#394: Leslee Unruh

Leslee Unruh is a particularly unhinged pro-life activist (following her own abortion experience). She is also executive director of the VoteYesForLife.com campaign, founder of the Abstinence Clearinghouse, and a central lobbyist in favor of the Women's Health and Human Life Protection Act in South Dakota, the most restrictive pro-life law in the United States by March 2006. When it was overturned by the voters in a referendum, anti-abortion activists undauntedly amended the bill – which they view as a challenge to Roe vs. Wade – to include exceptions for rape, incest, and maternal health. Her “informed consent” law of 2005 requires South Dakota doctors to tell patients that abortion can cause depression and sterility, which is misleading at best, among other alleged side-effects. The law has circulated in the courts since then. Despite being a rather ardent activist, Unruh has no legislative or medical qualifications; she still got to draft a law governing the medical care of female patients in South Dakota. Her husband Alan Unruh, sits on the South Dakota Task Force to Study Abortions, whose job is to evaluate medical evidence and make recommendations on the needs for additional legislation governing medical procedures. Alan is a chiropractor. South Dakota is not currently in particularly good hands. More here.

Unruh’s lobbyism gained South Dakota $200 million in federal funding for teaching abstinence outside of marriage to public school students. When confronted with the fact that the state abstinence programs demonstrably do not work, Unruh responded that state programs are not true abstinence programs because they talk about delaying sexual activity, but not specifically waiting until marriage. Indeed, she dismisses the evidence for the futility of abstinence-only education rather out of hand, arguing that comprehensive sex-ed programs, particularly those which include discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity, are actually going to lead to the “self-destruction” of society and are “based on profound ignorance about human nature.” Identifying actual weaknesses with the studies she criticize apparently does not matter, for in Unruh’s mind “all the data” backs abstinence-only-until-marriage education. “Which data?” you may ask. And Unruh responds: “you know what, the church ladies are having the best sex.” Apparently “data” means “making up irrelevant shit on the spot.”

She is also the person behind the “Purity Balls” and the proud recipient of Randall Terry’s Operation Save America Malachi Award in 2006.

Diagnosis: Desperately blinded to anything resembling truth or fact by the tenets of her garbled crusade against sexuality, Unruh is quite effective at what she’s doing and must be considered dangerous.

#393: Dana Ullman

A.k.a. The Energizer Bunny of Woo

A.k.a. Hahnemann’s cognitively impaired bulldog

Gregory Dana Ullman is perhaps the most ardent and significant advocates of homeopathy (or “nanopharmacology”, as he seems to prefer to call it) in the States. He holds a Master of Public Health degree from Berkeley. This is not a medical qualification, though Ullman and his fans appear to think so. In fact, Ullman has no scientific or medical qualifications. Hence, he has been arrested for practicing medicine without a license and is currently required to sign a contract with all his patients explaining to them that he is not a medical doctor. He is also a professional troller (check the comments in this otherwise excellent post on his book; he has a column at – where else – the Huffpo and has been featured on and endorsed by that promoter of all things stupid, Oprah. He is well-known for his tireless attempts at “correcting” critics or anyone skeptical of his claims, including some notorious and infamous brawls with Wikipedia, and for his particularly notorious cherry-picking and use of sources so obscure that they cannot easily be found and analyzed (he really doesn’t like, you know, actual evidence). Another favored tactic is a not particularly original form of PRATTing. Make the claim, have it refuted, wait a week, then repeat claim as if nothing has happened and no one remembers.

