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    Mental health experts explain why Joe Biden needs to throw the book at Donald Trump

    Bandy X. Lee and James R. Merikangas, DC Report
    December 05, 2020

    Thanks for your support!

    This article was paid for by reader donations to Raw Story Investigates.

    President Donald J. Trump listens to Vice President Mike Pence addresses his remarks Wednesday, April 22, 2020, in the James S. Brady White House Press Briefing Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)

    This article was paid for by Raw Story subscribers. Not a subscriber? Try us and go ad-free for $1. Prefer to give a one-time tip? Click here.

    Bandy X. Lee and James R. Merikangas, DC Report

    President-Elect Joe Biden has continually said he hopes to reforge a bipartisan governing consensus when he takes office next month.  He has called for a more collegial atmosphere in Washington and “reaching across the aisle” to get the nation back on its feet.


    No doubt there is a need for healing divides and finding a common language.  Pathological personalities do not respond well to conciliatory gestures, as this may be experienced as coddling, indulging, and giving license to further transgressions.  This has been seen with Donald Trump and his cronies, who have used others’ allowance to expand a subculture of violence and abuse.  Instead, what gains respect with these personalities are firm boundaries and limit setting, despite their protest.

    Additionally, we should show enough respect to hold our fellow human beings accountable to a higher standard even if—and especially if—they cannot do so themselves.  As psychiatrists who have a duty to the public’s health, we must also point out that not to collect on the president’s debts and not to compensate the workers he has failed to pay by shifting funds to his family or declaring bankruptcy, would legitimize abuse of the law and be harmful to society.

    Not to prosecute for human rights abuses at the southern border or for the assassination of an Iranian general, which could yet plunge the nation into a devastating war, would further encourage a culture of lawlessness.  As part of the healing process, Congress should enact or strengthen appropriate legislation.

    Boundaries Set the Tone for All Society

    Human beings have a strong impulse for a cause greater than themselves.

    The draft ended in 1973, and yet currently there are close to 2 million active and reserve members in the United States military.  About 2 percent of our current population have served.  These are men and women who have volunteered to spend their working lives serving our country and are willing to die for us if it comes to that.  This does not include the covert forces of the CIA and contractors in combat zones.  Throughout history, humans have suffered martyrdom for faith, gone into battle to serve a king, or fought oppression without considering the real probability of dying.  What causes people to disregard basic impulses for survival?  Commonly, it is a powerful sense of meaning that comes from belonging to a greater cause.  Whether it is a high school pep rally chanting, “We are the Tigers!” or a group of Marines storming a beach against enemy fire, it is our human need to belong that carries us along.

    Whereas healthy boundaries and standards can lead this impulse to greater heights, demagogues can alternatively hijack it to darker places by offering quick, easy “belonging” to their ulterior motivations and plans.  The contemporary exemplification of this phenomenon is Trumpism and the mass rallies chanting, “Lock her up!” or “USA, USA!”  The sense of belonging to an elite group that is more “American” and more “patriotic” that the “other” gives great pleasure and pride, a false sense of superiority that is rewarding—especially to those famished of this feeling.  When an otherwise educated and civilized population is subjected to constant propaganda, these appeals to existing prejudices and base impulses can lead to the erosion of ethics and morality, to Nazi Germany.  “I was just following orders” is the defense of those who do unthinkable things for group acceptance and approval.  A constant barrage of lies and norm violations become doctrine if repeated enough by those in authority, especially when others around them do the same thing.

    Mental Impairment Seldom Leads to Exoneration

    What of the leaders?  Adolf Hitler escaped accountability at Nuremberg by committing suicide, and to avoid the public desecration of his body as happened to fellow criminal Benito Mussolini, he had his body incinerated with gasoline.  For what crimes could he have been tried?  Lying to the people? Orchestrating mass murder?  Persecuting political enemies?

