Author Topic: Hello everybody !!!!!!!!!!  (Read 10815 times)

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Offline Anonymous

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Hello everybody !!!!!!!!!!
« on: May 12, 2002, 11:18:00 PM »
I stumbled on this website after doing a I-net search on Art Barker.  I have to agree with everyone who has posted horror stories about the Seed. I first went in to the seed in '73 at the time they were at the old tropical race track in Miami. They closed the race track facility and I wound up at the old warehouse on state road 84.

I was only 14 when I went in and was a little guy, around 5'0" tall, I wound up being in there for 13 months on a 5 month program. While I was in there I was physically beaten and mentally tortured. The place was an absolute joke and a fraud. The sad part is that the fraud was played on our parents and we were the victims. The scars will always be there.

It took me a number of years to achieve some degree of normalcy in my life. I can remember seeing a documentary on that Straight Inc program many years ago and having nightmares for about a month afterwards. That is what I ean about the scars always being there.

I have been an attorney for about 9 years and on many occassions, on my way to the Broward Courthouse,  I have drove by the andrews avenue facility, and get pissed when I see the sign.  If I knew the law back then I would own Art Barker forever. Any decent lawyer would wipe that piece of crap out. He and his wife Shelly, that piece of trash Libby, John Underwood and others are lower than the slime at the bottom of a sewer.

Anyhow I am glad to see a website like this and I wish everybody that has survived the seed, straight inc or anything else like it the very best.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline GregFL

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Hello everybody !!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #1 on: May 13, 2002, 09:13:00 AM »
And HEllo to you as well. I am so happy to be finally meeting survivors of the Seed. The horror show that was the seed was my little private shamfull secret for years and years. I have now "outed" myself to friends and even my own children, and I feel so much better.
As for Art & Co, they know about us and in my opinion, are feeling the shame they heaped on us big time. Art has been donating money feverishly to charity and recently closed the seed.
Welcome to our forum, and if you want to remain anonymous, pick a fake name or use only your first name.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline kpickle39

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Hello everybody !!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2002, 10:20:00 AM »
Hey Mr. Anonymous - are ya coming to our conference?  See http://www.trebach.org/abuse  We need ya there.  Glad to hear you have survived.
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Offline wesfager

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Hello everybody !!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2002, 04:41:00 PM »
Hello anonymous,

We're having a Seed / Straight reunion on June 8 - 9 in Saint Petersburg, Fl. where Straight was founded out of the closing of The Seed-St Pete.  

We are looking for attorneys to sit on a panel on Sunday June 9.  We'd love to have you on that panel.

[email protected]
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
es Fager
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\"If David Miscaviage can go to his deposition as Admiral Farragut, then Keith Henson can go as Bozo the Clown.\"  Wes Fager

Offline FueLaw

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Hello everybody !!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #4 on: May 14, 2002, 08:51:00 PM »
Hello again :



I am the person who started this thread and I am glad to see some response. My name is Mike, I don't need to be anonomous because because I don't feel like I have anything to be ashamed off in terms of being in the Seed 28-29 years ago. Art Barker and his followers (staff members) are the scum bags , not us.  



In terms of this reunion I am not sure if I could add anything to the legal panel because I have not been involved in any litigation involving these kind of issues.  I practice primarily in the area of criminal law. If any of the lawyers involved with your cause have cases going on in South Florida I might be able to lend a hand.



Like everyone else who has posted on this board I have my own horror stories about my captivity in the Seed or it's predeccesors. Hopefully message boards like this one will encourage or enable people to air out their feelings and vent.  In addition they may help potential future victims make more informed choices on where to send their children or where not to send them.  



If I can be of any assistance e-mail be at [email protected]  

[ This Message was edited by: FueLaw on 2002-05-15 03:11 ]
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline GregFL

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Hello everybody !!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #5 on: May 14, 2002, 09:13:00 PM »
Hello, Mike. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.  Who was John Underwood?  Was he a senior staff member with a new york Accent?  If so, he came to St Pete with Libby, Shelly, and Arthur to do the devil's work.
Tell us about some of your experiences while you were there.
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Offline FueLaw

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Hello everybody !!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #6 on: May 14, 2002, 09:37:00 PM »
John Underwood was a senior staff member in '73-'74. I am not sure what happend after that. He was a big skinny guy from New York with blondish/brown hair. I also remember Arthur, another heavy set black guy named Robert who used to cut hair, a lady named Debbie del Bueno( or something to that effect) Penny, a heavy set black lady who was a good singer, there was a guy named Scott who was also from New York,. Back then they had facilities in Ft. Lauderdale, St. pete, Ft Pierce, and Miami, I was in Miami when they closed and merged with broward. I think they kind of rotated the staff members.

