse and neglect on<br />
adult intimate relationships. They looked at substantiated cases of neglect and abuse from 1967 to 1971. These cases were followed into adulthood and looked at between 1989 and 1995. A total of 1,196 participants (520 controls and 676 abused and neglected) were given a 2-hour interview test in person. The results were that female and male neglect and abuse victims reported higher rates of divorce, walking out and cohabitation than controls. Neglected and abused females were less likely than controls to be sexually faithful and have a positive perception of their current romantic partner (Colman & Widom, 2004).<br />
<br />
The study was designed so that the controls were matched on sex, age, approximate social class and race with those abused and neglected from 1967 – 1971. Case selection of the abused and neglected participants were limited to court substantiated cases of children 11 years of age or younger. The variables measured included marriage, cohabitation and relationship functioning. The functional quality of relationships was measured from the Antisocial Personality Disorder part of the NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule – DIS-III-R (Colman & Widom, 2004).<br />
<br />
The results were as follows. Victimization in childhood did not significantly diminish the chance that the study’s participants would ever marry. Neglect and abuse did however increase the chance that they would cohabitate. When compared to controls, abused and neglect participants were twice as likely to have walked out on a romantic partner. Also, female and male victims of neglect and abuse had experienced more dysfunctions in their marriages than controls and were twice as likely as controls to experience divorce. Participants with neglect and abuse were more likely than controls to have parents that received food stamps or welfare. When controlling for parental marital status and parents’ receipt of welfare, it was found that the results were very similar to the results obtained before controlling for these variables. With males, child neglect and abuse continued to predict significantly relationship disruption, current involvement in a relationship and the likelihood of cohabitation. For females, neglect and abuse continued to predict sexual faithfulness, divorce, relationship quality, cohabitation and walking out, even when the family background and control variables were considered. Control variables did reduce the impact of abuse and neglect on cheating, bringing it to marginal significance. The relationship between neglect and abuse and current involvement in a relationship became significant for females with controls (Colman & Widom, 2004).<br />
<br />
The findings show that when adults were maltreated as children, their intimate relationships differed in quality and stability from controls. This study provides strong support for the hypothesis early childhood maltreatment negatively influences one’s capacity to maintain and form healthy interpersonal relationships. The only influence parents’ receipt of welfare and marital status had on the victims of abuse and neglect was males’ current relationship involvement and females’ sexual faithfulness. It was also found that women with histories of victimization in childhood were vulnerable to relationship dysfunction. Physical abuse, sexual abuse and neglect all increased the risk of infidelity among women (Colman & Widom, 2004).<br />
<br />
Colman and Widom (2004) note that having a history of childhood victimization does not necessarily entail that one will have romantic distress and interpersonal dysfunction. Of the neglected and abused people who had married, about 40% of the females and 60% of the males hadn’t had a divorce. Also, 90% of the neglected and abused women did not commit infidelity with multiple partners (Colman & Widom, 2004).<br />
<br />
Limitations of the Colman and Widom (2004) study include that their findings might not be generalizable to the entire population of abuse and neglect cases, since they used court-documented cases of children ages 11 or under. This data might not be generalizable to those in abused and neglected in adolescence or those without court involvement. It is also difficult to be sure if these results can be applied to middle class or upper class homes, because maltreating families that come to the attention of the authorities are usually from lower income homes (Colman & Widom, 2004).<br />
<br />
Courtois (1988) discusses the aftereffects of incest in her book on adult survivors in therapy. She lists six groupings of effects, including emotional reactions, self-perceptions, physical/somatic effects, sexual effects, interpersonal relating and functioning and social functioning. In this section of the article, the focus will be on the social aspects she discusses in her book. She believes that survivors have a marked impairment in the ability to relate to and to trust others. This is due to the betrayal inherent in the act of incest. The other difficulties a child may have include relating sexually to others, due to conditioning. The child may also experience parentified behavior, where the child acts older than their years and needs to take care of others in the family. The child’s social functioning may include the development of cognitive problems, which may affect social relationships and their behavior in school. As an adult, the survivor may believe they can’t trust anyone, since they couldn’t trust their family. Feelings may be projected onto other people, such as distrust or anger. Survivors may not be able to allow closeness in intimate relationships. The partners chosen may reflect abuse dynamics, such as choosing a partner that can protect oneself, or a partner that one can take of. Feelings may also be projected onto authority figures. Parenting issues may also be affected. Survivors may not have adequate parenting skills due to inappropriate and non-nurturant role models. They may have children at young ages and not have the emotional skills necessary to deal with children (Courtois, 1988).<br />
<br />
The social effects of abuse include functioning problems like rebellion, isolation, antisocial behavior and compulsive social interaction. These feelings may be vented in social causes. Other survivors may function well, but yet feel a lack of confidence about their skills (Courtois, 1988).<br />
<br />
Hopper (2003) discusses the fact that emotional neglect may be more devastating than child abuse, especially when this occurs in the earliest years of life. He cites the effects of abuse listed by David Lisak in 1994. Some of the variables that may be influenced due to child abuse include: homosexuality issues, fear, anger, isolation and alienation, negative schemas about people and the self, negative childhood peer relationships, problems with sexuality, self blame and guilt and shame and humiliation. (Hopper, 2003) These possible long-term effects of child abuse can affect interpersonal relationships.<br />
<br />
Conflict resolution and attachment issues were measured in a study by Styron and Bulman (1997). There is evidence that abused children are more likely to be insecurely attached. Insecure attachment is connected to many psychological concerns, including hostility, a lack of empathy, impulsivity, passivity, antisocial behavior and helplessness. It is argued that insecurely attached children are more likely to be insecurely attached adults. There is empirical support that attachment style remains somewhat stable over time (Styron & Bulman 1997). The Styron and Bulman study examined the correlation between childhood abuse and three adult functioning areas: adult attachment style, depression and conflict resolution behaviors. The study asks, for each of these outcomes, which is the better predictor, childhood abuse or childhood attachment? The researchers expected early attachment to be the stronger predictor.<br />
<br />
Those that responded were 879 undergraduates. They used a series of pencil-and-paper self report measures. Forty percent were male and 60% percent were female. Childhood abuse and its frequency, co-occurrence and how much of it was experienced as traumatic was explored by a questionnaire. Trauma levels were measured by a ten-point scale. The attachment styles that were measured were one’s childhood attachment to mother, father and romantic partner. Attachment prototypes were classified as secure or insecure, including avoidant, anxious/ambivalent and fearful (Styron & Bulman 1997).<br />
<br />
Fully 26.4 % of the sample reported some kind of childhood abuse. Verbal abuse was 21.8%, physical abuse was 9.8 % and 6.5 % (n = 57) reported CSA. Fifty-one percent of the Abuse group reported an insecure attachment style to their mother and 69.3 % to their father. The No-abuse group reported 19% to their mother and 39.5 % to their father. In regard to adult attachment styles, 63% of the Abuse group and 55% of the No-abuse group’s were classified as insecure. Those in the Abuse group were found to be more likely to use the Insult and Hitting categories of behavior than those in the No-abuse group. In other words, Abuse group members participated in physical violence and insulted their partners more than those in the No-abuse group. The abuse group also reported less secure attachments than the No-abuse group (Styron & Bulman 1997).<br />
<br />
Weaknesses of the Styron and Bulman (1997) study include the lack of information collected about abusive experiences, including age, perpetrator relationship and chronicity. Other limitations included the complete reliance on self-report data. The data were retrospective perceptions. It is difficult to know how these may conform to actual childhood experiences. Wanting to be socially desirable and memory distortions may have also affected the data.<br />
<br />
Collings (1995) found that interpersonal sensitivity measures on a Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) were found to be statistically and significantly different when comparing controls to survivors of contact forms of abuse. Comparing the controls to noncontact forms of abuse, interpersonal sensitivity was found to be statistically significant to p <.05, the only category found to be statistically significant from the BSI when comparing the controls to noncontact forms of abuse (Collings, 1995).<br />
<br />
Alexander (1993) states that a lot of the long-term effects of CSA are interpersonal in nature. They may also reflect more pervasive disturbances of sense of self, such as borderline personality disorder, avoidant personality disorder or other Axis-II diagnoses (Alexander, 1993). Family variables other than abuse may explain some of the long-term detrimental effects of family issues.<br />
<br />
Secure attachment in adults is associated to self-confidence, trust and comfort with negative and positive feelings, a history of warmth, comfort with closeness and support in parents. Preoccupied attachment is connected with confusion, dependency, jealousy, anxiety and worries about being unloved or abandoned. Dismissing attachment is connected to a lack of self-confidence, discomfort with intimacy, loneliness, hostility and a history of rejection by one’s mother. Fearful attachment is connected to a lack of assertiveness, social inhibition and the combination of avoidant and preoccupied traits (Alexander, 1993).<br />
<br />
Alexander’s (1993) study examined adult attachment and sexual abuse on several long-term outcomes. The study hypothesized that symptoms reflected by posttrauma would best be predicted by characteristics of the abuse, while personality disorders would best be predicted by attachment. One hundred and twelve women participated in the study. Their perpetrators were 74% fathers or stepfathers, 11% brothers, 4% grandfathers living in the home, and 3% mothers (Alexander, 1993).<br />
<br />
Sexual abuse characteristics measured included age of onset of the abuse, type of abuse, degree of coercion and force and relationship to the perpetrator. The Relationship Questionnaire (RQ) measures the four previously discussed attachment styles. Other scales also used include the Beck Depression Inventory, Symptom Checklist-10, Impact of Event Scale and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory – II. Subjects rated themselves on the RQ as 14% secure, 13% preoccupied, 16% dismissing and 58% as fearful. This differs from the normative sample which correlates as 49%, 12%, 18% and 21% respectively. Current depression was also shown to be predicted significantly by abuse factors (Alexander, 1993).<br />
<br />
Subjects in the study (Alexander, 1993) appeared in many ways comparable to a clinical population, even though the sample was derived from the community. Subjects gave responses relating to avoidant and self-defeating personality disorders. The characteristics of abuse severity correlated with the symptoms most frequently connected to PTSD. Basic personality structure was predicted by adult attachment and not abuse characteristics. Limitations of the study include the fact that longitudinal studies may need to be conducted to show that the attachment in adults is continuous with childhood attachment. The study also did not measure extrafamilial abuse and may not necessarily generalize to this (Alexander, 1993).<br />
<br />
Miller’s (2004) paper on personality and the development of PTSD discusses how three broad dimensions of personality affect psychopathology. These are positive emotionality (PEM), negative emotionality (NEM) and constraint (CON). PEM is closely aligned with extraversion and social closeness. NEM refers to negative moods and the tendency toward adversarial relationships with others. NEM is connected to neuroticism and traits relating to anxiety, aggression and alienation. CON refers to impulsivity, such as harm-avoidance vs. risk-taking. Genetics studies show these to have substantial heritabilities (Miller, 2004).<br />
Studies have shown the significant connection between pre-trauma NEM and the development of PTSD. Other studies have shown that NEM is the main risk personality risk factor to develop PTSD after trauma exposure (Miller, 2004). Increased vulnerability to PTSD is related to high NEM and low PEM and CON. Resilience to PTSD is related to low NEM and high PEM and CON (Miller, 2004).<br />
<br />
Kelly and Ben-Meir’s (1993) paper on the emotional effects of CSA discusses the fact that CSA leads to many harmful effects for the victims. Ritualistic sexual abuse (RSA) children were found to have high levels of negative emotional symptoms. Greater than four-fifths of the children were described by therapists as meeting PTSD criteria. Other emotional effects included aggression, depression and specific fears. (Kelly & Ben-Meir, 1993)<br />
<br />
The Lunderberg-Love (1999) study measured the impact of incest on scores obtained on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and the Millon Behavioral Health Inventory (MBHI) at the beginning of treatment and six months and one year after treatment. Previous experience and data showed that CSA survivors would show higher levels of psychological symptoms, including depression, rumination, anxiety, poor self-esteem and social introversion. The study included 103 women who were volunteers. They were divided into four treatment and control groups. Incest victims with a variety of clinical conditions (INC-T, N =29), women entering treatment with no history of CSA (NoINC-T, N = 27), women in a clinical exercise physiological study (EX-C, N = 2) and women in a no-treatment control group in the same exercise physiological study (No-EX-C, N = 15) (Lunderberg-Love, 1999).<br />
<br />
Participants were given a 14-page demographic questionnaire asking about age, marriage, ethnicity, educational level, occupation and other variables. Data showed that the higher the socioeconomic status and occupational level of the subject, the higher the age of the onset of sexual abuse. Fifty-seven percent of the abusers were father figures (including grandfathers). Thirty-four percent were abused more than once per week. Fifty-three percent experienced intercourse (Lunderberg-Love, 1999).<br />
<br />
Duration of the abuse correlated positively with survivors’ scores on the MMPI scales for Authority Problems and Amorality. This could suggest that the longer the incest occurs the more likely it could be related to behaviors connected to personality disorders, impulsivity or drug abuse. The hypothesis that incest survivors also reported higher levels of symptomology and greater psychological stress than controls was also supported. INC-T scores were higher on a variety of scales, including social introversion. After six months of treatment, there were significant decreases in the INC-T group scores on several variables on the MMPI, including Social Introversion (SI). On the MBHI the INC-T group scored significantly higher than all other groups on the Inhibited and Sensitive styles. The Inhibited scale shows people who tend to be hesitant, shy and ill at ease. The Sensitive scale shows people who may tend to be unpredictable and moody. On the MBHI, the INC-T group scored significantly higher on the Social Alienation, Premorbid Pessimism and Future Despair scales. Early research has shown that CSA can result in strong feelings of social alienation (Lunderberg-Love, 1999).<br />