    In his defense he could claim mental illness with paranoia, megalomania, brain damage from measles encephalitis, or posttraumatic stress disorder from serving in World War I, but none of these would exonerate.  He was clearly acting with premeditation and deliberation as outlined in his bestselling book.

    We are not saying Donald Trump is the same as Hitler because as of this date he has not started a World War or invaded Mexico or Canada,. But he is under investigation for numerous state and federal crimes and is the subject of civil suits for libel, defaulted debts, and loans.  Should he be exempt from federal prosecution because of a pardon?  Should his debts be forgiven because he is an ex-president?  Should he not be subject to the law “for the sake of national unity and reconciliation” and, “to avoid a long national nightmare”?

    We don’t think so.  As forensic psychiatrists, it is not difficult for us to say that an insanity defense for President Trump does not pass the smell test, and failure to prosecute crimes for which the evidence is clear would undermine the very foundation of our justice system.  In fact, we are of the opinion that healing cannot—and should not—occur without prosecution.

    Holding Leaders Accountable Is Correct Treatment

    Bringing a high-profile criminal to justice can actually be healing for our collective mental health. After four years of “alternative” realities toppling our sense of right and wrong, health and pathology, almost half of the nation finds refuge in his cult of supremacy and anger, while the other half is traumatized.  Prosecution and clear boundaries can help bring reality back to both parties that have been gaslit into believing untruths, usually at the expense of their interests, their livelihoods, and even their lives.

    Firm boundaries are necessary because tolerating intolerance, paradoxically, leads to intolerance and persecution.  Likewise, blurring the distinction between health and pathology leads to pathology’s flourishing at the expense of health.  As psychiatrists, not politicians, we have an obligation to provide an antidote to delusional thinking and violent behavior, even if the propaganda systems pervading mass media and the Internet will not.  The remedy for psychosis is reality checks.  In the case of a pathological and criminal president, recommending prosecution is an essential part of setting standards and doing our job as healers.

    James R. Merikangas, M.D., is a forensic neuropsychiatrist, co-founder of the American Neuropsychiatric Association, and former president of the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists.  He and Bandy X. Lee are coauthors of “The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 37 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President.”

    This article was paid for by Raw Story subscribers. Not a subscriber? Try us and go ad-free for $1. Prefer to give a one-time tip? Click here.

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    … then let us make a small request. The COVID crisis has slashed advertising rates, and we need your help. Like you, we believe in the power of progressive journalism — and we’re investing in investigative reporting as other publications give it the ax. Raw Story readers power David Cay Johnston’s DCReport, which we've expanded to keep watch in Washington. We’ve exposed billionaire tax evasion and uncovered White House efforts to poison our water. We’ve revealed financial scams that prey on veterans, and efforts to harm workers exploited by abusive bosses. We need your support to do what we do.

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    Do you approve of Biden's presidency so far?

    Marjorie Taylor Greene lies pending LGBTQ Equality bill has ‘completely canceled women’ and ‘destroyed women’s rights’

    David Badash, The New Civil Rights Movement
    March 08, 2021

    U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) on Monday used her time to address the House of Representatives by lying to her colleagues and attacking the LGBTQ Equality Act.

    The legislation, which passed the House but has not been debated in the Senate or even voted on, much less signed into law, "has completely destroyed women's rights," and "has completely canceled women," the QAnon Congresswoman lied.

    The Equality Act, she continued, "has taken away women's rights in sports," which is also false.

    "It has completely canceled women and I think it's a terrible thing that's happened to the women in America who have come so far, our grandmothers and mothers worked so hard to achieve our rights. And now with the passage of the Equality Act they have put men in our little girls bathrooms, sports, locker rooms, playing fields, and seem to care less about women's rights whatsoever."

    Again the Equality Act has only passed the House, not the Senate, nor has it been signed into law, so it has not been enacted.

    "They've also completely destroyed religious freedoms and and violated our freedoms and rights in every single way," she insisted, not naming who "they" are.

