Such cynicism, so sad. I admire any person who stands up for what they believe in.

I watched the interview between Colin Craig and Chris Trotter - ooohh yuk. Chris opens with irrelevant and degrading comments aimed at Craig, this of course to give himself some credibility and authority where he really had nothing to say.

Russell, in which country and socio-economic class do you reside. Obviously not in the real NZ alongside the poor and dysfunctional. Craig is a wealthy man insensed by the lack of democracy in New Zealand and the way the average man was being made a criminal for smacking his own child. He was right to put money into this cause.

I was a member of the Green Party for years and had the chance to challenge Sue Bradford on the subject over dinner several years ago at the annual conference. Didn't do any good though.

Speaking from the crevasse created by mental health and ACC's non-existent rehabilitation services for the mentally injured, I am now a leading authority on the subject of traumatic stress, health, rehabilitation, ACC, human rights, government bureaucratic corruption and democracy (or more correctly lack of it).

After I was raped eight years ago (age 37) and became severely dysfunctional, I wasn't unable to manage my business (which I subsequently lost), however I was able to read and gather knowledge. I read dozens of books on abuse, behaviour, traumatic stress, health, rehabilitation, etc. Dozens of brochures on 'support services' yeah right and several pieces of legislation, eg ACC, human rights, bill of rights, Auditor-General, health. Attended dozens of workshops on these topics.

My mental health continued to deteriorate after every attempt to get the rehabilitation and support I needed to heal from my mental injury was thwarted (hence the crevasse). As I was studying to be a lawyer at Victoria prior to the rape I have kept everything on my journey, including the hundreds of letters I wrote to every manner of person I believed should take responsibility for my appauling care.

Like many other people, particularly children, I was left to rot from the inside out, developing an eating disorder, violent behaviour, suicidal ideology, anxiety disorders, addictive behaviour, compulsive behaviour, sexual dysfunction, mood swings, depression, cognitive damage, etc, etc. Look up Complex Post Traumatic Stress if you are interested, its what I have but can't get a medical assessment to prove it - thank you ACC and mental health - I have been asking for seven years.

One positive aspect of my disorder is you become highly creative, thankfully Masterton has a NGO called King Street Artworks that caters to mentally ill people. I have been going there about six years now.

Recently my political art began to be censored by King Street, I write a lot of poetry about how bad ACC, mental health and social services are. I was allowed to exhibit my lovely garden poetry but it was now considered disrespectful to say anything against any organisation, which included ACC and mental health - ooohh yuk.

When I tried to use their complaints process the chairperson never called me back and staff refused to give me her phone number saying it was a privacy issue - ooohh yuk.

Thankfully some new parts of my cognition have returned recently and I am capable of using the internet. Watch out NZ.

There is a lot more to this story but I know you don't want to hear it now. So instead I will include one of my most recent poems.

TAKE YOUR BLINKERS OFF

Take your blinkers off I say
With people's spirit you do play
The police are left to sort this out
While mental health do less than nowt

If you arrived dripping in blood
If you staggered in as you could
Would you expect to be turned away
Told its not bad enough you can't stay

Back on the streets of this masters town
Neglected, regjected, oppressed, put down
They keep the suicidal from view
If only you knew, if only you knew

But you don't want to see
How the system treats ones like me
So you put up barriers left and right
Leaving the only option, fight, fight, fight

Fight that unseen enemy
Those that choose neglect are many
Giving excuse after excuse
Not taking responsibility for this abuse

Although I endure a stress disorder
That seems me on the edge, the border
No-one comes to sort shit out
All they do is look and spout

Of course, almost dead is not enough
Living with sucidal ideology is tough
They know it, I've studied
So why neglect people bloodied

Compare us to the strongest man
Would he say, any weight I can
I can lift 100, maybe twoo
But even I know what I can't do

And what if this strong man
When asked to bear all weight he can
Was put in water above his head
That's real easy - he'd soon be dead

I've lived like this for months, for years
Thousands of hours, thousands of tears
Trying to make you do what you say
But you keep the power at the end of the day

And with that power you do abuse
Neglect, regject, oppress, refuse
The backlash we see in social stats
Dysfunction, addiction, violence, the facts

Do something my people
Don't leave us to cry
Rescue us from this place of neglect
Or watch us writhe

End

Sitting here listenin to Eric
In my battered old 50s rockin chair
My discman gives it to me just how I like it
Loud and surround in my ear

Off in the distance past the neighbours
The poplars whisper the winds symphony
As spirit blows 'cross the papa
There's a storm brewin sweeping up country

Eric's started blowing harp in my head
And knockin on the door of the dead
Trying to keep it together through this killer storm weather
A battle that fills me with dread

The CDs now on Guns and Roses
As the evening air touches my skin
And the clouds rolling in from the west
Like a woollen cloak being pulled 'cross the heavens

Now Axle starts knockn on the door
As only he knows how to do
He sings it - I live it
Trying that door to break through

Oh God when are they gunna listen
Their ears are so closed to our pain
The voice of a casualty of abuse
Writhing in pain
Writhing in pain

The light is starting to fade...

Knock, knock, knockin on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin on heaven's door

Did you know it is policy for the police to strip suicidal people. When I was arrested after a desperate call to ACC, first time I have ever been arrested in my 44 years, I was forced to remove all my clothes, when I said I had my period and couldn't remove my underwear they said I had to. My reply 'you will have to fight me for them' saw them back down.

I have been arrested since then for the same thing but refused to go quietly unless the policemen promised I wouldn't be stripped.

What country do I live in? What century is this?

New Zealand's journalists should take their blinkers off