The Shocking Truth About the World?s Most Prestigious Newspa

[Anonymous]

Carey - I read somewhere, maybe here, maybe somewhere else that a "grandmother" with a child at Casa contacted the NY TImes.  I may not have the facts straight, since its been a long time ago.  Regardless, this book says a lot more to the writing style of the reporters.  I don't believe a lot of what I read in newspapers or magazines, but this last article is clearly done in NY Times fashion.

[Hamiltonf]

Ginger makes the point that no paper is entirely "objective"  I agree.  I was raised in England at a time (before Murdoch) when you knew for sure the type of politics of each national newspaper -- The Telegraph -- Conservative; The Times -- Conservative; the Daily Mirror (working class -- Labour); The Guardian -- Liberal; The Daily Express((working Class  - conservative); The Daily Herald (Unofficial voice of the Labour Party);  News of the World (Sundays only -- dealt with sex scandals -- prurient interest); The Observer - (now amalgamated with The Guardian was thought of as fairly Conservative); The Daily Worker (Communist -- oh the horror);  The point is that back then in the 50's and 60's England had a vast array of points of view to choose from in largely independant newspapers.  Pretty free & democratic, I think.
I always had the impression that most US newspapers and TV were pretty conservative -- NYTimes, Wall Street Journal, Herald Tribune. the Randolph Hearst  chain  
I was amazed, therefore, when CNN was starting      up that it had as its premise that the existing media were all left wing and that THEY were the ones who were going to be objective!!  Yeah right!
As I see it, the problem with all media is the concentration of ownership in fewer and fewer corporate hands world-wide.  This is far more of a problem in Canada than in the US but it still boils down to the same thing -- he who pays the piper calls the tune, and whether individual journalists will admit it or not they all, eventually, tailor their stories to what they think the editorial policies  will tolerate.  For the gentle, critical reader it is difficult to read between the lines of most stories in the NYT because it purports to be "objective".  But when Corporate leaders suggest NYT is left wing, I would submit that is simply because it is not parrotting the corporate agenda as they think it is supposed to.  From my position as an outsider, I still see the NYT as slightly to the right of centre -- but then, in today's world, I see most Republicans as extreme right wing and Democrats as right wing.  Looking at the US in a global context, I see the US since 9/11 as extremely reactionary and imperialistic -- almost fascistic (& Mel Sembler et al are indicative of this) The media, by and large as tends to foster this.  When I see Pat Buchanan on the "socialist" PBS (as CNN supporters like to view it) it makes me want to puke. While I can read the book, I certainly do not see NYT as having any sort of "leftist" agenda.  Just that the fulcrum has moved way over to the right.    
"Zero tolerance" and the sort of treatment for Adolescents that are the focus of this site are indicative of how far right N. American Society has gone.

[spots]

On 2003-09-10 17:08:00, Anonymous wrote:

"Carey - I read somewhere, maybe here, maybe somewhere else that a "grandmother" with a child at Casa contacted the NY TImes.  

You are probably thinking about me.  Actually, I did not contact the NYTimes.  I read the same request for info on strugglingteens.com as quoted earlier.  The same day that appeared, I got a personal email from Tim, saying (in effect), "...I am a reporter from the NYT, looking for information on Mexican schools for US children.  I understand [somebody told him] you have an interest also.  If you would like to talk to me, give me your phone number...".

My response:  HooBoy!!!! Would I like to talk to you.  He called back almost immediately after my email, talked for more than an hour from Mexico City, and I started gathering my tons of info to UPS Overnight to him.  We talked several times more, the last when he called to "boost your spirits" with news that the piece had been written and sent to editors in NY.  He warned it may be 3 weeks before publication, but it was only 3 days.  Editors must have known it was good.  

When I sent his article (without comment) to my daughter, she then cut us off for the remainder of my kid's time at Casa.  I didn't want to tell him that.  I will call him and let him know that she is now out.  