<br />
Dodge (1989) discusses the problems in social relationships children may have. He states that children with poor peer relationships are at risk for later psychological maladjustment and may also have difficulty with academic problems. A lack of good peer relationships is a main feature of several child psychiatric disorders. These diagnoses may range from Social Phobia, Conduct Disorder to Avoidant Personality Disorder (Dodge, 1989).<br />
Gelinas (1983) looks at the range of problems and symptoms seen in previous incest survivors including relational imbalances. Exploitative relational imbalances within the family allowed the incest to occur in the first place (Gelinas, 1983). The relational imbalances of incest hurt the psychological development of the survivor as well as their ability to keep positive relationships with their family of origin, partner, children and friends. Gelinas (1983) believes that incest occurs due to combined family and individual processes. The process of parentification occurs when the child ends up functioning as a parent. The child may take over a variety of parental functions and in other ways may end up taking care of the parents. The child does not help with tasks, but actually does the tasks themselves. The parentified child meets the needs of other family members, without being able to meet their own needs. She ends up putting everyone else’s needs before her own needs. As an adult, the parentified child may not realize that they have needs of their own. Partners carry the relationship imbalances of their own families of origin into their new relationships. Usually these imbalances cause problems when children are born into the new family. The husband may demand more from the wife than she is able to give, due the fact she needs to take care of the children in the family. Incest may occur when the daughter is parentified to fulfill the father’s emotional needs (Gelinas, 1983).<br />
<br />
The effects of relational imbalances are that the victim reaches adulthood without the benefits of childhood. Certain personality functions are hyperdeveloped (like her sense of responsibility and care-taking) and other parts are less developed (like social skills, self-esteem, and personal talents). Self-esteem is a major problem, due to the relational imbalances in the original family where they had no rights and nothing was owed to them. Guilt also has a major role, where the survivors may blame themselves for the incest. Younger sisters that have been incested, but not parentified, may show a traumatic neurosis, but do have better self-esteem and less guilt. Incest victims end up being exploited in later relationships. Gelinas lists an Incest Recognition Profile (IRP) which details presenting problems as including depressed mood and affect, guilt, needy depressiveness and very low self-esteem. The complications of a chronic mood disorder include difficulties in parenting and poor relationships (Gelinas, 1983).<br />
<br />
The problem with Gelinas’ (1983) work is that it is based partially on cited research and partially on her clinical observations, but it does not appear to be empirically backed through scientific study and testing. Intuitively, her work does appear to make sense and fit. It does contain excellent theories that can be later tested and developed further.<br />
<br />
Paolucci, Genuis and Violato (2001) looked at a variety of factors involved in CSA including the victim-perpetrator cycle. A meta-analysis was done for six outcomes, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, suicide, sexual promiscuity the victim-perpetrator cycle and poor academic performance. They found a CSA prevalence rate of about 15 to 20%. They define CSA as any unwanted sexual contact, where the survivor is a child by legal definition and the perpetrator is in a position of power. The study defines the victim-perpetrator cycle as involving acts of sexual victimization directed at others. The studies looked at ranged in publication from 1981 to 1995. There were 37 studies coded, including 88 samples across the six dependent measures. These had 25,367 people at a mean of 634 per study. Most of the studies were longitudinal in nature and assessed participants through questionnaires that were standardized. It was found that a 57% increase in risk of participating in the victim-perpetrator cycle was found after CSA (Paolucci, Genuis, & Violato, 2001).<br />
<br />
Their results (Paolucci, Genuis, & Violato, 2001) did not corroborate the findings of other research studies, which found that the type of sexual abuse, age, repetition and perpetrator familiarity had an effect on the development of negative outcomes. They theorize that CSA experiences may be negatively significant in themselves, and these experiences may affect human development consistently. Or, the data they have now may be too imprecise and crude to allow for the detection of some of these differences. There was also no statistical difference in negative outcomes between males and females in the study. Socioeconomic status (SES) did not mediate the results either (Paolucci, Genuis, & Violato, 2001).<br />
<br />
Briere’s (1996) book for therapists of CSA survivors discusses some of the interpersonal effects of CSA. These include disturbed relatedness, caused by the exploitative nature of what could be in some instances caring experiences (cuddling, praise). These also include acting out behaviors as opposed to functional or adaptive behaviors. Behaviors that were previously adaptive during the abusive experiences now may be maladaptive (Briere, 1996).<br />
<br />
Peed (1995) discusses how incest survivors can create family. Three female incest survivors were interviewed for the study. Incest is discussed as the betrayal of the cultural concept of family as a place of support and nurturance. Incest is a betrayal of dependent and close family relationships. The meaning of family for incest survivors is not often one of belonging and comfort. Many incest survivors, however, have created families for themselves (Peed, 1995).<br />
<br />
Peed defines incest as unwanted sexual contact by a relative or step family member. She researched survivors over the age of 24, which had meaningful connections with other people, that had a minimum of 18 months since the last period of self abuse, a three-year minimum since the last psychiatric hospitalization or criminal behavior, and an active recovery program if the participant has any of the previously mentioned problems in young adulthood. One sampling bias inherent in the study is that the study is biased toward those that already have the means to help themselves. This is equal to the selection criteria (Peed, 1995).<br />
<br />
The results of Peed’s study looked at relational complexity and its challenges. All three of the participants felt ambivalent about their relationships with their mothers. Two of three women expressed self-doubt at their abilities to create family. Each of the women in the study had difficulty with trust and intimacy. This complicated the problem of creating family. The creation of caring relationships was important to all three in relationship to the creation of family. The limitations of Peed’s (1995) study were the small number of participants (three) and the previously mentioned fact of the sampling bias of those in the study as already receiving some sort of self-help (Peed, 1995).<br />
<br />
Other social problems include violence by victims of child abuse. Moskowitz (2004) discusses the correlation between severe dissociation and violence. He discusses the Jekyll and Hide phenomena, where apparently mild-mannered people appear to be prone to committing some of the most heinous crimes (Moskowitz, 2004).<br />
<br />
Struve (date unknown) in his paper on working with gay and lesbian survivors of sexual abuse shows the comparisons between being gay and being a survivor of abuse. He details the isolative nature of child abuse vs. the potentially isolative nature of being gay. Abused children are afraid they will not be believed. Often, the person the child needs to get support from is the abuser. So the child is isolated from getting help. Gay and lesbian survivors also isolate themselves from the general population to associate only with other gay and lesbian-oriented people. Other possible commonalities listed between being gay and being abused include secrecy, shame, vulnerability, sexuality, disclosure and hypervigilance (Struve, date unknown).<br />
<br />
Certain social problems may also be listed in the DSM-IV-TR under certain specific diagnoses. Avoidant Personality Disorder (American Psychological Association, 2000) is listed as having features are which are described as appearing lonely, isolated, shy or timid. The major problems with suffers of this disorder occur in occupational and social functioning. Sufferers may become socially isolated and not have sufficient networks set up to deal with crises and major problems. Sufferers may want acceptance and affection and fantasize about ideal relationships. The avoidant behavior often begins in adolescence or childhood. Symptoms include the fear of strangers, shyness, isolation and the fear of new situations. Individuals that develop Avoidant Personality Disorder may become increasingly avoidant and shy in early adulthood (American Psychological Association, 2000).<br />
<br />
Borderline Personality Disorder (American Psychological Association, 2000) sufferers may also have social problems including unstable personal relationships, self-image or suicidal behaviors. Sufferers of this disorder may feel more secure with inanimate objects or pets than they do in relationships with people. Histories of physical abuse, sexual abuse and neglect are more common in sufferers of this disorder (American Psychological Association, 2000).<br />
<br />
Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder) is listed in the DSM-IV-TR and also describes the sufferer’s social problems. Its diagnostic features include marked and persistent fears in which situations where one may be embarrassed. Exposure to the situation creates an anxiety response in the sufferer (American Psychological Association, 2000).<br />
<br />
In conclusion, the data shows that there are a variety of deleterious effects associated with CSA. These can be partially mediated by parental attachment style and one’s predetermined genetic personality structure. Most of the studies above showed that a wide range of social problems can be caused or exacerbated by CSA and other forms of child abuse.<br />
<br />
<b>Psychiatric Diagnoses</b><br />
The psychiatric diagnoses which correlate with childhood sexual abuse trauma include: chronic traumatic neurosis, obsessive compulsive, depression, dissociation, schizophrenia scores, somatization, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation and psychoticism scores, chronic trauma disorder (a dual presentation of PTSD and a borderline profile), developmental triggers, dissociative symptoms, dissociative identity disorder, amnesia, eating disorders, avoidant personality disorder and borderline personality disorders (which were previously discussed under social problems).<br />
<br />
McGettigan (1992) discusses how amnesia was looked at historically by Janet, which was caused by trauma. Trauma caused the splitting off of the event from the ego, which held the trauma which the ego was unable to integrate. This trauma becomes an “idee fixe” which lives in the subconscious and affects behavior. One’s mental life becomes drained by the increasing power of the traumatic memory. In the beginning, Freud believed his CSA patients. He believed that underneath every case of hysteria there were one or more occurrences of CSA. Freud believed that repression was a defense against overwhelming one’s ego. Some of the symptoms of CSA that Freud listed included a connection to eating disturbances. He mentioned that to cure hysteria one needs to make conscious their unconscious memories. Freud later changed his theory of hysteria to one of sexual fantasies (McGettigan, 1992).<br />
<br />
Herman and Hirschman (1981) in their work on father-daughter incest, also<br />
discussed Freud’s work on hysteria and his disavowal of the seduction theory. After this, many clinicians did not mention the subject of incest, until recently. Incest abuse survivors still may be likely to see their stories dismissed as fantasy (Herman & Hirschman, 1981).<br />
<br />
Freyd (1996) in her book on betrayal trauma, writes about the reasons why a child would forget child abuse. The reasons she gives are avoidance of pain, terror or overwhelming information. Repression lessens the pain of the abusive incident. Defense mechanisms help survivors keep secrets from themselves (Freyd, 1996).<br />
Whitfield (1995) in his book on memory and abuse writes about how memories can be repressed. He states that since trauma activates and induces many of the parts of our inner life, including our physiology and biochemistry, what we usually get is a painful experience. If one has a safe place to heal and has a healthy support system, one should be able to grieve and heal. But if the family system is dysfunctional or the person is not developmentally healthy, then it is not likely that the survivor of the trauma will be able to work through the trauma to completion. All of the charged material, spiritual, emotional, mental and physical, will remain stuck inside of ourselves, until it can be worked through and released (Whitfield, 1995).<br />
<br />
Zurbriggen and Becker-Blease (2003) in their paper on predicting memory for CSA, conclude that there is compelling evidence that some survivors do forget abuse. They believe that adult survivors that are working with new memories need to be believed. They also believe that significant harm can occur from the result of not being believed in adulthood, after the denial and discounting of memories that occurred in childhood (Zurbriggen & Becker-Blease, 2003).<br />
<br />
Hopper (2003) discusses the fact that the closer the survivor is to the perpetrator in terms of their relationship and the younger the child is when the incident occurs, the less likely the survivor is to remember the abuse. He cites evidence showing that as many as one-in-three incidents of child abuse are not remembered by those that have experienced them (Hopper, 2003).<br />
<br />
Ferenczi, late in his career, believed that CSA was the cause of hysteria. He believed that the ego would split to separate the trauma from the ego state. He believed that if the CSA continued, the splitting would as well. The outcome of this would be what we now called Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) (McGettigan, 1992).<br />
Moskowitz (2004) writes about how some have argued that mens’ dissociative disorders are missed due to the fact they are in the criminal justice system. PTSD is also closely linked to dissociation. Two of its most prominent symptoms, emotional numbing and flashbacks are dissociative in their nature (Moskowitz, 2004). Moskowitz (2004) believes that Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is believed to develop partially in response severe childhood abuse. Others believe that in developing DID, an inborn predisposition to dissociate may contribute to its start. Moskowitz also cites a study by Walter and Ross in 1997 that shows evidence for zero heritability of pathological dissociation (Moskowitz, 2004).<br />
<br />
A dissenting view that DID comes from childhood trauma comes from Piper and Merskey’s (2004a, 2004b) review of the literature. They claim that there is no proof that DID comes from childhood trauma. They also believe that it cannot be reliably diagnosed. They also maintain the belief in an iatrogenic theory of development for DID. They claim that association does not cause causation. This is in reference to those that show high rates of severe trauma for the sufferers of DID. They also maintain there is a lack of evidence for the trauma cited in several studies. They claim that certain therapeutic practices reify the alter’s existence and iatrogenically encourage patients to behave as if they have more than one self (Piper & Merskey 2004a, Piper & Merskey 2004b).<br />
<br />
Putnam (1989) believes the linkage between childhood trauma and Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD, now called DID in the DSM-IV-TR) has emerged slowly in the clinical literature over the last 100 years. Sexual abuse is the most commonly reported type of childhood trauma in DID patients. He cites the most reported form of sexual abuse as incest. He cites a National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) survey (with N=100) showing the types of abuse cited by MPD patients. Over 80% of MPD sufferers have experienced sexual abuse, over 70% have experienced physical abuse and approximately 70% have experienced both. He believes that due to his clinical experience, it is obvious that sustained, severe and repeated child abuse is a major element in the development and creation of MPD (Putnam, 1989).<br />