His claims range from the irrelevant to the dangerous. One of his favored pieces of evidence (irrelevant) for the efficacy of homeopathy is the fact that celebrities have used it (including a brood of popes) – he has even written a book called “The Homeopathic Revolution: Why Famous People and Cultural Heroes Choose Homeopathy”). One of his dangerous pieces of advice is his advocacy of “drug vacations” (stop taking your recommended drugs for a while to avoid addiction). He has also argued that the triumph of science-based medicine over homeopathy was the result of a culture war (rather than, you know, the evident success of evidence and reducing investigator bias), and – in a true post-modernist manner – that science-based medicine is using its current position to oppress homeopathy (it's all about power struggles, not about evidence). According to Ullman, there is an ongoing nefarious disinformation campaign against homeopathy, and it is nefarious since – according to Ullmann – criticism of homeopathy by supporters of science-based medicine is not due to the fact that homeopathy is the promotion of demonstrably inert bullshit justified by references to medieval magic; criticism of homeopathy is purely ideological and part of a plot to crush a threat. Homeopathy, you see, is an “ongoing threat to the scientific, philosophical and economics of conventional medical care.” To boost his claims he – in addition to strawmen and falsehoods – emphasizes that he is not going to rely on ad hominem attacks, before launching – you guessed it – a series of ad hominem attacks to discredit his critics.

Ullman also advocates the extreme homeopathic idea of “suppression”: if a (non-homeopathic) drug cures a symptom, it is often because “the drug works by suppressing the disease, thereby creating a much more serious physical and/or mental disease […] Such suppression of the disease process may lead to increased chronic disease, immune dysfunction, and mental illness, all of which we are seeing together in epidemic proportions,” which is inaccurate on so many levels that it is hard to motivate oneself to pick them apart.

His lack of understanding of medicine is in general pretty profound, to the extent that he has even claimed that radiation therapy for cancer is homeopathic, and his ability to distinguish reasons from fallacies seems to be virtually non-existent. In fact, it has been pointed out that Ullman’s reasoning powers are homeopathic as well.

As for an easy example of quote-mining, Ullman has taken Darwin as a supporter of homeopathy (documented here). When it was pointed out that Ullman had mangled Darwin’s explicit attack on homeopathy, his response was to point out that Darwin was to afraid to admit that he supported it. So regardless of what Darwin may have said, argued or thought, he must have been a fan of homeopathy.

There is much more here. For Ullman’s use of false analogies, see this.

Kimball Atwood has coined the Dull-man law: “In any discussion involving science or medicine, being Dana Ullman loses you the argument immediately … and gets you laughed out of the room.” (Justification and evidence here).

Diagnosis: A master of cognitive dissonance and memory bias, Ullman seems clinically unable to grasp the possibility that he may be wrong. Combined with a lack of understanding of science or medicine – and the possession of certain marketing skills – what we end up with is rather insidious. 

#392: Kevin Trudeau

Kevin Trudeau is an author, convicted felon – in fact, a repeatedly convicted felon – and hardcore woo-meister and conspiracy theorist In fact, he is recognized as the very nexus of stuff someone (government, media, the sane folk, science etc.) doesn’t want you to know. According to his numerous TV informercials , Trudeau’s got exactly what you need. If you just pay him, he’ll even tell you (well, gesture toward) what it is. He has even written a book named “Natural Cures ‘They’ Don't Want You to Know About”, which tells you basically how to send him money to obtain the information they don’t want you to have about how to cure every conceivable ailment you may suffer from.

The stuff that got him into trouble with the FTC was his promotion “Mega Memory”, (Canadian Robert Barefoot’s) Coral Calcium, and Hair Farming (you probably don’t want to know). What he got out of it was, of course, a tangible target for his conspiracy theories, namely … well, the FTC, of course, but they must surely be working for someone. Trudeau has also been involved in (among other things) Scientology, Amway, and Neo-Tech – all the tricks of a truly questionable trade, in other words, going all the way up to spamming. He is, in sum, rather hardcore at marketing the complete lack of content (even marketing his marketing). An interesting comparison can be found here.

Among his recommendations (a fuller list here) is

- Never to take a prescription drug of any kind.

- Avoid sunscreen when in the sun, since it causes cancer (the sun, on the other hand, is the source of all health)

- That acid reflux disease is a myth, but still treatable by drinking vinegar.