Tim Weiner is a very kind, intelligent person, and a very good reporter. We talked about his own wife and children, where he thought his own career was going.  He was almost embarassed, then happy to answer me about what stories got him his Pulitzers.  He told me facts about keeping children against their will and the repatriation process US State is "supposed" to offer, knowing that I wanted desperately to free my grandaughter from Casa. Lots of very good talk.  I appreciate conversing with good intellect, and I feel he respected me as well.

[MelissaR]

I still think he's a pussy and WWASP scared him into submission on the Spring Creek Lodge story. Argue with me if you must, but he really ate shit on that one. It totally pisses me off because, like I've said before, people make SCL out to be the "good" WWASP program, and I have a feeling they're going to escape persecution when all is said and done. I swear on my mother's grave that Spring Creek Lodge is just as detrimental to the overall welfare of teens as Tranquility Bay is. Although Tim may be a fine reporter and well deserving of the Pulitzer, he's got zero balls. I want to be a journalist myself, and this type of thing makes me ashamed of the industry. Like I've said before, his job is to report the unbiased news, not some sugary story about WWASP to save his ass for the last one. For those of you who thing journalism is purely sensational, please tell me what in this SCL story is exciting by any means? This story was not written to grab readers attention, and sell newspapers...you people need to see that. The purpose of this story was to retain this man's job. Obviously.

[Anonymous]

Carey wrote:
"Deborah, that does not answer my question. I am asking how he found out about these places and/or why he chose to write about them.

He wrote:
I am visiting several schools for struggling teens in Mexico this week and next.

Do ya think Lon or Jena would have allowed the post if it weren't truthful or accurate?

Is this another guessing games. Questions posed as accusations? How do you answer those questions?

Deborah, he posted his name and email address on Lon's site after this parent contacted him.  In other words, after he was tipped on the subject.  You may not see this as important, and that is OK.  I do.  If you don't have the answer then don't try and answer the question.

No, its not a guessing game.  It is a matter of getting to the truth.  That is all.  It does not suffice for me to just say "abuse, abuse, abuse" without knowing all there is to know.

If you see it as an acusation, I don't really care.  People need to ask a lot of questions when it comes to this topic.  No one person holds all of the facts and the truths.  Not even you.

Spots, Tim was not refering to you.  This was a mother of a child, not a grandmother.

[Carey]

That was from me.

[Anonymous]

Melissa,

I agree Tm was "gentle" with teh SCL story.He also was "gentle " with the facts he had recived about Tranquility Bay.He left some very pertinate facts about Tb.Same with SCL.

The bigger picture ,if you read between the lines,subliminal messages were conveyed.

Litcfield in my opinon hung himself woith his ignorant remarks.

The drugs that the kids are haphazardly being given was a pertinent message.

Reread the article.Tim did not blast all of the ugly facts that makeup the behavior modifying of SCL,but the message was there.

Tim was being diplomatic.The koolaide drinkrs are in a up roar.(scary, scary)The fools are do dumb,brained wash to see th truth.

The truth about World Wide Associatio Of Speciality Schools is being exposed. THAT is what is important.

I agree the "academics" is a very bad joke.

[Deborah]

Does anyone know if Tim left things out to be more "diplomatic" or if the editor cut the horrendous accusations?
Deborah

[Anonymous]

I know that the kool aid drinkers,at Ken Kay's request,have been flooding the NY Times editors with threats,letters of displeasure etc.

Tim told me he received multiple emails from pro wwasp people calling him racist names and worse after the Tranquility Bay and Casa articles came out.

I would suggest in his quest to share the story of WWASP  he has chosen to stay non sensational.

The message is clear in all of his articles.

It is difficult to conceive how WWASP can continiue to do business as is at this time.WWASP/Teen Help has been doing their dirty deeds for years.
There is a history of mistreatment of the children since Brightway,Provo.

My experience. My opinion. My family's despair.

[Antigen]

Hamilton, do you know roughly the size of the population in the market shared by all those papers in England?

One of the things I've enjoyed very much about my new home (SW Pennsylvania) is the diversity in local print media. There's the Tribune Review (Conservative, but leaning toward some very libertarian ideas lately) and the Gazette (dedicated Union/Dem) Those are the two major area papers. Then there are just a gaggle of town papers, though many of those are now owned by the Trib.

