Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Mattera Propagandizes November Health Bill For Attack Against Rep. Alan Grayson

Jason Mattera over at Big Government thinks it is great to cite portions of the health care bill passed back in November out of context, especially parts regarding Native Americans, in order to smear Rep. Alan Grayson. Mattera goes on to question Grayson, asking the Representative to explain why he "voted for a health-care bill that allocates money to fund the rehabilitation of Native American child molesters?"
No joke, people: If Grayson and company had their way, the House bill that passed back in November would’ve mandated that our taxes go toward treating “perpetrators of child sexual abuse who are Indian or members of an Indian household.” (It’s on page 1950, section 713. See for yourself)
Taking Mattera's advice, I decided to see for myself to see what exactly his smear was. Considering his citation is on page 1950, I'm sure his ignorant followers never bothered to even check out the link he gave and would just take him for his word, but I was under the impression that Mattera was just fishing for something to complain about, and I was right.

The full section of the bill that Mattera cites is titled "Child Sexual Abuse And Prevention Treatment Programs," and it is not quite the damning piece of legislation Mattera makes it out to be.

Here is the complete section:
‘(a) Establishment- The Secretary, acting through the Service, shall establish, consistent with section 701, in every Service Area, programs involving treatment for--
‘(b) Use of Funds- Funding provided pursuant to this section shall be used for the following:
    ‘(1) To develop and provide community education and prevention programs related to sexual abuse of Indian children or children in an Indian household.
    ‘(2) To identify and provide behavioral health treatment to victims of sexual abuse who are Indian children or children in an Indian household, and to their family members who are affected by sexual abuse.
    ‘(3) To develop prevention and intervention models which incorporate traditional health care practices, cultural values, and community involvement.
    ‘(4) To develop and implement culturally sensitive assessment and diagnostic tools for use in Indian communities and Urban Centers.
    ‘(5) To identify and provide behavioral health treatment to Indian perpetrators and perpetrators who are members of an Indian household--
      ‘(A) making efforts to begin offender and behavioral health treatment while the perpetrator is incarcerated or at the earliest possible date if the perpetrator is not incarcerated; and
      ‘(B) providing treatment after the perpetrator is released, until it is determined that the perpetrator is not a threat to children.
‘(c) Coordination- The programs established under subsection (a) shall be carried out in coordination with programs and services authorized under the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act (25 U.S.C. 3201 et seq.).
The legislation was designed to simultaneously help victims of sexual abuse while also providing treatment for perpetrators, but it also includes provisions to develop prevention and intervention models as well that incorporate Native American culture, and is under Title VII focusing on Behavioral Health Programs. Not quite the Native American sexual predator welfare bill Mattera makes it out to be.

2 comments:

  1. As someone who does volunteer work with prisoners, I find those provisions quite reasonable. Dealing with crime has to be a two step process. Provide for public safety by isolating dangerous criminals. Provide for public safety by rehabilitating dangerous criminals while they are incarcerated and assisting their reintegration after they have served their time.

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  2. I have a feeling the voices on the right didn't really care what the bill was about. They saw "sexual predators," they saw "Native Americans," and then they made it sound like a sinister plot to fund some deviant acts, as if the legislation was a grant for some liberal snuff film, but my conclusion from pretty much everything I read coming from those who claim to be "conservative" is that they don't really care about their fellow man. They are a selfish group of people who will do anything to try and keep the world unbalanced in their favor.

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