I wrote a letter yesterday to the president of the APA, Alan E. Kazdin, PhD using the APA website http://apa.org/about/president/ask.html

I encourage others to do the same. Here is the letter I wrote:

Dear Dr. Kazdin:

I have been a clinical mental health counselor since 1985. I have extensive experience in the field as a psychotherapist. I tell you this just as a way of introducing myself to you as a person with appropriate background to make the following statements.

It seems to me that any health care worker who aids torturers knowingly in any way is going against the creed to "...at least do no harm."

I am glad to see that the APA membership rejected torture and aiding torturers, but I am concerned about the very high percentage of the membership who voted to continue to aid in torture. What kind of practitioners are these? What are their values, ethics, and what kind of therapists are they? I daresay these people should not be allowed to practice since their vote demonstrates a shocking lack of ethics, in my opinion.

I am emailing you to ask if the APA is going to issue a statement about what the role of psychological practitioners should be, and how it is incompatible with the values and ethics of the profession to aid in torture. I also would like to know if those who have been aiding the torturers will be held accountable.

I write this to you because I am concerned that there are so many APA members out there who may be causing harm to their clients. A person who supports the use of torture may be doing any number of unethical things in their work.

This is a short note, but I would be glad to have a lengthier discussion with you at some point if you are interested.

Thank you for your time.

It's Day 2 of our permaculture event in Keene, NH. Yesterday we had a session on the ethics and principles of Permaculture, then started on a sheet mulching project by moving the pile of scrap wood away from the area where a garden will go. Today we put down the cardboard and a layer of compost. It looks great! We are taking our lunch break now, and will then proceed to moving some lilac babies to start a new hedge, and sheet mulching another area. Tonight we're watching a film about Habitat for Humanity and a "blitzbuild" that happened near here in 2007.

The last week has included lots of visits with friends, making preparations to head west, even some time to relax in beautiful Vermont, where it is raining right now.

In discussions with friends the themes have been consistent; love and the amazingness of life, dismay (an understatement really) at the bizarre circus of American politics, recognition that this country and many others are currently being run by psychopaths, concern for Earth.

Here in North America, in the USA, there is a need for awakening, for awareness, for people to pay attention. What's happening is that the fear level keeps being ramped up by the government which has manipulated the economy so that most people in the US do not have financial security. The quality of food continues to be degraded because the government places profit above life in it's priorities and the food supply is controlled by corporate profiteers. Degraded food of course means a less healthy population and poorer neurological development for kids, so kids are children are literally being bred to be less intelligent. Less intelligence means less critical thinking, less questioning of the government, more "rah rah" militaristic culture, thus Sarah Palin for President (because McCain won't last 6 months if put in office).

There are so many things to write about, and I have to get myself together to leave the house shortly for more visiting.

A quick note to my friends in the US. New federal regulation. If you have more than 6 transactions a month from your savings account you will be charged a fee for each subsequent transaction.

My credit union charged me $21 for my 7th transfer of funds ($50!!) from my savings to my checking. This is a new way for the feds to rip us off and control the flow of resources i.e. money so watch out!

My dear 7 yr old nephew is doing well after being diagnosed with a small glioma on the top of his brainstem. Thanks to the many people who have been and are sending love and energy! Looks like they will wait to see what the tumor does...these often resolve themselves when occurring in children.

Most of my friends, maybe all, have been released from jail in Minneapolis. Injured people are receiving health care, the gestapo appears to have backed off for the time being as the Republican National Hypocrisy Convention has come to a close. I do know that there are 6 people being held on conspiracy charges. The feds need to prove that their use of force was justified so they will scapegoat some activist kids and jail them for years. Living with fascism.

I continue to think about and discuss with friends and acquaintances the reality of living in a world run by psychopaths. This needs to change, as a matter of the survival of Earth, not just humanity.