Author Topic: St.Pete straight 1979  (Read 43310 times)

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Offline Antigen

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St.Pete straight 1979
« Reply #30 on: September 14, 2005, 09:33:00 AM »
Hey John,
  How the hell are ya? This is Virginia* McNulty. I remember you. Short guy, thick black hair, always reminded me of Speed Racer. LOL Can't quite remember your last name. It'll come to me. I won't post it. Don't worry.

Quote
On 2005-08-25 14:51:00, Anonymous wrote:

I don't know what to think. Was I a blind fool or did things go terribly wrong after I moved on? I was young, only 12 when starting and 16 when leaving the staff. What happened?


Well, a little bit of both, I think. Yes, Virgil brought it to a whole new level of warped. It was his big, bright idea to formalize parent and sibling indoctrination events. Probably his idea as well to set up a formal 7th step society.

We never saw much of him in person in Sarasota, at least not that I remember. But Chris Casselor (Castler? Cassler? So many possible spellings) became his li'll protege; Miller Light. Thought he was becoming a professional by virtue of his psyche classes at SPJC. That's when he really started to get dangerous. And, as I remember, that was around `82.

But yeah, the whole thing was pretty fucked up right from the get go. I can well imagine how you could not see it. It worked. You, evidently, bought into the "I was a 12yo junkie" bullshit hook, line and sinker. Of course. What chance has a 12yo got against proven thought reform techniques? Slim to none, that's what.

You must remember driving to and from St. Pete every damned day. Do you remember how much (little) sleep we were all getting? I do. On open meeting nights, we were lucky to get 3 hrs. Normally, we might get 5 or 6. And then, when we'd yawn or nod off in group, they'd stand us up and make all sorts of accusations and bizarre assumptions about it; you're avoiding yourself, you're being disrespectful to the person talking... nnooooooooo, I just haven't had a decent night's sleep in 3 weeks. And, frankly, this routine is getting quite old and boring.

That all by itself is pretty fucked up. Think about it. Intentionally deprive someone of adequate rest and privacy for an extended period of time, then torment and accuse them for being tired. Or how about the routine practice of group tackling anybody who tried to get away? Or the lies and coercion used to get people to sign in in the first place? Do things like that to anybody in the real world and they'll bring charges against you. But things like this become routine and seem to be not wrong after awhile. Especially if you're very young and impressionable (not to mention addle brained from sleep deprivation)

I think the power trippin' skinny broad w/ the tight perm you're trying to remember was Cathy Cone. She had a daughter in the program. And, probably after you went back to the real world, it started to become rather obvious that she had a most inappropriate sort of relationship w/ an inmate. Can't remember his name. Paul, maybe? All I remember about him is that he was certifiably nuts, really in need of professional help and that he ran head first into the wall in the carpet room, missing the stud and leaving a perfectly head-shaped hole in the drywall.  

Anyway, glad you came along. Hope life's been good to you. Look forward to getting your take on things. But take your time. Like most sane people, you seem to have left this extended ep of the Twilight Zone well and properly buried in the past. Personally, I still can't remember a week's worth of actual days in the whole two years.  

* Not really. Virginia never existed except as a legal entity as far as officialdome is concerned and a figment of Straight staff's vivid imagination. Please call me Ginger, like everyone else I've known since I was a toddler.

Faith, as well intentioned as it may be, must be built on facts, not fiction- faith in fiction is a damnable false hope.
--Thomas Edison, American inventor

« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
"Don\'t let the past remind us of what we are not now."
~ Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Sweet Judy Blue Eyes

Offline Antigen

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St.Pete straight 1979
« Reply #31 on: September 14, 2005, 10:53:00 AM »
Quote
On 2005-09-05 11:57:00, Anonymous wrote:

 I'd like to ask a question. I've noticed the responses to my posts are broken down and analyzed quite a bit. Do you think this process come from the things you were exposed to in Straight or have you had some training or other types of education that taught this? It reminds me of the techniques instilled in people in Straight.


Yeah, we're pretty much all assholes.  :rofl:

Men had better be without education than be educated by their rulers.

