LETTERS

Convention's high--and low--points

I'M STILL AGLOW FROM THE opening ceremony at APA's Annual Convention. It was a moving, powerful, historic event. I and many others were brought to tears and I grabbed several of my colleagues who have worked long and hard for diversity in APA and asked them whether they could believe this was actually happening--I had to pinch myself!

For the ceremony, our president, Dick Suinn, was wearing Hawaiian leis and was flanked by the presidents of the ethnic-minority psychological associations and the co-chairs of the Miniconvention on Ethnic Minorities.

We were led in with a moving American Indian Purification Ceremony and blessing followed by Hawaiian invocation and chants by two women from Hawaii. Later, a Hawaiian Ohana (family) ceremony was performed. Suinn then presented several presidential citations to ethnic-minority associations and training programs.

The Boston Community Choir gospel singers then got us all moving and clapping. As they were finishing their final number, "Oh Happy Day," the Rev. Jesse Jackson took the stage to thunderous applause. His message was powerful, poetic and packed with substance (see page 16 for full report). Following Rev. Jackson's speech, Suinn eloquently indicated that we have heard Jesse's challenge and will do something about it.

For one historic evening, the spirit of multiculturalism transformed APA. My hope is that this was not a once in a lifetime experience, but that this spirit will continue to transform APA at all levels.

Gordon C. Nagayama Hall, PhD
University Park, Pa.

LAST NIGHT I RETURNED from Boston disturbed by behavior noted during sessions I attended. People frequently arrived late and seemed to think nothing of leaving whenever the urge hit them. The resulting stream of traffic up and down the aisles and in and out of doors was distracting to me, and I would imagine somewhat disconcerting to even seasoned presenters.

For a group that studies behavior and should be able to model sensitive interactions, a percentage can't remember to exhibit basic consideration to their colleagues. I suggest that the issue of convention etiquette be addressed and guidelines proposed.

They need not differ much from the suggestions that are given to elementary school students, and I suggest the following: Go to the bathroom before you plan to attend a session; check the room and session number prior to entering; once seated, remain there until the presenter has finished (after all, one cannot waltz in and out of concerts or plays).

We should be mature enough to be more thoughtful of others and a little less concentrated on our immediate wants.

Peggy Wiltse
Roseville, Minn.

Dissenting view on unionizing psychologists

THE PURSUIT OF UNION affiliation (September Monitor) is one more example of the "magical thinking" that many psychologists and psychological organizations have become mired in lately.

My more vocal opposition to the affiliation attempt in New York was not because I found anything detrimental with being affiliated with a union (I was a union member and steward for more than 10 years), but because I have seen organized psychology become distracted much too often by knee-jerk attempts to decrease our sense of helplessness in the face of the massive changes in our status and autonomy.

It seems to me to be especially important in these times of limited money and manpower for us to be sharply focused on where our activities can have the most impact, and to not spread ourselves around in so many directions. Ideas such as affiliation seem to be thoughtful and deliberate, but panic is what fuels them. In New York, where the primary, and unfinished, goal this past year was to achieve true scope of practice legislation, the struggle is always convincing our members that seemingly intellectual and rarified ideas (such as scope) are fundamental and indispensable goals that will open doors to other improvements. The tendency of psychologists running scared is to grab onto appealing notions such as union affiliation, or the ever present "marketing," as if there will be a magic bullet in the mix. Such bullets have the dangerous potential to suck the life out of more vital initiatives.

Organized psychology owes its membership a sense of priorities, not magic. Besides, I thought psychologists helped people progress beyond the magical thinking stage not regress to it.

Neil Berger, PhD
White Plains, N.Y.

Dishonoring William James

REGARDING BRIDGET Murray's article (September issue) describing Dr. Fried's course on popular psychology: It is certainly true that John B. Watson's child-rearing practices have been discredited, but I don't know how William James can be put in the same useless category.

Where are the definitive experiments proving there is no such thing as mysticism and the supernatural? It is true that these are not a part of mainstream science, but there is a great deal of evidence for the mystic experience. A very large proportion of the American population has had mystic experiences. They have been studied by groups such as the Association for Transpersonal Psychology, as well as by individuals such as Abraham Maslow, Lawrence LeShan and Stanley Krippner.

