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We resign from the APA

We resign from the APA

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Started by Anonymous 16 years, 8 months ago
The undersigned have recently resigned or do now resign from the American Psychological Association. After years of struggling to reverse APA policies stemming from their complicity in illegal and inhumane detentions in the “war on terror,” we have concluded that the APA has demonstrated such profound ethical failures that we can no longer, in good conscience, remain affiliated with the organization. These actions, among others, have led us to take this step: • The composition, deliberations, and process of the 2005 APA President’s Task Force on Psychological Ethics and National Security that constituted a series of violations of APA’s own bylaws. • APA leadership’s failure to fully implement the 2008 Referendum, passed by the membership, barring psychologists from working in settings that violate international laws, such as the Geneva Conventions, even after the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture pointed out that “every day that the APA delays in invoking the Referendum is another day when psychologists are acquiescing in human rights violations.” • APA’s 2002 revision, introduction and defense of Ethical Standard 1.02 (referred to as the Nuremberg defense) that permits psychologists to violate their ethical code if ordered to do so, and its defense of that revision in the face of years of opposition from the membership and the Council of Representatives. • APA leadership’s reluctant agreement to finally consider alternatives to Standard 1.02 only after members’ protests could no longer be ignored. (The code remains in force.) • The failure of the APA’s Ethics Committee to deal with complaints filed against psychologists both for outright acts of torture and for maintaining conditions tantamount to torture. • APA leadership’s failure to give an accounting of contacts between them and James Mitchell and Bruce Jessen, the psychologists who implemented the CIA’s “enhanced interrogation” torture program. Mitchell and/or Jessen were present for at least two conferences jointly organized by the APA and the intelligence community and for at least two meetings with a former APA President where abusive strategies were discussed. In addition, another former APA President was on the board of Mitchell-Jessen Associates. • In 2002 APA substantially weakened protections of research subjects, including removing informed consent requirements when consistent with government or organizational regulations. While there has been some progress on some issues, these gains have been made in the face of concerted opposition from APA leadership. Other cases of ostensible policy change have proven to be window dressing – improving the APA’s reputation while insuring that no substantial change was manifested. We have had to muster the strength needed to move mountains just to move the APA an inch. It is apparent that conflicts of interest between the APA and the military routinely influence the policies in question and undermine the ethical foundations of our profession. The APA has shown itself to be more committed to keeping good relations with powerful interests than it is in serving the interests of its membership. We call for a full, independent investigation of the APA leadership and their policy decisions regarding psychologists and the abuse of psychological knowledge in interrogations and detention in the hopes of restoring the integrity of the organization that is charged with being the official voice of psychologists in the United States. We, the undersigned, will no longer lend legitimacy to the APA by being counted as members. The American Psychological Association has left us and therefore we must resign until the organization is prepared to put principles before power. To the signers: if you have not already done so, when you add your signature to this list, you should also send an individual letter to Norman Anderson, Ph.D. CEO American Psychological Association, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242 , formally resigning from the APA and stating your reason for doing so. Only then is your resignation officially acknowledged by the APA. For more information go to: EthicalAPA.com

Updates

November 11, 2009

The stories coming in from former members are sobering. We are documenting every account of these ethical failures for our upcoming submission.

November 11, 2009

The momentum is undeniable. Professional conscience is finally winning out over organizational inertia.

6 Comments

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Robert Sandoval
16 years ago Featured

About time we walked away. Standard 1.02 is a stain on our entire profession.

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Sarah Edwards
16 years ago Featured

Finally. It was impossible to stay associated with them after all the rot that came out. Shameful.

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Elena Wilkinson
16 years ago Featured

Unforgivable. They chose politics over the actual ethics they claim to represent. Bye.

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David Dixon
16 years ago Featured

The leadership at the APA has lost its moral compass entirely. Im done.

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Mark Nasser
16 years ago Featured

Total disgrace. Psychologists are supposed to help people not help torture them. Glad to be out.

J
Jessica Singh
16 years ago Featured

I cant support an org that works against human rights. Enough is enough.

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