China to New Orleans: mental health treatment issues that thwart democracy

One thing I have trouble doing is separating what I know about people and what I feel about them. I can understand whole peoples and how societies behave without being able to separate what I feel I understand from what I do not.

So, I read about different peoples. I keep up on news.

I read about China a lot. I do not know the makings, the inner workings, or the decision making process of how things get done in China. I would never propose I do. But, I am interested.

I do know that what I read about Chinese treatment of marginalized populations, of the mass poor, the least educated, of handicapped and mentally ill; it sounds deplorable. I am no expert on jails nor mental illness: Yet there must be some kernel of truth to these awful reports.

So, this blog is a conglomeration of articles I have compiled. It is a strange confluence of events.

Ultimately, what I have been discovering also is that where I live, New Orleans, and other U.S. cities have similar treatment of marginalized populations (especially mentally ill) as in China.
We have similar models of therapy. Therapy through incarceration means 'cleaning our streets' of today's mentally ill. These are the emerging trends of mental health diagnosis and treatment in our western world and in the east. (Are these trends offshoots of the privatization of prisons?) Hopefully, these are outlier trends which are justly in need of being challenged here in the USA. But, only the fact that these trends of incarceration as therapy exist is putrid evil to me.

Similarities with political repression and mental illness designations between China and New Orleans are scary!

We live surrounded by an epidemic of diagnosis and an utter dearth of treatment. And, we pass this tragedy off to our incarcerating powers when our lack of resource and will allows these our poorest and least confident amongst us to fall out from society.

How far are we really from diagnosing difference and political independence as 'evils?'

I see the same deplorable actions by local governments in my own community back home in the USA. In New Orleans, we already incarcerate insanity into jails. The mentally ill have a cell and very limited resources. Families are not encouraged to be committed and involved in finding a long-term cure for ill family members. Medications are inefficient and restricted due to costs.

A link to Nola.com about controversy around rebuilding OPP Jail was not a very helpful one in explaining the debate. 'Katrina Time' and OPP seem synonymous with Jail Expense Abuse.

This one is better:

The Incarceration Capital of the US
A struggle over the size of New Orleans’ jail could define the city’s future
By Jordan Flaherty
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jordan-flaherty/the-incarceration-capital_b_781150.html

But, as I started out saying, I have no first hand news. I have not been inside these places. And, I want to find less partialized news. I want more open access and exchange between peoples. Allowing reporters access is essential.


Democracy really does mean an opening up of channels of belief and communication between all peoples. It cannot work in isolation. If it is true that China routinely locks up politically assertive petitioning citizens to reduce participation, this is not helpful. It hurts world democratic health.

It was with great pain that I got through this interesting NYTimes series which you may have already seen on mental health treatment issues in China. The area featured in the article on the border of Vietnam is relatively near Changsha (about 12-18 hours by bus - China is very big!). This is where my grandmother was born and grew up. Her father a doctor; I have to ask myself - in conditions of sanity and treatment of the insane; how much has really changed?

I remember my grandmother's opinion about health care. All people deserved access, attention, dignity, therapy. Good Health care should be a national priority in the USA and in China.

Is it not still the case today that the way we treat the weakest, the most hopeless, the destitute, the least among us, is a perfect reflection of our society in terms of our general mental health?

A new NOLA.com article come out just after this blog was published seeking public participation in the shaping of this decision. Does the Sheriff really want informed participation and approval?

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Land of Opportunity: Questions about the Future of New Orleans and Beyond

As long as we have known her, Luisa Dantas was making her documentary about post-Katrina, New Orleans. Now, on the heels of the 5th Anniversary of the disaster, she is releasing her documentary film, "Land of Opportunity". A great trailer for the film can be seen on the Land of Opportunity website.

Luisa spent a lot of time attending the meetings which planned the reconstruction after the disaster. She spent a lot of time listening. She attended the community meetings and got to know many of the passions which guide New Orleans' determination to exist.

Her documentary will raise questions which we should all be asking about how our lives may be affected by disaster. It will ask us to become more aware of how major events such as natural or man made disasters, war, economic crisis etc can be major shifts upsetting the lives of individuals, communities, entire peoples, even the planet.

Today's headlines described economic shudders felt globally, climate changes gone unnoticed, wars without certain end, continued environmental degradation. Luisa's film takes one relatively small event - the human and nature caused destruction of an economically insignificant city in which mostly peoples' communities were severely affected. Yet, it transposes these events onto us all. Could this type of event, could this type of disaster, affect your community? If something like a Katrina hurricane happened in your country, how would the community that you live in recover? What makes for a resilient community? What are efforts governments and others can support or enhance following disasters to grow human restoration, community engagement, and cultural resiliency?

A free community screening of the movie, "Land of Opportunity" by Luisa Dantas is an appropriate way to view this film and begin these important conversations. If you can't be in New Orleans for the sneak peek - make certain to support it coming to your town.

Happening Here: An Evening of Film,Theater, Poetry, and Food

Featuring Poet Sunni Patterson, The New Orleans Day Labor Theater of Revolution, and a SNEAK PEEK of the documentary film Land of Opportunity!

SATURDAY, AUGUST 14TH • 5PM-9PM • WARREN EASTON HIGH SCHOOL 3019 CANAL ST • FREE EVENT • FOOD AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE

Doors at 5PM, Program begins at 6PM

This event is organized in partnership with JoLu Productions, New Orleans Video Access Center, PATOIS: The New Orleans International Human Rights Film Festival, The Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center, Survivors Village, and the Louisiana Justice Institute. Land of Opportunity is a multi-platform documentary project that follows people from different walks of life through the last four and a half years of the reconstruction of this city. During this time, footage and short pieces have been used as tools for organizing and education and even featured in art exhibits in New Orleans and across the country. After years of filming, we and our partners want to share this work with our friends and family: the entire New Orleans community! Please join us as we present this evening of performances and film designed to inspire, educate, and galvanize.

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