In the 1960s, I took a psych course that doubted the existence of the unconscious, because it could not at that time be demonstrated experimentally. Now, an American Psychologist article states that all behavior is unconscious. I believe that eventually we will find ways to experimentally validate phenomena that are considered bogus by mainstream science.

Charlotte Hettena, PhD
Lynbrook, N.Y.

Let's act globally

IN THE JULY/AUGUST ARTIcle, "Psychologists rush to help Kosovar refugees," psychologist Gordon Dodge concludes that "psychologists should find ways to prevent such conflicts from happening in the first place."

Kudos to those psychologists assisting Kosovars and Serbs. Nonetheless, the Band-aid approach, while compassionately necessary, will not begin to deal with the root causes of centuries-old ethnic and tribal hatred. As psychologists we know that economic, political and military solutions at best provide palliative and temporary solutions to what is a long-standing cultural and social psychopathology: the fear of and inability to tolerate diversity.

As psychologists and concerned human beings, we have a special responsibility to point out how these root causes of wars and human suffering can be alleviated with psychosocial tools dealing with forgiveness, guilt and the fear of diversity. There are challenging opportunities for research of major import by measuring effects over time, perhaps in Kosovo.

Recently, a group of Madison psychologists and concerned citizens wrote to Ambassador Thomas Loftus, U.S. special advisor to the World Health Organization (WHO), inquiring whether WHO or other United Nations agencies see their mandate as dealing with such global mental health issues. Ambassador Loftus indicated that WHO focuses primarily on the immediate and temporary relief of refugees. Might APA help raise awareness that violence of the tribal and national levels represents treatable mental health problems?

Allyn Roberts, PhD
Madison, Wis.

Reaching our troubled youth

REGARDING THE OBVIOUS lack of societal nurturance toward our youth (described in the July/August issue), I thought I'd mention a concern I have had for many years. I am now retired from police work after 20 some years and am currently a psychology student.

Through those years I have seen a disenchanting law directed toward counseling for children. In California, and perhaps other states as well, only one counseling session is allowed without parental notification. This would be a great law to bring to the political front for change. It is known that many childhood problems arise from parent-related issues. And it is the parent's choice as to whether or not a child receives further counseling.

Having been a part of the legal system, I know it is not always easy to get legally mandated psychological care for children.

I also read the letter by Dr. Frank Trotta (same Monitor issue), suggesting an internship model that would help psychology students pay/defer educational costs. Trotta's idea should be taken seriously.

A. Steven Bouchard
Healdsburg, Calif.

YEARS AGO I BEGAN WITH other colleagues in Cuba to study everyday conflicts at school and in the family. We focused on small group experiences and used participatory methodology.

Now, as a Cuban refugee in the United States who has recently obtained a master's in psychology, I have begun preparing my doctoral dissertation at the Miami Institute of Psychology. I am studying everyday pathological behavior patterns, so I decided to review recent journals and magazines to illustrate my conception with current and national examples.

The examples in the July/August article, "Boys to men: emotional miseducation," fit my conception and the "voice-centered relational method" resembles the participatory methodology that we used in Cuba.

It is interesting how, using different approaches in different countries, we have produced a similar understanding. Considering that the study of everyday pathological behavior patterns at school and in the family is an urgent need of our times, I would like to find ways to join forces to continue researching the psychopathology of everyday life--not using a psychoanalytic approach, but rather a social relationships one that looks at conflict and how to overcome it.

José Antonio Gonzalez
Miami

WE LEARN FROM THE JULY/ August Monitor that the APA is supporting a $1.7 billion program that argues for 100,000 mental health professionals in school settings.

The article quotes our representative asking: "Why has there been such a gap between youth mental health needs and the delivery of effective services?" He answers that we have not really invested in children's mental health.

Reading further suggests that we may not have all that much to deliver. Proposed solutions include better parental control, more governmental control of guns, training children not to be affected by violence in media, social skills training for children, helping with parent-child relationships, academic tutoring and home visiting.

