Bombs and aid

The U.S. government is donating $510 million in aid to the Egyptian government, or better yet, President Morsi. Morsi has been a declared jihadist, associated with the Muslim Brotherhood. He is against the state of Israel and any other country that expresses democracy.

There is a constant political war in Washington in regard to the welfare of our citizens. However, there is no argument or debate as to the freebies we are providing to other foreign countries.

What becomes of the aid? It only goes one way, to the bank accounts of their governing body, none to the people in dire need. Some of this aid is used to purchase armaments in case they have to fight United States. What kind of fools are we?

I am not a warmonger. However, in the case of Iran, simply concretely state you will stop all proliferation of nuclear facilities, and if not bomb the hell out of those underground facilities and air defense network. This will stop this threatening situation. How are they going to retaliate, their main control is disseminated?

North Korea will simultaneously stop their rhetoric. In reality, I fear Korea, because of that kid. Why is it that the government can not find funds to help the elderly and their financial crisis but yet can allocate millions of our taxpayer dollars to support, in essence, our enemy?

Do we live under a democracy or socialism? What about our elected congressman and senators, do they vote according to their constituents' belief or for any legislation which financially benefits them?

Speaking about the elected officials, numerous persons email, send letters, phone calls, etc. They are not responded, they are already drawing their salary and have no time to address these matters.


La Mesa

Stay on medication

There I was, reaching for my cup of coffee and basking in the wonderful afterglow of the recent success of Minds Interrupted (the theater production in which seven people presented their actual stories of how mental illness has impacted their lives, at the Rio Grande Theater) to a crowd of about 350 people when — what should appear but another letter from Al Galves again denouncing all use of psychotropic medications.

If even one person who has a brain disorder reads his article and reacts by going off a medication, it could be dangerous and even life threatening. For example, if a person with bipolar disorder stopped his medication, became manic and suicidal as a result of reading his article — the "side effects" of his writing could be lethal.

Using sentences such as "The great majority of those symptoms (referring to symptoms related to mental illness) are caused by traumatic life experiences and concerns about one's life" is frankly, based on delusions. I was fortunate enough to meet a psychiatrist 25 years ago who said, "The reason we used to blame the parents and the patients is we did not know what else to do."

If I could condense and bottle my 40 years of nursing and extensive hours of observing psychiatric patients and their responses to psychotropic medications to Galves, I would do it in a heartbeat. As I am sure one patient I remember would also — a patient with bipolar disorder, who was an extremely talented carpenter. When off his medications he required three people with him to prevent him from hurting himself or others. When finally stabilized with a medication he was "embarrassed" at what a raucus he had caused, but grateful he could feel comfortable, again in his own skin.


President Nami-Dac

State Nami Board Member

Las Cruces