At This Ain't Hell, they put it a bit nicer by pointing out the irrational fear of veterans, but that is only part of it. Yes, it is bigotry and it is a politically correct bigotry readily pushed and endorsed by the entertainment and "news" media: the meme of the crazed vet, just waiting to snap. Bottom line, it caters to their bigotry and makes money for them. It is also a lack of professional standards, professional integrity, and more. On 10 February 2010 (pdf), veteran Matthew Corrigan called what he thought was a military support number because he had been down and not sleeping well. What he got instead was a/the National Suicide Hotline. Not being suicidal, he talked to them for a few minutes, hungup, took he prescribed sleep medicine, and went to bed. At 0400, the SWAT team arrived, took him down after calling him outside, and when he refused to grant them permission for a search, DC's Finest (heavy sarcasm) gave a stout "I don't have time to play this constitutional bullshit!" and kicked in the locked front door. Corrigan did indeed make some errors. First, was in answering a question about firearms honestly. Second, trusting in the professionalism of the hotline. Third, trusting in the integrity and professionalism of the DC police. Good news is, he is suing and I hope he wins, and that the officers involved are out of jobs as they don't appear to be deserving of wearing any uniform other than a prison uniform as inmates. I hope he takes the district for a lot more than he is asking for. As for the hotline, thanks guys. I am going to go there, and say that this is why many don't trust the system, and that in your handling of this, you probably have cost some lives. I am going to go further, and say that those deaths rest on the heads of the person ansering the phone and those up the chain from them involved in this fiasco. You have proven that you can't be trusted, and others are paying for that. Suicide is a serious problem, and one made all the worse because those that need help the most are afraid to get it because they know the system will, all to often, penalize them. If you are down, and most especially if you are thinking of harming yourself, please do talk to someone. Find a buddy, find someone who's been there, and talk. Despite this, there are competent professionals who understand privacy and patient rights. There are other resources: please use them. There are those that care, that can help, and will do all they can for you and work to help you not suffer for trying to get help. LW off to try to get his blood pressure back down
Read the complete post at http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Blackfive/~3/oMN5Q6jVt8A/constitutional-bullshit-killing-veterans.html
Posted
Feb 08 2012, 12:24 AM
by
BLACKFIVE