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Ruffhowse

(1,457 posts)
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 01:04 PM Feb 2025

RFK's plan to make America healthy again? Send people with mental health conditions to farms

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claims replacing psychological care with unpaid work on "wellness farms" would be voluntary.

On Thursday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that echoes Kennedy's lie that he wants to "make America healthy again." HHS is ordered to "assess the prevalence of and threat posed by the prescription of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, stimulants, and weight-loss drugs." But it's clear from the context that no good faith assessment is intended, as the order repeatedly cites a preordained conclusion that there is an "over-utilization of medication" and an "over-reliance on medication and treatments."

Kennedy has long had it out for these drugs, and repeatedly argues that the only prevention most people need is better willpower. Kennedy occasionally tosses a red herring about "environmental" causes of illness, but mostly he frames the issue as a matter of personal failing, focusing on people's diets and exercise habits as the "root causes" of nearly all illnesses. He regards anti-depressants as an "addictive drug," falsely claiming people have "a much worse time getting off of SSRIs than they have getting off of heroin."

Instead of letting people have drugs that keep them healthy, Kennedy's "solution" looks very much like punishing them for perceived personal failures by putting people into labor camps, which he euphemistically calls "wellness farms." As Mother Jones reported in July, people would be relegated to these "farms," where they would be denied their prescription medications. They would also be barred from having cell phones, computers, or other means to contact the outside world. They would be put to work full-time, presumably for little or no pay, growing organic food. He claims this process would "reparent" supposedly broken people, again framing mental health issues as not a medical issue, but a personal failure.

https://www.salon.com/2025/02/19/rfk-s-plan-to-make-america-healthy-again-round-up-people-with-mental-health-conditions-in-camps/


36 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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RFK's plan to make America healthy again? Send people with mental health conditions to farms (Original Post) Ruffhowse Feb 2025 OP
Reeducation through Labor Prairie Gates Feb 2025 #1
I think you have an insight. Like Soviet "psychiatric" treatments of dissidents. . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Feb 2025 #3
Yep. It's basically the all-American version of Maoist re-education camps. keep_left Feb 2025 #17
what was the phrase over the Auschwitz gate? WhiteTara Feb 2025 #36
Who knows, maybe that will work. Who pays? Without IRS no money coming in. Srkdqltr Feb 2025 #2
Exactly what the "good" Germans said in the early 1930s. Biophilic Feb 2025 #9
reeducation camps for woke mind virus eShirl Feb 2025 #4
Not at all meaning to suggest that mental health illness is suggestive of violent tendencies-- it is not... hlthe2b Feb 2025 #5
Don't give this truly abhorrent plan any justification. Biophilic Feb 2025 #8
You want to actually read my post again? Where the hell did I give this plan any support...? hlthe2b Feb 2025 #11
No. It's playing on their field. LuvLoogie Feb 2025 #27
I did NO such thing. Your accusation toward me is as despicable as I've seen on DU hlthe2b Feb 2025 #30
This is designed to replace WhiteTara Feb 2025 #6
I figured they planned to reinstate slavery to replace migrant labor. yardwork Feb 2025 #18
This is a form of slavery WhiteTara Feb 2025 #34
Exactly. yardwork Feb 2025 #35
This is so amazingly abhorrent that I'm having trouble finding words. Biophilic Feb 2025 #7
This is stupid on so many levels Red Mountain Feb 2025 #10
Winter time on the farm womanofthehills Feb 2025 #14
You go first. yardwork Feb 2025 #19
It's like living on a farm rehab for the young womanofthehills Feb 2025 #12
I'm sure you'll have a fabulous time. yardwork Feb 2025 #20
Imagine all those boys and girls out there. Klarkashton Feb 2025 #26
We should expect no less from a Trump pick. Progressive dog Feb 2025 #13
In Soylent Green... lame54 Feb 2025 #15
The one with the least mental health is the man proposing this. spanone Feb 2025 #16
Absolutely. yellow dahlia Feb 2025 #32
The potential for abuse is breathtaking. nolabear Feb 2025 #21
Labor camps as "treatment" for mental illness rollin74 Feb 2025 #22
How much farm work did he do to get over his Ilsa Feb 2025 #23
"Wellness farms;" aka the "Killing Fields". Grins Feb 2025 #24
Is that like when parents tell kids they're sending a sick pet to go live in a farm? IronLionZion Feb 2025 #25
Wokeism will be defined as a mental illness, as will be anyone who disagrees with Trump. sop Feb 2025 #28
Sounds like a huge gov't program. Norrrm Feb 2025 #29
You first you sick fuck !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SamKnause Feb 2025 #31
Trying to visualize Elon down on the farm Attilatheblond Feb 2025 #33

