Even since I have known David he has maintained that he does not have a mental illness yet he is subject to a compulsory treatment order and regularly has injections to treat what psychiatrists regard as his mental illness. David has an Honours Degree in Law and in early March, 2020, he will be appearing in court based in the mental health unit at Auckland Public Hospital. His lawyer has asked me to provide a letter in his support which I have done (see below) however I am not sure how much of it the Judge will see because his lawyer in response to the following stated: “ I have extracted from it what I regard as most helpful to David and have drafted a statement.”
I decided to post this on the internet primarily because I have had a duty to inform people of important human rights truths since I began promoting human rights in 1991 but also because I think it would be helpful to others who are or have been involved with the mental health system. I would appreciate any feedback.
But first you might like to watch a fantastic song by Kelly Clarkson, ‘People like us’, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWbMz_aBlMU . She describes how we are living in a ‘world of fire’. The demonic force a number experience can be seen as part of this ‘world of fire’.
To the Presiding Judge:
I have known David for about 18 years and regard him as a friend. He has often attended meetings of the Human Rights Council (New Zealand, 2001) of which I am the chairperson. I am a human rights author (two books), activist and outsider (28 years).
In relation to David’s court appearance his lawyer Anthony Rogers has asked me to comment on whether David poses a ‘serious danger’ to himself and others and whether he ‘seriously’ lacks the ability to take care of himself.
From my experience David does not fall into either of these categories. In fact, I am impressed by his ability to relate well to those members of the underclass who because of his circumstances he has little choice but to associate with. I have found David invariably presents well and on occasions I have visited David in his accommodation in downtown Auckland City. It has always been tidy.
I am sure my observation of David is also shared by his other friends who I know well.
The question is why do our observations differ so enormously from the mental health professionals? The latter’s perception of David seems very largely subjective as to my knowledge they offer no proof that David poses a serious danger to himself or others or that he cannot take care of himself.
Furthermore, I have had much involvement with the mentally ill in the community. In the early 1990’s I was chairperson (for one year) of Psychiatric Survivors Inc., Auckland.
Also, I consider the research findings of my recent book to be very relevant to David’s case. The book is ‘Ethical Human Rights: Freedom’s Great Hope’ (American Academic Press, published early 2017). It is selling on Google Books and Amazon and there is a copy in NZ libraries. In the book I show how ‘intelligent, white males from a western culture’ have been targeted for exclusion. It led to a mass exodus of the ‘best and brightest’ from New Zealand while I consider many who remained ended up in the mental health and criminal justice systems. I show how this reflects a United Nation’s agenda and I go into great detail how the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 helped fulfil this UN agenda. I also describe how after making a stand on principle I appeared in the Auckland High Court where I informed the Judge, Lynn Stevens, of a New Zealand tragedy where many at the bottom of the social scale had been ‘crushed and isolated’. I also presented the Judge with relevant social statistics. Judge Lynn Stevens agreed with me asking why I had not informed New Zealanders early. However, I was one of those victims and I was convinced no one was meant to survive the ordeal with their sanity intact and able to articulate what had happen. It took much time before I could properly explain what had taken place.
The above is relevant to David’s case because, in my view, he was one of those targeted for exclusion. It also explains why our observations of David differ so enormously from the mental health professionals, specifically the psychiatrists, who are obviously following government policy. It is early days yet and it is likely to take some time for people to understand what happened to many New Zealanders since New Zealand adopted neoliberalism and globalization in 1984. However, it is all described in my book. I am particularly concerned at the side effects of David’s medication which seem quite serious.
Yours sincerely,
Anthony Ravlich MA, BSc, Dip Crim (Hons)
Chairperson
Human Rights Council (New Zealand)
10D/15 City Rd.,
Auckland City.
Ph: (09) 9409658.