An associated article by two developmental experts on the next page agrees with the crucial need to prevent bullying. The other suggestion, after comparing the Columbine event with World War II, was to give "...survivors an opportunity to stay together."

There can be little doubt about the sincerity of the advocates. In fact, the authors of the second article suggested that "...schools must moderate their obsession with academic standards and achievement and be given resources to adopt preventive measures." Unfortunately, the proposed programs that the 100,000 "mental health servers" will lead do not seem that impressive. There is a distinct reminder of the fortunately fading self-esteem movement. Hopefully, if APA is to continue along these lines, it will sharpen the objectives of the 100,000 and not call for a moderation of academic and achievement standards.

Wilse B. Webb, PhD
Gainesville, Fla.

Hate-crime laws are off target

I HAVE READ AT LEAST TWO articles in the APA Monitor calling for hate-crime laws and have learned that APA's public policy arm also takes this position.

Henry Tomes argued in support of hate-crime laws in his July/August column, "The need for hate-crime laws," that the convicted murderer of James Byrd, Jr., a black American, was tried and sentenced to prison. This was incorrect. The first defendant to be tried in that dragging death, William John King, a Caucasian, was in fact, found guilty of capital murder by a Jasper County jury and sentenced to death by lethal injection.

As a protector of fundamental constitutional equalities, I am concerned by any greater value, by virtue of special government protections, being awarded to any one group, over another. Furthermore, who will ultimately be protected by such laws?

Can't we do better as psychologists than legislate thoughts? I have found many APA colleagues share my concern for this misguided message we are sending to the public. I agree with Tomes, that laws will not prevent hate. Hate-crime laws will though, among other things, give the community a false sense that hate can and should be resolved by government/legal means. I am saddened that APA also takes this public position, which may misrepresent us in our more important mission as research scientists and community educators; that is to understand, predict and prevent hatred toward all. Aren't we in that business?

Roger D. Saunders, PhD
Conroe, Texas

Mixing science and politics: like oil and water?

APA'S RECENT NEGATIVE publicity for the publication of politically and socially charged research is deserved. Several areas of research have been rife with experimenter bias, as investigators with strong ideological positions perform studies with outcomes that support those positions.

Choosing the questions to be asked and the measures to answer them demands at least a modicum of disinterest. The research of investigators with strong political leanings who perform research that supports their positions should be more carefully scrutinized by APA journal editors. Psychological research should not be used as a vehicle to legitimize one's points of view.

Ira F. Greenspun, PhD
Staten Island, N.Y.

Response to lab-attack letter

HENRY RIVERA REMINDS US ("Letters," September issue) that not all psychologists share the same perspectives on the appropriateness of research with non-human animals. He suggests we excuse terrorism and vandalism destructive of property and personal lives as "unorthodox political protest." The unabomber made the same claim.

Rivera says "we should also consider the damage to the animals." Amen. Please note that the animals stolen from our laboratory were "liberated" by these terrorists into the rural area around Minnesota during freezing weather without food or protection where some froze to death, and others were killed and eaten by predators. We know this because a farmer alerted us to the animals' plight; we were able to save a few from these terrible deaths--and did so even though we could not continue them in research. We are still caring for them. Whose was the behavior of persons who truly care about the animals?

As one who does research with laboratory animals, I respect to the right of persons who disagree to protest through peaceful means. In the end, it is through means respectful of other people's rights and the orthodox political process that they must sway the world. So far, the protestors against research with laboratory animals have failed to garner the support of the majority because such research has produced a multitude of life enhancing benefits for us all, and the general public is well aware of this.

Rivera says "humans will consent do anything for [enough] (brackets added) money" and encourages us to "buy" human participation. This suggestion smacks of exploitation in contravention to the APA Ethics Code. Even if it were appropriate, it simply is often impossible to eliminate the confounds that arise in research with humans so as to elucidate the mechanisms of behavior. In these cases, humane research with laboratory animals remains our best option.

J. Bruce Overmier
Minneapolis, Minn.

All letters to the editor must be 250 words or fewer. Mail them to APA Monitor, 750 First St., N.E., Washington, DC 20002-4242, or e-mail them to letters.monitor@apa.org.



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