keep_left

(3,160 posts)
17. Yep. It's basically the all-American version of Maoist re-education camps.
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 02:33 PM
Feb 2025

Of course, because this is the USA, it also has a big dose of old-time hee-haw American Calvinism (the afflicted deserve their affliction--they brought it on themselves).

...You know: the rich are blessed, the poor are cursed, and so both deserve their station in life. We saw a variation of it during the pandemic, when assholes like MTG and Bill Maher claimed that those who came down with Covid didn't go to the gym enough, ate too many Twinkies, etc. (MTG made a YouTube video about how "the gym is my vaccine!" ).

https://democraticunderground.com/100219957391#post3

Biophilic

(6,402 posts)
9. Exactly what the "good" Germans said in the early 1930s.
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 01:23 PM
Feb 2025

This is wrong and evil on every level. Don’t justify some of fascism most abhorrent ideas.

hlthe2b

(112,812 posts)
5. Not at all meaning to suggest that mental health illness is suggestive of violent tendencies-- it is not...
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 01:15 PM
Feb 2025

That said the most mentally ill schizophrenics (quite the minority, mind you) certainly can be...

So, why am I picturing/reminded of Truman Capote's infamous "In Cold Blood..." and the small farming community of Holcomb, Kansas?

That said, of course, many who are depressed might benefit from a change of scenery and outdoor time, but that hardly means they NEVER need medications as well or that their problems are dietary...

Biophilic

(6,402 posts)
8. Don't give this truly abhorrent plan any justification.
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 01:19 PM
Feb 2025

This is exactly what the Nazis’ did early in the 30’s. There is nothing ok about this “plan”.

hlthe2b

(112,812 posts)
11. You want to actually read my post again? Where the hell did I give this plan any support...?
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 01:30 PM
Feb 2025

Good gawd. Do you think comparing his plan to creating another Truman Capote scenario as the worst-case scenario for the most ill supports his plan?

As to my accurate comments about depression and the outdoors as a small part of therapy--that hardly is justification for forced relocation camps. It is anticipating and countering his arguments.

LuvLoogie

(8,513 posts)
27. No. It's playing on their field.
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 04:23 PM
Feb 2025

It's letting them frame the issue. Getting you to agree on the intent and debate the validity of "farms."

Rather than a ground up from birth holistic approach to health, they take an ax to all science and give it over to RFK Jr's paranoid wellness cult.

We need to stand in the gap on every front facing these nihilist racist thieves.

hlthe2b

(112,812 posts)
30. I did NO such thing. Your accusation toward me is as despicable as I've seen on DU
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 04:55 PM
Feb 2025

You owe me an apology and your ugly retort deleted. Shame on you!

WhiteTara

(31,193 posts)
6. This is designed to replace
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 01:16 PM
Feb 2025

immigrant labor.

Mao had re-education camps as well. Let those kids work for their food, none of them need an educationn. I wonder if they will be in locked barracks with guards on a tower to make sure they can't escape?

yardwork

(68,975 posts)
18. I figured they planned to reinstate slavery to replace migrant labor.
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 02:35 PM
Feb 2025

Check that box on my bingo card.

WhiteTara

(31,193 posts)
34. This is a form of slavery
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 05:26 PM
Feb 2025

If all people on SSRI's are imprisoned on these farms, we will never need immigrant labor again. 1 in 8 people in American are on these drugs.

