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February 16, 2005

The Administration That Shall Be Nameless

The Bush Administration decided that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) couldn't name one of their programs "Suicide Prevention Among Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender Individuals" because they didn't like some of the words in the name. They changed the name to "Suicide Prevention in Vulnerable Populations."

There is ample social science research available that points to an increased risk of suicide in the gay community, so when the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), part of Bush’s HHS, planned a session on the issue during a conference on suicide, it hardly seemed controversial.

The talk was originally titled “Suicide Prevention Among Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender Individuals.” Now, it’s “Suicide Prevention in Vulnerable Populations.”

Notice, the substance of the discussion hasn’t changed. Panelists will still address suicide rates in the GLBT community; they just won’t be able say so in the talk’s title. People can talk about gays, as long as they’re not advertising that they’re talking about gays.


I think that since so many people aren't happy with Mr. Bush's job performance according to recent Gallup polls, we should change the name of the Bush Administration to the Administration That Shall be Nameless.

I mean, they can still do stupid things and lie and stuff, but if we don't call them by name, maybe we can pretend they don't exist.

You know, just frame them into extinction.

2 Comments:

  • At February 16, 2005, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hi,

    Very on-point, I would like to refer you to the work of an old, long-lost but still-treasured friend: http://web.stat.ucla.edu/~cochran/

     
  • At February 16, 2005, Blogger cookie christine said…

    I fear that the Bush Administration will insist she change the name of her paper from Prevalence of mental disorders, psychological distress, and mental health services use among lesbian, gay and bisexual adults in the United Statesto Prevalence of vulnerabilities, and vulnerability services use among vulnerable adults in the United States

     

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