[ExI] A Small Request

[Fred C. Moulton]

On Sun, 2008-02-10 at 21:35 -0800, Lee Corbin wrote:
> Fred writes
> 
> > First it should be pointed out that there were instances
> > of "involuntary commitment" in the sense that many persons
> > were in jails or prisons
> 
> well, yes, but for "our" protection, not theirs!

The question was not about who was being protected.  The question was
about "involuntary commitment" for whatever reason.  And if you read the
text that Amara included in her message (which is the message to which
you replied) you will find that Amara actually uses the phrase: "danger
to himself/herself or others".

> > rather than institutions specifically for their treatment.
> > Secondly it was in the mid 1800s that many of these
> > institutions began to be constructed. There was a
> > reform movement began in the 1840s to construct
> > asylums so that persons commonly classified as
> > "mentally ill" could be treated rather than left in the
> > usually deplorable conditions of the jails.
> 
> But who was to pay for it? As always, that's the key
> question. 

No. The key question is often one of getting the history correct.  

> What has unquestionably changed in the
> 20th century is that the government is now seen by
> many as the default fixer and default payer of all things.
> 
> The recommended libertarian position is usually to
> allow a *non-entitlement* charity to supply this role.
> Besides, people act differently, as you know, when
> the recipient of charity instead of entitlement. But
> sorry,  I digress. 
> 
> Lee
> 
> > One of the leaders of this movement was Dorthea Dix.
> > 
> >> And this change arose, I think, because of
> >> the anonymity of urban life, when in one sense people could
> >> become such complete individuals that they could no longer
> >> in any way to depend on family or friends, if that was their desire.
> 
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