Tell Your Shrinks

Dear Internets:

Is your shrink a Ph.D.? (Oh, c'mon, of course you have a shrink!) If so, tell your psychologist that their professional organization supports psychologist participation in torture. Why? Well, because the task force that came up with the recommendations on policy was chock-full of psychologists who had, well, participated in torture. So their policy looks a lot like what the DOD would like it to look like.

And why did the DOD have to get the American Psychological Association to condone torture? Because the American Psychiatric Association, in May (FINALLY! -- the participation of psychiatrists in interrogations amounting to torture has been known for a couple of years now) decided to bar psychiatrists from participating in interrogations (torturous or not). Fine, said the Pentagon. We didn't want you bloody MD's anyway, with your wimpy Hippocratic Oath. We'll take the tough, manly Ph.D.s instead.

So tell your Ph.D. head-shrinker to join the revolt against the APA's new guidelines. There's a meeting in early August. Even if your head-shrinker is not going, he or she can surely write a little email. Send them to Psychologists for Social Responsibility for more info.