One more go at it
I was posting in the pro-ana community and a rant came out of me about this whole debate that I don't should go over-looked. For all my jabber and attempts at trying to explain myself and defend my idea/belief/community, I believe this here says it all better than anything else I've tried to debate with and I think it should indeed make sense. If not, feel free to hit me back with why. I'm staying calm and collected and I'm not defensive. It would be nice if people who respond would respect my thoughts and my rant --suppressing natural anger and other emotions for the sake of discussing this rationally. In speaking of who "they" are, there is no one in particular and I am not speaking in the rant specifically about this group, these people or this recent debate. I am referring to a LARGE amount of people I have talked to about pro-ana communities.
"What is with these people that despise the pro-ana community? I got into a little debate with someone today and they just could not stand the idea of us. I continually responded with comments about the first amendment, the right to free speech, the difference between advocating an illness and creating a place for ill people to meet, as well as defending any "lifestylers" on the basis that they have the right to choose ana as a lifestyle in our free country. It's not against the law. In fact, there is a law stating that no American can be force fed, ever! (This only applies to 18+ though; for minors the choice is dependent up the parent or guardian, i.e. food tubes and such). I found out that the law came about during the women's suffrage moment. The women who were picketing for the right to vote were thrown in jail. They began refusing food as a protest. They were violently tortured - metal tubes were jammed down their throats and raw eggs were dropped in through a funnel. This went on for over 90 days! Finally one of the women slipped a note to her husband as he was visiting her in the prison. He was a politician and when it all finally became public and the government learned of the situation, the current president declared in a speech to the nation that no American shall ever be force fed again. And a line was created stating that as law. Anyway, these anti-ana people can't even seem to understand that tidbit of history. It's bizarre. They seem so obsessed with us "harming" people that I don't think they even realize that millions more people die from smoking cigarettes yearly, and others from obesity caused by the fast food industry (and its disgusting chemical additives) than any NEVER-REPORTED cases of individuals dying from reading a message board about mentally ill girls and women or those with unusual lifestyles. These people are just not rational. I don't understand how they can just ignore and skip over my replies about the freedom of speech, press and publication. Granted, during this debate there were some people from other countries that I believe don't understand our freedom of speech laws because it's not so in their country, and of course their government tells its people that what it does is the absolute right way to do things. However, most everyone was American and there is no excuse for such discrimination - they claim we should be banned, outlawed and censored. I ask, would they go into a library and request that all copies of Mein Kamf be burned? No! So how could we possibly be something worse than Hitler's famed book of fascist rantings?! WE'RE NOT! - obviously. We're just a support group for people with eating disorders in which we don't advocate forcing recovery on those who don't want it. They seem to assume we teach others how to be anorexic, which is silly because I'm sure everyone here knows that you can't learn a serious illness from someone teaching you, whatever that even means. Anyway, this was totally just a rant, but let me know what you guys think about this. I'm sure you're all familiar with the people I'm talking about and have probably even interacted with them before yourselves. ANNOYING AND ILLOGICAL! AREN'T THEY?! I should copy and paste this rant and post it on the debate board - I feel like I gave a clear explanation here of the illogicity. "
"What is with these people that despise the pro-ana community? I got into a little debate with someone today and they just could not stand the idea of us. I continually responded with comments about the first amendment, the right to free speech, the difference between advocating an illness and creating a place for ill people to meet, as well as defending any "lifestylers" on the basis that they have the right to choose ana as a lifestyle in our free country. It's not against the law. In fact, there is a law stating that no American can be force fed, ever! (This only applies to 18+ though; for minors the choice is dependent up the parent or guardian, i.e. food tubes and such). I found out that the law came about during the women's suffrage moment. The women who were picketing for the right to vote were thrown in jail. They began refusing food as a protest. They were violently tortured - metal tubes were jammed down their throats and raw eggs were dropped in through a funnel. This went on for over 90 days! Finally one of the women slipped a note to her husband as he was visiting her in the prison. He was a politician and when it all finally became public and the government learned of the situation, the current president declared in a speech to the nation that no American shall ever be force fed again. And a line was created stating that as law. Anyway, these anti-ana people can't even seem to understand that tidbit of history. It's bizarre. They seem so obsessed with us "harming" people that I don't think they even realize that millions more people die from smoking cigarettes yearly, and others from obesity caused by the fast food industry (and its disgusting chemical additives) than any NEVER-REPORTED cases of individuals dying from reading a message board about mentally ill girls and women or those with unusual lifestyles. These people are just not rational. I don't understand how they can just ignore and skip over my replies about the freedom of speech, press and publication. Granted, during this debate there were some people from other countries that I believe don't understand our freedom of speech laws because it's not so in their country, and of course their government tells its people that what it does is the absolute right way to do things. However, most everyone was American and there is no excuse for such discrimination - they claim we should be banned, outlawed and censored. I ask, would they go into a library and request that all copies of Mein Kamf be burned? No! So how could we possibly be something worse than Hitler's famed book of fascist rantings?! WE'RE NOT! - obviously. We're just a support group for people with eating disorders in which we don't advocate forcing recovery on those who don't want it. They seem to assume we teach others how to be anorexic, which is silly because I'm sure everyone here knows that you can't learn a serious illness from someone teaching you, whatever that even means. Anyway, this was totally just a rant, but let me know what you guys think about this. I'm sure you're all familiar with the people I'm talking about and have probably even interacted with them before yourselves. ANNOYING AND ILLOGICAL! AREN'T THEY?! I should copy and paste this rant and post it on the debate board - I feel like I gave a clear explanation here of the illogicity. "