From: "Roy Bercaw"Site Index PageTo: roybercaw@hotmail.com Subject: speech to Cambridge City Council Date sent: Mon, 14 Dec 1998 22:32:34 EST Though their rules allow ten minutes to each citizen, on Monday, Dec. 14, 1998 when I spoke Cambridge Mayor Duehay limited each of us to four minutes. I had prepared 7 minutes so even though I omitted some I was unable to finish what I prepared. Most of those who spoke were interested in a parcel of land being used for a public garden. I wondered what I was doing there. There were some audible gasps as I spoke in response to what I said. Here is what I said. * * * * * My concerns are experimentation on human subjects without informed consent, and the denial of access to law enforcement authorities to get relief from this illegal activity. The right to access is a part of the First Amendment. Some people believe that the first duty of government is to protect its people. If it fails at this, it fails at everything. Experimental drugs and high tech devices are being tested on human subjects. The devices are prohibited under the Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 140 Section 131-J. 50 years after the fact, MIT's President announced $100 million compensation for disabled students of the Fernald School in Waltham who were used for illegal radiation experiments from 1944 to 1974. He said, "The researchers believe they did no wrong." Neither did the Nazi doctors who experimented on concentration camp prisoners. (Omitted: Seven of the Nazi doctors were hanged.) After 65 years of human experimentation abuses in this country, (Omitted: it is clear that) money damages are no deterrent. Pulsed microwaves and electromagnetic radiation devices to influence human behavior were developed for military purposes. Called non lethal, and less than lethal, they are banned under international law. But they are used on domestic populations and studied at Harvard and MIT. According to a draft statement, in January, 1999 the European Parliament will issue a declaration urging governments to regulate and control these electronic devices developed by the Russians and the US government. (Omitted: Without a demonstration the International Committee of the Red Cross banned blinding laser weapons. This standard must be applied to microwaves and electromagnetic radiation.) The July, 1998 issue of the "Bulletin of Atomic Scientists" reports complaints similar to mine. Behaviorist psychiatrists believe that use of pulsed microwaves is the "cutting edge" of therapy. I am told that students at Harvard's School of Government and Lesley College are being trained in the use of these devices for experimentation. No one knows the effects of microwaves on humans, but research shows that substantial exposure to pulsed ionized microwaves on the brains of rodents, creates lesions consistent with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, and cancer. I never volunteered for any medical experiment. I am not under the care of any psychiatrist nor any psychologist; nor is there or has there ever been any court order to allow this experimentation or treatment without consent. Enrolling people in psychological programs without consent is a lucrative business. If you think that consent is not important, consider the issue of assisted suicide which is now performed on television. I am denied access to government agencies to get relief from this problem. That is an issue for the Human Rights Commission. Section 2.76.120 subsection A of the Municipal Code of Cambridge states, "It is an unlawful practice for the City ... or any of its agencies, departments, subdivisions or employees, to discriminate against any person in the provision of services, facilities ... or other opportunities because of the ... disability ... of such persons." On Dec. 2, 1998 the Acting Director of the HRC Ms. Vale Delund told me they do not accept complaints against the city. The "Boston Globe" series on human experimentation (November 15-18, 1998) focused on abuses in Cincinnati, Los Angeles, New York and Baltimore. But a great deal of experimentation is conducted in this area at MIT, Harvard, Mass General and McLean's Hospitals. According to a National Science Foundation report as of November 4, 1998, Harvard University receives more than $230,000,000 to conduct research for the NSF alone. Each week in the "Boston Phoenix" there are numerous solicitations for studies, also called experiments on humans. There are ads on the T, on radio stations and signs on bulletin boards. They offer to pay volunteers up to $300 for risks which are seldom fully explained. The New York Post reported in April, 1998 about experiments on the poor population of New York City. On Dec. 2, 1998 I filed a bill with the Massachusetts House of Representatives called the "Protection of Human Subjects in Experimentation Act." The academic community, the pharmaceutical industry and the medical profession desire to keep the laws relaxed as they are. There are no penalties for non compliance with federal laws on human experimentation. Neither the Code of Federal Regulations nor the United States Code carry any penalties. They require informed consent, but if consent is not obtained there is no penalty. There are no related laws in the Commonwealth besides assault and constitutional violations. New York, California, and Virginia have state laws on human experimentation. California codes carry penalties. That state also regulates behavior conditioning and experimentation on prisoners. Massachusetts does neither. One might conclude that the technology used on civilians is not available in this state; that the gene pool in this area was cleansed of evil researchers, misguided doctors, dishonest leaders, mendacious academics and lawyers. Do you believe that? I seek relief from the City Council due to the negative responses from city, state and federal officials. (Omitted: One of US Senator Kerry's aides tried to have me committed to a hospital. At US Senator Edward Kennedy's office they looked at me as if I had three heads. Supporters of US Rep. Joseph Kennedy not only ignored my complaints but joined in the harassment and the campaign to discredit me.) (Omitted: Congressional protocol requires seeking relief from one's representative. The US House subcommittee which studies human experimentation laws refused to respond to my complaints without being asked to do so by Rep. Kennedy. They demand "credible evidence.) (Omitted: I spoke with aides of Congressman-elect Capuana outlining the years of abuse asking that they contact US Rep. Christopher Shays. Shays can order an investigation by the General Accounting Office for abuse, fraud, and waste of taxpayer funds for illegal experimentation.) (Omitted: After I wrote to Richard Cole, the [Massachusetts] assistant attorney general for civil rights, a man chased me from the state McCormack office building. He said he was a state police officer but was unable to produce identification. What is ironic is that Mr. Cole is one of a group of attorneys who argued a Massachusetts case before the US Supreme Court making treatment without consent illegal, even for patients in a hospital.) My letter to the City Council dated Dec. 10th details my inability to obtain relief from the Human Rights Commission, which has my complaints about city and state agencies. I called to and wrote to the US Attorney in Boston, Mr. Donald K. Stern. A paralegal, Ms. Mary Ann Casoli called me admitting that she knew nothing about [at this point I was cut off. The Mayor told me, "Mr. Bercaw, your time is up." He also mispronounced my name as Bersaw, and called me Ray when he introduced me. So the rest of this was not said] she knew nothing about human experimentation. I told her there are books about it. She said to me, "I don't have time to read books." Slander is broadcast to cover up this activity. I was told that government files were erased and altered. Being disabled, and being shunned due to a disability is one thing. But the creators of the disability broadcast slander playing on pervasive prejudice. The HRC has the authority under section 2.76.140 subsection B 2 of the municipal code to file any complaints "that relate to acts of discrimination" received, "with other government agencies" which are "under the jurisdiction of such agencies." Section 2.76.150 subsection I 1 of the municipal code states that with a finding of an unlawful practice the HRC shall initiate a criminal complaint in a court of proper jurisdiction. The perpetrators enjoy protection from the very authorities who should be stopping the abuses. Pervasive discrimination against persons with disabilities allows this to continue. The issue of elitism applies here. Are academic researchers above the law? Thank you for your time. [I can appear again next week to finish up what I started. Permission to post with credit to any appropriate lists granted.] Roy Bercaw