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Moskowitz (2004) cites a study by Egeland and Sussman-Stillman in 1996 which showed that higher dissociation scores played a role in the abuse of children abused by their own mothers. It was surmised by the authors that women who dissociated were less likely to have empathy toward their child. Tanay in 1969 (Moskowitz, 2004) found that some offenders that committed crimes switched into dissociative states or altered states of consciousness before their crimes. Moskowitz states that a conservative estimate is that 6% to 21% of sexual or violent offenders are suffering from DID and 14% to 39% are suffering from any dissociative disorder. Another study by Putnam found violent alters in 70 out of 100 DID patients (Moskowitz, 2004).<br />
<br />
Moskowitz concludes that in a wide range of populations, where there was an increase in dissociation scores, there was an associated increase in violence. Dissociation has been shown to predict the severity or likelihood of violence in a variety of studies. Dissociation may actually push the cycle of violence. People that are abused and get dissociative symptoms in response are considerably more likely to abuse their children than those that have been abused and do not have such symptoms (Moskowitz, 2004).<br />
Gelinas (1983) discusses chronic traumatic neuroses which appear during the treatment of incest survivors. These neuroses clearly relate to the incest. They are connected to what occurred physically and sexually during the abuse incident. Gelinas believes these emerge only after the incest is disclosed. A client may re-experience the actual events of the trauma or abuse. These can be incorrectly mistaken for psychotic decompensation, due to their intensity. They are the cathartic emergence of long-buried traumatic neuroses. Incestuous abuse causes major trauma for the child. This trauma confuses and threatens the child (Gelinas, 1983).<br />
<br />
Traumatic neuroses can occur anytime after an individual experiences a traumatic event. These neuroses tend to continue until they are treated or worked through in a normal developmental process. Incest often is a repeated trauma. The total denial of the incest events may occur or victims may minimize the importance of these events. Patients may use some sort of dissociative defense during the incest experience, such as seeing the event as happening to someone else or self-induced hypnotic anesthesia experiences, so the victim will not consciously feel the event. The tendency of being able to dissociate under stress continues after the incest trauma. This brings up the question of a link between childhood incest and later dissociative disorders, such as multiple personality disorder. Nightmares, hallucinations, recurrent obsessive ideas and panic attacks may also result from the trauma of incestuous abuse (Gelinas, 1983).<br />
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Gelinas discusses developmental triggers, which are reminders of early relational imbalances that can cause a precipitation of psychiatric symptoms. The negative consequences of incest can have a time-bomb quality, which can function as developmental triggers. These triggers consist of a normal developmental event that accesses a new area of a survivor’s functioning, which has been damaged due to the incest. These may occur in the areas of a survivor’s sexuality, once the survivor is able to have sexual experiences of their own. These triggers may also precipitate psychiatric symptoms, like depression (Gelinas, 1983).<br />
In a meta-analysis by Jumper (1995) of the relationship of CSA to adult psychological adjustment, it was found that statistically significant relationships exist between CSA experiences and psychological adjustment difficulties when measured with psychological symptomatology, self-esteem and depression. They found that student samples showed less impairments in psychological adjustment than did clinical or community samples (Jumper, 1995).<br />
<br />
Twenty-six studies were used in the final meta-analysis. The study found that gender was not an accurate predictor of effect size variance. Jumper’s results showed that women and men that experienced CSA as children did not differ significantly in adult psychological adjustment (Jumper, 1995).<br />
In a paper by Dominguez, Nelke and Perry (2001), the psychosomatic consequences of CSA are discussed. They list a variety of negative short-term effects of CSA that can impact the functioning of a child. It is stated that over 50% of children suffering from child sexual abuse meet at least partial criteria for PTSD. They also state that if PTSD is not effectively addressed, it can become a chronic problem in adulthood as well. They report that more than a third of CSA victims report anxiety and depression. Other symptoms listed include general behavior problems (30%), promiscuity (38%) and poor self-esteem (35%). Family cohesiveness can be a positive buffer for CSA victims. There is a connection between parental stress and child distress (Dominguez, Nelke & Perry, 2001).<br />
<br />
Dominguez, Nelke and Perry (2001) state that the evidence suggests that the negative psychological impact of CSA can persist into adulthood. Some of its potential long term effects include anxiety, depression, PTSD, sexual dysfunction and substance abuse. With adult female populations, people with CSA histories were twice as likely to try to kill themselves than nonabused controls (Dominguez, Nelke & Perry, 2001).<br />
In Briere’s (1996) book for therapists of CSA survivors, he writes about research that states that CSA, especially within the family, may produce posttraumatic symptoms when the abuse happens and also later in life. He defines sexual abuse as the actual contact between a child and an adult. The PTSD symptoms Briere describes include a numbing of general responsiveness and autonomic hyperarousal (Briere, 1996).<br />
<br />
Myers (date not listed) states that the connections between eating disorders are diverse and sometimes inconclusive. The data suggests that there is a connection between bulimia nervosa and sexual abuse. The data presented in Myers’ paper does not suggest a connection between anorexia nervosa and sexual abuse. CSA survivors in one study (Wonderlich) were found to display significantly more tension reducing behavior, including cigarette smoking, self-mutilation and suicidal gestures. (Myers, date not listed) Though Myers’ paper does come with a full list of citations, it is limited by the fact that it has not been published in a professional journal.<br />
<br />
Farber’s (1997) paper discusses the traumatic reenactment of bulimic and self-mutilating behaviors. It is postulated that these acts of self harm are used to narrate what their words can’t say and their minds can’t remember. The author shows a strong association between binge-purging behavior and self-mutilating behavior. Farber discusses Lacy’s work which includes the development of a syndrome, Impulsive Personality Disorder, which includes women with self-damaging and addictive behaviors and a history of sexual abuse. Her article discusses that dissociation of body and mind may be connected to binge-purging and self-mutilation. She postulates that the bulimic behavior in a sexual abuse survivor may be reenactment of the trauma the survivor suffered. The survivor is in control of this reenactment. This is analogous to forced intercourse. The food is stuffed in and then purged out, now all under the control of the survivor. (Farber, 1997) Though Farber does cite a variety of sources and she does provide an interesting theory, more research may be needed to show the connections between traumatic reenactments and self-injurious behaviors.<br />
<br />
Collings (1995) previously cited study also looked at somatization, obsessive compulsive, phobic anxiety, depression, paranoid ideation and psychoticism on scales on the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) were all found to be significant at least at the p < 0.01 level for those in a control group (who did not report abusive childhood sexual experiences) compared to those in a contact abuse group (defined as those experiencing one of more CSA experiences) (Collings, 1995). Collings’ study shows that child sexual abuse correlates with later several categories of psychological problems.<br />
<br />
Styron and Janoff-Bulman’s (1997) previously cited study showed that depression (measured by the Beck Depression Inventory, BDI) was significantly higher in the abuse mean group than the nonabuse mean group. These scores, however, were best accounted for by one’s perceived childhood attachment to their mother and father. Their abuse history did not cause any significant variance past their parental attachment (Styron & Janoff-Bulman, 1997).<br />
<br />
Lunderberg-Love’s (1999) previously cited study looked at incest survivors. These survivors scored higher than three other groups of nonsurvivors at clinically significant levels on schizophrenia scores on the MMPI scales. The MMPI measures psychological symptomology via tem clinical scales through 566 true-false items. The INC-T (incest victims with a variety of clinical conditions) scores on the MMPI were significantly higher for the following clinical scales: Hypochondriasis (HS), Psychopathic deviate (Pd), Depression (D), Psychasthenia (Pt), Schizophrenia (Sc) and Social Introversion (Si). Survivors also scored higher on the Anxiety scale and lower on the Ego strength scale than all of the other control groups. Out of 57 MMPI scales, the INC-T group scored higher on 38 or 66% of them (Lunderberg-Love, 1999).<br />
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Rauch and Jones (1997) discuss chronic trauma disorder, which as a dual presentation of a PTSD and borderline profile. This disorder has been offered as an alternative explanation to personality disorders or psychosis. Men with long-term abuse histories present with fragile ego structures and a propensity to lash out. Due to being rewarded and abused in an inconsistent manner, these survivors may set double standards up of what they expect of others and from themselves. In group therapy, this may play out as replicating a borderline type of process, where survivors may collude with one another or try to divide the group. They may withdraw or make passive-aggressive comments. Projections, splitting, primitive idealizations, devaluations, diminishment and omnipotence are adaptive defenses to the long-term survival of trauma (Rauch and Jones, 1997).<br />
<br />
The problem with Rauch and Jones (1997) paper is that it is basically an opinion paper without citations, apparently based on their observations in group therapy. It is presented here due to their interesting ideas about chronic trauma disorder and how this may be a kind of combination diagnosis of PTSD and Borderline Personality Disorder or borderline traits in survivors.<br />
<br />
Apgar (1999) in a mini article on the internet discusses how stressors from childhood that had severe physical or sexual abuse qualities caused the most severe dissociative symptoms. The highest dissociative scores were in clients that were sexually abused by nonfamily and family members and by those that suffered the combination of sexual and physical abuse. Patients whose mothers drank heavily had the highest dissociative symptoms. Repeated victimization appeared to reinforce the dissociative response (Apgar, 1999).<br />
Apgar’s mini article cites a study by Draijer and Langeland (1999) on childhood trauma and the etiology of dissociative symptoms in psychiatric patients. Dissociation is defined as disruptions in the usually integrated functions of consciousness. There is a theoretical assumption that dissociation is connected to overwhelming experiences, especially those in childhood. The research on adult dissociation and childhood trauma has been mainly on CSA and physical abuse. CSA and its being combined with physical abuse have been found to be strongly related to adult dissociation measured on certain scales in many studies. Two studies have found physical abuse to be more important than CSA (Draijer & Langeland 1999).<br />
<br />
The methods used by Draijer and Langeland (1999) include the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) and the Structured Trauma Interview (STI). Neglect was defined as unavailability of parent or parental dysfunction. Physical abuse was defined as parental aggression that was severe in nature. Sexual abuse was defined as any forced or pressured sexual contact before the age of 16. The study went for a period of 18 months, and all admitted inpatients at a psychiatric hospital were invited to participate. Out of 313 patients, 160 subjects were used (94 women and 66 men) (Draijer & Langeland 1999).<br />
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Some childhood experiences were interrelated. Early separation from a parent was related to CSA, physical abuse and witnessing interparental violence. Sexual abuse and physical abuse were also shown to be related. A severity of dissociative symptoms was related to the reported sexual and physical abuse. The severity of sexual abuse was strongly related to the dissociation level. Severity was measured by penetration and abuse lasting more than one year. The highest scores of dissociation came from those that had experienced CSA both outside and inside their families or also those that were both physically and sexually abused. The severeness of the symptoms of dissociation was also related to one’s perceived parental dysfunction. The mother’s level of availability or lack of availability also seems to be an important factor. Several victimizations appear to reinforce a response of dissociation (Draijer & Langeland 1999).<br />
One reason Draijer and Langeland (1999) believe that physical and sexual abuse may be connected to the level of dissociation is that there is denial and secrecy connected to these forms of abuse. They believe that the child may live in a fragmented reality, with limited social support due to the fact that the child is being abused by the people he or she depends on for support. They conclude that the use of CSA as the sole explanation for dissociative and other psychiatric symptoms in adulthood is not correct (Draijer & Langeland 1999).<br />
<br />
The limitations of Draijer and Langeland’s study are that the data is being measured in a retrospective manner. Memory bias could also be an issue, with possible under and/or over reporting of trauma. There was no corroborating for evidence sought for child abuse episodes, due to the need for confidentiality. There was also bias in the group, due to the need to skew the study toward the patients that were less psychotic (Draijer & Langeland 1999). Also, since the study is an inpatient study, how applicable is the data to the general population?<br />
<br />
Alexander’s previously cited study discusses the long-term effects of CSA, which may not necessarily include PTSD. Instead, many of these effects may be interpersonal in nature or show more pervasive disturbances of self, such as in avoidant and borderline personality disorders or other Axis-II disorders (Alexander, 1993).<br />
Alexander looked at avoidant personality disorder, self-defeating personality disorder, dependent personality disorder and borderline personality disorder. These were measured by the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory – II (MCMI-II). The MCMI-II is a 175-item questionnaire with true/false responses for use with clinical populations. A base score of 75 signifies the presence of a disorder. Alexander found that basic personality structure was not connected to abuse characteristics but instead was predicted by adult attachment (Alexander, 1993).<br />
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In a study by Miller and Lisak (1999) adult symptomology was shown to be increased for CSA survivors on portions of the variance for three personality disorder scales on the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire Revised (PDQ-R). The participants were 584 college age males (mean age = 28.8 years) from a commuter university in the Northeast United States. Each packet given to each participant included a Home Experiences History (HEH) which included a six-item checklist of disruptive family circumstances. The Family Relationship Index (FRI) measures more subtle aspects of family functioning, like Cohesion and Expressiveness. The Family Environmental Scale (FES) contains conflict subscales. The Abuse-Perpetration Inventory (API) looks at the histories of physical and sexual abuse. Personality disorder symptoms were measured using the Passive-Aggressive, Dependent, Avoidant, Narcissistic, Borderline, Antisocial and Schizoid subscales from the PDQ-R. Also used was the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory – 2 (MMPI-2) scale to measure socially desirable responsible styles (Miller and Lisak, 1999).<br />
