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## Speech to Cambridge MA City Council

## by Roy Bercaw

    From:             "Roy Bercaw"
    To:               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

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