- Dianetics

- Raw milk

- Daily injection of HCG (for weight loss)

- That pork and shellfish are poison.

- Never use the microwave; in fact, ready-made foot is unhealthy because it isn’t imbued with the love-energy imbued by home cooking.

- Sungazing (staring directly at the sun) as a cure for a range of diseases

- Colonics; every other day.

He also claims (in “More Natural Cures Revealed” (review here) that animals in the wild never get sick, and that bacteria and viruses don’t cause disease – diseases are caused by imbalances of vital energy – and that medical sciences have completely failed to prevent or cure disease.

It is also worth mentioning that The New York state Consumer Protection Board warns those who follow Kevin Trudeau's advice to call a toll-free number for information that Trudeau is selling their name and contact information to telemarketers and junk mailers.

More here, and (updated) here.

Diagnosis: One of the most influential, uh, shall we say "promoters of health claims the correctness of which may be questioned" in the US and as such quite dangerous. He may actually be an extremely ignorant crackpot, but it is hard to judge that as particularly more probable than him being an exceptionally cynical fraud.

#391: David Trosch

David C. Trosch is a former Roman Catholic priest from Alabama and proponent of justifiable homicide for abortion providers. His defense of the latter (notably explained in his defense of Paul Hill) cost him his job as the former. In fact, despite Trosch’s vigorous denial of having had any involvement with Hill, it was quickly shown that Trosch was bein less than ideally candid, and that they’d been in close contact.

Well. Trosch theological interests don’t limit themselves to abortion. You can look here for a sample of his writings and writings by people he apparently respects (including speculation that the former pope may have been the Antichrist for his positions on homosexuality). As a representative sample you can look at this little essay by Fr. Paul Trinchard (yup, random capitalization, a sign of acumen); a large (some would say “perverse”) proportion of it concerns matters related to sexuality. There is illuminating stuff on the freemasons and illuminati as well, such as a discussion of the origin of communism in these groups, their general Satanism, and their involvement with the anti-christ.

Trosch’s position on homosexuality can be summed up by this quote: “Sodomy is a graver sin than murder. Unless there is life there can be no murder.”

Diagnosis: Ravingly insane American Taliban fundie who howls and screams incoherently at all the people who are out to get him (primarily the Antichrist). Needs extensive and serious help.

Update: Trosch did in fact pass away in October 2012.

#390: John Travolta

John Travolta is a scientologist most notable (if not most famous) for starring in the legendary movie “Battlefield Earth” – a movie adaption of L. Ron Hubbard’s work – and for his involvement in scientologist humanitarian efforts.

Travolta’s leadership of the scientology effort in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake deserves particular mention. First, scientology runs its own corps of whackers, the Scientology Volunteer Ministry (SVM). SVM’s job is to make the Church's good humanitarian works visible to the media at any opportunity, but even the media has had a tendency to notice that they are epically incompetent at providing the humanitarian services they purport to provide. For instance, the SVM notoriously got in the way at 9/11 and the Haiti earthquake – as whackers are wont to do. A marvelous description of their Haiti effort is provided here, the purpose of which was to provide scientology’s own version of faith healing. Another newspaper article that subtly hints at Travolta’s lack of awareness is here. In fairness it should be mentioned that Travolta flew in real doctors and medicine as well.

Travolta has generally been a more lowkey scientologist than Tom Cruise, but secured an entry in our Encyclopedia when he blamed the Virgina Tech shootings not on the lack of mental healthcare, but on the mental healthcare itself, i.e. psychiatric drugs.

This one is also illuminating (if not sufficiently backed up to be regarded as fact).

Diagnosis: More a nuisance than an actual danger, Travolta’s misguided efforts on behalf of scientology at least qualify him as a serious loon. Scientology faith healing is no more silly than reiki or other kinds of faith healing, but that would still make it awfully silly.