    "The Equality Act is atrocious and evil," she said, repeating the false claim she has made several times. "It completely erases gender, that God created us 'male and female in his image.' He created us. Women deserve their rights, we deserve our sports, we deserve our privacy, and should not have the invasion of biological men in any of these areas."

    Green has been trying to remake herself from a conspiracy theorist and QAnon promoter to a far right religious extremist anti-choice activist. Her diatribe on International Women's Day did little to advance that goal, or any other cause.

    Watch:

    On International Women's Day, I rose to condemn the so-called “Equality" Act.

    This disgusting bill destroys the rights of women and girls across America and sets a horrific precedent for the rest of the world. pic.twitter.com/qswerFcnhH
    — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) March 8, 2021

    Ex-Papa John’s CEO can't understand why people called him a racist after it took him 20 months to stop saying N-word

    Sarah K. Burris
    March 08, 2021

    Former Papa John's CEO John Schnatter resigned after he was accused of using the N-word during a company conference call in May 2018. But according to Schnatter, he's kicked the habit.

    Speaking to OAN about "cancel culture," Schnatter explained that he couldn't understand why people were so up in arms and why his public board would call him a racist, "when they know [I'm] not a racist."

    "I used to lay in bed thinking, how did they do this?" he lamented. "And we've had three goals for the last 20 months to get rid of this N-word in my vocabulary, and dictionary, and everything else. Because it's just not true. Figure out how they did this and get on with my life."


    Papa John’s ex-CEO says he’s been working for the last 20 months “to get rid of this N-word in my vocabulary” (h/t… https://t.co/JVeIvGospn
    — philip lewis (@philip lewis) 1615225970.0

    When Schnatter said that he was trying to uncover "how they did this," it's unclear what he meant as he was the one who resigned from his position.

    Charles Duhigg writes in The Power of Habit that it typically takes an average of 66 days to make something a habit.

    See how folks responded to Schnatter below:


    Papa John ex CEO said it took 20 months to learn how to not say the "N" word. In less than 20 months, we developed… https://t.co/CnYDXTm4KR
    — Amy Lynn ✡️🍭🌊 (@Amy Lynn ✡️🍭🌊) 1615228599.0


    "My name is Papa John and its been four months, three weeks and six days since I've said the n-word" *deafening applause*
    — Trill Withers (@Trill Withers) 1615227739.0


    @MaxAMaxim @Phil_Lewis_ @mount_bees If it's taking that long I think it's time to give up and just move to Alabama
    — 🇺🇸sexymanAOC🇺🇸 (@🇺🇸sexymanAOC🇺🇸) 1615228125.0


    papa john the last 20 months everytime he hears the letter "N" https://t.co/atcSSA0Juj
    — CEO™ of shit¶osting (@CEO™ of shit¶osting) 1615228875.0


    @RexChapman @Phil_Lewis_ @mount_bees nothin' like going on OAN to remove any doubts of racism...WTF
    — Le Promotion Viper 🇫🇷 (@Le Promotion Viper 🇫🇷) 1615229949.0


    Papa John says he’s been working for 20 months to stop saying the n-word. Funny, I’ve gone over 45 years without… https://t.co/ckE1g4SxAM
    — Erie, not the spooky Eerie🇺🇸 (@Erie, not the spooky Eerie🇺🇸) 1615228982.0


    Anyone when they see Papa John trending https://t.co/WcQQGMMR60
    — Pizza Dad (@Pizza Dad) 1615229156.0


    pic.twitter.com/jgEJIrKW6f
    — McNeil (@Reflog_18) March 8, 2021


    @IrreverentDuo @Phil_Lewis_ @mount_bees 🤣🤣🤣🤣
    — Riva (@Riva) 1615233972.0


    The ex-CEO of Papa John has spent 20 months trying to reduce his use of the n-word. How many times per day was he… https://t.co/hc6ytA1AZq
    — JRehling (@JRehling) 1615229632.0


