Shapiro Changes from Threats to Ultimatums

Previously Dr. Shapiro posted what I constitute as a threat:

"I will also state unequivocally that I simply will not tolerate a repetition of this kind of behavior on this forum in the future. . . I will simply delete your post without response."

Now, Dr. Shapiro tries ultimatums:

"Those
are the rules of this forum. You can choose to participate at that level or not at all."

This was spurred by my postings of contradictory evidence about EMDR. I also must have lacked the differential attitude that she was been accustomed to on this list. If I do not kow tow to her am I resorting to ad hominems? An old saying comes to mind here: "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." Some in this list have already found these tirades against me overdramatic and overblown. I would agree. However, whether she likes what I have to say or not these types of postings have no relevance to the debate and will not bully me into leaving. I do not take her comments personally even though they may be directed that way. It's simply a sad exhibit of losing one's cool.

This behavior is nothing new. I have read of others being treated in this same way by Dr. Shapiro because they have flatly disagreed with her position. I scoffed at this at first. I thought this was just rhetoric. Now I can attest to the same treatment being applied, textbook, to me. It would seem that she claims I make ad homenim attacks and then in the same breath she personally attacks me. Others have claimed the same treatment. Others have also claimed that Dr. Shapiro ignores disconfirming evidence and only feels that studies which confirm her beliefs have value. Just read her postings to see this in action. She claims that all the contradictory research I cite is worthless and then cites a number of studies that others have called methodologically flawed (I wasn't the first and certainly won't be the last to say so). She states that her opinions are not merely opinions but cold, hard facts for which there is no debate; but that the opinions of others who she simply disagrees with it is absolutely false. Most importantly, Dr. Shapiro tries one-upmanship by leveling these charges against those who disagree with her and then proceeds to engage in the practices she rails against. Look through the previous postings and see if this is correct. Who are these others who have made these clear observations: Lohr, Montgomery, Lilienfeld, Rosen, Tolin, Herbert, McNally, Gist, etc, etc. Some of the same professionals who Shapiro has attempted to brush off time and time and time again. Read their articles for yourself and see if their comments don't appear to be right on the money. Therefore, it's not surprising that Dr. Shapiro is so completely dismissive of these individuals and their contributions to the debate, their observations are hard to dismiss.

Of all people, she only references herself and Lipke (someone who is far from objective and is a vocal and ardent supporter of EMDR which she fails to make clear) to contradict her detractors' numerous publications. She tries to lump them into one group, now including me, in an effort to discredit them on this list. A good attempt but not one that I cannot see straight through. Furthermore, she wants us to all ignore them because she has published an article that criticizes them. I guess I'm less than convinced just because she calls them "misinformed".

Bottom line: I guess it is very effective to brand others as villains (Lohr, Montgomery, Lilienfeld, Rosent, Tolin, etc., etc.) and then when you have discredited them in the eyes of the audience go on to engage in repeated ad homenim attacks of them and feel justified.

I think that most individual discussants would feel bullied by the flood of postings by Dr. Shapiro. Fortunately, I do not feel threatened at all and I will continue to point out holes in Dr. Shapiro's arguments.

Stay tuned if you wish to hear a different opinion than only Dr. Shapiro's on this list.

Thanks,

Brian

Replies:

Re: Shapiro Changes from Threats to Ultimatums, by Shapiro, 2/17/00 Re: Shapiro Changes from Threats to Ultimatums, by Brian G., 2/17/00 Let's get back to the data, by SR, 2/17/00

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