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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRFK'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/
Prairie Gates
(7,194 posts)Bernardo de La Paz
(60,320 posts)keep_left
(3,160 posts)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).
https://democraticunderground.com/100219957391#post3
WhiteTara
(31,193 posts)Work will set you free?
Srkdqltr
(9,365 posts)Biophilic
(6,402 posts)This is wrong and evil on every level. Dont justify some of fascism most abhorrent ideas.
eShirl
(20,080 posts)hlthe2b
(112,812 posts)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)This is exactly what the Nazis did early in the 30s. There is nothing ok about this plan.
hlthe2b
(112,812 posts)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)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)You owe me an apology and your ugly retort deleted. Shame on you!
WhiteTara
(31,193 posts)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)Check that box on my bingo card.
WhiteTara
(31,193 posts)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.
yardwork
(68,975 posts)Biophilic
(6,402 posts)To take someones freedom and right to communicate is straight up fascism. And dont 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)and sounds very expensive.
Cheap labor rarely is.
For instance, what do they do in the winter?
womanofthehills
(10,713 posts)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??
yardwork
(68,975 posts)womanofthehills
(10,713 posts)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)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)The "counselors" would have a a field day.
JFC with all this dimwit Kennedy bullshit.
Progressive dog
(7,572 posts)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.
lame54
(39,212 posts)Fruit was a luxury only for the super rich
spanone
(141,009 posts)He is truly mentally damaged.
yellow dahlia
(4,543 posts)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)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 cant because theyre, you know, SICK? Who gets sent there just because they cause good trouble?
Kennedys mad as a hatter. I say this as a professional.
rollin74
(2,272 posts)Sounds perfectly reasonable to me
Ilsa
(63,832 posts)personality disorders, drug addictions, etc?
Grins
(9,245 posts)New name for an old tyranny.
IronLionZion
(50,819 posts)and then you never see the pet ever again.
sop
(17,426 posts)Next RFK Jr. will order lobotomies for the incorrigible ones (like his aunt).
Norrrm
(4,003 posts)SamKnause
(14,689 posts)Attilatheblond
(8,289 posts)Wild swings between giggling and wanting to see THAT movie.