MINDFREEDOM INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELEASE

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MINDFREEDOM INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELEASE - Oct. 2007http://www.mindfree dom.org - urgent: please forwardYou Can Screen the American Psychiatric Association Headquarters for "Normality"!This Thursday, 11 October 2007, Noon, Activists Hold Skit in Front of APA.ARLINGTON, VIGINIA: You can help screen the American Psychiatric Association headquarters in Washington, D.C. for "normality," along with activists arriving from throughout the USA.The date of 11 October 2007 is widely considered "Mental Health Screening Day."The mental health industry encourages everyone to take a simple quiz that day. That sounds good to most people. But without information, advocacy, and alternatives, activists say mental health screening can lead to human rights violations such as over-drugging, especially of youth.At noon, on Thursday, 11 October 2007, MindFreedom International invites you to be in Arlington, Virginia, in a nonviolent "guerilla theater" led by MindFreedom board member and psychologist Al Galves of Arizona, physician Larry Plumlee, MindFreedom director David Oaks from Oregon, MindFreedom Virginia's Frank Blankenship, and others.YOU can also be a lead in this nonviolent skit about "screening for normality" directly in front of the American Psychiatric Association headquarters, 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia!Said David Oaks, director of MindFreedom International, "So often we have to be serious, such as when we fight atrocities like forced electroshock. Well, on 11 October 2007 you are invited to show your MAD PRIDE humor and have some fun."Activists will ask, "Has Earth finally been healed of 'normality'? Can the long weird battle to cure our planet of 'normality' finally be declared over? If one 'normal' person still exists on Earth, wouldn't that person be in the American Psychiatric Association headquarters, definers of normality internationally? "SCREEN AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION FOR NORMALITYWHEN:Noon, This Thurs., 11 October 2007WHERE:American Psychiatric Association headquarters, 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VirginiaA google map to find the American Psychiatric Association headquarters is here:http://tinyurl. com/yufxyzWHAT:MindFreedom is providing free white biohazard aprons... rubber chickens (used as screening wands, as in an airport)... squeaky red rubber noses (normality detectors).. . and a digital video camera to put the whole experience onto YouTube. All who are screened get a card that says, "Officially Normality Free."While props are supplied, if you attend you are welcome to also bring your own medical costumes (scrubs, etc.), signs (follow nonviolence guidelines below), etc.WHY:"We've done more than 1000 normality screenings and people love these," said Oaks. "And we never, ever have found normality. We'd like to thank Patch Adams' clown troupe in Florence, Italy for helping to inspire this simple skit."Patch Adams has been a MindFreedom leader, via the MFI Sponsor Group Gesundheidt Institute, since 1992.Oaks said that when doing "normality screenings" inside a World Psychiatric Association meeting in Germany, the psychiatric drug company exhibitors threatened to shut down the entire conference and sue the WPA unless rubber chickens and red squeaky noses were banned! "These are powerful tools," said Oaks.Videos of the activists experience inside the WPA are here:http://www.mindfree dom.org/campaign /global/world- psychiatric- associationor go here: http://tinyurl. com/2rfc9xThe upcoming 11 Oct. event is being dubbed a "viral marketing action" by 20-year-old Martin Rafferty, chair of MindFreedom' s youth committee. Imagine Patch Adams combined with Michael Moore (if you dare).WHO?All are welcome! Just show up... Though it's best if you reserve your slot so we can be sure to have a nifty white biohazard apron just for you, to keep! E-mail your reservation to news (AT) mindfreedom (DOT) orgThe only requirement is that this is a peaceful, legal, nonviolent event, following MLK nonviolence guidelines:http://www.mindfree dom.org/campaign /madpride/ mlk-iaacm/ peace-rulesor go here: http://tinyurl. com/2cf3u3The event will be on public sidewalks, and will not obstruct pedestrians.SCREEN FOR NORMALITY MONTH!The mental health industry calls October "mental health month." MindFreedom has renamed it "Screen The World For Normality Month." There are MAD PRIDE events in Belgium, including a representative from MindFreedom Ghana, Dan Taylor... Australia (a concert)... UK.... Missouri (during the Alternatives conference). .. and more.More info about these MAD PRIDE events this October 2007 are here:http://www.mindfree dom.org/campaign /madpride/ screen-normalityor go here: http://tinyurl. com/3dudcqFor info on MAD PRIDE itself see:http://www.mindfree dom.org/campaign /madprideAnd who is behind all this ruckus? MLK!History is being made... because finally the "MAD PRIDE" movement has been able to actually launch the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr.MLK called -- more than 10 times -- for an "International Association for the Advancement of Creative Maladjustment. " MAD PRIDE is making that vision real! For info on MLK & IAACM?http://www.mindfree dom.org/campaign /madpride/ mlk-iaacm/ mlkor go here: http://tinyurl. com/2xvqfnPerhaps *you* can help launch a global nonviolent revolution of positive weirdness all over the world. If you upload that on YouTube and tag it IAACM, you can also win prizes from MindFreedom International.And after MindFreedom screens the APA for normality in Arlington, Virginia.... . Seriously folks....Then stick around and attend the conference of the International Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology, also in Arlington, VA, starting on 13 October 2007. MindFreedom will have its MadMarket there, and MFI's David Oaks is one of the keynoters. The topic: "The Universal Mental Health Screening and Drugging of Our Children: Dangers vs. Benefits"For more info go to:http://www.icspp. orgACTION:WHEREVER YOU LIVE, please spread this alert to everyone, especially to supportive people in and around the D.C. and Virginia areas!!~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~More news at the MindFreedom News Web Site:http://www.mindfree dom.orgDon't see a news item? Submit it to news (AT) mindfreedom (DOT) org~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~Joining MindFreedom Is Just Not NORMAL!!!!!MINDFREEDOM FALL MEMBERSHIP & RENEWAL DRIVE!Join or renew your membership today as part of the Fall Membership & Renewal Drive!Go to:http://www.mindfree dom.org/join- donateBecome a member or renew your membership now! Build united strength in numbers!* Win human rights campaigns in mental health?* End abuse by the psychiatric drug industry?* Support self-determination of psychiatric survivors?* Promote safe, humane, effective options in mental health?MindFreedom is for people who supported united activism!MindFreedom is a nonprofit human rights group that unites 100 sponsor and affiliate groups with individual members.MindFreedom is one of the very few totally independent groups in the mental health field with no funding from governments, drug companies, religions, corporations, or the mental health system.All human rights supporters are invited!Join or donate here:http://www.mindfree dom.org/join- donateFor hard-to-find books and gear (including the new book Alternatives Beyond Psychiatry) go to:http://www.madmarke t.orgFOR MORE INFO:MindFreedom International Office: 454 Willamette, Suite 216 - POB 11284; Eugene, OR 97440-3484 USAweb site: http://www.mindfree dom.orge-mail: office(at)mindfreed om(dot)orgoffice phone: (541) 345-9106toll free: 1-877-MAD-PRIDe or 1-877-623-7743fax: (541) 345-3737Please forward.