That APA advocacy of
social-moral-political positions is divisive for the organization in
that APA pretends to knowledge which indicates that certain
social-moral-political positions are better for society than
alternative positions. APA advocacy ignores the fact that many
members of APA do not share such a view of the social benefits of
APA's stance and points to a contempt of the APA for such members.
That APA, acting on the
pretense of knowing what is best for society, discredits the
organization in the minds of and alienates the profession from the
public it purports to serve. APA demonstrates its contempt for the
democratic process and the citizens who constitutionally express
their points of view when it attempts to influence elections or
overturn results in which citizens vote against the
"official" position of APA.
That by alienating a large
part of the public through its advocacy, APA reduces the probability
that citizens will seek consultation from professional
psychologists.
That by assuming
"rightness" and finality through its advocacy APA imposes
closure on scientific and theoretical dialogue, thereby strangling a
vital component of the scientific enterprise: A clean, unstained
sharing of differences of point of view.
That no science can state
how things should be but can only describe how things are
under the conditions in which its research is conducted.
That in advocating
particular social-moral-political positions APA disregards the
potential impact of its position on the total social system in which
it exists.
