Author Topic: The Seed compared to Str8  (Read 9240 times)

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Offline starry-eyed pirate

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The Seed compared to Str8
« on: August 31, 2005, 03:16:00 PM »
i am wonderin' about some of the differences between the Seed and Str8.  Like on that "How many made it" thread this cat, Stripe says he graduated from the Seed in the "requisite 90 days".  Was the Seed only a 90 day program ?? If so howcome so many Seedlings seemed to spend years in the program ??  Is this because they went on to become staff members or what ??  The avg. length of a program at Str8 was 12 months.  

i don't know but i have the feelin' that The Seed was in some ways, somehow less harsh than Str8.  Did the Seed and Str8 share all the same rules ??  Were there "misbahavers" at the Seed and if so how were they dealt with ??  Were they put on consequences like military showers and sleep deprivation(only 3 hrs. of sleep per night) ??  Did the Seed have 5 phases like Str8 ??
At Str8 newcomers were in group every day.  Mon. Tues. Thurs. and Sat. newcomers were in group for about 12 hrs. On Sundays newcomers could sleep in a little and there was usually a good and hearty breakfast at the host-home. On Sundays the building didn't open until like 2p.m.  On Wednesdays we were dismissed from the building by 8p.m. which was earlier than the rest of the week, and there would usually be a nice dinner upon arrival at the host-home.  Was the Seed organized in a simillar way ??

i am just trying to see how Str8 evolved out of the Seed.  What were the simillarities ??  What were the differences ??  How is it that the Seed seems to have been a friendlier place ??

i know i am asking a lot of questions but i am struggelin' to understand what happened to me in Str8.  Any insight that anyone can provide is an immense help to me.  i thank you in advance.

Peace.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
If you would have justice in this world, then begin to see that a human being is not a means to some end.  People are not commodities.  When human beings are just to one another government becomes obsolete and real freedom is born; SPIRITUAL ANARCHY.

Offline Anonymous

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The Seed compared to Str8
« Reply #1 on: August 31, 2005, 03:25:00 PM »
In the last 10 or so years it was from 10am to 5:00pm.  No sleep deprivation at all ever or food depravation.  :grin:  Everyone that I ever knew gained anywhere from 20 to 30 lbs. No Sat or Sun. Beach, Vollyball, Softball, Football and Golf Movies ect. Sat & Sun.  Years ago the Seed went 10 till 10 then 10 till 8 then 10 till about 5. When the numbers (Of people on the program) were not as many the times changed.  The basic rules were probably the same, I think.  :grin:
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline Anonymous

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The Seed compared to Str8
« Reply #2 on: August 31, 2005, 03:28:00 PM »
What are military Showers?
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline starry-eyed pirate

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The Seed compared to Str8
« Reply #3 on: August 31, 2005, 03:37:00 PM »
Quote
On 2005-08-31 12:28:00, Anonymous wrote:

"What are military Showers?"


Military showers were one of the many consequences given to misbehavers; 30 seconds with the water on, 30 seconds to soap up and then 30 seconds to rinse and that was it.  

Were there ever any misbehavers in the Seed ??  Were clients held there by force ??
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
If you would have justice in this world, then begin to see that a human being is not a means to some end.  People are not commodities.  When human beings are just to one another government becomes obsolete and real freedom is born; SPIRITUAL ANARCHY.

Offline Anonymous

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The Seed compared to Str8
« Reply #4 on: August 31, 2005, 03:43:00 PM »
I'm another Anon, but there were no Military Showers.  From what I have read about Straight it sounded different in alot of ways.  I am glad I did not go there.  I really liked my time at the Seed and spent most of my life there until it closed.  For me I felt like everytime I went there I learned alot and grew so much as a person.  I know not everyone felt as I did but I truly loved the Seed and still treasure my memories.  Unfortunately, a few people had to destroy what I feel was truly beautiful.  I know it was not perfect but I feel the good outweighted the bad.  It was just some people that I think thought they were better than everyone else and I feel money became as issue and selfishness.  That's my opinion.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline Anonymous

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The Seed compared to Str8
« Reply #5 on: August 31, 2005, 03:50:00 PM »
For about the last 10 years or so 18yrs and over.
No misbehavers.  You havd to want to be there or you could just leave.
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Offline starry-eyed pirate

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The Seed compared to Str8
« Reply #6 on: August 31, 2005, 03:50:00 PM »
Were there ever any misbehavers in the Seed ?? Were clients kept there by force ??  Were clients ever restrained ??
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
If you would have justice in this world, then begin to see that a human being is not a means to some end.  People are not commodities.  When human beings are just to one another government becomes obsolete and real freedom is born; SPIRITUAL ANARCHY.

Offline starry-eyed pirate

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The Seed compared to Str8
« Reply #7 on: August 31, 2005, 03:53:00 PM »
Quote
On 2005-08-31 12:50:00, Anonymous wrote:

"For about the last 10 years or so 18yrs and over.

