Friday, November 23, 2007

Letter from Robert Bates to Los Angeles Times

Re: Turmoil Replaces Treatment at Coalinga State Hospital

As one of the named sources in your piece, I must object to the following statement, one which you did not attribute to any particular source, so that I must conclude that you wish to present it as commonly accepted and factually correct information:sex offenders tend to be manipulative and charismatic”

It should be noted that, in repeated studies of sex offenders, they (we) do not possess any particular set of personality characteristics. Law enforcement officials have informed the public that a sex offender can be anyone.

Secondly, we have never asked for internet access! Why did you report that it was among our demands as part of the strike?

What we have asked for is:

  • Basic medical care

  • Accurate Mental Health Diagnosis and truthful, unfalsified, mental health records

  • Hospital regulations that are in compliance with Federal and State regulations

  • Fundamental Civil Rights

  • Food that is at least as good as that you would feed your dog

We are, after all, civil detainees, not prisoners (even Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has said as much). As such, we are not being punished (wink, wink) so how is that asking too much?

Taxpayers should also demand some results from their greater than $1 Billion investment.

Robert Bates
Unit 6, P.O. Box 5003
Coalinga, CA 93210-5003

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