#389: Skip Tilton

Skip Tilton served in the US Navy for six years as a sonar technician on board a nuclear submarine. He graduated from Bob Jones University with a B.A. in Bible and a minor in Pulpit Speech, and later earned a Master of Ministry degree. As you see, his credentials as a master of evolutionary biology are impeccable. They should be, for Tilton travels around giving speeches on how Darwin was wrong (such as introducing this one).

Tilton is a prominent member of Answers in Genesis (AiG) and Creation Ministries International, and he played a pivotal role in the construction of the AiG Creation Museum. You can download or listen to a talk about the creation of the “museum” here. I don’t necessarily recommend it, though.

Diagnosis: A minor cogwheel in the big, bizarre engine of denialism, Tilton seems to be dutifully doing his part without a hint of rationality, knowledge or connection to reality behind it. His personal impact is probably modest, but the organization he represents is a threat.

#388: William A. Tiller

William A. Tiller is professor emeritus of Materials Science and Engineering at Stanford University, and famous for his appearance in “What the Bleep Do We Know!?”. His application for the movie is given in his 1997 book “Science and Human Transformation”, which postulates the existence of subtle energies, beyond the four fundamental forces, which act in concert with human consciousness (shades of Dr. Emoto). Yes, it is completely outside his area of expertise; yes, it is woo; and no, the evidence does not venture beyond wishful thinking, confirmation bias and the Galileo gambit.

Tiller claims to have discovered a new class of natural phenomena generated via these “subtle energies”, namely energies that manifest themselves in the practices of healers and other practitioners of the paranormal (it is basically chi). “Psychoenergetics” is Tiller’s term for the study of these energies in relation to the application of human consciousness, and he postulates a connection between both physical and nonphysical consciousness (yes, this is a metaphysical claim, and no, he did not engage with the literature) and natural phenomena. It is pure quantum woo, of course, without a shred of coherent evidence, and Tiller even mixes “information” into it.

Of course, the point is to find ways to heal you. Tiller claims (few traces of any knowledge of material sciences in here) to be able to increase or decrease the pH of water by a full pH unit by “intent”, and although he does apply chemical formulas in his papers I doubt people with basic knowledge of chemistry will be able to recognize what’s going on (he doesn’t always use chemical terminology with standard meaning, to put it mildly). The idea is discussed here. Tiller proposes: “A higher-dimensional-level substance, labeled deltrons, falling outside the constraints of relativity theory and able to move at velocities [faster than the speed of light and that acts as] a coupling agent between the electric monopole types of substances and the magnetic monopole types of substances to produce both electromagnetic (EM) and magnetoelectric (ME) types of mediator fields exhibiting a special type of ‘mirror principle’ relationship between them.” Words fail. Literally.

He has also explained that whereas “Existing orthodox science provides the technical underpinnings and mindset for today's orthodox medicine[,] Psycho-energetic science will provide the technical underpinnings and mindset for CAM.” Because CAM cannot be measured or justified by existing science. Or in short: science shows that my theories are ridiculous and unjustified. I deal with this by inventing a new "science" and accusing my critics of being close-minded.

The blooming field of tachyon energy healing, such as (the British) Nicola Quinn here, or Gene Latimer here, has apparently been profoundly influenced by Tiller’s work (e.g. here), though it usually adds some Tesla and more scientific illiteracy to the mix (after all, suckers who buy into Tiller will buy into anything). Tiller’s “research” has also been invoked in the explanation of the Q-link, and antivaxxer and homeopath Julianne Adams has presented offshoots of his musings at various antivaxx gatherings.

Tiller is currently Chairman and Chief Scientist of the William A. Tiller Foundation, devoted to his research on Psychoenergetic Science and Subtle Energies as well as being a retailer of his books and DVDs.

Diagnosis: Ultracrackpot and completely delusional woo-sponge, to the level where ordinary people might start to suspect fraud. But Tiller seems merely to lack any connection to reality whatsoever. People do listen to him, but it seems that those who do are pretty much lost to reality already, so it is debatable how much harm he actually does.