Editing Deprogramming (section)

==Government==
Deprogrammers have sometimes operated with overt or tacit support of law enforcement and judicial officials.<ref>[[David G. Bromley|Bromley, David]]; [[J. Gordon Melton|Melton, J. Gordon]] (2002). ''Cults, Religion, and Violence''. [[West Nyack, New York|West Nyack]], NY: [[Cambridge University Press]].</ref><ref name="reflex">{{Cite journal |last=Richardson |first=James T. |date=October 1991 |title=Reflexivity and objectivity in the study of controversial new religions |journal=[[Religion (journal)|Religion]] |volume=21 |issue=4 |pages=305–18 |doi=10.1016/0048-721X(91)90034-N}}</ref> Richardson sees government involvement in deprogramming as existing on a continuum from implicit approval to active involvement. In the United States, where there are First Amendment protections for religious groups, government officials and agencies frequently "turned a blind eye" to the activities of deprogrammers. In China, government agencies have at times promoted activities resembling deprogramming to enforce official views of "correct" beliefs and behaviors, for example in the suppression of the [[Falun Gong]] movement.<ref name="richardson" /> This can involve "vigorous, even violent, efforts to dissuade people from participating in groups deemed unacceptable to the government" and have been "given legal sanction by the passage of laws that make illegal the activities or even the beliefs of the unpopular movement or group being targeted".<ref name="richardson" />

In the United States—in New York, Kansas, Nebraska, Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon and Texas—lawmakers unsuccessfully attempted to legalize involuntary deprogramming, either through a deprogramming bill or conservatorship legislation. In New York, two bills were actually passed by the legislature (in 1980 and 1981), but both were vetoed by Governor [[Hugh Carey]] because of their violation of religious and other constitutional freedoms. In other states the bills failed to pass the legislature.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Robbins |first1=Thomas |last2=Sheperd |first2=William C. |last3=McBride |first3=James |title=Cults, Culture, and the Law: Perspectives on New Religious Movements |date=1985 |publisher=Scholars Press |location=Chico, California |pages=17; 108–110}}</ref>