How to rescue a rat | 10 comments (10 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: How to rescue a rat (4.00 / 2)

It's a good fisking, but I think you weaken your case by making light of a need for prescription anti-depressant. While they are certainly abused and while they are certainly also over-prescribed, they are a legitimate class of drugs for a legitimate class of diseases. Whether Zeltser actually suffered from those diseases is a matter between himself and his doctor.

Of course, bringing unlicensed drugs into a foreign country without declaring them and getting permission from the relevant authorities is either arrogant, stupid or both.

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Mon Jul 6th, 2009 at 02:24:42 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: How to rescue a rat (none / 1)

Zeltser was charged with smuggling "psychotropic" drugs. Patton and Boggs have construed this matter as torture. For as much as I, or anyone, may deplore the state of affairs in Belarus, I have serious reserves that being deprived of some psychotropic drugs, illegal in Belarus, can be construed as torture. Zeltser was under medical cure while in prison.

As for the medical assistance farrago propagated by the SaveEmanuelZeltser site, Zeltser received medical aid and medical visits as requested by the U.S. diplomatic corps and his brother, Mark Zeltser. The visits were then misrepresented through base propaganda on the aforesaid site. The fact that Emanuel was found to be in good health by an American doctor was dismissed as having been orchestrated by giving him "get-well" drugs just before the visit.

Actually, Mark Zeltser dragged his feet on the one hand crying out for medical visits and then effectively creating obstacles to those same visits so as to perpetuate the patent misrepresentation of Zeltser's health problems.

We're to take it as blanket proof the simple enunciation by a PR studio that Zeltser had diabetes or heart problems. He may indeed be afflicted but the family has yet to offer evidence of any sort.

As far as privacy is concerned, it has become a catch-all for abuse. It is far too easy to hide "proof" behind privacy and closed doors. I have argued elsewhere that notorious public figures cannot invoke privacy, all the more so when they abuse it. Zeltser has been a public figure for 15 years. Like Limbaugh his rights to pertinent aspects of his privacy can be questioned.

by de Gondi (publiobestia aaaatttthotmaildaughtusual) on Mon Jul 6th, 2009 at 03:05:02 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Valid points (4.00 / 2)

It might be worthwhile to stress that he had access to independent health professionals (as is his due under international law).

Incidentally, this is one of the rights that has been denied people detained by the US under suspicion of terrorism.

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Mon Jul 6th, 2009 at 04:21:12 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Valid points (none / 1)

He did. One chosen by his brother, another by the U.S. embassy.

by de Gondi (publiobestia aaaatttthotmaildaughtusual) on Mon Jul 6th, 2009 at 05:37:30 AM EST
[ Parent ]

How to rescue a rat | 10 comments (10 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)