I'm offended that you're offended! Your offended state is offensive to me.

Regarding the Haunted House, I don't really feel that it cultivates the idea that mentally ill people are something to be afraid of. I think intelligent people know better. Sounds like these guys would be picketing a production of Sweeney Todd, for the depiction of Fogg's Asylum as a place of "gibbering, screeching maniacs."

If they're so concerned that it creates a misconception, it's their job to correct it. Not the job of a layman creating an amusement park to make sure his presentation of an insane asylum is true to life.

Why stop there? Why not go after the little girls who dress as witches and point out that Wiccan practitioners don't really act like that? How about those who dress up as ghosts and point out that there are no such things? Or you could have some spiritualists on hand to explain what ghosts are really like.

I would hope that most adults would realize and educate their children about the nature of mental illness and that they're not all something to be afraid of...their neighbor who is bipolar and taking lithium. Their veteran uncle who is being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder. I can't believe that an amusement park attraction would be the only association that a child would have with the mentally ill and thus base all their understanding on them. Do they not have schools, parents, other adults in their lives?

Not the job of a layman creating an amusement park to make sure his presentation of an insane asylum is true to life.

Exactly, Patrick. Were we to make sure everything intended for the general public is safe, PC and non-threatening, every facet of the entertainment industry would crumble. Am I not allowed to be seriously creeped out by Norman Bates because of his obvious mental illness? Even as a kid when I first saw that movie, I understood that not every schizophrenic or MPD sufferer was a knife-wielding murderer.

For what it's worth, I visited a state hospital for an abnormal psych class. Our stroll through the hall with some of the more seriously ill patients was not unlike Clarice Starling's walk through the prison, except these guys only had a small window through which to see us. I wouldn't have wanted to run into any of those people in a dark alley, that's for sure. Some mentally ill people actually are dangerous, and, like Patrick said, it's up to parents and schools to teach kids the difference between them and Mrs. Jones next door who's being treated for bipolar disorder.

Anyone remeber the PC christmans episode of South Park - if I remeber correctly that was the debut of "Kyles Mom is a Big Fat Bitch"

http://www.southparkstudios.com/full-episodes/s01e10-mr-hankey-the-christmas-poo

Amy, that pic *so* makes me think of Lady Liberty (liberty from pesky flies?). Now I get to describe you as "statuesque" from here on!

Like #6, I've been to a mental hospital but my experience was in the county unit and I wasn't just walking through. I purposely ODed and the posh psychiatric hospital didn't have any beds open. They wouldn't discharge me so I got thrown in there for 5 days because I was a danger to myself.

Being in there was more dangerous! I was your typical, spoiled rich girl with a drug problem who had no self worth. Relatively harmless stuff compared to my roommate who ran her boyfriends father over with a car, then tried to kill herself or the homeless black lady who called me a white devil, threw chairs making a path to get to me quickly after I wouldn't break eye contact with her. It took 3 shots of whatever they use to tranquilize patients, 2 orderlies and one had his ear bitten by her, mike Tyson style. The place I was in had a bunch of homeless people the court deemed mentally unfit because it was county, it was free. I learned way more about schizophrenia in there than you ever need to know. It was an eye opener and helped me realize what a little shit I was. I ended up at an expensive rehab/psych hospital in Houston for 7 weeks and got my shit together.

But insane asylums and such have that rep because it is true!! Yes, most people with mental illness aren't harmful to anyone but themselves but until you've been locked in a ward with people with serious brain abnormalities, you would be scared shitless too.

I forgot to say that at the good psych place I ended up, my favorite therapy was CBT and I got the most out of those groups rather than all the AA/NA meeting they pushed. I didn't know Albert Ellis was a cofounder but that's amazing.

Patrick: I think intelligent people know better.

Of course they do. And isn't that the point of political correctness, and, indeed, all government and other institutional nannyism?

The assumption from which our "betters" start all their "compassionate" arguments for more control over our lives, is that the masses lack the intelligence to think and act in an adult fashion, and if left alone would inevitably harm themselves and others, and thus, people who are smarter than us need to think and act for us.

And of course, many people, held to lower expectations, will live down to those expectations (as is human nature to an extent), thus reinforcing the elites' worst fears, and causing them to double down on their maternalism toward all of us. Inevitably creating a vicious cycle.

