The development of a “Prevention Industry”
With so much confusing and misleading information over the years by various self-serving and even unscrupulous interests, there is surely every likelihood that, instead of preventing suicides, some such information could actually be fuelling the problem.
In Part I of this subject (1) I recounted the highly questionable involvement of homosexual political activists, plus colluding media, in the development of the now-burgeoning youth suicide prevention issue in New Zealand. Also the deceitful pretext upon which such publicly-funded activists originally managed to infiltrate our schools, purportedly for suicide prevention. This, because utterly unscientific figures “showed” that young homosexuals were supposedly three times more at risk of suicide than young heterosexuals.
I had also quoted from a 1986 warning from Auckland psychiatrist Professor John Werry, that “Suicide prevention programmes do not work…large scale public examination of suicide had much in common with pornography…it used young people for adult gratification.” etc.
By 2003 came similar concerns from Christchurch Psychology Professor David Fergusson. He believed untested social programmes were “dangerous, and a waste of time and money.” He cited controversial anti-suicide campaigns in secondary schools as “Misplaced, because the majority of youth suicides involve 18-24 year olds with significant mental health problems, rather than school children.” (2)
A developing “prevention” bureaucracy
Such concerns as those of Professor Fergusson would surely have been understandable, because by then, as well as homosexual activists, a burgeoning bureaucracy was emerging around the problem of youth suicide, as well as other highly suspect youth-oriented initiatives, such as :-
In 1993 : Family Planning Association’s (FPA) Dr Sue Bagshaw of Christchurch calling for ready access to contraceptives for all high school students. (3). Also, TV1 News reported that Christchurch FPA was going twice weekly into Papanui High School to give contraceptive advice to children as young as 13, and without parental knowledge or consent. “A pilot scheme” according to FPA’s Sandra Kirby.(4)
By 1999 Dr.Bagshaw was bemoaning the “huge” youth suicide and teen pregnancy rates, and calling for government funds. (5) Two years later, in 2001, as Southern Medical Director for FPA, she was reported discussing NZ adolescents having “extremely high rates of clamydia compared with other countries”. (6)
In 2001 a letter to the NZ Herald editor scoffed at the idea of Cabinet Ministers Marion Hobbs and Laila Harre to set up a youth music radio station “to help prevent youth suicide”. The writer pointed out that today’s youth music “is dominated by songs encouraging depression. Bands shouting out how the world is too depressing to live in.”(7)
In 2001 Australian euthanasia activist Dr. Philip Nitschke (“Dr. Death”) was calling for a suicide pill for “emotionally troubled” teenagers. He : “At a certain age you become old enough to understand about death, and if your life is no longer worth living in your estimation, you have the right to give it away.” (8 – emphasis added)
In 2001 Australia’s Health Policy Unit sponsored the Cotterell Conference on Youth Suicide Prevention, with 33 participants, 18 being from NZ, including Dr. Sue Bagshaw of Christchurch FPA. (9)
In 2001 an advertisement appeared in the homosexual Express newspaper : “Youth suicide worker wanted…sought by Suicide Prevention Information NZ (SPINZ)…to educate people about youth suicide and address the role that sexuality and homophobia [sic] can play in this.” (10)
By 2005 the co-director of SPINZ was Merryn Statham, formerly director of Rainbow Youth.(11). That organization, incidentally, had been described by Aaron Hockly, a Board member in 2000, as being about “Youth saying ‘F--- off! I am who I am!’.”(12) News of Statham’s SPINZ appointment was reported in the NZ Herald. (13)
The NZ Ministry of Youth Development Budget announcement for 2004/2005 was for the funding of four “suicide prevention” initiatives over the next 1-4 years, one being to expand the SPINZ project with $M2.8 accross all age groups. Another $60,000.00 over two years was for suicide prevention guidelines for schools. One of many groups so involved was named as Youth Suicide Prevention, and part of it is OUT THERE, a high powered homosexual website initiative www.outthere.org.nz, and youth arm of the NZ AIDS Foundation, in conjunction with Rainbow Youth.. The stated aim : “To improve the wellbeing of Queer youth (sic)….and counter the negative effects of being a minority group” etc.