No misbehavers.  You havd to want to be there or you could just leave. "


So participation in the Seed was voluntary  ??  Anyone who wanted to leave the program could jus' leave ??
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
If you would have justice in this world, then begin to see that a human being is not a means to some end.  People are not commodities.  When human beings are just to one another government becomes obsolete and real freedom is born; SPIRITUAL ANARCHY.

Offline Anonymous

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The Seed compared to Str8
« Reply #8 on: August 31, 2005, 03:55:00 PM »
The seed didn't want to stay in St. Pete for a number of reasons.  So...a few parents of the Seed thought they could start a program like the seed -without the seed's consent.  Thats about all I know. I have always heard that Straight was  much harsher.  Ask Antigen she went to straight, plus she seems to know it all anyway. :grin:
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Offline Anonymous

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« Reply #9 on: August 31, 2005, 04:13:00 PM »
Yep. They could just leave. :grin:
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Offline starry-eyed pirate

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The Seed compared to Str8
« Reply #10 on: August 31, 2005, 04:13:00 PM »
Fuck, this is openin' my eyes.  If the Seed was a voluntary program then no one was there who didn't want to be there and so it makes sense to me now that some former seedlings have expressed gratitude and have fond memories.  At str8, if you were under 18, which nearly all clients were you had no rights. You were held against your will indefinately.  If you refused to comply with the rules you were made to suffer to the point of bein' psychologically traumatized.  The difference between a voluntary participation and a forced incarceration is the difference between freedom and oppression, like the difference between consentual sex and a violent rape.

i am grateful for your responses to my questions. Thankyou.  i am hungry for more information about the Seed.  Please tell me anything else about the Seed that you think would help me understand the history of the relationship between the Seed and str8.

Peace.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
If you would have justice in this world, then begin to see that a human being is not a means to some end.  People are not commodities.  When human beings are just to one another government becomes obsolete and real freedom is born; SPIRITUAL ANARCHY.

Offline Anonymous

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The Seed compared to Str8
« Reply #11 on: August 31, 2005, 04:14:00 PM »
How old are you now? & how old wereyou when in str8?
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Offline starry-eyed pirate

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The Seed compared to Str8
« Reply #12 on: August 31, 2005, 04:27:00 PM »
i'm 37 now.  i was 16 when i went into str8(springfield, VA). i was in the program for 23 months + 6 months of aftercare.  i copped out(ran away) from the program 4 times and was finally court ordered becuase on my 4th cop-out i stole a truck with my host bro who copped out with me and we drove it to N.J. to try and get as far away from str8 as we could.  After my arrest i was returned to str8 under a suspended 1 year jail sentence.  Which meant if i failed to complete the program i would have to serve 1 year in jail.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
If you would have justice in this world, then begin to see that a human being is not a means to some end.  People are not commodities.  When human beings are just to one another government becomes obsolete and real freedom is born; SPIRITUAL ANARCHY.

Offline Anonymous

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The Seed compared to Str8
« Reply #13 on: August 31, 2005, 04:30:00 PM »
Did you ever like str8 at all?  Were there any good things about it? Like kindness or goodness at all?
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Offline Antigen

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The Seed compared to Str8
« Reply #14 on: August 31, 2005, 04:30:00 PM »
Pirate, our anon here is a little foggy on the details. The Seed wasn't voluntary at all when it started out.

I don't remember the doors and windows being locked at our house. But then we only had newcomers a few times and briefely at that. Others from the same time (`72 - `74 and `78 or so) do remember locked foster homes. And I remember hearing about oldcomers and oldtimers going out and tracking down splits, just like the goon squads of Straight. They still do that, btw, at GT, KHK and SAFE. They're just ever so careful to pretend it was all the kids and parents' idea, nothing to do at all w/ staff.

I've also heard from a few ppl now who were court ordered by program friendly judges or lied to so they thought (some for years) that they had been court ordered. There was even an arrangement w/ the police to allow Seed staff to confiscate and hold illegal drugs and pipes and such found on newcomers or in their homes by their parents. These items were sometimes used to blackmail the kids. And there's a story on Wes' site from a guy who claims they used someone else's stash to blackmail him.

However, I have to agree that Straight was more strident and more punitive than The Seed in Ft. Lauderdale. But I don't believe it was due to rebellious parents any more than I believe the one about the 16yo rich girl w/ a $1k/dy h habit.

Anyway, from all I hear about The Seed after they lost NIDA funding and Bobby DoPont and his cronnies turned their hands to the Straight cause, involvement was as voluntary as any other cult. Sure, you could leave at any time. But ask anyone who left after a couple of years what that was like. Or just read what some of those people have already posted about that.

If we had been born in Constantinople, then most of us would have said: "There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet." If our parents had lived on the banks of the Ganges, we would have been worshipers of Siva, longing for the heaven of Nirvana.
--

« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
"Don\'t let the past remind us of what we are not now."
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