The demand that the theme park remove all "offensive" material is no more than the nannys' typical attempt to "protect" those that are perceived to be too stupid and unsophisticated to distinguish a portrayal in a theme park from the realities of mental illness. These not-so-subtle, demeaning messages are aimed at all of us, and I for one am insulted at what they imply about their view of us.

"Rasa's problem is easy to diagnose: pathological humorlessness."

Actually, that problem seems to afflict an awful lot of people. Looking at some peoples' posts on my Facebook this morning, it seems the affliction is espcially acute during an election year.

My favorite PC bruhaha was about a restaurant called Heart Attack grill. Where they served huge ass burgers and I mean 5 or 6 patties. Lots of meat, lots of grease, all bad for your health (Yes Amy I know people should eat more meat then carbs). Anyways this restaurant is a little bit themish. They had waitress dressed up in sexy nurse outfits and later wheeled the customers out in wheelchairs to their cars. To me all in good fun. Until a nurses union raised a stink of how it objectifies nurses and they are not really like that. I mean come on most people know that you twits. 99 percent of people know that if a nurse is going to give you a sponge bath it is not a start of a porn. Pizza delivery men are just pizza delivery men or women.

Apparently we can not be trusted to make judgments about things!

http://deathby1000papercuts.com/2008/10/heart-attack-grill-lard-luckies-naughty-nurses-and-politically-incorrect-food/

I'd be very happy in your skin. WAIT WHAAAAAAAT???

This woman's attitude reminds me of this essay on Louis CK that somehow manages to make him boring:

http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=lucky_louie

>>This woman's attitude reminds me of this essay on Louis CK that somehow manages to make him boring..

Oh I tried to read that too. The writing was almost award-winningly tedious!

My diagnosis is that she is one of those angry vegans whose brains are severely deprived of essential fats.

Next, let's hear about the religion of peace and how it's irrational to want to come home from work alive.

bloom county called this "Offencesensitivity"...

I was once foolish enough to briefly date a psychiatric student. Even she would admit they are the most messed up people. Most go into the profession because they are so messed up and trying to figure themselves out, and often failing. Yet we allow them to define what is normal.

NAMI's complaint is effectively a property claim - they want to control all representations of mental illness and Cedar Point is stepping on their turf. Notice how they demand the exhibits removal, as though they have a legal claim. But obviously they don't.

You look so gorgeous!!

I have red hair too but am only 5'1". Totally jealous of your long legs.

Nostalgia wave passing through....I did love going to Cedar Point when I lived in that area. I would totally love that Halloween scenario, but we only went during the summer.

Hey, Casey, join the club. I ended up at the institution in Anchorage after taking sleeping pills on a crab-processing boat off Dutch Harbor in 1989. (I got better.)

I still have my papers saying I'm a danger to myself and others. Moo-hahahahaha!

Had to go to "group", and the doctor said to me, "How do you feel being among all these crazy people?". Right there, in our little circle of chairs. No one seemed surprised but me. I said something lame like "live and let live, I guess" and that was that. (I do wish I'd gotten to keep the sweatshirt.)

Hell, most of my life has been one non-pc moment after another.

Had Rasa understood her education, she would have seen that the original LW only wanted her boyfriend to go to therapy to change him into a different man.

Rasa should have also noted that there is something wrong with a woman who needs therapy because her boyfriend won't propose marriage and who stays in a relationship with a man for whom she has no respect.

Rasa should change discipline's before she messes up the life of someone who needs help. Insulting Amy for standing by her work and attempting to 'diagnose' Amy for doing so shows Rasa lacks the maturity, professionalism, insight and comprehension skills to be a good psychologist.

Rasa should get a job with the mental health advocacy group who takes issue with Cedar Point's new attractions. I had hoped that our society would be past the whole 'politically correct' thing by now but only white people need worry about political correctness because only white people are politically incorrect.

BTW, that "unfuck" line is from Lenny Bruce.

In regards to objectifying nurses:

I wish there were more pretty nurses!

How could we get more men to donate blood? Combine Hooters with a blood bank! Men would be lined up to give a pint (and save a life) if the nurses were pretty and brought us beer and chicken wings instead of an infantilizing little box of juice and a cookie.

