SPOT-ON Email from a MRFF Supporter, retired JAG and always Twice the Citizen: “Circling the drain with Ben Carson”

From: <email address withheld>
Date: March 1, 2022 at 12:10:09 PM MST
To: Military Religious Freedom Foundation <[email protected]>, “Michael L. Weinstein” <[email protected]>
Subject: Circling the drain with Ben Carson

Like hundreds of thousands of Veterans, I have mental illness. I’ve also had two beloved family members with schizoid disorder and schizophrenia, and I have known others with such in my many years as a lawyer defending the civil rights of persons with mental illness. This so-called “brilliant physician” showed complete disrespect and contempt for persons with mental illness, and specifically those with schizophrenia. To convey the notion that adherents to liberal democracy espouse contradictory ideas, he used the old ignorant trope and slur that schizophrenia is “multiple personalities.”
It is astounding that any educated adult would say such a thing in a public address in 2022 before the world at any of our prestigious military academies, but as a doctor – and he does exploit his medical credentials for credibility with his audiences – he should be familiar with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. It describes schizophrenia as clinically presenting as the opposite, as obsessive on an idea, like paranoia about harm from others, belief in a special power, fixation on a celebrity like the former president-television star that the doctor shills for.
In addition to misusing his medical credentials to butcher the actual protections for religious freedom in our Constitution, he lacks self-control to refrain from mocking people with mental illness, contributing to the stigma they suffer from the inhumanity of people like him.
What was the message, the pain, to any cadet or faculty member with a loved one or friend with mental illness? Is this the model for the Air Force Medical Command’s mental health treatment, including for schizophrenia, to Airmen and their families? If not, where is their voice? They can make a public statement renouncing this. They can send a reassuring message to their patient population and staff sensitivity training, especially with suicide prevention. Everyone knew Carson was one of the worst choices to give a pulpit of the American people to, any physician can call for an IG investigation and report this on any active medical license Mr. Carson holds. We’re waiting.
Shame on every Air Force official inculcating the next generation with hate because anything justifies a “win” in their political-religious “war” on freedom, equality, democracy.

 ~ MRFF Supporter, retired JAG and always Twice the Citizen

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