Public Comment

New: A Brief Response to Ralph Stone

By Jack Bragen
Saturday April 12, 2014 - 12:03:00 PM

Dear Mr. Stone, in your article, you concluded with: "It is time for opponents of AOT to look at the facts."

However, the only facts that you have shown are results of a survey by Treatment Advocacy Center. This is an organization with a built-in bias. Those in charge of this organization have already made up their minds that we need forced treatment. Thus, the results of any survey are likely to be skewed in favor of proving your assumptions.

Furthermore, you have said that anyone who opposes "AOT" programs must not be "intellectually honest." You are saying that anyone who disagrees with you is automatically dishonest. Why is that accusation necessary? Could you rephrase your statements to say, "This is what I think"? 

The term "Assisted Outpatient Treatment" to me looks like a dishonesty, because in fact you are talking about forced outpatient treatment. 

I have not seen a provision in this law that is going to end homelessness. You are saying it is "indefensible" to leave people "with a serious mental disorder on the streets." Yet you have not shown how this law will provide food and shelter. 

In short, I believe that you have not proven anything. You are expressing a point of view, and you should not assert that anyone who disagrees is automatically dishonest or not seeing the facts.