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Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of, and finding treatments for, complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.
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There are two problems with whats being asserted in these quotes. The first problem is that the accusations against Wesseley are not sustainable in terms that anyone outside of an M.E/CFS affected perspective will take as being valid, and the more that such accusations are vocalised the more fanatical the accusers appear, further questioning the validity of their position. The second problem is that it is impossible to mount a campaign against Wesseley without confirming the now established proposition of unjustified attack in effect the battle is lost even before it could be begun. In a such a circumstance the only sensible thing to do is withdraw and embark upon a different strategy. In this case there is the very obvious opportunity presented by the costs of PACE stop attacking individuals and focus on a good old fashioned UK media obsession (not sex or house prices but still a goody) Government expenditure - 5 million for what ?
IVI
Now is the time to increase pressure on the Wessely, we have nothing to left to lose, if we back down now, the media will be able to close the book.
Health Warning: Please Do Not Read That Article if you are feeling fragile today!
I think that I can safely say that it's the worst article that I've ever read about ME.
It's aggressively dismissive, disrespectful, arrogant, ignorant, partisan, unscientific to the extreme and quite honestly, it's abusive. And it's not journalism. It's a cheap and shoddy tirade of abuse, aimed at a vulnerable patient group.
I'm glad that the Times is behind a paywall so the article isn't widely accessible.
I have to say though, that if this article was designed to provoke a reaction, which I'm sure it was, then he's succeeded, and I fell for it!
If Simon Wessely has suffered abuse from patients in the past, he's really not helping himself here!
But it seems quite obvious that he actually revels in the controversy that he creates anyway.
There are two problems with whats being asserted in these quotes. The first problem is that the accusations against Wesseley are not sustainable in terms that anyone outside of an M.E/CFS affected perspective will take as being valid, and the more that such accusations are vocalised the more fanatical the accusers appear, further questioning the validity of their position. The second problem is that it is impossible to mount a campaign against Wesseley without confirming the now established proposition of unjustified attack in effect the battle is lost even before it could be begun. In a such a circumstance the only sensible thing to do is withdraw and embark upon a different strategy. In this case there is the very obvious opportunity presented by the costs of PACE stop attacking individuals and focus on a good old fashioned UK media obsession (not sex or house prices but still a goody) Government expenditure - 5 million for what ?
Hi Bob
We will be wasting our time with the Beeb...
Thanks Bob for links - got through to "Today" with message (along the lines fools rush in - but gently)
I have complained to the BBC. It is easy they have a webpage. http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/
The BBC is in contravention of the Disability Discrimination Act which prohibits a public body (such as the BBC) from acting in a way that will incite contempt or discrimination of a disabled minority.
Check out the Act - it give us strength.
http://www.inclusion.me.uk/blog/disability-discrimination-act-dda-2005-dda-2005-summary
Health Warning: Please Do Not Read That Article if you are feeling fragile today!
I think that I can safely say that it's the worst article that I've ever read about ME.
It's aggressively dismissive, disrespectful, arrogant, ignorant, partisan, unscientific to the extreme and quite honestly, it's abusive. And it's not journalism. It's a cheap and shoddy tirade of abuse, aimed at a vulnerable patient group.
I'm glad that the Times is behind a paywall so the article isn't widely accessible.
I have to say though, that if this article was designed to provoke a reaction, which I'm sure it was, then he's succeeded, and I fell for it!
If Simon Wessely has suffered abuse from patients in the past, he's really not helping himself here!
But it seems quite obvious that he actually revels in the controversy that he creates anyway.
Firestormm - I wonder if you've managed to read Prof Hooper's clarifying letter (Bob's post 109 here). Just puts the whole thing in perspective rather than the usual ignorance picked up by the tabloid press. "Shoot the Messenger" in your post 115 from the Sunday Times sounds too biblical for me - well some humour needed.
Rod Liddle used to be an editor for the Radio 4 program that interviewed Wessley on Friday morning.
He's had a busy week (RL). Fresh for abusing disabled benefit claiments in the Sun newspaper earlier.
I have complained to the BBC. It is easy they have a webpage. http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/
The BBC is in contravention of the Disability Discrimination Act which prohibits a public body (such as the BBC) from acting in a way that will incite contempt or discrimination of a disabled minority.
Check out the Act - it give us strength.
http://www.inclusion.me.uk/blog/disability-discrimination-act-dda-2005-dda-2005-summary
I should think Action for ME and the MEA have material here for formal complaints.
Hi Firestormm,
I'm not quite sure what angle you are coming from here.
Are you suggesting that the ME community should not be involved in any activism?
Personally, I believe that if the patient community did no advocacy or campaigning, then we there would be very little progress.
I think it's helpful to raise the profile of ME, and to campaign for improvement to our situation.
With regards to this specific radio item, I agree that the abuse issue is a red-herring, and just an excuse for Wessely to get on the radio and promote his views re ME being a psychiatric disease. I can't believe that many people believe that ME patients are more abusive than any other section of the population.
So my correspondence has only been focused on the biomedical nature of ME, the desperate need for biomedical funding and government policy.
I think that Wessely has given us a chance for our voices to be heard on mainstream media, which doesn't happen very often.
Apart from anything else, I think that media exposure can help to galvanise and strengthen the patient community.