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In their sample of 584 men, 61.8 % reported no sexual or physical abuse, 10.6% reported sexual abuse only, 17.1 % reported physical abuse only and 10.4 % reported both kinds of abuse. When comparing abused to nonabused men, it was found that men with any sort of abuse history had a greater amount of personality psychopathology connected with the general personality disorder symptoms and Dependent, Avoidant and Borderline (BPD) symptoms. Men with both types of abuse, physical and sexual, showed greater symptomology for Dependent, Borderline and general personality disorder symptoms. There was a relatively strong connection between childhood abuse and BPD symptoms. This supports other empirical work in clinical populations (Miller and Lisak, 1999). The findings for increased Dependent and Avoidant symptoms were found to be of interest due to the masculine gender norms, like self-confidence and self-assurance and autonomy. These scores show that the estrangement of oneself from others can exist among survivors of both sexes (Miller and Lisak, 1999).<br />
<br />
The limitations of Miller and Lisak’s study include their relying on past self-report measures to look at and measure abuse histories. The abuse assessment was limited only to physical and sexual abuse. Other important variables not looked at included physical neglect and psychological abuse (Miller and Lisak, 1999).<br />
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In Lange’s (1999) study on the long-term effects of CSA, past studies are cited which show CSA correlates with depression, anxiety disorders, borderline personality disorder, dissociative disorders and psychotic symptoms. Certain variables are hypothesized to play a part in the connection between CSA and later psychopathology. These variables include abuse characteristics, the way CSA is processed and experienced, individual victim characteristics and family factors. Factors predictive of adult psychopathology include age of onset of abuse, the nature of the CSA events, frequency of the abuse, relationship to the perpetrator and amount of pressure put on the victim to cooperate. These findings are based on relatively small clinical samples. The negative effects of self-blame for the abuse experiences were found to cause more symptoms of psychopathology. A review by Faust et al. has shown that the emotional atmosphere in the family of origin is connected to the prevalence of abuse. It is also connected later in the survivor’s life in the processing of their traumatic experiences. Reactions to disclosure were also found to predict the severity of internalizing the problems of anxiety and depression (Lange et al., 1999).<br />
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Lange et al.’s study used the Questionnaire Unwanted Sexual Experiences in the Past (QUSEP), to assess the subjective and objective characteristics of sexual abuse and its related coping behavior. The QUSEP first identifies unwanted sexual experiences. These experiences are regarded as sexual abuse only if contact took place, not if the respondent only felt sexually unsafe. Other questions include frequency and age of onset of the abuse, the relationship to the perpetrator and the disclosure of the abuse to others. Subjective characteristics were also assessed, like whether the survivor had felt pressured by the perpetrator and how the survivor felt about reactions when disclosing the abuse to others. Then, the respondent is asked about how they coped with the event, including questions around guilt, feelings or responsibility, and feelings about the disclosure of the abuse. The QUSEP also contains questions about the degree they suffer certain symptoms or problems, including memory problems, anxiety, depression, problems concentrating, irritability, somatic complaints, relational problems, suicide attempts or thoughts, eating disorders, parasuicide, gynecological and sexual problems, substance abuse and sleep disorders (Lange et al., 1999).<br />
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The Dutch adaptation of the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) measured present psychopathology. The Dissociation Questionnaire (DIS-Q) measured dissociative symptomology. The Family of Origin Questionnaire (FOQ) measured the atmosphere of the family of origin (Lange et al., 1999).<br />
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The final sample had 404 women. Sixty-eight percent of the respondents cited family members as having participated in the abuse. Seventy percent had more than one perpetrator. Seventy-three percent has forced intercourse. The mean age of onset was 11.3 years. Seventy-seven percent responded that they had a lot of pressure to give into the abuser. Eighty percent gave the responsibility of the abuse mainly or entirely to the perpetrator yet, yet 3/4 of the respondents felt guilt when the abuse occurred and almost half still had strong feelings of guilt Family environment was more negative in the incest group and disclosures were more positive in the non-incest group (Lange et al., 1999).<br />
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Respondents scored substantially higher on the SCL-90-R (present psychopathology) and the DIS-Q (dissociative symptomology) than those in the general population. The average scores on the psychopathology variables were close to those for psychiatric populations. No difference in psychopathology was found between the incest and non-incest group. Increased and more severe psychopathology was connected to a greater variety of abusive events, higher frequency and longer duration of the abuse (Lange et al., 1999).<br />
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Anxiety and depression were shown to be associated with feelings of guilt, the number of abusive events, reactions of others to the survivor’s disclosure and the family of origin’s atmosphere. Characteristics of abuse were also related significantly but less strongly to low self-esteem, somatic complaints, feelings of social insecurity and cognitive dysfunction. Contrary to the expectations of the researchers, no connections were found between psychopathology and the age of onset, the difference in age between the victim and the perpetrator and the relationship between the two. There was a correlation between the severity of the abuse (number of different types of abuse) and dissociation. Duration and the frequency of the abuse and family atmosphere connected amnesia and identity confusion (Lange et al., 1999).<br />
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The severity of the abuse and its duration was shown to be more important than whether the abuse was incestuous or not, in terms of developing later psychopathology. In predicting DIS-Q scores (dissociative symptomology), the most important predictor is the number of years passed since the abuse occurred (Lange et al., 1999).<br />
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Survivors of CSA may know cognitively that they are not responsible for the abuse, but yet may still have guilt feelings about the abuse. Feelings of guilt were shown to be a significant predictor of psychopathology and dissociation, where feeling responsible for the CSA event was not. Their results also show that early and positive disclosure is important in terms of the survivor’s psychological functioning in later life (Lange et al., 1999).<br />
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Limitations of the study include the fact that respondents were sought through national newspapers. This recruitment method may have created a more biased sample, in the direction of increased psychopathology. Possibly, women with more psychiatric symptoms would be more eager to participate than those with fewer symptoms. This may cause overly conservative or low results of the estimate of association between CSA and later psychopathology, due to a lower variance in the sample (Lange et al., 1999).<br />
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In conclusion, a variety of studies have shown the connection between CSA and<br />
certain psychological problems. Though there is some dissension about what types of abuse may cause which problems, the overall picture from most resources shows a definite connection between CSA and increased psychopathology.<br />
<br />
<b>Physiological diagnoses or aspects</b><br />
The physiological diagnoses or aspects which correlate with childhood sexual abuse trauma include: adult health and the physiological effects of maltreatment, somatization (also mentioned under psychiatric diagnoses) and substance abuse.<br />
<br />
Dallam (2001) cites the physiological effects of child maltreatment. She discusses the neuroendocrine system. The nervous and endochrine systems control the body’s physiological states by decreasing and increasing the activity of hormones and neurotransmitters. The brain’s goal is to maintain equilibrium. A stressful event can change this neurochemical balance. The brain may respond by activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). This causes the release of endogenous opioids. The SNS’s stimulation results in the release of catecholamines into the blood stream. The HPA axis causes the release of glucocorticoids (mostly cortisol). Cortisol and catecholamines have both been found to be chronically elevated in abused children (Dallam, 2001).<br />
<br />
The fight or flight response’s over activation can lead to catecholamines at a chronically elevated level. This can result in abnormalities in cardiovascular regulation, increased startle responses, affect regulation problems, profound sleep disturbances and generalized anxiety (Dallam, 2001). Dissociation or a freeze and surrender response may occur when a child is unable to flee from an abusive situation. It has been suggested that changes in the endogenous opiate system and dopaminergic systems may be involved in dissociative responses. The release of endogenous opioids can cause a strong decrease in arousal, decreased pain awareness and decreased blood pressure and heart rate. Children and females are more likely to dissociate while older children and adults are more likely to use a fight or flight response (Dallam, 2001).<br />
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Disorders connected to the dysregulation of the HPA axis include PTSD. PTSD is found in 34% of children that have experienced physical or sexual abuse in one study. For children that have experienced both, this rises to 58% (Dallam, 2001). PTSD that comes from child maltreatment may last for many years and may continue into adulthood. Dissociative disorders are connected to physical and/or sexual abuse that is severe and prolonged. Other disorders connected to the dysregulation of the HPA include depression and stress related disorders affecting the immune system (Dallam, 2001).<br />
<br />
The effect of chronic maltreatment on brain growth and brain function has been shown using brain scans. Scans using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) have shown that maltreated children with PTSD have significantly smaller cerebral and intracranial volumes than controls. Lower brain volumes also correlated with the duration and age of onset and severity of PTSD and dissociative experiences in children (Dallam, 2001). Studies of adults have shown that extreme stress in childhood can cause measurable changes physically in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. These two areas are connected to emotional and memory responses (Dallam, 2001).<br />
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The health consequences of childhood maltreatment may also be significant. It was found that severe sexual trauma in childhood was connected to major reductions in vocational, emotional and physical functioning in adults (Dallam, 2001). Studies show that the stronger the strength of the child maltreatment, the higher the rates of health problems reported in adulthood. Women that report child abuse histories report problems in twice as many body systems as nonabused women. These include depression, genito-urinary disorders (including painful intercourse) and other possible somatic complaints. Chronic pain is also reported as a problem for survivors with histories of physical and/or sexual abuse (Dallam, 2001).<br />
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Abused girls were also many times more likely to report that they gave a history of bingeing and purging behavior. Those sexually abused were found to be more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors than peers. Hermann states that the normal regulation of emotive states is changed by experiences that are traumatic that can repeatedly cause grief, rage and terror. These emotions can be brought up by perceived states of abandonment and can’t be stopped by the ordinary ways of self-soothing (Dallam, 2001).<br />
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In a study by Elzinga, Schmahl, Vermetten, van Dyck and Bremner (2004) higher cortisol levels were found following certain traumatic reminders in abuse-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A Kessler 1995 study is cited reporting that CSA in women is the most common cause of PTSD, affecting 10% of all women. Soon after a traumatic event, cortisol secretion was found to be enhanced, after a variety of traumatic experiences. In some studies, cortisol secretion has been found to be lower in patients with PTSD compared to controls (Elzinga, Schmahl, Vermetten, van Dyck & Bremner, 2004). PTSD patients suffer from exaggerated stress responses in regard to trauma cues. Exposure to stress in PTSD patients might also result in a larger impairment of declarative memory, when compared to controls (Elzinga, Schmahl, Vermetten, van Dyck & Bremner, 2004).<br />
<br />
Elzinga’s et al. (2004) study included 24 women, 12 with and without current PTSD that was related to childhood. PTSD levels were measured by the Clinician-Administered PTSD scale for DSM-IV (CAPS-DX). Baseline dissociation traits were measured by the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES). The scripts were prepared before the actual test day, and were personalized. The first script was about a severe physical or sexual abuse event. The second script was about when the person felt alone or abandoned. The subject impact of the scripts measured with a 17-item PTSD symptom scale, a Clinician-Administered Dissociative States Scale (CADSS) and a 27-item scales that measures current dissociative states, a Subjective Units of Distress Scale. A Visual Analog Scale assessed anxiety. For memory, paragraph recall was measured by the Wechsler Memory Scale revised Logical Memory Test. To study word recall and the effects of cortisol on encoding, the word recall test was given three days later without the scripts (Elzinga, Schmahl, Vermetten, van Dyck & Bremner, 2004).<br />
<br />
It was found that the PTSD patients had 122% higher cortisol levels when exposed to a traumatic script, 69% higher level during their recovery after reading the scripts and 60% higher levels in the period before reading the scripts, compared to controls. The abused subjects showed a strong decrease in cortisol after the script exposure, but the controls didn’t. The abused women with PTSD reported more symptoms that were PTSD like and dissociative and more anxiety than those abused without current PTSD. The abused women with PTSD remembered less emotional words after three days than the controls, but these differences were found to be no longer significant after correction. In both the PTSD patients and the controls after the trauma scripts, memory consolidation was impaired compared to the baseline, but there were no differences in memory performance between the two groups. The higher the cortisol level, the better the story was recalled by the participants (Elzinga, Schmahl, Vermetten, van Dyck & Bremner, 2004).<br />
<br />
Limitations of the study include a small sample size (N = 12). One third of the subjects were taking psychotropic medications, which may affect cortisol reactivity. All the subjects had a lifetime diagnosis of PTSD. It is not known if the cortisol responses of women with PTSD can be generalized to those with a history of child abuse without PTSD. No participants were included that had no history or abuse and no PTSD. Possibly, non-abused healthy individuals may show even higher cortisol levels than the two samples in the experiment (Elzinga, Schmahl, Vermetten, van Dyck & Bremner, 2004).<br />
<br />
Glaser (2000) discusses how child abuse and neglect effect the brain in a review of the literature. Glaser states that there is a strong association between child maltreatment and cognitive, behavioral, emotional and social adaptational failure and psychopathology in adulthood and childhood. She cites a review by Kendell-Tackett, Williams and Finklehor that states that not all children that are sexually abused end up with problems. The review also states that there is no post child abuse syndrome, which would contain a harmful sequelae showing differences between individuals. In studies of adults abused as children, one study found that any type of severe child abuse was connected to other risk factors in the family, which were connected to negative outcomes as adults. A history of emotional and sexual abuse by a male caregiver was found to be connected to adulthood sexual difficulties (Glaser, 2000).<br />
