MindFreedom International News - 1 May 2009
For a Nonviolent Revolution in Mental Health!
http://www.mindfreedom.org/ray - please forward

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Today, Friday, 1 May 2009:

Successful Protest Held Inside Minnesota State Capitol Rotunda
to Stop Ray's Forced Shock

by David W. Oaks, Director, MindFreedom International

ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA: For three hours today, several dozen participants
successfully held a peaceful MindFreedom International protest of the
ongoing forced electroshock of Ray Sandford, a 55-year-old resident of
Columbia Heights, Minnesota. The loud protest was held directly inside
the majestic Rotunda of the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul,
Friday, 1 May 2009.

Speakers during a news conference, covered by both mainstream and
alternative media, included myself (flying in from Oregon, thanks to
donated air ticket by MFI member Darby Penney), plus:

* Louise Bouta, long-time psychiatric rights activist and
electroshock survivor.

* Al Galves, PhD, psychologist, author, mental health consumer,
and MindFreedom board member, from New Mexico.

* Daryl Trones, mental health activist and father of a
psychiatric survivor.

* Janet Saugstad, author and psychiatric survivor of the
Veteran's Administration.

* Amy Storbakken psychiatric survivor and promoter of alternative
medicine for mental health.

* John Wilson, a psychiatric survivor running for Mayor of
Minneapolis.

* Jennifer Padelford, representing the Mental Health Consumer/
Survivor Network of Minnesota, who spoke out about the need to hear
the voice of mental health consumers/psychiatric survivors.

Louis Kayser, a MindFreedom member, drove for hours from Iowa to
participate saying, "I have always wanted to be in a MindFreedom
protest. I want to go to more protests!" Louis made signs for the
event, videotaped the news conference, and even carpooled speakers
back to their homes.

For a few photographs of the MindFreedom "May Day for Ray" protest
inside the Minnesota Capitol Rotunda, click here:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/shield/ray/ray-sandford-may-day-minnesota

or go here:

http://tinyurl.com/may-day-for-ray

A number of speakers told their stories, and expressed their support
for Ray, during a public speak out.

Then, after a post-protest lunch, about nine MindFreedom activists
visited a number of Ray's elected officials. The delegation discovered
special interest from Ray's State Representative, Carolyn Laine, who
met with the delegation for about half an hour. Ray is a constituent
of Rep. Laine, who pledged to work with the new ECT Work Group that
has been formed by several mental health agencies because of the Ray
Campaign.

See ACTION below about how to thank Rep. Laine!

The reception was much chillier at the office of State Senator Satveer
S. Chaudhary, who is supposed to represent his constituent Ray
Sandford. To read about Sen. Chaudhary's "stonewall" positiion on Ray,
click here:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/ray-sandford-minnesota/satveer-s-chaudhary

A six-month campaign to stop Sandford's electroshocks has gained
international attention. Sandford has been shocked more than 40 times
on an outpatient basis under a court order even though he and his
family have clearly stated his desire not to be shocked. Sandford
lives in a residential group home and is under the general
guardianship of Lutheran Social Services.

"It's amazing that a man who is supposedly being protected by
Minnesota court-appointed guardians and who has been represented in
court hearings by a Minnesota public defender is suffering this kind
of human rights violation," said Dr. Galves.

Galves said that electroshock -- also known as electroconvulsive
therapy or ECT -- subjects the patient to as much as 600 volts of
electricity for between one-half and four seconds. "It disables the
brain," Galves said.

MindFreedom International is an independent nonprofit coalition of
psychiatric survivors and others who advocate for the increased
availability of safe, humane and effective care for people who are
experiencing psychiatric emergencies and who oppose involuntary
treatment. MindFreedom can be contacted at office@....

~~~~~~~~~~~~

ACTION * ACTION * ACTION

Please *THANK* Ray's elected State Representative Carolyn Laine for
personally meeting with the MindFreedom delegation, and agreeing to
look into Ray's human rights!

Show Rep. Laine there is widespread support for her taking action,
from throughout the USA and the world!

E-mail: rep.carolyn.laine@...

phone: 651-296-4331

Postal mail:

Rep. Carolyn Laine
407 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155 USA

For more information on the Ray Campaign see:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/ray

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SUPPORT NONVIOLENT DIRECT ACTION?

Then Support MindFreedom International!

MindFreedom International is one of the few totally-independent
nonprofit organizations in the mental health advocacy field, with zero
funding from the mental health system, governments, drug companies or
religions.

That means YOUR membership and donation are CRUCIAL to MindFreedom
International's campaigns for human rights alternatives.

Join or donate now:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/join-donate

Times are tough, so that makes it even more important that each and
every person give what he or she can.

Benefits include MindFreedom Journal, special web and e-mail
networking, discount on http://www.madmarket.org purchases,
MindFreedom Shield, member services office... and a nonviolent
revolution in mental health.

Support voices for choices in mental health!

Mind Your Freedom!

Donate, join now or renew early here:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/join-donate

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TOMORROW Saturday, 2 May, 2009, MindFreedom Twin City Affiliate
supporters meet in a strategy session at 10:30 am at 1450 West Lake
St., Minnesota. All supporters welcome, free.

SUNDAY, 3 May 2009, at 8 am, peacefully leaflet in front of Central
Lutheran Church at 333 S. 12th, Minneapolis. This ELCA church is one
of 'owners' of guardianship services overseeing Ray. (Will LSS let Ray
visit with a new psychiatrist on Monday? So far, they are blocking
this!)

Then at noon, Sunday, meet at the Green Medicine booth at the enormous
MAY DAY PARADE FESTIVAL, ask for Amy. We're in the program. This is a
fun event, so we're using humor. Prepare to do roving guerilla theater
to "Screen for Normality" with Al & David, in a an easy street skit
created by clown troupe of Patch Adams. We have doctor outfits for
all, and hundreds of flyers about how nobody is normal... and how Ray
is getting forced electroshock.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please forward this alert to all supportive people on and off the
Internet, now!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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