Biophilic

(6,402 posts)
7. This is so amazingly abhorrent that I'm having trouble finding words.
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 01:17 PM
Feb 2025

To take someone’s freedom and right to communicate is straight up fascism. And don’t even try to explain how this is going to be voluntary.
I think there are many problems with our use of psychiatric drugs, but I know that there are many victories. To even consider a plan like this with little to no solid research is out and out evil.
One of the first groups the Nazis’ came for were those with mental illnesses. For the government to talk about this possible plan is wrong, wrong, and wrong again.

Red Mountain

(2,265 posts)
10. This is stupid on so many levels
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 01:27 PM
Feb 2025

and sounds very expensive.

Cheap labor rarely is.

For instance, what do they do in the winter?

womanofthehills

(10,713 posts)
14. Winter time on the farm
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 01:43 PM
Feb 2025

Garden in greenhouse (Martha Steward has orange & lemon trees yr round) - take care of chickens, sheep, goats, milk your cows - can and freeze food - Hello??

womanofthehills

(10,713 posts)
12. It's like living on a farm rehab for the young
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 01:37 PM
Feb 2025

Instead of being locked inside a rehab facility, you can live and work on a farm with other young people -kind of like the old hippy days. My grandson has a bad drug problem and kind of a working farm, rehab, hiking,therapy commune sounds like something kids would go for. As of now, only the rich have access to top notch rehab. Current rehab centers not working very well.

yardwork

(68,975 posts)
20. I'm sure you'll have a fabulous time.
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 02:38 PM
Feb 2025

Don't forget to write. If they let you have a pen and paper. Maybe you could make ink from berry juice, write a note on birchbark, and give it to a nice homing pigeon.

Klarkashton

(4,727 posts)
26. Imagine all those boys and girls out there.
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 04:14 PM
Feb 2025

The "counselors" would have a a field day.

JFC with all this dimwit Kennedy bullshit.

Progressive dog

(7,572 posts)
13. We should expect no less from a Trump pick.
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 01:39 PM
Feb 2025

They make things up so they can legally deal with others like any sadist would want. RFK jr should be the first patient at his torture farm. Elon should be second, but he'd have to leave his chainsaw at home.

spanone

(141,009 posts)
16. The one with the least mental health is the man proposing this.
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 01:51 PM
Feb 2025

He is truly mentally damaged.

yellow dahlia

(4,543 posts)
32. Absolutely.
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 05:15 PM
Feb 2025

Being certifiable (listed in the DSM) is a prerequisite for Cabinet member status.

Hey even Pam Bondi was has been shamelessly in full personality disorder mode. Not that I'm licensed to diagnose.

nolabear

(43,849 posts)
21. The potential for abuse is breathtaking.
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 02:48 PM
Feb 2025

First, how do people get there? Are they rounded up against their will? Do they volunteer? How do they detox? Who oversees staff? Who keeps them from harming themselves or others? What if they refuse to work or cooperate or simply can’t because they’re, you know, SICK? Who gets sent there just because they cause good trouble?

Kennedy’s mad as a hatter. I say this as a professional.

Ilsa

(63,832 posts)
23. How much farm work did he do to get over his
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 03:53 PM
Feb 2025

personality disorders, drug addictions, etc?

IronLionZion

(50,819 posts)
25. Is that like when parents tell kids they're sending a sick pet to go live in a farm?
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 04:08 PM
Feb 2025

and then you never see the pet ever again.

sop

(17,426 posts)
28. Wokeism will be defined as a mental illness, as will be anyone who disagrees with Trump.
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 04:24 PM
Feb 2025

Next RFK Jr. will order lobotomies for the incorrigible ones (like his aunt).

Attilatheblond

(8,289 posts)
33. Trying to visualize Elon down on the farm
Fri Feb 21, 2025, 05:21 PM
Feb 2025

Wild swings between giggling and wanting to see THAT movie.

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