<br />
Glaser (2000) also found that raised levels of dopamine and noradrenaline are positively connected with a dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex functions include organizing and planning actions using working memory, inhibiting inappropriate instructions and attending to distractions. These raised levels may lead to symptoms recognized as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). If one is faced with chronic or repeated stress, suppressing stress responses might allow cortisol levels to return to normal limits. Cortisol also affects the amygdala. This may cause problems in reduced cortisol levels. This may cause a less than optimal response to fearful experiences. This is seen in children that have suffered from long-term abuse. In children and adults, high levels of cortisol medication have been shown to affect memory negatively (Glaser, 2000).<br />
<br />
Child abuse is a major source of stress on the brain. Glaser believes that trauma and abuse are not necessarily equivalent in meaning. Abuse may be stressful and yet not be seen by the child as traumatic if it is predictable and chronic. Yet, chronic abuse and neglect will probably have a strong effect on a child’s biological and psychological regulatory processes and not PTSD-like conditioned behavioral and emotional responses (Glaser, 2000).<br />
<br />
HPA axis responses show that after a review of a number of studies discussing trauma and sexual abuse, lower cortisol levels were found. Hippocampal volume in Bremner’s study was found to be reduced by 12% on the left side in male and female survivors of severe childhood sexual and physical abuse of survivors that now suffer from PTSD, compared to a nonabused group. (Glasser, 2000) But there was no memory impairment shown. Yet there is no conclusive evidence showing a causal explanation of abuse leading to hippocampal damage. In a study by Shaefer, Koustall and Norman, 22 women who had experienced extended and severe CSA also showed a reduced volume of their left hippocampal region on MRI. These same women had both memories of the abuse and memory functioning intact (Glaser, 2000).<br />
<br />
Children were found to have cerebral volumes that were 7% smaller, when they had PTSD in a study by Bellis, Chrousos et al. The brain volume was correlated positively with the onset age of the PTSD and negatively with the length of the abuse (Glaser, 2000). Sleep disturbances were found in children before puberty that had been sexually and physically abused and those that had been referred psychiatric treatment, in or out patient. Increased activity during sleep and a difficulty falling asleep were the disturbances found. Glaser concludes that there is considerable evidence for brain function changes in connection to child abuse and neglect (Glaser, 2000).<br />
<br />
Perry (2000) in a paper on child trauma and its influence on brain development discusses neurobiological responses to threat. He mentions that when a child is threatened, certain neuroendocrine and neurophysiological responses are started. If these responses persist, there will be what are called use-dependent alterations in important neural systems that are involved in the stress response. The systems include the hypothalmic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. In animal experiments, the chronic activating of the HPA system when responding to stress, has definite negative consequences. This activating may hurt parts of the body, including the hippocampus. The hippocampus is involved in the arousal, cognition and memory. Martin Teicher is cited as having demonstrated hippocampal/limbic abnormalities in abused children samples (Perry, 2000).<br />
<br />
A different set of neural systems that can be hurt by stressful experiences that are repeated are the catecholamine systems, which include the dopaminergic and noradrenergic systems. These systems can be changed after traumatic stress. This can cause changes in attention, sleep, impulse control, fine motor control and other functions. It is possible for a traumatized child to show problems with motor hyperactivity, behavioral impulsivity, anxiety, sleep problems, etc. Perry cites indirect studies backing the theory that following childhood trauma there may be a use-dependent alteration in the catecholamine systems in the brain stem (Perry, 2000).<br />
<br />
Courtois (1988) in her book on incest discusses the physical and somatic effects of incest on child and adult survivors of incest. With children, symptoms connected to child abuse include regressive behaviors (like bed wetting), physical pains, lethargy, perceptual disturbances, terror and fear reactions (like averting one’s gaze) and trauma repetition. In adults, physical effects may include trauma-specific effects and discomfort in the parts of the body related to the abuse. Other effects may include trauma related gastrointestinal and respiratory effects due to the locus of the abuse assault, such as gagging (Courtois, 1988).<br />
In conclusion, the research shows a variety of effects on brain physiology due to CSA and child abuse and neglect. Certain biochemical processes may also be altered due to CSA. Memory may also be affected by these changes in brain physiology.<br />
<br />
<b>Sexual dysfunctions or problems</b><br />
Sexual dysfunctions or problems which correlate with childhood sexual abuse trauma include: sexual dysfunctions, repeated sexual victimization, adult sexual relationships, the victim-perpetrator cycle (as previously mentioned under social problems) and feelings around sexuality.<br />
<br />
Sorenson, Siegel, Golding and Stein (1991) discussed how repeated sexual victimization may correlate with low adjustment levels, where individuals may be singled out for attack because they are alone or identifiably vulnerable. Some researchers have found that multiple sexual victimization leads to delayed recovery and increased dysfunction. Multiple victimization may also lead to multiple consensual sexual partnerships and unintended pregnancies. Long-term unfavorable mental health problems may occur after a single sexual assault (Sorenson, Siegel, Golding & Stein, 1991).<br />
<br />
Sorenson et al. (1991) looked at a variety of studies and found that 24% to 79% of victims were multiply victimized after an initial assault. Women that have experienced two or more rapes report a higher level of assertiveness than women that have experienced only one rape. A study was taken of 3,131 adults, men and women. Sexual assault questions asked about childhood assault (before age 16) and adult assault (after age 16). In the sample mentioned, 13.2% answered “yes” as to whether they were forced or pressured into sexual assault. Incest’s potential differences in the data were not examined due to the small sample size of this category. The average number of adult sexual assaults was 3.2. For any assault (adult or child) there were 4.95 per person. Of the assaults, 46.2 % involved some form of incest, and 62.1 % involved some sort of threat of harm. Of the sample reporting sexual assault, more than 67% reported more than one single assault (Sorenson et al, 1991).<br />
<br />
Limitations of Sorenson et al. (1991) study include the fact that they used a broad definition for sexual assault, unlike other studies. These included noncontact forms of sexual assault. Since the study only ask for detail about the most recent event, details of previous events could not be discerned. A strength of the study is that the study looked at a larger population of victims, not only those seeking services for help. Those seeking services for help may be more distressed than the general population, or may differ in other important ways from the general population (Sorenson et al, 1991). The reason this study is listed here in this literature review is because even though it does not specifically deal with incest victims, it shows how an initial victimization of sexual assault correlates with repeated sexual victimizations.<br />
<br />
In McGettigan’s (1992) thesis, a discussion of adult sexual relationships from a sample of 42 women showed that multiple perpetrators and experiencing pleasure or arousal during abuse were the aspect of CSA that had the largest impact on the sexual functioning of adults. The different aspects affected by the CSA include: a difficulty achieving orgasm, one’s comfort level while communicating with a partner during sex, and the level of the enjoyment of sexual experiences (McGettigan, 1992).<br />
<br />
McGettigan (1992) defines CSA as the sexual contact of a child under the age of 15, with an abuser at least five years older. She lists incident rates from various studies of 20% to 38%, depending on the way abuse is defined and the type of population studied. One studied cited by Meiselman showed that 78% of psychologically disturbed women had gone through CSA before they were 12 years old. The physical symptoms of sexual abuse may include genital and anal injury, sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. Behavioral studies show that CSA victims may participate in a variety of delinquent and antisocial behaviors (McGettigan, 1992). Repetition compulsion may be seen in sexual acting out certain parts of the abuse, possibly as an effort to master the trauma. Other studies have shown that abused girls showed greater sexual preoccupation (McGettigan, 1992). Finklehor and Browne report that children may carry an aversion to sex and intimacy into adulthood (McGettigan, 1992). Female survivors may end up distrusting men. Physical symptoms, including genital and pelvic pain have also been noted in the literature (McGettigan, 1992).<br />
<br />
McGettigan’s sample was gotten from clinical and nonclinical female samples at a community mental health agency. The criteria set for the participants was that they are 18 years of age, that they are survivors of CSA and that they volunteer to participate in the study. Forty-two women participated in the study. Nine were from the clinical sample and 33 were from the nonclinical sample. Data collection consisted of a self-administered questionnaire which focused on basic biographical details, types of CSA experienced, details about the CSA including frequency and questions about the offender, feelings around the abuse, problems during adulthood, adulthood relationship questions, questions about sex in adulthood and problems with sex in adulthood (McGettigan, 1992).<br />
<br />
The findings in McGettigan’s study were as follows. Aspects affecting adult functioning were found to be father-daughter incest, the number of perpetrators, onset of abuse, violence connected to the abuse, child coping methods, cult or ritual abuse, experiencing arousal during the abuse and childhood feelings that were prominent. Variables particularly affected included difficulty achieving orgasm, flashback frequency, seeing oneself as sexually irresistible, aversion to acts committed during CSA, level of comfort of communication during sex, sexual experience pleasure with men, being promiscuous, feeling that sex is being done to one instead of being done with one, and sexual orientation (McGettigan, 1992).<br />
<br />
Other findings include the following. Fondling of genitals was the largest form of abuse at 76%. Violence with abuse was found to be used 62% of the time. Prominent adult feelings include anger at 24% and rage at 21%. Adult sequelae due to CSA included high percentages of lacking sexual feelings, feeling pain, difficulty achieving orgasm and being physically numb, all during sex. Cognitive sequelae included high percentages of using alcohol or drugs to have sex, dissociating during sex, having flashbacks during sex and convincing oneself to have sex. Ninety-three percent reported that they had a specific aversion to specific acts of sex. But only 63% mentioned that these were the same acts that had been experienced during CSA. Eighty percent mentioned that sexual abuse had affected their sexual perception and experience. Affective sequelae included high percentages of feeling numb during sex, being able to let go during sex, feeling negative during and after sex and being dissatisfied with one’s sex life. Forty-nine percent reported that they worried they were unable to have deep feelings for another person (McGettigan, 1992).<br />
<br />
The partnership qualities people looked for showed that 83% looked for someone they respect and that 81% looked for someone that respected them. Survivors of father-daughter incest showed a significant difference between other survivors in higher frequencies of having sex earlier in relationships than they would have like to. Forty-two percent mentioned that they had felt confused about their sexual orientation. Three-quarters of the women that were not sure of their sexual orientation mentioned that they had experienced cult or ritual abuse. In terms of revictimization frequencies, 79% experienced emotionally abusive relationships, 77% experienced sexual harassment, 60% were promiscuous, 53% had been in sexually abusive relationships and 42% had experienced rape (McGettigan, 1992).<br />
<br />
The weaknesses of McGettigan’s study include the low number of participants, 42 and the fact that the nonclinical population (33) was drawn from volunteers from both a woman’s center and 12-step programs and not the general population. It is possible that these populations may be more biased or have leaning opinions toward such questions as sexual orientation and father-daughter incest.<br />
<br />
Herman and Hirschman (1981) in their book on father-daughter incest discuss sexual orientation and sexual problems. A minority of the incest victims in their study experimented with lesbian relationships. However, only two of the 40 women in their study were confirmed lesbians and another three thought they were bisexual. The two women that became lesbians did believe that the incest experience had influenced their sexual choices. Over half (55%) of the women in their study complained of impaired sexual enjoyment. Some of the women complained of flashbacks of the incest experience during sex (Herman & Hirschman, 1981).<br />
Gelinas (1983) previously mentioned research also discusses the typical symptoms of incest, including sexual problems. These problems have been seen to include orgasmic dysfunction, difficulty with sexual contact, promiscuity, prostitution and adolescent pregnancy. Other problems may include marital difficulties, emotional and physical abuse toward the children of incest victims and an increased risk of intergenerational incest by the spouse of the incest victim (Gelinas, 1983).<br />
<br />
Courtois (1988) in her book on incest survivors writes about the sexual effects on children and adults that have suffered incest. With children, there may be exhibited age-inappropriate sexual behaviors or the awareness of sexual topics beyond their age. Other children may avoid any sort of physical contact with others. They may perceive touch as threatening or negative. As adults, evidence suggests that incest strongly affects the sexual experiences of many survivors of incest (Courtois, 1988). Three areas that may be affected include sexual emergence in early adulthood, sexual orientation and preference and sexual response, arousal and satisfaction (Maltz & Holman, 1987). In terms of emergence, CSA disrupts normal developmental tasks, such as dating and the development of intimacy. Survivors may withdraw from development or may become sexually indiscriminate. CSA may also affect one’s sexual development. Some survivors report that their sexual orientation was affected by abuse while others do not. In comparison studies, survivors have been found to have more sexual problems than non-incest survivors (Courtois, 1988). These disorders include desire, arousal, orgasmic disorders, as well as coital pain, satisfaction and frequency difficulties and qualifying information (like flashbacks). Survivors may also suffer sexual revictimization both outside and inside the family more than nonvictims of abuse (Courtois, 1988).<br />
<br />
Maltz and Holman (1987) in their book on incest and sexuality write about how incest affects sexuality. As previously mentioned, three areas that may be affected include sexual emergence in early adulthood, sexual orientation and preference and sexual response, arousal and satisfaction. In terms of sexual emergence, survivors often move toward two extreme sexual lifestyles, withdrawn or promiscuous. In terms of sexual orientation and preference, their study of 12 women had half stating that incest had no bearing on their sexual choice. The first half were lesbians. The second half may have been open to same sex experiences as part of their healing experience. In terms of sexual arousal, response and satisfaction, incest can cause problems in sexual functioning. The women in their study felt several feelings connected to their sexual experiences. These included disgust, anger, hate, loss of control, guilt and helplessness. These negative feelings were reinforced by the sexual abuse experience (Maltz & Holman, 1987).<br />