Working in conjunction with Massey University College of Education, trainee teachers are instructed at, among other things, special “Cultural Safety Workshops for People Working With Young People” (WWYP). As OUT THERE workshop notes record, “in order to develop true cultural competency those WWYP must begin with an examination of personal values and stereotypes. Unless they are aware of their own bias, they will not be available to another’s point of view….” etc. Also this ominous note from a Workshop Abstract on “Young People, (Queer) Sexualities and the Educator’s Role”: “As educators you are helping to construct the society of tomorrow – your role in this process of social change should not be underestimated.” (Emphasis added)
In 2005 there was a government-funded Northland ANZAC Weekend camp for homosexual youth. Among other organizers named were the NZ Police, the NZ AIDS Foundation and Rainbow Youth.(14)
Also in 2005 “Pamphlets on suicide in four languages…SPINZ is the non-governmental organization providing the resources….co-director Merryn Statham says research found many Pacific communities had little knowledge of suicide prevention..(the information) delves into sexual orientation issues and suicidal behaviour…the National Pacific Suicide Prevention Group is working with SPINZ.” etc. (15)
Still more bureaucracy
By this year of 2012 a virtual industry has evolved around “suicide prevention”, and a prominent part in this is “fighting bullying”, which includes name calling/teasing etc. of homosexual or heterosexual students. Indeed “fighting bullying” has become a veritable career for many, not only in NZ but also internationally. So the “prevention” industry has become a veritable Pandora’s Box., as an example the following:-
The homosexual-oriented SPINZ service is administered by the Mental Health Foundation (MHF) as explained by CEO Judi Clements : “Suicide prevention is a core function of the MHF’s work”. Also this : “SPINZ recently appointed a Maori Resource Development Officer….working to design suicide prevention information relevant to Maori communities” – whatever that means. “We also have partnerships with the national Kia Piki te Ora network of Maori suicide prevention coordinators, and other organizations working together under the government’s NZ Suicide Prevention Strategy 2006-2016 and NZ Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2008-2012.” (16) Some may recall that it was the MHF, of course, which supplied the bogus sex abuse figures for the fraudulent 1988 Telethon publicity campaign.(17)
Then we have homosexual activists such as American “sex advice columnist” and supposed saviour of suicide-prone homosexual youth Dan Savage, with his perverse and deceitful “It gets better” campaign, and his vilifying of Christian parents who oppose homosexual activism in schools. Nevertheless, with his “messages of hope” to young homosexuals described by the Listener as “heartfelt”.(18)
Conclusion
I see a bitter irony in the current parlous situation : with so many dubious influences, and with so much confusing and misleading information over the years about suicide prevention, there is surely every likelihood that, instead of preventing youth suicides, such information and influences could actually be fuelling such a problem.
However, the good news is that a most promising movement is now afoot in NZ, focusing upon youth at risk, and coming from a far more positive, open and grassroots approach than has been the case up to present day. It is CASPER, Community Action on Suicide Prevention Education, (http://www.casper.org.nz) and I hope to discuss it shortly in a third part on this subject. The sixty four dollar question is, however, will it ever be possible to dismantle such an unwieldy, costly and culturally subversive system?
References
1. “Youth Suicide Prevention : A Question of Credibility” Part I on my KiwiCredo blog 9th September 2012
2. “Telling Us about Ourselves” by Amanda Cropp, in Canvas, NZ Herald, 7-8th June 2003.
3. Radio NZ News 25th March 1993.
4. TV1 News 29th March 1993
5. Radio NZ News 14th March 1999.
6. Radio NZ News 12th Feb. 2001
7. Michael Parker of Kingsland, NZ Herald 25-26th August 2001.
8. Radio NZ News 11th August 2001.
9. Report from the Cottrell Conference website.
10. Express 30th August 2001.
11. Merryn Statham on homosexual radio G & T Show 13th Sept. 2001, discussing the new Rainbow House
12. In “Meet the Rainbow Youth Executive Board members”, Express 31st August 2000.
13. “South Island Town faces up to Suicide”, NZ Herald 27th August 2005.
14. “Supportive Camp on Sexual Identity”, NZ Herald 2nd April 2005.
15. North Shore Times, 6th May 2005.
16. “Relationships can help prevent Suicide”, North Shore Times, 23rd August 2012.
17. Alluded to in my blog “Introduction”, Part I, “Looking Back” 27th August 2012.
18. “It’s Getting Better” : Hamish McKenzie, Listener 13th Nov. 2010, pp 24-26.
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