The Real FragerFAQ
MarkProbe
Recently, while searching DejaNews, I came across a thread that contained a FAQ
attributed to me (under mspr...@aol.com, my old account) where I seemed to
support Frager/Kolnick. The thread was a defence of Kolnick by Josh Olaf.
I was offline during the period 1/1/97 until 7/97 due to family pressures. In
my absence, **someone** distorted my point of view. I am posting this to
newsgroups where the distortion was posted to make certain that no one takes me
for an escaped mental patient, oops, a supporter of Kolnick.
I wrote this FAQ about Kolnick in 1996. He then posted a FAZ about me. He
called me a baby-killer, etc. (I am a VietVet).
Q: Who is this person calling itself "Dr. Richard X. Frager"? Is this his real
name?
A: The person using the name "frager" first appeared in this group. He posted
many long, haranguing diatribes about how ADD/ADHD is a "plot by the
psychological establishment" and run by "the drug manufacturers, who are in
league with the government to make money by drugging our children" and
"teachers who just want to get all that extra money they get if the kids in
their class are all labeled" and so forth.
Q: Is he a real doctor?
A: He is not listed in the American Medical Association Directory. His name
has been checked against a database of all people receiving professional type
journals in the United States and Canada and his name does not appear. When
asked to show his credentials, he ignores the request.
Q: Is his point of view valid?
A: When asked to substantiate any of his theories, he ignores the request or
complains that someone is interfering with his freedom of speech. Likewise,
when given factual information rebutting his "ideas", he ignores it, and claims
it does not exist.
Another of his tactics is the whine about people cancelling his messages
and interfering with his right of free speech. He has been told time and again
that the best evidence of what he is is contained in his messages and no one
would cancel them for that reason.
Q: Who is crossposting to all of these newsgroups?
A: He cross-posts to *many* different groups. One of his other tactics is to
multiply re-post the same article. This is called spamming, and is a breach of
netiquette. He also uses other people's posts after they have told him that he
does not have their permission to use them.
Q: Has he ever broken the law?
A: That is a question that is open to some debate. He posted an article from
the Washington Post which was about Ritalin where he changed many of the
sentences and words around, added some words of his own, and made it have an
anti-med bias that the original article didn't have. The Washington Post
investigated and his internet provider kicked him off. Is it a crime to use a
copyright in this manner? A copy of the letter sent by the writer for the
Washington Post is appended below.
In December 1996 he again took a news story by the Associated Press and
re-wrote it to conform to his views and totally destroyed the original meaning.
He posted this "article" over thirty times.
Q: Why was he kicked off aracnet?
A: He was kicked off aracnet because he lied to them, and, when they gave him
a chance to be honest, he ignored them. Until then, Aracnet had steadfastly
protected his right of free speech.
Q: Why does he seem to pick on certain people and ignore the others who
constantly criticize him?
A: He has been known to zero in on people who happen to have other
psychological problems as well as ADD/ADHD, and taunt and ridicule them. He
will then pretend to sit back and be shocked by their angry response and say it
"clearly" indicates the level of their "severe mental problems." He also
ridicules those who demand intellectual accountability from him and challenge
his intellectual dishonesty.
He has ridiculed people for posting messages where they were contemplating
suicide. He attacks anyone whom he sees a weak.
Q: Does he criticize parents?
A: For those of us that his aware have kids with ADD/ADHD, he has posted notes
stating "it is obvious this person is under severe mental strain; no wonder her
children are having problems, and she tries to blame it on THEM instead of on
her own sick distortions". These people seem to be his favorite targets and are
predominantly women.
He has even ridiculed the son of the author of the original FragerFAQ (me). My
son has cerebral palsy.
Q: Why do some people want to get his ISP to pull his account?
A: I attempted to do this because he was abusive to many people seeking help.
Aracnet protected him. (Search DejaNews and set the filters for
go...@aracnet.com and alt.support.attn-deficit). He has engaged in activities
that I, along with many other people have felt were designed to end the support
nature of the group. However, your reading this FAQ, and doing a bit of
checking, you will see what he has been up to and why people feel this way.
Support is still available for the asking,
Q: How do I know to believe you?
A: That is the best question so far! Don't *just* believe me. DejaNews and
AltaVista have his "history". Many of the people here can guide you to the
right locations. All of these things have been well documented. You, of course,
are free to believe what you want.
Q: Frager posts a FAQ about you. What should I do?
A: Read his FAQ. Then, read the group, look me up in AltaVista or DejaNews
(unlike Frager, I have only one active account. I used to have
MSPR...@AOL.COM) screen name), and get to know me and him. Then, make an
informed decision. It is my opinion that he feels threatened by me and several
others, as we have constantly challenged him to support his outlandish claims,
and have used facts to refute his absurd ideas.
===================================================
From: "Stepp, Laura" <Ste...@washpost.com>
Subject: Wash Post reply
Date: Mon, 22 Apr 96 12:44:00 PDT
Encoding: 15 TEXT
Please be advised that the article posted to a Usenet forum by Richard
Frager, "Ritalin for Kids..." DOES NOT accurately reflect the story I
wrote and should not go out attributed to me or to The Washington
Post. Frager included several paragraphs of his own in the story, and
modified my phrasing to reflect his own bias.
I will be in touch with Frager separately. Thank you for alerting us
to this potential problem.
Laura Sessions Stepp
Staff Writer
The Washington Post
April 22, 1996
E-mail: Ste...@WashPost.com
======================================================
Documented proof that he is dishonest.
Mark Probert
LI, New York
I will honor the privacy of email, and expect the same.