<br />
In conclusion, a wide variety of a person’s sexual aspects may be affected by CSA. CSA is seen in the research as negatively influencing sexual development. Sexual orientation may be influenced by CSA and other factors.<br />
<br />
<b>Thought problems and disorders</b><br />
Thought problems or perceived disorders which correlate with childhood sexual abuse trauma include: depression (as mentioned under psychiatric diagnoses), how the survivor evaluates the incest event, self-blame due to less disclosure and other factors, decreased self-esteem, premorbid pessimism, future despair, suicidal ideation and suicide.<br />
<br />
In a study by Feiring, Taska and Chen (2002) that looked at children and adolescents within eight weeks after the discovery of the abuse and one year later, it was found that abuse-specific internal attributions were related consistently to higher levels of psychopathology. Shame was also found to be an important predictor of symptom level. The above sheds light on how the victim evaluates the sexual abuse event, self blame relating to less disclosure and decreased self-esteem (Feiring, Taska & Chen, 2002).<br />
<br />
In the same study, research is discussed about how the adult survivor’s attributional style is related to the long-term outcomes of the abuse. Self-blaming attributional styles in women were connected to lower disclosure rates, more severe forms of abuse and more anxiety and depression. The relationships between abuse severity and psychological distress were found to be mediated by self-blaming cognitions. Appraising the abuse experiences as negative, including evaluating oneself negatively, feeling one is negatively evaluated by others and having critical feelings of others has been found to be connected with PTSD and depression symptoms in children and adolescents. Negative evaluations of oneself and others may be seen as related to internalizing symptoms. In adolescents, attributing internally for CSA was associated with lower self-esteem and increased depression. Feiring, Taska and Chen (2002) hypothesized that greater abuse severity would be connected to higher self-blame attributions which are connected to symptomology and shame (Feiring, Taska & Chen, 2002).<br />
<br />
Their study consisted of 137 total participants. Eighty were children between eight and 11 years of age and 57 were adolescents between 12 and 15 years of age. CSA was defined as having sexual contact with an adult or juvenile perpetrator. Contact was defined as either contact or nonphysical contact (like exposure to pornography or exhibitionism). All cases were validated by medical findings, substantiated by child protective services, confession or conviction of the offender. Attribution style was measured by a questionnaire asking why the respondents thought certain things had happened. Shame was measured by responses to scaled questions about shame, like “wanting to go away and hide” and “people can tell what happened by looking at me.” Self-esteem was measured by The Self-Perception Profile for Children and Adolescents. This measured global self-worth. Depressive symptoms were measured by the Children’s Depression Inventory (Feiring, Taska & Chen, 2002).<br />
<br />
External attributions of the abuse were given approximately half of the time and internal attributions were only about five to seven percent of the time when measured. The other percentage were those that didn’t know why the abuse happened. Number of abuse events, age and gender are related to the outcomes of the questions. Girls showed more hyperarousal and sexual anxiety. Adolescents showed higher depressive symptoms, lower self-esteem and less sexual anxiety than children (Feiring, Taska & Chen, 2002).<br />
The problem with Feiring, Taska and Chen’s (2002) study from the perspective of this article is that the results measure child and adolescent’s reactions to CSA. This differs from the question of how does CSA affect adult interpersonal relationships. However, the results can give us a lot of insight into how attributions of the abuse may translate into later psychopathology and shame.<br />
<br />
In Briere’s (2002) paper on treating CSA survivors, he describes one form of child maltreatment as psychological neglect (these are acts of omission). Acts of commission include abusive behaviors directed toward the child, including physical, sexual or psychological abuse. These acts can produce long term interpersonal difficulties, including distorted thinking patterns, posttraumatic stress and emotional disturbances. The occurrences of violence in a child’s life may lead the child to develop defenses that may block out positive attachment interactions as well. It is thought that abuse can affect a child’s internal representations of themselves and others. An abused child may come to see themselves as weak and others as dangerous. These core beliefs may be resistant to change simply by hearing others’ declarations to the contrary. When faced with rejection or abandonment in a relationship, primitive behavior due to the abuse may be activated that is so laden with emotion that even though intended to protect the relationship, it may challenge or destroy the relationship (Briere, 2002).<br />
<br />
Other problems that can occur due to child abuse and neglect can be that of poor affect regulation. This refers to one’s ability to control strong negative affect. One that has a history of abuse and neglect may resort to avoidance strategies, like substance abuse, dissociation or external tension-reducing behavior. These avoidance activities may follow or precede repetitive and intrusive cognitive, emotional and sensory experiences (like flashbacks or nightmares). Those that tend to avoid internal access to material that is traumatic, can suffer psychological distress more than those that have less avoidant tendencies. Many survivors of severe neglect and abuse suffer from significant interpersonal difficulties (Briere, 2002).<br />
In the previously mentioned Lunderberg-Love (1999) study, two of the most clinically significant psychogenic stressors or attitudes for incest victims entering treatment for a wide span of clinical conditions (INC-T) were problems for premorbid pessimism and future despair. The INC-T group scored higher on these scales than all other groups. Premorbid Pessimism measured the level of one’s sense of hopelessness and their helplessness, the fact of their feeling powerless. Powerlessness is a traumagenic dynamic that is caused by CSA. The Future Despair scale measures responses to present circumstances and difficulties, which is different than looking at things negatively as a lifelong tendency. Those that score high on this scale do not believe they will have a productive future and may view medical difficulties as possibly life threatening and seriously distressing. Incest survivors may tend not to engage in preventative health care measures due to their future despair. The INC-T group also had high scores for Social Alienation. These survivors scored in the clinically significant scale on this measure. People scoring high on this scale perceive low familial and social support. Other information from this paper includes information on spirituality. It is cited that CSA (incestuous) is often connected with the survivor’s feeling of abandonment by God or other problems with spirituality (Lunderberg-Love, 1999).<br />
<br />
In the previously mentioned study of Paolucci, Genuis and Violato (2001) it is mentioned that suicidality is made up of the repeated thoughts of death or suicidal ideation and plans, as well as gestures and attempts of self-harm with death being a possible result. There is a 150% increase in the risk of becoming suicidal or depressed following CSA among the general population when looking at the outcome measures and effect sizes while looking at a meta-analysis of the published research on the effects of CSA (Paolucci, Genuis & Violato, 2001).<br />
<br />
Baker’s (2003) thesis, discusses the CSA long-term responses of Hispanic women in midlife. Her thesis showed the nonlinear pathways of internalizing shame, silencing and other struggles of these women. Five Hispanic women were interviewed in-depth, using a semistructured interview schedule. The data was analyzed using the method of narrative analysis. The individuals interviewed were chosen through the researcher’s professional networks and women that had been contacted through the author’s professional contacts who had shown an interest in the study. This helped find some people that may not have participated in formal therapy. The author chose women in midlife (between the ages of 40 and 45) because this appeared to be a strong stage of psychological development. This stage was characterized by the effort to look at the respondent’s past while looking into the future as well as an age of self-reflection (Baker, 2003).<br />
<br />
Interpretive summaries were derived from the responses from each of the participants. These were broken down into developmental phases. These observations were backed up by the salient research of the period. The abuse experiences varied from fondling to violent penetration. This research included a study by Briere from 1996 that stated that abuse that combines caring and loving with exploitative behaviors can lead to emotional confusion in children and later lead to confusion and ambivalence in adult intimate relationships (Baker, 2003). In one summary, the survivor used sex to keep herself safe in an abusive relationship. With therapy and growth, this survivor was able to eventually leave this relationship and find healthier relationships. A couple of the survivors married Anglos instead of Hispanics, partly because the Hispanics were too much like their abuser. At times, resistance and/or refusal to visit the abuser(s) as children helped the survivors avoid any future abuse episodes (Baker, 2003).<br />
<br />
The women in the study developed more relational complexities and capacities as they got older. The earlier parts of their lives had more accounts of pseudo-connections. These were where the women needed to maintain family connections out of necessity. The abusive parts of their lives were not dealt with during these earlier periods as much. As they got older, they developed more meaningful relationships and grew through these relationships over time. These survivors also grew in other ways. They were able to let go of more caretaking behaviors, set clearer boundaries with their family members and be less resentful and more real in their current relationships (Baker, 2003).<br />
<br />
One issue that came up for the women in these discussions was the issue of shame and internalization. Due to the fact that these women were unable to discuss the abuse events as children and be supported and protected, the women responded by blaming themselves and feelings a deep sense of shame. This shame made them feel like they wanted to hide or disappear. The shame intensified during adolescence as each survivor became more aware of their own sexuality. This shame was dealt with in a variety of ways, from using drugs and alcohol, using overly sexual behaviors and suicide attempts. Most of the survivors in the study got married right after high school, so they could leave home in a way that was supported by their culture. All of the women’s relationships involved Anglo men at one time of another (Baker, 2003).<br />
Several resilience factors were mentioned by the women in the study. They had at least one supportive adult in their childhood. They received some sort of positive recognition for whom they were. They worked hard on their achievements and used their intelligence to grow through their adulthood. The abuse was put into perspective in their lives by their strong faith or personal spirituality. They were also able to look at their experiences in midlife (cognitive reappraisal), see the abuse as a challenge and learn to grow from it (Baker, 2003).<br />
<br />
The Baker (2003) study also asks questions about the connections between certain variables surrounding the abuse (such as frequency and type of abuse) and the damage these may cause. It is helpful to have the individual’s subjective interpretation of the experience on the abuse. Some of the experiences that appeared to be milder from an outside perspective were experienced by the survivors in the study as damaging (Baker, 2003).<br />
<br />
The limitations of the Baker (2003) study are that the data was qualitative and not quantitative. This limits the analysis of the variables, since they are all measured from the perspective of the survivor’s viewpoint. Also, the small sample size of only five survivors and the fact that the study was only about Hispanic women in midlife make the study more difficult to generalize across the rest of the population. There was also no control group in the study, so it is difficult to see how the variables could have been different if the women had not been abused (Baker, 2003).<br />
<br />
Herman and Hirschman (1981) in their book on father-daughter incest, discusses the effects of this type of incest on female survivors thought processes. They discuss how the memory of incest has affected survivors relationships with others and their images of themselves. All of the women they talked to felt marked or branded by their experiences. The women felt as if they were separate from other people. The feelings of being an outsider and not normal were strong. They felt as if they had something wrong with them. Even though they may realize they were unable to prevent the incest occurrence, they still felt stigmatized. Some felt they could seduce any man, since they had supposedly seduced their fathers. Sixty percent of the incest victims in their study complained of major depressive symptoms in their adulthood. Thirty-eight percent were so depressed at some point in their lives that they tried to commit suicide. Alcohol and drug dependency affects 20% at some time in their lives. They described these drug episodes as trying to deal with their feelings of depression and loneliness (Herman & Hirschman, 1981).<br />
<br />
The women in Herman and Hirschman’s (1981) study also had trouble forming trusting relationships. They felt as if they had been betrayed by both parents. They expected to be abused and disappointed in all of their intimate relationships. They felt as if they would be abandoned, like their mothers abandoned them. Or they felt as if they would be exploited, similar to their experiences with their fathers. The women in the study longed for the nurturance they had not received in childhood. They had learned in childhood that sex was the one way that they could get attention. One third of the women in their study had times in their lives when they were sexually promiscuous. Many of them went between periods of promiscuity and abstinence (Herman & Hirschman, 1981).<br />
<br />
The relationships the women in the study (Herman & Hirschman, 1981) did form were very rough. They appeared to choose men that were either unreliable or exploitative. They felt as if their husbands did not respect or value them. They also had trouble choosing someone that they respected. The women also ended up in relationships that were physically abusive. Eleven of the women (out of 40) in Herman and Hirschman’s (1981) study described this. Six of the women had been raped in addition to being beaten. Three of the women had been raped more than once. The women’s reactions to these assaults were that they deserved them. Only a minority felt anger about them. The majority of the incest victims tried to repeat the specialness they felt in their relationship with their father, some had affairs with older men or married men. They saw other women in a hostile manner as potential rivals or inadequate people. This affected their potential for developing friendships with these women. As parents, many of the women felt as if they had to be excellent parents. Some feared having men around their daughters. They often developed a lot of strength and competency in their professional lives, but were often incapable of defending themselves and their own needs (Herman & Hirschman, 1981).<br />
<br />
Courtois (1988) discusses the aftereffects of incest in her book on adult survivors in therapy. In two of the categories she writes about, she discusses the emotional reactions and self-perceptions survivors of incest may have. The initial effects of abuse on a child’s emotional reactions can include anxiety, confusion, guilt, fear, depression and anger with grief and loss reactions. Fear and anxiety may show up in ritualized behavior, sleep disturbances and mood swings. She cites Green’s 1983 work where he discusses the development of a traumatic neurosis in children caught in situations of traumatic abuse, which can include ego disorganization and a painful affective state. A child may become psychically closed off from the world (Courtois, 1988).<br />
The child’s self perceptions are also affected. One’s positive sense of self may be weakened and the development of a negative sense of self may occur. Some children may always try to be good, to defend against all of the feelings that come due to the abuse (Courtois, 1988).<br />
