One of the reasons that I don't like Gupta is that he seems to make sound byte news and also I know of him having an out and out error that he refused to admit in the case of Michael Moore's movie sicko. I am reading the same thing from you. I know you personally and like you, but in my opinion you are not being sufficiently honest. Gupta did not advertise FC. He did not endorse in the stories I read. Maybe I missed something. If I didn’t miss anything are you advocating that the press be censored and no information by on the air about FC unless it conforms to the most negative opinion about it?
Here are the facts as I see them. 1. There have been several studies on FC. 2. The results don't look good for FC. For the most part it has been discredited but there are some reasons to believe that the studies had a problem. How you treat people is important and does effect their performance on something like this, especially people with autism. Nevertheless, FC does not look like an effective treatment in nearly all cases. 3. There are a few notable exceptions where someone was definitely helped by FC. 4. In my opinion, the people who were helped might have been helped by any quality human contact and help with their communication. However that has yet to be determined. Besides that is one good thing about FC, it requires one on one human contact and help with communication. If someone is basically intelligent and has certain problems (I don't know what they are) then FC did help them. These individuals might never have been helped except for by FC. It seems to me that researchers should be trying to figure what worked about the FC and how to figure out who might benefit from FC or a modified version and also how to identify those people. 5. If I had a child that has autism, I would want to try what I could that could help them and not hurt them. FC it seems can only hurt if it deprives someone of another treatment that might help. It seems that in most cases it is simply a waste of time and money. If time and money and issue than another treatment would probably be the way to go. 6. From what I read Gupta reported numbers 1 though 3 correctly. He did not advertise FC, he simply reported a story in the news. If I am right about numbers 1 through 3 and the evidence that I have seen indicates that I am right, then in my opinion Gupta should have summarized in some way similar to number 4 above. 7. Although I don't like Gupta, I don’t know much about him. I will not email Obama unless I see that Gupta really did actively promte FC. In my opinion he didn't so the best job on theses stories, but that's all. FC is not totally discredited, but I would say it is a waste of time and money for the vast majority. Gupta is not as responsible as I would like him to be, but he appears to be more honest than most. I still don't like him but I don’t have a sound reason to oppose his nomination. 8. The "skeptics" are partly correct but they are dealing in sound bytes and bullying tactics which is often the case. They also don't seem to be interested or capable of dealing with the nuance of criticism about the quality of the research and expect animals and humans to behave in as predictable fashion as gears, pulleys, levers and other simple machines regardless of unfamiliar, unfriendly environment. On Jan 8, 10:11 pm, "Jason (Memphis)" <[email protected]> wrote: > Gupta is advertising FC that has been discredited by careful > research. Anecdotal evidence is not scientific evidence. Take are > search design class. What more do you need? For example, anyone can > calm that daily masturbation cures cancer and people can have > anecdotal stories about the power of masturbation in curing cancer. > However, those anecdotal statements do not make masturbation a > validated scientific treatment of cancer. Yes, those "few unusual > people who have unquestionably benefited...[by jerking off and have > cured their cancer by this treatment]". What kind of argument is > that? Someone with that type of judgment (or lack thereof) should not > be a Surgeon General--that is my opinion. Claiming that snake oil > will help in some cases is not what should be said. It is ridiculous > because the person jerks off and forgo other treatments. Just like > children exposed to FC and are sometimes not exposed to other > treatments that have a history of effectiveness. > > On Jan 8, 1:37 pm, Isparklaria <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Jason, > > > I have looked at three of those CCN links and I did not find that > > Gupta was actively promoting facilitated communcation. Maybe I missed > > something. It seemed that he reported that most studies have > > discredited it but there seem to be a few unusual people who have > > unquestionably benefited and a few studies that cliam that it does > > work for a few people. Please post some better information that shows > > that Gupta has actively promoted FC or ask one Gina Green to do so. I > > don't like Gupta and would like to write in against his nomination, > > but I need a reason. > > > Thanks > > > On Jan 8, 10:43 am, "Jason (Memphis)" <[email protected]> > > wrote: > > > > This above message is from Gina Green, Ph.D., BCBA .... > > > > On Jan 8, 7:56 am, "Jason (Memphis)" <[email protected]> > > > wrote: > > > > > Here some information emailed from some work colleagues. > > > > > Jason > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2009 6:46 PM > > > > > Subject: URGENT - Fwd: Surgeon General > > > > > Colleagues, > > > > > Please see info below from Hank Schlinger and Jim Todd, and take a few > > > > minutes to email the Obama team if you share my opposition to their > > > > nominating as Surgeon General a media personality who has repeatedly > > > > demonstrated his blatant disregard for sound science and his active > > > > promotion of pseudoscience. Please also pass this on to others who > > > > might be concerned. > > > > > ___________________ > > > > > Read the information below from Jim Todd and then please take a moment > > > > and go to the Obama website below and ask the Team NOT to consider > > > > Sanjay Gupta for Surgeon General. If enough people oppose this > > > > possible nomination, maybe they will drop his name from consideration. > > > > (see my comments to President Elect Obama below) > > > > >http://change.gov/page/content/contact/ > > > > > "CNN reports that Sanjay Gupta, who has actively promoted facilitated > > > > communication as a valid and useful communication method, is being > > > > considered for United States Surgeon General. > > > > >http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/06/gupta.surgeon.general/index.html > > > > > Here are some links to Gupta's promotion of FC. > > > > >http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/blogs/paging.dr.gupta/2007/10/giving-autism...... > > > > > As far as developmental disabilities are concerned, Gupta seems not to > > > > understand the depth of his ignorance. Real people suffer real harm > > > > because of his advocacy of autism pseudoscience and his promotion of > > > > ersatz experts over real scientists." > > > > > Dear Obama Transition Team, > > > > > I am writing to express my strong opposition to Dr. Sajnay Gupta for > > > > U.S. Surgeon general. > > > > > Dr. Gupta has actively promoted facilitated communication (FC) as a > > > > valid communication method for people with autism. FC has been > > > > thoroughly discredited scientifically, a fact which Dr. Gupta refuses > > > > to accept, opting instead for anecdotes and personal observation as > > > > evidence of its validity. > > > > > The job of Surgeon General of the United States is too important to be > > > > offered to someone who has consistently promoted a pseudoscientific > > > > technique that has harmed so many children and their families. > > > > > Thank you.- Hide quoted text - > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Memphis Freethought Alliance" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/memphisfreethoughtalliance?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
