Date: Wed, 5 Feb 1997 11:52:49 -0800 From: Persimmon Blackbridge Subject: Reading the Kassebaum archives To: Multiple recipients of list MADNESS I read Dennis's Kassebaum files over the weekend (800 pages when I converted it to Microsoft Word). It was indeed a trip, from Judi Chamberlin's first alert in July ("Write, phone, fax, organize!") to Joe Roger's October victory message ("Who says you can't fight city hall?"). As Dennis wrote, the proposed amendment would have provided national (US) funding for state programs that encouraged the use of outpatient commitment as a means of getting the homeless "mentally ill" into treatment. So it would have *rewarded* states that actively used involuntary outpatient commitment, and *punished* states that didn't. It was incredibly ugly. Reading about the fightback was often painful. That was the summer of the big heat wave in the US, and David Oaks' report of people on neuroleptics dying (heat intolerance is a common "side" effect of neuroleptics), while Congress considered forcing-drugging more people, had me in angry tears. There were funny moments too. Ross's phrase "consumers of mental illness" had me ROFLOL. And Dennis's bitter-sweet report of a long distance phone call with his wife and fellow activist Su was *soooo* familiar ("This is not a call to tell you how much I like you." "Oh?" "This is a Kassebaum call." "Oh."). Seeing the unifying process of action was the best part. People didn't entirely stop sniping at each other but they shared information, resources, encouragement across what had been uncrossable lines. And we won. That was the most amazing thing of all. In so many posts there was an undertone of "We know it's hopeless but we've got to try anyway." What is the effect of that kind of hopelessness on the way we organize? What is the effect of this victory on the hopelessness we often feel? So thanks again, Dennis, and thanks to all you folks who whose organizing efforts are chronicled in the Madness archives. You are an inspiration.