<br />
As an adult, survivors’ emotional reactions may change in intensity and continuity. These emotions include generalized fear and anxiety and depression (which may become chronic). Adult survivors’ self-perception have been found to be mostly negative. Survivors may self incorporate a strong sense of being bad and feeling shame. Survivors may question why the event happened to them in the first place. They may feel as if they did something to cause the abuse (Courtois, 1988)<br />
<br />
Herman (1997) in her later book on trauma and recovery from trauma, discusses the concept of captivity. This is where prolonged, repeated trauma can occur. Repeated trauma occurs when the victim is unable to escape. Battered women and abused children fall into this category. The psychology of the victim in essence becomes shaped by the beliefs and the actions of the perpetrator. To the victim and others, the perpetrator appears normal. The perpetrator needs to enslave the victim. Then, the victim needs to affirm the abuse (Herman,1997).<br />
<br />
According to Herman, repeated trauma in childhood deforms a child’s personality. The child must find a way to trust people that are untrustworthy. A child needs to develop extraordinary capacities. This causes the development of abnormal states of consciousness. These states of consciousness then permit the development of an array of a variety of symptoms, including somatic and psychological ones (Herman, 1997).<br />
<br />
Survivors of abuse grow up unprepared for the different parts of adult life. The survivor can have problems with initiative, autonomy and trust. In a sense, the survivor is a prisoner of their childhood. Survivors’ intimate relationships are formed by the need for care and protection and the fear of being exploited or abandoned. Survivors have trouble protecting themselves in intimate relationships. Survivors have trouble establishing appropriate boundaries. Survivors also have trouble judging people, due to their self-denigration and idealization of others. This makes it more likely that survivors will be revictimized in adult life (Herman, 1997).<br />
<br />
Briere’s previously mentioned book for therapists of CSA survivors also discusses some of the cognitive effects from CSA. These include negative self-evaluation and guilt, helplessness and hopelessness (due to a loss of personal choice), and a distrust of others. Other emotional effects of CSA in adults include anxiety, depression and anger (Briere, 1996).<br />
<br />
Gartner (1999) in his book on the psychodynamic treatment of sexually abused men writes about the aftermath of CSA. He states that male survivors of abuse are less likely to seek therapeutic help than female survivors, but are more likely to seek help than nonabused men for issues that are not related to the abuse. Sexually abused men are more likely to desire sexual activity with children than abused women, though most do not become abusers. Sexually abused boys are also more likely to act aggressively as they get older and are more likely to get involved in criminal behavior (Gartner, 1999).<br />
<br />
In conclusion, there are a wide variety of effects to a survivor’s thought processes due to CSA. It could be hypothesized that the inability to process and discuss the abuse as children has increased the deleterious effects on CSA survivors as adults, including dealing with additional feelings of guilt and shame, and possibly also having to repeat the abusive cycle, due to the feeling that one somehow deserved the abuse.<br />
<br />
<b>Popular Literature</b><br />
This section will discuss the books written by authors for survivors of child abuse and their helpers. These books may occasionally cite journal articles, but are written in a nonscientific manner for the lay person. The opinions of the authors will be discussed in terms of looking at how CSA affects interpersonal relationships.<br />
Ainscough and Toon (2000) discuss the damage caused by CSA in their book<br />
<br />
about surviving CSA. They discuss Finklehor’s model for the ways in which child sexual abuse causes problems. These ways include traumatic sexualization, stigmatization, betrayal and powerlessness. In traumatic sexualization, sex becomes associated with bad feelings. Stigmatization occurs when the survivor realizes that what is happening to them is not normal. This can entail keeping the abuse a secret. Betrayal occurs when a survivor’s trust in the perpetrator is broken. Powerlessness is the dynamic that occurs when the child is unable to control the situation (Ainscough and Toon, 2000).<br />
<br />
Bass and Davis (1993) in their beginner’s book for survivors of abuse discusses<br />
the emotions of grief and anger that need to be worked through to heal. Anger probably wasn’t allowed to be felt during the abuse experience (Bass & Davis, 1993). In their earlier work written in 1988 about healing from abuse (Bass & Davis, 1988) they write about recognizing the damage done by CSA. This damage includes having one self-esteem diminished and one’s personal power taken away by the abuse situation. The child wasn’t able to process the feelings of rage, pain or terror fully. This was so they could function in daily life. Children may numb or leave their bodies during the abuse experience. The ability for having healthy adult intimacy and sexuality may also have been impaired by the abuse experience (Bass & Davis, 1988).<br />
<br />
Davis (1991) in her book for allies of those that are healing from CSA, discusses<br />
how CSA affects children once they grow up. She writes about other life factors having an influence on the child besides abuse, including physical abuse, neglect, alcoholism and the death of a parent. Survivors may be good at one thing, like working, but have trouble in the areas of intimacy. The variables that are affected as an adult include self-esteem, feelings, body awareness, intimacy, parenting and work. An adult may believe that they were responsible for the abuse. This can affect their self esteem. During abusive episodes, feelings may go underground. As adults, a survivor’s feelings may get stuck or be difficult to express. Adult survivors may be disconnected from their bodies, due to the fact they left them or dissociated from them as children. In intimacy, the survivor may be confused about the messages of sex and love as a child. This causes adults problems in relationships. They may either trust too much or too little. As parents, survivors need to learn to be appropriate role models. Survivors may be confused about their choice of avocation, since the survivor may not have had the time to develop their ideas as a child, or they may be following their families ideas about what they should do (Davis, 1991).<br />
<br />
Engel (1989) in her book on healing from the trauma of CSA, writes about the<br />
variables that can be affected by CSA. These include the long-term symptoms of damage to self-image and self-esteem, relationship problems, sexual problems, emotional problems and physical problems. Many of these symptoms are discussed in the published scientific literature about CSA and its effects (Engel, 1989). Engel (2000) in her book on families healing in recovery writes about the dysfunctional family dynamics that may occur in the families of survivors. These include denial, unpredictability, lack of empathy, lack of clear boundaries, role reversal, a closed family system, incongruent messages (body language differs from speech) and extremes in conflict (too much conflict may result in abuse, too little may result in hiding problems and not dealing with them) (Engel, 2000).<br />
<br />
Frederickson (1992) in her book on repressed memories writes about how PTSD and other symptoms can lie quiet for many years until a triggering event occurs. She describes this as delayed-onset PTSD. These triggers may include a birth, a situation similar to the abuse, a child reaching the age the survivor was when abused, ending an addiction or feeling safe and strong enough in one’s adult life to be able to face the abuse (Frederickson, 1992).<br />
<br />
Graber (1991) in his guide for partners of incest survivors writes about the issues of sex in adult relationships. He mentions that usually there are no major problems with sex at the beginning of a relationship, if the survivor is not dealing with their prior abuse. Survivors however need to deal with past memories, and this can put a burden on current sexual relationships. Graber also discusses that some survivors need to put themselves in situations similar to the abuse. This repetition compulsion of survivors might be due to the fact that this is the only way the survivor knows to be sexual. Other survivors may make sure that they are in the dominant position during sex. This repeats learned sexual behavior during the abuse (Graber, 1991).<br />
<br />
Grubman-Black (1990) in a book on men recovering from CSA writes about why victims repress their abuse. He mentions, like others, that this is the way that survivors can survive the loss. He considers this a form of denial. He states that those that have survived CSA often have flashbacks. He believes that it is important to deal with these flashbacks and memories to have a better life (Grubman-Black, 1990).<br />
<br />
Lew (1988) in his book for male survivors of child abuse, writes about the aftereffects of child abuse. He discusses the losses of childhood. These include the loss of memory of childhood or parts of childhood, the loss of healthy social contact, the losses of playing, learning, control over one’s body and nurturance. He lists many of the issues adult survivors may face, including anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, shame and guilt, the inability to trust, fear of feelings, flashbacks, sleep disorders, amnesia, sexual issues, hypervigilance, intimacy problems, overachievement or underachievement in career, becoming abusers or protectors, having multiple personalities, substance abuse, eating disorders, feelings scared like a child and being very conscious of one’s appearance and body (Lew, 1988).<br />
<br />
Oksana (2001) in her guide for ritual abuse survivors writes about healing relationships. She believes that ritual abuse attacks a child sense of self-esteem, feeling of belonging and trust. The problems survivors have include social interactions, familial relationships and intimacy. People that are traumatized lose their ability to keep their sense of self in relation with others. Hypervigilance is part of a dissociated and traumatized self or part. The closer the relationship, the more danger the survivor may feel. Shame and fear from past situations may influence current situations (Oksana, 2001).<br />
<br />
Ryder (1992) in his book on ritual abuse writes about the compulsive/addictive characteristics that ritual abuse clients may suffer from. He mentions that as survivors get closer to their memories, they become more obsessive about things like sex, relationships, eating or gambling (Ryder, 1992).<br />
<br />
In conclusion, the popular literature looks at a variety of topics that are discussed in the scientific literature. Some of their conclusions, like those on the psychological and sexual aftereffects of abuse are confirmed in the literature. Other factors, such as career over and underachievement, this writer was unable to find any validating scientific confirmation for.<br />
<br />
<strong>References</strong><br />
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Elzinga, B. M., Schmahl, C. G., Vermetten, E, Dyck, R. V., Bremner, J. D.(2004) Higher cortisol levels following exposure to traumatic Reminders in abuse-related PTSD <a href="http://userwww.service.emory.edu/%7Ejdbremn/papers/ptsdcorttr.pdf" title="http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~jdbremn/papers/ptsdcorttr.pdf">http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~jdbremn/papers/ptsdcorttr.pdf</a><br />
Engel, B. (1989). The right to innocence : Healing the trauma of childhood sexual abuse. New York, NY : Ivy Books.<br />
Engel, B. (2000). Families in recovery: Healing the damage of childhood sexual abuse. Lincolnwood, Il: Lowell House.<br />
Farber, S. (1997). Self-medication, traumatic reenactment, and somatic expression in bulimic and self-mutilating behavior. In Clinical Social Work Journal .25 (1), 87-106. Self-medication, traumatic reenactment, and somatic expression in bulimic and self-mutilating behavior <a href="http://www.springerlink.com/content/j7t710n6837185w7/" title="http://www.springerlink.com/content/j7t710n6837185w7/">http://www.springerlink.com/content/j7t710n6837185w7/</a><br />
Feiring, C., Taska, L. & Chen, K. (2002) Trying to understand why horrible things happen: attribution, shame, and symptom development following sexual abuse. In Child Maltreatment, 7, 1 (2002) 25-39. <a href="http://cmx.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/7/1/25?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=Constance+Dalenberg&searchid=1097070546272_23&stored_search=&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&journalcode=spcmx" title="http://cmx.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/7/1/25?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=Constance+Dalenberg&searchid=1097070546272_23&stored_search=&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&journalcode=spcmx">http://cmx.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/7/1/25?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=Constance+Dalenberg&searchid=1097070546272_23&stored_search=&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&journalcode=spcmx</a><br />
Frederickson, R. (1992). Repressed memories: A journey to recovery from sexual abuse. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.<br />
Freyd, J. J. (1996). Betrayal trauma: The logic of forgetting childhood abuse. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.<br />
Gartner, R. (1999). Betrayed as boys: Psychodynamic treatment of sexually abused men. New York, NY: Guilford Press.<br />
Gelinas D. (1983). Persisting negative effects of incest. In Psychiatry. 46(4) 312 – 332.<br />
Glaser, D. J. (2000) Child Abuse and Neglect and the Brain: A Review In Child Psychol. Psychiat. 41, 1; 97-116 <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10763678" title="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10763678">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10763678</a><br />
Graber, K (1991). Ghosts in the bedroom: A guide for partners of incest survivors. Deerfield Beech, FL : Health Communications, Inc.<br />
Grubman-Black, S. D. (1990). Broken boys/mending men: Recovery from childhood sexual abuse. Blue Ridge Summit, PA: Tab Books.<br />
Herman, J. L. & Hirschman, L. (1981). Father-daughter incest. Cambridge, MA : Harvard University Press<br />
Herman, J. (1997). Trauma and recovery. New York, NY: Basic Books.<br />
Hopper, J. (2003). Sexual abuse of males : Prevalence, possible lasting effects, & resources <a href="http://www.jimhopper.com/male-ab/" title="http://www.jimhopper.com/male-ab/">http://www.jimhopper.com/male-ab/</a><br />
Jumper, S. A. (1995). A meta-analysis of the relationship of child sexual abuse to adult psychological adjustment. In Child Abuse and Neglect. 19(6), 715-728.<br />
Kelly, R. J. & Ben-Meir, S. (1993). Emotional effects. In Waterman, J., Kelly, R., Oliveri, M. K. & McCord, J. (1993). Behind the playground walls: Sexual abuse in preschools. New York, NY: Guilford Press. (pp. 106 – 119)<br />
Lange, A., Beurs, E., Dolan, C., Lachnit, T., Sjollema, S. & Hanewald, G., (1999) Long-term effects of childhood sexual abuse: Objective and subjective characteristics of the abuse and psychopathology in later life In Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease,187 (3),150–158. <a href="http://journals.lww.com/jonmd/Abstract/1999/03000/Long_Term_Effects_of_Childhood_Sexual_Abuse_.4.aspx" title="http://journals.lww.com/jonmd/Abstract/1999/03000/Long_Term_Effects_of_Childhood_Sexual_Abuse_.4.aspx">http://journals.lww.com/jonmd/Abstract/1999/03000/Long_Term_Effects_of_Childhood_Sexual_Abuse_.4.aspx</a><br />
Lew, M. (1988). Victims no longer : Men recovering from incest and other sexual child abuse. New York, NY: Harper and Row, Pub, Inc.<br />
Lunderberg-Love, P. K. (1999). The resilience of the human psyche : recognition and treatment of the adult survivor of incest. In Paludi, M. A. (1999) The psychology of sexual victimization: A handbook. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press (pp. 1 – 30).<br />
Maltz, W. & Holman, B. (1987). Incest and sexuality: A guide to understanding and healing. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.<br />
McGettigan, M. L. (1992) Will they always be living this story ?: The impact of childhood sexual abuse on the sexual relationships of women survivors. Unpublished master’s thesis, Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, MA.<br />
Miller, M. (2004) Personality and the development and expression of PTSD. In PTSD research quarterly 15(3):1 – 3<br />