I remember one particular incident that happend right before Christmas at an open meeting. I had been in the program for about 7 months and had just got started over. They had all of the kids singing etnic songs and when it came to the jewish kids I would not get up and sing. They had some dignartaries there such as newspaper writers, judges ect... When John Underwood kept proding me to sing I told him to F-himself in front of the entire open meeting. I was dragged back to the offices out of public view immediately. After the meeting I was brought in front of the group and Underwood went nuts on me. He was demanding that I apologize to the group and I wouldn't. This went on for about 30-45 minutes,(it seemed like a lifetime then) and all I did was glare at him and who ever took a turn a yelling at me. I never apologized and I guess they were tired and finally started letting everyone go home.
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Offline GregFL

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Hello everybody !!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #7 on: May 15, 2002, 07:15:00 AM »
Wow, you were a brave kid, I lived in constant fear of being called on. I too was forteen, but fortunately, I was able to hide out pretty good in group and rarely got called on, and did my best to avoid personal confrontation.  I did some things there that I am not proud of, like helping restrain kids trying to escape. i was so young and totally submitted to the cult, which caused me great shame.  I was in St Pete starting in June of 73. Art, Libby, Suzie Connors, and several others from Ft Lauderdale were there.  I have an Art Barker story that I will post soon that I think you really will appreciate.
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Offline kpickle39

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Hello everybody !!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #8 on: May 18, 2002, 05:53:00 PM »
Hey Mike - if ya can't come as a lawyer, then come as a survivor - because you are . . . we all are.  Take care -

Mike, Straight Survivor '78 -'80
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Offline DKM84

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Hello everybody !!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #9 on: August 16, 2002, 03:03:00 PM »
hey, I started in andrews, then to 84
in @71 til I think about 75 / 76 - they liked me so much I had to get it right a few times, at least that's what Underwood would tell me. Small world huh
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Offline MommaDebi

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Hello everybody !!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #10 on: August 16, 2002, 04:24:00 PM »
Yes i agree.It is truly a small world.
This site has given me comfort in knowing that I was not alone with my feelings about the emotional abuse that took place in there.
Welcome,
debi
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...every five years I look back on my life and have a good laugh...\" {Indigo Girls~~ \"The Watershed\"}

Offline Bigfrank

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Hello everybody !!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #11 on: August 17, 2002, 04:06:00 PM »
It is really strange to hear all these names like John Underwood and Penny... I remember when Penny came in and was scared like the rest of us, I don't know what happened but before I knew it, she was a staff member... I remember thinking that was a little freaky, but whatever....I was 13 when I was forced in and 2 days later I turned 14, Happy Birthday to me...I think the guy's name that was from New York was Danny, because he had a strong New York accent and he was the one who talked to me first and I thought he was a pretty nice guy, until I went to him after that old comer took his belt to my ass in front of his family, and told him how bad he had embarrassed me by taking my pants down and his come back was good for him, I didn't thing he had it in him, now I have a whole new respect for him... Boy, was I crushed, but it was then that I knew I was on my own and I had to do everything and anything to make them all believe that I was part of them... I even made myself belive it..... I sure would like to run into that oldcomer today, I am 43 now and that's a scar that I will probably take to my grave......
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Offline Anonymous

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Hello everybody !!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #12 on: August 18, 2002, 01:57:00 PM »
Underwood was the top of the food chain then,
He was the male Libby, he was equal to her in all ways, if anything, he was  little above her then, I've seen him over rule her once or twice,and her take it.
Before John, there was Paul, forget his last name right now, but they were the top rung, if you wanted to get near (god) himself, you HAD to go through him.
Then one day he married a staffer named Pam,
and left to live his life. (smart move)
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Offline DKM84

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Hello everybody !!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #13 on: August 20, 2002, 08:24:00 PM »
I remember the night john went off on you, scared the shit out of me. I kept thinking of that night for awhile and all I could remember was art saying we had a bigger tree then the white house, then I had a flash, then a flood like I was there, it was scarry.
I remember thinking, I'm glad that's not me.
I was an oldcomer then,
do you remember which room it was? I want to validate my memory, was it the big room, or was it the smaller one?
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Offline FueLaw

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Hello everybody !!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #14 on: August 20, 2002, 08:49:00 PM »
It was in the big room, I remember after the incident happend the staff escorted me out of public view to the back offices. A few of them really let me have it and I thought that was the end of it. After the open meeting broke up and the parents and guest left Underwood called me out and really went off on me.

Do you remember when the so called "druggies" would drive by on 84 and throw shit at dudes doing security, at the front gate, and at the building in general ? Or would drive by and yell all kinds of shit ? In retrospect that was pretty funny stuff.  

About the memory I can remember a few peoples names but not many. I still can recall alot of faces in my mind, which is kind of weird considering I graduated back in '74.
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