    @BokaLaBoca @Phil_Lewis_ @mount_bees https://t.co/bCEOj608GI
    — Fultz4thewin (@Fultz4thewin) 1615233642.0


    Keep working the program, Papa John. We're all pulling for you. https://t.co/2iQiOwCqOl
    — Onward and Upward (@Onward and Upward) 1615228960.0


    @ReallyDanWeiner @Phil_Lewis_ @mount_bees keep this journey a private one https://t.co/4HTKWTKbyd
    — Krista Rose (@Krista Rose) 1615229099.0


    papa john post your n word routine. how many reps you doing a day, what volume, solo or partner lift, etc https://t.co/G6PQAfsJmX
    — Nathan Bernhardt (@Nathan Bernhardt) 1615227605.0


    this man been in rehab for being racist longer than we've been in this phantasia. now how pic.twitter.com/68iTJDQV0N
    — sɪᴍᴏɴᴇ ᴍɪssɪᴄᴋ sᴛᴀɴ ᴀᴄᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ (@heyyitsjanea) March 8, 2021



    papa john halfway through his journey to stop saying the n-word https://t.co/FoUG4oxFqg
    — Aaron West (@Aaron West) 1615226103.0


    @KobesBurner_v2 @clarencehilljr @Phil_Lewis_ @mount_bees 50-11 times per day.
    — Revelations getting impatient... (@Revelations getting impatient...) 1615229758.0



    I have managed to go through my 33 years on this earth without saying it once, and I will gladly consult with Papa John to help him through this. My prices start at a reasonable 10,000 dollars a session, DMs are open
    — Katinum Swagerty (@Khatmandont) March 8, 2021


    @RicoSuaveJD @Phil_Lewis_ @mount_bees I don't think in my 60 years on this earth I have said this word, even in lyr… https://t.co/cjEjxf2OuQ
    — Lauzoo (@Lauzoo) 1615231816.0


    Found the Papa John n-word jar https://t.co/9NsX0XBorx
    — orko forgot his bio (@orko forgot his bio) 1615229865.0


    @oklatexahomas @Phil_Lewis_ @mount_bees The greasy hair look does not make me want to order pizza from this man. I… https://t.co/VgzsnhOQkl
    — Cheryl Corgi (@Cheryl Corgi) 1615229432.0


    Papa John approaching racism like he's in a 12-step program lmao https://t.co/Eme95tCoRn
    — Tyler Conway (@Tyler Conway) 1615228088.0

    New U.S. COVID-19 cases fall 12% last week, vaccinations top 2 million a day

    Reuters
    March 08, 2021

    (Reuters) - The United States reported a 12% decline in new cases of COVID-19 last week, while vaccinations accelerated to a record 2.2 million shots per day, according to a Reuters analysis of state, county and CDC data. New infections have dropped for eight weeks in a row, averaging 60,000 new cases per day for the week ended March 7. Deaths linked to COVID-19 fell 18% last week to 11,800, the lowest since late November and averaging 1,686 per day. (Open https://tmsnrt.rs/2WTOZDR in an external browser to see state-by-state details.) Despite the positive trends, health officials have warned ...

     
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    Marjorie Taylor Greene lies pending LGBTQ Equality bill has ‘completely canceled women’ and ‘destroyed women’s rights’

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    New U.S. COVID-19 cases fall 12% last week, vaccinations top 2 million a day

    Insurrectionist arrested after deportation from Kenya had trained at ‘Be a Guardsman' event: report

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    Mississippi pastor: Biden's $1,400 stimulus checks are really an 'offering' from Trump

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    'It's not conflicting': GOP governor set straight by CNN host for questioning COVID mask mandates

    ‘White privilege power hour’: Fox & Friends ‘tone deaf’ hosts slammed for ignoring racism in Meghan and Harry story

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    'Red states get a lot of money': Fox News host destroys Marsha Blackburn's 'blue state bailout' lie

    'That's reparations!' Lindsey Graham throws a tantrum over loan forgiveness for Black farmers

     
     

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