Article archive / September 1, 2009
Originally published: . Volume 1, No. 1. Source pages: 2.
Some Louisiana psychologists woke up in July to find that Act 251 had cut a beloved baby in half. Someone should have told LAMP that Solomon was just testing love and sacrifice. He didn’t really mean it. A good king would never divide something precious, there’s always a better way. Of all the professions, psychology is full of great minds, great hearts, and great insights. Working together we could have found a better way.
The analogy isn’t perfect. Unlike a dead infant, each part can probably survive. But there may be risks to both that come later. And, both are diminished.
Splitting the baby didn’t come in one hacking motion, even though Act 251 feels that way. It came in a series of gradual changes, forecasted by some. But for many of us it was a slow desensitization, a numbing of awareness, like boiling a frog.
In hindsight it is clear and a little embarrassing: our board members are predominately MPs; important leaders of LPA are MPs; even the purpose statement on the LPA website sounds MP-like. The term “non-MP” has crept into our parlance, meaning–everyone else. Resources, energy, creativity were directed to the MP goals (be careful what you reinforce), and other needs neglected. LPA has about 230 members (30 MPs) but there are over 650 licensed psychologists in the state, and other PhDs who might have something to gain from an open, participative, creative state association.
It’s hard to know what to do now, but it seems to me a good start is to return to our roots, the science we love and that excited all of us in the first place. And then, everyone who loves the baby can decide what’s next.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.