Guest guest Posted December 11, 1998 Report Share Posted December 11, 1998 > [Excerpt from] > > The Week Online with DRCNet, Issue #70 -- December 11, 1998 > A Publication of the Drug Reform Coordination Network > Article 18 states, " Everyone has the right to freedom of > thought, conscience and religion: This right includes > freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, > either alone or in community with others and in public or > private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, > practice, worship and observance. " This Article is also violated in the US in the opposite direction, i.e. Coerced participation in 12-step programs. Despite claims by its supporters that it is " spiritual, not religious " every US court ever asked to determine whether the 12-step program is religious has ruled that it is - though one court, while acknowledging that forced AA attendance violated US constitutional rights in religious observance, deemed that the State had " an overinding interest " which allowed a prisoner's rights to be waived. (I had always been under the impression that the whole point of Rights was that the State was not allowed to override them, but apparently this doesnt apply in the case of the vast prison population, a huge number there as a result of the 'War on Drugs'). Forced 12-step participation is not only a violation of the rights of atheists and agnostics, but also of those who belong to a religion that makes 12-step participation offensive to their beliefs. What matters is whether *they* find it incompatible with their beliefs, not whether 12-step supporters consider it to be. Coercion does not only occur by courts and prisons, but also by employers who may demand that an employee submit to 12-step therapy on the basis of a single positive urinalysis, with not only no appeal against a diagnosis of alcoholism or chemical dependency, but also with no ability to submit to an alternative form of treatment even if the dx is accepted. Refusal to participate in 12-step programs can result in professional and medical penalties even if the person never shows any sign of further drinking/using - such as withdrawal of licence for clinical practise or being refused a liver transplant. Even participation can be deemed insufficient on the grounds of 'not internalising recovery principles'. US human rights are being assaulted in a way not often noticed. Pete ---------------------- Whosoever saves One Life Saves the World Entire PERSONALITY-DISORDERS LIST: http://rdz.acor.org/athenaeum/lists.phtml?personality-disorders _____________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.