The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) was co-founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and Dr. Thomas Szasz, Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus at the State University of New York Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, to investigate and expose psychiatric violations of human rights. Today, it has more than 135 chapters in 34 countries.

Recent public statements by Tom Cruise were the openning salvo in a broad PR campaign in support of this organization. Saw a freeway billboard for them tonight. They must be running against Intelligent Design for the Nobel Prize in Disingenuous Sophistry. (I'll add into the competition people who think disease is a social construct.)

To be sure, I've seen first hand the nature of involuntary psychiatric "treatment" by the state, and I share the perspective that it is abusive. This does not lead to the conclusion that psychiatric treatment is always or even usually abusive. Unfortunately, by using examples of the former as a springboard to attack the later, the Scientologists damage the credibility of those who are seriously concerned about the former. Perhaps this is intentional.

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