Miller, P. M. & Lisak, D. (1999). Associations between childhood abuse and personality disorder symptoms in college males in Journal of interpersonal violence 14(6), 642-656 .<br />
Moskowitz, A. (2004). Dissociation and violence: A review of the literature. In Trauma, Violence and Abuse, 5,1, 21 – 46 Sage Publications <a href="http://tva.sagepub.com/content/5/1/21.abstract" title="http://tva.sagepub.com/content/5/1/21.abstract">http://tva.sagepub.com/content/5/1/21.abstract</a><br />
Myers, D. (date not listed). The Relationship between sexual abuse and eating disorders <a href="http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/psychology/health_psychology/PSY297.html" title="http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/psychology/health_psychology/PSY297.html">http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/psychology/health_psychology/PSY297.html</a><br />
Oksana, C. (2001). Safe passage to healing: A guide for survivors of ritual abuse. Lincoln, NE : IUniverse.com, Inc.<br />
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Zurbriggen, E. L. & Becker-Blease, K. (2003). Predicting memory for childhood sexual abuse: “non-significant “findings with the potential for significant harm. In Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 12 (2) New York: Hawthorne Press, Inc. (pp 113-121)<a href="http://www.leadershipcouncil.org/docs/Zurb.pdf" title="http://www.leadershipcouncil.org/docs/Zurb.pdf"> http://www.leadershipcouncil.org/docs/Zurb.pdf</a><br />
</div></div></div><div id="ContextualContent"> <div id="Tabs"> <div id="featured-tab"> </div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172248934884892850.post-30879996985611080682011-07-17T18:31:00.000-07:002011-07-17T18:31:36.898-07:00Ritual Abuse, the trenches of the stopping child abuse movement<div id="MainContent"><div class="Post clearfix"><div class="PostContent"><div id="contentleft"><b>Ritual Abuse, the trenches of the stopping child abuse movement</b></div><div>by Neil Brick</div><div></div><div>(from a presentation at a 2009 conference)</div><div>The existence of ritual abuse has been one of the four places where so called skeptics and false memory syndrome proponents have attacked the credibility of child abuse survivors.<br />
<br />
The second one is attacking the theory of recovered memory. However, there is overwhelming scientific evidence that recovered memory exists as a phenomenon it has fairly high corroboration. There is also a lot of evidence that those attacking the theory of recovered memory may have ulterior motives, for example, they may have been accused of child abuse crimes or may have been connected to mind control research in the past.<br />
<br />
The third is that somehow therapists have implanted memories in child abuse survivors. However, there is little evidence that this is possible and when it has been claimed, so called retractors (if the victims even ever retracted) may have had prior symptoms of trauma before these so called implantations occurred.<br />
<br />
The fourth is the questioning of the existence of dissociation and DID/MPD. However there is overwhelming scientific evidence that these diagnoses clearly exist and that trauma contributes to the manifestation of these diagnoses.<br />
<br />
By attacking these areas, some so called skeptics and false memory syndrome proponents have worked to discredit all child abuse survivors and child abuse crimes. Some skeptics will state that they are against child abuse or that it may occasionally exist, but none appear to be active in fighting or exposing child abuse crimes.<br />
<br />
I will be focusing on why the support of the existence of ritual abuse by all the child abuse movement is crucial to the protection of the child abuse movement as a whole.<br />
<br />
Ritual abuse crimes are often the most difficult to believe because of the extreme nature of these crimes. Societies have a tendency in general to not want to believe that horrible things can happen right next door or down the street from them. Many of the atrocities that have happen throughout history have occurred in populated areas. Yet members of societies have stated after the fact that they did not know that anything was going on or that any atrocities were committed.<br />
<br />
This denial is at times encouraged by those that may have a vested interest in society maintaining a high level of denial or they may simply have trouble cognitively having an accurate world view, possibly due to their own psychodynamic issues.<br />
<br />
Catherine Gould stated:<br />
<b>“Not only do skeptics…choose to ignore eyewitness/victim accounts of ritual criminal activity, they apparently also choose to overlook the significant number of cases of ritual abuse in which perpetrators have confessed to their crimes.”</b> (Denying Ritual Abuse of Children – Catherine Gould – The Journal of Psychohistory 22 (3) 1995)<br />
“When we understand the fact that ritual abuse is usually perpetrated by groups which are deeply involved in organized crime, the underlying incentives of these cult/perpetrator groups become clean…How much money do these groups actually generate, and is it enough to impact the culture at the level of, say, media-created public opinion? This, of course, is the cloudy part of the economic argument for why ritual abuse is as wide-spread as it is, in families and in preschools, and why we as a society have been so slow to recognize and respond to the seriousness of this problem. It is by definition difficult to know who belongs to groups whose membership is highly secretive, especially when many of the membership themselves are amnestic to their involvement.<br />
<br />
Therefore, it is difficult to assess the degree to which members of these groups influence media accounts of ritual abuse, derail ritual abuse Investigations by law enforcement, are instrumental in getting children complaining of interfamilial ritual abuse sent back to an abusing parent, or hire officials to make public statements on behalf of a national law enforcement bureau to the effect that no substantial evidence of ritual abuse exists.” (Denying Ritual Abuse of Children – Catherine Gould – The Journal of Psychohistory 22 (3) 1995)<br />
“In my opinion, we in the United States deny the reality and seriousness of ritual abuse, especially as it impacts on children, in part because it threatens our images of ourselves as Americans. The thinking of the skeptic often goes something like this: Hideous crimes involving torture and mind control “don’t happen here.” (Denying Ritual Abuse of Children – Catherine Gould – The Journal of Psychohistory 22 (3) 1995)<br />
<a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/denying-ritual-abuse-of-children-catherine-gould/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/denying-ritual-abuse-of-children-catherine-gould/</a><br />
<br />
Lloyd deMause stated :<br />
“one of the most widely cited books claiming that cult abuse reports were mass hysteria is Paul and Shirley Eberle’s The Abuse of Innocence: The McMartin Preschool trial. Taken quite seriously by reviewers and widely quoted in later magazine articles as authoritative, the book makes such claims as that the over 100 McMartin children who reported they had been abused by a cult were all “brainwashed” and the mothers were all “hysterical” and that it was meaningless that physicians found three-quarters of the children bore physical evidence that corroborated their stories.<br />
<br />
What reviewers didn’t mention was that the Eberles had been called “the most prolific publishers of child pornography in the United States” by Sgt. Toby Tyler, a San Bernadino deputy sheriff who is a nationally recognized expert on child pornography. Their kiddie porn material that I have seen and the articles they have published such as “I Was a Sexpot at Five” and “Little Lolitas” Included illustrations of children involved in…“ (sexual acts)<br />
(Why Cults Terrorize and Kill Children – LLOYD DEMAUSE – The Journal of Psychohistory 21 (4) 1994)<br />
<br />
<b>It has been stated that incest is universal.</b><br />
deMause discusses the universality of incest:<br />
“In several hundred studies published by myself and my associates in The Journal of Psychohistory, we have provided extensive evidence that the history of childhood has been a nightmare from which we have only recently begun to awaken. The further back in history one goes – and the further away from the West one gets – the more massive the neglect and cruelty one finds and the more likely children are to have been killed, rejected, beaten, terrorized and sexually abused by their caretakers.”(The History of Child Abuse – Lloyd deMause - The Journal of Psychohistory V. 25, N. 3, Winter 1998)<br />
<br />
“That it is incest itself – and not the absence of incest – that has been universal for most people in most places at most times. Furthermore, the earlier in history one searches, the more evidence there is of universal incest, just as there is more evidence of other forms of child abuse.” (The Universality of Incest – Lloyd DeMause<br />
Journal of Psychohistory 19 (2) Winter 1991)<br />
<a href="http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/the-universality-of-incest-lloyd-demause/">http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/the-universality-of-incest-lloyd-demause/</a><br />
<br />
It has been stated that child pornography is a billion dollar industry and there are frequent arrests around the world for crimes of its production and possession.<br />
<br />
“Billion-Dollar Black Market Industry – Child porn has emerged as a multibillion dollar black market industry, though “average people don’t believe it,” said Ernie Allen, president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. “The reality is, with the advent of the Internet, the problem of child pornography has exploded,” said Allen…..“There’s a myth here,” he said, “and that is the myth of the stranger.” Allen pointed to NCMEC’s data, which show that most child sexual exploitation victims know the perpetrator of the crime — at least 35 percent of them are the victim’s own parents and 70 percent are other family members or someone close to the child. “Overwhelmingly, the people who are victimizing America’s children, photographing it and distributing it via child pornography are close to the child,” he said. “Many of them are their dads.” <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/Story?id=3132195&page=1">http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=3132195&page=1</a><br />
<br />
The cover up of ritual abuse may be due to the potential financial losses some of these groups may have if the children are believed. So the perpetrators may have a financial motive to create a social situation where children are not believed. <b> The DSM-IV-TR states under its DID diagnosis that the reports of patients suffering from DID are “often confirmed by objective evidence,” and that the abusers in those situations may be inclined to “deny or distort” these acts.</b><br />
<br />
Tactically, perpetrators began to see the legal and financial ramifications if their crimes against children were exposed. Cries of “witch hunt” and “panic” were used to spin and cover up crimes against children. Those (like Salter and Calof) that were working to expose these crimes or expose those that were trying to cover up alleged crimes were harassed, causing some to stop researching and advocating for children. Many presentations of child abuse crimes, like ritual abuse crimes in the media and on the web, like Wikipedia, carry only one sided accounts of these crimes, minimizing or leaving out the victims’ and prosecutors’ perspective, even in cases where convictions were found and appeals were denied.<br />
<br />
The media turned on child abuse survivors in the early and mid 1990′s and began to in essence support those that had perpetrated crimes against children, believing unfounded stories about so called “miscarriages of justice.” Due to the extreme nature of ritual abuse crimes and the psychological need for the public denial of these crimes, it became an easy sell to spin these crimes against children for the public to believe the misstatements about falsely accused perpetrators. After ritual abuse was discredited, then other child abuse crimes could be more easily discredited.<br />
<br />
Salter discusses this in “Organised abuse and the politics of disbelief” – Michael Salter – Faculty of Law Faculty of Medicine – University of New South Wales (Proceedings of the 2nd Australian & New Zealand Critical Criminology Conference 19 – 20 June 2008 Sydney, Australia – Presented by the Crime & Justice Research Network and the Australian and New Zealand Critical Criminology Network)<br />
<a href="http://www.cjrn.unsw.edu.au/critcrimproceedings2008.pdf">http://www.cjrn.unsw.edu.au/critcrimproceedings2008.pdf</a><br />
<br />
During a period in which women and children’s testimony of incest and sexual abuse were gaining an increasingly sympathetic hearing, lobby groups of people accused of child abuse construed and positioned “ritual abuse” as the new frontier of disbelief.<br />
<br />
The term “ritual abuse” arose from child protection and psychotherapy practice with adults and children disclosing organised abuse, only to be discursively encircled by backlash groups with the rhetoric of “recovered memories”, “false allegations” and “moral panic”. Seeking to recast the debate on child abuse according to an older politics of disbelief, these groups and activists attempted to characterise sexual abuse testimony, as a whole, through the lens of “ritual abuse”:<br />
<br />
Quote from Pamela Freyd:<br />
It must be obvious to rational people that accusations based on memories that include satanic ritual are delusions of some sort. For those of us who are only accused of ‘run-of-the-mill incest,’ this should turn out to be some help. If ‘memories’ of satanic abuse can be induced in therapy then so can memories’ of incest or anything else. (Pamela Freyd, co-founder of the False Memory Syndrome Foundation, quoted in Calof 1993)<br />
<br />
Salter continues:<br />
It does not take much effort to understand why people accused of child sexual abuse may engage in a vigorous defence of their innocence, nor why they might be joined by professional defence experts that make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year defending them. What does bear explaining is the purchase that their rhetoric found in the media, academia and the broader community.<br />
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Since the 1980s, disclosures of organised abuse have been disparaged by a range of activists, journalists and researchers who have focused, in particular, on cases in which sexually abusive groups were alleged to have behaved in ritualistic or ceremonial ways (e.g. Eberle and Eberle 1986; Loftus and Ketcham 1994; Wakefield and Underwager 1994; Guilliatt 1996; Nathan and Snedeker 1996; Ofshe and Watters 1996). Whilst these authors claimed to be writing in the interests of science and social justice, what has emerged from their writing are a familiar set of arguments about the credibility of women and children’s testimony of sexual violence; in short, that women and children are prone to a range of memory and cognitive errors that lead them to make false allegations of rape.<br />
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<b>As survivors of child abuse, we need to rebut these arguments</b> (of the so-called skeptics). We need to know the facts. We need to fight against the arguments that protect child abusers. Every time a statement is made in the media against survivors of child abuse, the media needs to hear from hundreds of survivors. Everyone needs to write an intelligent letter, backed by facts. Every time a biased web page is created against survivors of child abuse, we need to create several intelligent, well-written pages to counter these. We need to get into the debate to tell our side of the story in every place we can. Wherever there is an opening for our side of the story, we must be there to tell it. And we need to say why we are telling this side of the story, to protect children from being abused and to help those that have been abused. We need to start getting published again in peer reviewed journals and start publishing nonfiction books about this topic in major publishing houses.<br />
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I will close with a quote from Audre Lorde:<br />
“I have come to believe over and over again, that what is most important to me must be spoken, made verbal and shared, even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood…. My silences had not protected me. Your silence will not protect you…. and while we wait in silence for that final luxury of fearlessness, the weight of that silence will choke us. The fact that we are here and that I speak these words is an attempt to break that silence and bridge some of those differences between us, for it is not difference which immobilizes us, but silence. And there are so many silences to be broken.” Audre Lorde (The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action, Sister Outsider).</div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com