Folks, I don't think it's a matter of getting Oprah to take up the issue. She already has. Years ago. She launched Dr. Phil as a celebrity and has had shows herself, praising the Program under various name.
She's not just a clueless non-combatant here. She (or, more accurately, the staff at Oprah Inc.) have taken a position for the Programs and against us. They've even gone so far as to censor out dissenting views from their forums, ignore many attempts at communication by ppl w/ direct experience w/ these programs and generally tell us all to fuck off and quit trying to fuck up her cozy and lucrative deal here.
But then, what did you really expect from someone who makes her living leading encounter group sessions on live national TV?
I've pretty much kept my mouth shut on this so far because I didn't want to thwart the effort; what if I'm wrong? Hell, I expected the same from Montel and, guess what, I was dead wrong. Damned glad I didn't try to "help" anybody avoid what I thought would probably wind up as a waste of time and another heartbreak.
But now? Now, I think it's safe to say that Oprah is firmly in the pro-program camp along w/ her bestest buddy, Dr. Phil.
Not sure about Judge Judy. Maybe she's just ignorant on the issue and open to getting the rest of the story. Here's how she was thinking 9 years ago:
"As many are already aware, Judy "Judge Judy" Sheindlin has been embroiled in a controversy over her remarks about injection drug users.
According to the Australia Courier-Mail, Sheindlin made an appearance in November where she said the debate about clean needle supplies for heroin addicts is an indulgence lead by "liberal morons." The solution is simple, she said. "Give 'em dirty needles and let 'em die. . .I don't understand why we think it's important to keep them alive."
http://www.mapinc.org/alert/0141.html
But she's no dumb bell. Maybe she's informed herself a bit on this very complicated and contentious issue by now. Maybe not. I'm reserving judgement. One thing, though. If anyone winds up establishing a decent dialog w/ here, I've always wondered if she were in any way related to either Betty Schlesinger Sembler or Jack Schlesinger (Nixon crony).
[Religion is] the daughter of hope and fear, explaining to ignorance the nature of the unknowable.
--Ambrose Bierce
_________________
Drug war POW
Straight, Sarasota
`80 - `82