REALL News - Vol 05 No 05 - 1997

Magazine Overview

The REALL News, Volume 5 Issue 5, published in May 1997, features an article titled "The Shamans of Suburbia" by Richard Petraitis. The magazine is published by The Rational Examination Association of Lincoln Land (REALL), an organization dedicated to rational thinking and the scientific method.

The Shamans of Suburbia

Richard Petraitis begins by recounting an encounter with a man claiming to be an actual shaman who received training in India. Petraitis uses this anecdote to pivot to a historical examination of shamanism, particularly its role among Native American tribes in their encounters with European colonizers. He argues that despite genuine belief in their powers, shamans and medicine men were ultimately unsuccessful in repelling European invasions.

• Petraitis details several historical instances:
• Aztec Empire: Montezuma, the Aztec emperor, employed sorcerers to bewitch Hernando Cortes and his army. Their spells were ineffective, with magicians attributing this to the conquistadors' armor. The subsequent siege of Tenochitlan in 1521, despite human sacrifices and ceremonies, failed to change the military situation and demoralized the population, especially after Cortes was not recognized as the returning god Quetzalcoatl.
• Incan Empire: The Incan emperor Atahuallpa was surprised by the arrival of Europeans in 1532. Incan diviners and augurs had no prior warning of the invasion.
• War of 1812: Tecumseh's brother, Tenskwatana (The Prophet), claimed magical powers to unite Indian tribes against American colonists. He convinced warriors that U.S. bullets would melt, but this failed disastrously at the Battle of Tippecanoe in November 1811, leading to the dispersal of the Indian army and the burning of Prophetstown.
• Creek Indian Nation (Red Stick War): In 1814, Creek prophets claimed to have cast an invisible barrier to protect their village, Red Eagle's Town (the "Holy Ground"), from American troops. However, the town was stormed, and the Creek warriors suffered heavy casualties.
• Ghost Dance Movement: By the late 19th century, the Paiute Indian Wovoka started the Ghost Dance movement, promising a return of lands and protection from bullets via "Ghost shirts." This movement culminated in the Wounded Knee Massacre on December 21, 1890, where nearly three hundred Sioux men, women, and children were killed by U.S. Army Hotchkiss guns.

Petraitis concludes this section by questioning the rise of "shamanistic thinking" (disguised as New Age thinking) in modern America, warning that it could lead to future tragedy, drawing parallels to the historical consequences for indigenous cultures. He emphasizes that pseudoscience, magical powers, and unproven claims vanish under scientific scrutiny and historical testing.

REALLity Check

This section, by David Bloomberg, critically examines various "alternative medicine" claims and products.

• Chaparral: This herbal supplement has been linked to liver damage, with at least 18 cases reported, including 13 of liver poisoning, four leading to cirrhosis, and two requiring transplants. Its active ingredient, nordihydroguaiaretic acid, was removed from the FDA's "generally recognized as safe" list in 1968 after animal toxicity testing.
• Ginkgo Biloba Extract: Reported to have caused bleeding in at least one patient, this extract contains a potent anticlotting agent that can encourage bleeding, especially when combined with aspirin.
• Hormones (Melatonin and DHEA): The National Institute on Aging warned that these hormones, marketed to slow aging, have not been proven effective. DHEA may cause liver damage in high doses and is linked to an increased risk of breast and prostate cancers.

Bloomberg criticizes the common misconception that "natural" products are always safe and suggests manufacturers exploit this belief to boost sales.

Alternative 2

This brief section notes that mainstream cancer researchers are not enthusiastic about "alternative" cancer treatments.

Alternative 3

This part discusses an article from U.S. News & World Report on herbal "supplements" and their labeling. It points out that these products are exempted from stricter FDA regulations, leading to vague claims and a lack of testing for dangerous side effects.

Amalgamated Nonsense

This segment debunks claims linking dental amalgam fillings to mercury poisoning. Dateline NBC investigated Dr. Hal Huggins, a proponent of these claims. Robert Bazell, the Dateline reporter, found that major health organizations had found no evidence of a hazard from dental amalgams, and a U.S. Public Health Service report concluded there was no data to compel a change in their use. Huggins, who claimed to cure ailments by removing fillings, failed to provide scientific evidence and had his license revoked.

Facts Be Damned!

This section criticizes Richard Hoagland and Art Bell for promoting unsubstantiated claims, such as the "face on Mars" being an alien artifact and pyramids on the moon. It specifically addresses Hoagland's claims about NASA covering up information regarding the Hale-Bopp comet. NASA stated that the Hubble telescope has observed Hale-Bopp multiple times since 1995, with numerous images available, contradicting Hoagland's assertion that NASA was not using Hubble for photography and was providing excuses.

From the Editor

The editor mentions attending a CSICOP workshop in Chicago and plans to discuss it later. He also highlights Richard Petraitis's article on shamans and notes that Petraitis will be teaching a class on pseudoscience and critical thinking.

From the Chairman

The Chairman discusses Michael Shermer's talk on his book "Why People Believe Weird Things," focusing on Shermer's transition from believer to skeptic. He encourages readers to grow into skepticism by questioning claims and learning about science. The section also mentions upcoming speakers and a need for REALL members to present topics.

Masthead Information

This section provides details about REALL's purpose, its commitment to scientific inquiry, its board of directors, editorial staff, and contact information. It also thanks patron members for their support.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are skepticism towards paranormal claims and alternative medicine, a strong emphasis on the scientific method and critical thinking, and a historical perspective on the ineffectiveness of non-scientific approaches when confronted with empirical realities. The editorial stance is clearly pro-science and anti-pseudoscience, advocating for evidence-based reasoning and debunking unsubstantiated claims, particularly those related to shamanism, "alternative" health practices, and conspiracy theories.