As a psychiatry major

There is no such thing as a "psychiatry major". Psychiatry is practiced by physicians, so she can either be a fully trained psychiatrist, or in training as a psychiatry resident.

She might be a psychology major, but if so she ought to know the difference. More likely, she made it up (i.e. lied) to make herself sound authoritative.

"Rasa should change discipline's before she messes up the life of someone who needs help." Ingrid

This may be true, but she will make a good living even so. She may not actually care about other people except where she can change them... who knows.

I've known good 'uns and bad, though I haven't been under care myself, maybe it looks different if you are?

Hmm...it seems she's double-majoring in Condescending.

No, I think she is doing independent study by reading in the library and attending presentations on that one...not seeking a piece of paper.

"I'm offended" is one of those phrases that never adds anything to debate of any kind. Announcing that you are offended, indicates your feelings, and feelings are trivial to the point of irrelevancy when it comes to a debate on the merits of a law or activity or belief system etc. etc. etc.

"I'm offended" suggests that feelings take precedence over facts, and it is no great wonder then, that when the word "offended" comes out, it is rapidly followed by a disintegration of civility, usually with the first (read: most delicate) leading the charge to the bottom of the courtesy ladder.

I too loved Cedar Point. Used to go there as a teenager, many moons ago.

Let's face it, crazy people can be scary. Like let's-cross-the-street-to-avoid-this-lunatic scary.

Amy, you look stunning in that dress. What a great look!

The way we speak of others reflects our own personality... you've said a lot about yourself in that very derogatory email to me. I can't imagine you're happy in your skin.

Not that Amy was nasty here, but I find the notion that people who say nasty things are unhappy with themselves to be rubbish. Some of the nastiest people I've ever known have been in love with themselves. Also, the idea that the reason people aren't nice to you is because they don't love themselves is some self-absorbed bullshit.

I'm offended that you're offended! And if you dare be offended by the fact that I'm offended that you're offended, I'll just be offended that you're offended that I'm offended that you're offended!

db, you're right. I forgot to add that to my original post, but I giggled when she called herself a psychiatry major.

Speaking as someone who actually is a psychology major, it annoys the crap out of me when people go around diagnosing others willy-nilly. She's like one of those sitcom characters who starts one psychology class and decides she's an authority. I hate when they do that. Also when the character has an experiment with mice and "positive and negative reinforcement," which they take to mean reward and punishment. Heads up, bad sitcom writers! Zapping a mouse for picking the wrong button =/= negative reinforcement. Sorry for the tangent, but that's always bugged me.

As someone who suffers from OCD, I say that the complaint about Cedar Points exhibits is HOGWASH! I wonder what these people said about Monk? That show featured an obsessive-compulsive detective. I watched it a number of times...and I even found it amusing!

I think I shall now repeat myself a number of times, in order to make absolutely, positively, completely sure you got the message, ha-ha!

The woman is a low-blow player -- not a great thing for a "psychiatry major" to be.

Heh. Psychiatry major. Right.

That is a great photo - even if, every time I see it, I think the caption should be, "Captain Amy Alkon, San Francisco PD SWAT Team"!

Back in the 90's when they decided to kill Superman in the comics, they created a new villain named Doomsday to do the deed. The press materials described his as "an interstellar madman".

You guessed it.

A letter from some organization of psychiatrists made it to the papers, chastising DC Comics for presenting a negative image of the mentally handicapped.

Some weeks later when I did an interview with editor Mike Carlin, he started talking about Doomsday: "He's a mystery, we don't know where he came from, or what his motives are, but we do know one thing; he's NOT a madman!"

As an Amusement Park Patron (APP), I am deeply offended at the suggestion that people like myself are incapable of distinguishing amusement park attractions from reality. The National Alliance for Mental Illness has insulted all APPs and is fostering false and and offensive stereotypes of APPs. APPs routinely face discrimination and harassment in our society, and it is very hurtful when an organization with national prominence propagates such stereotypes. We demand an immediate retraction and apology from the National Alliance for Mental Illness, and a pledge that they will refrain from making any further public comments on amusement parks or other subjects outside their areas of expertise.