Powerful JKR

[Phinea Rogue]

It's truly interesting to see how much power an author can have. She has created quite a scandal in Czech republic with one single letter.

According to her, the way that children are treated in Czech psychiatric sanatories isn't human, because they're kept in beds which are like cages (only net is around them, sort of a net cage). But isn't it far less human to keep someone isolated or tied to a bed? Those nets are used rarely and they're there to protect the patients, so that they wouldn't fall from their beds and also to protect the nurses when the patients are aggressive. The problem is that there's not enough money for health care and for about 20 patients there's only one nurse, because more can't be efforded, and therefore there's no other way.

The Czech president (Vaclav Klaus) seemed quite offended, but has decided to hand the problem over to the specialists. The minister of health ordered to have all those beds cancelled, though the doctors were protesting.

[b.scheller]

These beds, were widely used in Romania at the crumbling of communism. The children of Ceaucescu were widely ignored, and abandoned by their mothers. Mainly due to the extreme agenda of the government, to push for, more children within the state and the banning of contraceptives. Thus, lots of children grew up in dingy and dirty foster homes. The cribs and beds had metal bars, and from what I saw in a program on television it was dreary and disguisting.

Unfortunately, in these Eastern European states. Children are widely abandoned, drug abuse, AIDS and the economics have widely affected the upringing of children and even those with disabilities.

It's good to hear that she's getting involved in this. Although, it may not shed enough light onto the matter, it will help none the less, as obviously proven by the Czech President's handling of the situation.

[Asphodel]

Money is the big problem. Here, we have all sorts of government-paid programs, but in other places there just isn't the money. Other things (war, mostly) are more "important". Look at Russia (I'm talking about the government, not the people.. so hopefully no one gets offended) they don't care about their people, they're just spending all of their money on the army so they look strong to the rest of the world. So things like this happen there.

[b.scheller]

Well unfortunately Russians seem content with Putin's iron first reign. He's bringing back the glory of the Soviet Empire. Most of the youngins dont remember the huge lineups for toilet paper or the massive censorship, but they hear about the times when the Soviet Union was a super power to be reckoned with.

[Asphodel]

I know... but I guess that's everyone isn't it? Here we are taught about colonial America, and all the wars we've won, and about being a super-power and all. But what we are not taught about how idiotic Republicans are overunning this country and making everyone hate it. It's all about pride isn't it?

[b.scheller]

That's how the world works, you make everyone else look worse. That's why states need enemies. To make sure, people dont focus on the internal problems of the state.

Enough cynicism though.

[Asphodel]

Yup.. think your right, back to the topic: I think -considering the circumstances- it was okay for them to use nets, I mean these doctors need to be kept safe.

[SunsetG|rl]

These beds, were widely used in Romania at the crumbling of communism. The children of Ceaucescu were widely ignored, and abandoned by their mothers. Mainly due to the extreme agenda of the government, to push for, more children within the state and the banning of contraceptives. Thus, lots of children grew up in dingy and dirty foster homes. The cribs and beds had metal bars, and from what I saw in a program on television it was dreary and disguisting.

Okey.. That is a bit over the truth. It is a fact that due to banning of contraceptives (and ...br I hate not knowing words in enlgish- but they also banned that thing when you kill your own baby in the first 3 months of pregnancy- and that was one of the main reasons cause they didn't know much about the contraceptives anyway) the natal rate grew suddenlly. But not all the kids ended up in foster homes. And not all foster homes are that dirty. There is of course a problem about homeless people that take drogs and live on the street. But it's not like a majoraty of people. And things are not that bad you know...

And beds with bars are not that big of a deal. Before all these modern things, children were kept in beds with bars. And not to keep them locked up but for their own protction.

[b.scheller]

The word you were looking for, was abortion.

I did not mean to offend you, by comments. Although it was a social problem that persisted within the state. I wouldn't readily call all orphanage's slums or all foster homes that either, but there was many that were in deplorable conditions.

I'm sure by now, with the onset of capitalism and democracy, things have widely improved within Romania.

[Asphodel]

Yeah, I guess we're not really in a position to talk about it, being that we've never been there. It's kind of like how in videos they always show like Iran like total desert, but only a few places are like that. And over there, they have large cities (Tehran, the nation's capital, actually has more pollution from cars than any other city in the world aside from Hong Kong) and things like that. But we're getting off topic. I guess what I mean to say, is we can't judge a whole nation based on one foster home.

[SunsetG|rl]

b.scheller...Well I rememberd the word last night. But thanks anyway. And I didn't really felt offended or something. It's just that things are as Asphodel said. The clips that mostly showed about Romania on tv are trully showing the most miserable things around.

I'm sure by now, with the onset of capitalism and democracy, things have widely improved within Romania.

That was funny! But not that true. Things are mostly as corupt as they have ever been. Only that we escaped the dictatorship (Hope I spelled it right ). But anyway, it's not as bad as it looks. As it has been shown on tv.

[Asphodel]

Well... I think it would be nice if the whole world shared money, but of course we all know that's not going to happen. I mean, people just want money and power. Technically, just money, because once you have power, you have money. Why do they want money? To show off. The reason wars are caused is because people want to a) spread their religion (look at the War on Iraq) b) show off with their power and money (look at World War II).


TPR: Topic Split - See "Branching Thread" in JKR Forum.