It ain't quite the ongoing ideological dialog you describe, but it beats hell out of So Florida's Conservative Miami Herald, pseudo liberal Sun Sentinel and nothing else (nothing! I mean the occasional weekly entertainment rag that eventually gets swollowed up by one of the two major papers and NO thing else!)

When we contemplate the whole globe as one great dewdrop, striped and dotted with continents and islands, flying through space with all other stars all singing and shining together as one, the whole universe appears as an infinite storm of beauty.
-- John Muir

[Antigen]

On 2003-09-11 08:17:00, Anonymous wrote:


Tim told me he received multiple emails from pro wwasp people calling him racist names and worse after the Tranquility Bay and Casa articles came out.

I know how that can be. Before the 2000 conference in Bathesda, one gal was cold calling former clients to invite them to come down and ran into a couple of real winners.

Next year, when Sammy interviewed for the St. Pete Times, same thing; some rabidly dedicated Program parents wrote angry and accusatory letters to the editor. I can only imagine the content of the ones they deemed too hostile and ugly to print!

Just the other day, a friend in the Tampa area ran into a local cop at a bar and asked him how one would go about finding their own juvenile record if it had been taken out of regular circulation. One thing led to another and he wound up explaining that he wanted his record in order to show the link between the Melvin Sembler of today and the shady, institutional child abusing Melvin Sembler of yesteryear. Not only did the DARE cop stomp off in a huff, but several other of his barroom buddies started into a tirade about what a good man Melvin is and how anyone who would attack him must be some kind of nasty actor. This man, now in his 30's, was actually intimidated by this burgoning angry mob and decided to clear out like Charlie Daniels clearing out of the Dew Drop Inn.

And these are all folks for whom this is around 20 year old news! These parents, some of them, even if their kid no longer speaks with them, is a skidrow drunk or in prison or even passed on STILL swear that the Program saved them and react hostilly, often violently, to any perceived threat to the Program! I wish the media would not be quite so considerate of their readers' sensibilities. When cult members act like maniacs, the media ought to reflect that.

Never let your sense of
    morals get in the way of
    doing what's right
--Isaac Asimov

_________________
Ginger Warbis ~ Antigen
American drug war P.O.W.
   10/80 - 10/82
Straight South (Sarasota, FL)
Anonymity Anonymous

[Anonymous]

Are any of these kids on PAXIL?  If so, their parents should read the warning on the Teen Advocates USA website. This is a serious warning!

http://www.teenadvocatesusa.org

(go to Consumer Awareness page)

[Antigen]

I read at least a year ago that there's a class action against the makers of Paxil (which, btw, is essentially another brand name for the same drug as Prozac). The complaint has to do with the company's prior claim that the drug was not habit forming. Turns out, it is. The withdrawals are said to be worse and more life threatening than heroin, especially to the patient group most often prescribed these types of drugs.

And, just in case this gets by anyone, these are extremely powerful psychotropic drugs that make people feel really, really good. Very popular on the diversion end of the black market, along with Xanex and some others.

WWASP and some other die-hard soldiers in the war on certain unpatentable drugs have taken to handing these drugs out like candy, often forcing them on kids who don't want them. This, more than anything, constitutes irrefutable, clear and obvious proof that they do NOT want us all to abstain from using dangerous psychotropic drugs. Rather, they want total and unquestioned control over which drugs and how much of them we take. And they consistently favor the stronger, more dangerous varieties.

Every man has a property in his own person.
This nobody has any right to but himself.
The labor of his body and the work of his
 hands are properly his.


--John Locke

[Anonymous]

The Doctor who wasnt really a Doctor, provided by SCL Family Rep, prescribed for my child zyprex.

He misrepresented to me at the time the purpose for this prescription.

Not acceptable to me at all.

They are drugging the kids in place of quaility services.

Mass warehousing of kids easily controlled, stoned on physcotic drugs. Unacceptable to me.

That fact was not in the contract.
Or the glossy brochures.

I TRUSTED our Family Rep.

[Anonymous]

Ginger,  

The Maniacs,brainwashed parents will be the next article.