--Thomas Hodgskin

« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
"Don\'t let the past remind us of what we are not now."
~ Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Sweet Judy Blue Eyes

Offline gregg ritter

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St.Pete straight 1979
« Reply #32 on: September 14, 2005, 08:19:00 PM »
I was there from 80-82, when they finally terminated my brother and I.both split 5 or 6 times. I hpope miller hates me as as I hate him...
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline Anonymous

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St.Pete straight 1979
« Reply #33 on: September 15, 2005, 12:23:00 PM »
You were in Sarasota?
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Offline Anonymous

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St.Pete straight 1979
« Reply #34 on: September 15, 2005, 12:46:00 PM »
Hey, Ginger.  I don't recall too many details; however, it is still disturbing to read the some of the details in the posts here.  I think this site is helpful to those still struggling with things.  It confuses me as to why do people continue to punish themselves by putting themselves through these memories every day?  I see what seem to be innocent threads here at the inception turn in to all out rage over and over again.  There are so many positive things in left in life to experience.  Yes, there were some horrendous experiences, no doubt, but why let that rule the rest of your life?  If you do that you "let the bastards win".
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline Antigen

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St.Pete straight 1979
« Reply #35 on: September 15, 2005, 02:04:00 PM »
Quote
On 2005-09-15 09:46:00, Anonymous wrote:

 It confuses me as to why do people continue to punish themselves by putting themselves through these memories every day?


See, now THAT reminds ME of some group-relating-program-jargon flavored bullshit.

Punishing ourselves by putting ourselves through these memories? I don't think so, at least not on my part. I fully believed when I split back in `83 that I could walk away and just never think about those crazy bastards again. And it would have worked, too, if they hadn't infiltrated the school system, workplace and public policy w/ DARE and Peer Counseling programs, Save and Drug Free Workplaces/Schools/Communities, militarized Multijurisdictional Counterdrug Taskforce programs, Plan Colombia and all the rest.

The bastards are winning w/o a contest, and largely because they did such a good job training us to suck it up and not complain.

I'm not punishing myself. And I'm not going out of my way to remind myself of this shit. I'll shut up and be happy just as soon as these freaks get the hell out of public policy.

"Narcotics have been systematically scapegoated and demonized. The idea that anyone can use drugs and escape a horrible fate is an anathema to these idiots. I predict that in the near future right-wingers will use drug hysteria as a pretext to set up an international police apparatus."

--William S. Burroughs



_________________
Ginger Warbis ~ Antigen
Drug war POW
Seed Chicklett `71 - `80
Straight, Sarasota
   10/80 - 10/82
Apostate 10/82 -
Anonymity Anonymous
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
"Don\'t let the past remind us of what we are not now."
~ Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Sweet Judy Blue Eyes

Offline Froderik

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St.Pete straight 1979
« Reply #36 on: September 15, 2005, 02:07:00 PM »
Well, I had a simple and concise reply ready to go, but I see now that Ginger has pretty much fielded this one.

Hell, I'll post it anyway:

What's the prob w/ talking about things? Does this always have to mean that people are "continuing to punish themselves"?
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Offline Anonymous

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St.Pete straight 1979
« Reply #37 on: September 15, 2005, 02:58:00 PM »
Maybe that's the difference between you and me.  I didn't have the same experiences as you or as most people on this web page did. I did not take away or harbor the same feelings.  I saw and still see the benefits and negative aspects of my time there.  I do not know if I would or wouldn't be the same person I am today had I not experienced Straight. I feel pretty fortunate to be where I am today. Do I credit Straight for this?  No.  I took what was dealt to me at a very young age and moved on.  If I had experienced what some have here I'm certain I would feel much different.

I do not condone in any way the things that people have described here and I would never place my children in a place like Straight. I just wonder if people are stagnating in the past or dealing with things the best they can in order to enjoy life the best they can.  

If discussing these things over and over again is truly helpful here, I apologize for my question.  I did not mean to offend.
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Offline Antigen

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St.Pete straight 1979
« Reply #38 on: September 15, 2005, 04:00:00 PM »
I think you just don't remember.

The idea of God is the sole wrong for which I cannot forgive mankind.
--Marquis de Sade, French libertine

« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
"Don\'t let the past remind us of what we are not now."
~ Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Sweet Judy Blue Eyes

Offline gregg ritter

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St.Pete straight 1979
« Reply #39 on: September 15, 2005, 06:12:00 PM »
st pete
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Offline Anonymous

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St.Pete straight 1979
« Reply #40 on: September 15, 2005, 08:38:00 PM »
Perhaps.  Perhaps I've just moved on.
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Offline Anonymous

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St.Pete straight 1979
« Reply #41 on: September 15, 2005, 09:18:00 PM »
Quote
On 2005-09-15 11:58:00, Anonymous wrote:

"Maybe that's the difference between you and me.  I didn't have the same experiences as you or as most people on this web page did. I did not take away or harbor the same feelings.  I saw and still see the benefits and negative aspects of my time there.  I do not know if I would or wouldn't be the same person I am today had I not experienced Straight. I feel pretty fortunate to be where I am today. Do I credit Straight for this?  No.  I took what was dealt to me at a very young age and moved on.  If I had experienced what some have here I'm certain I would feel much different.



I do not condone in any way the things that people have described here and I would never place my children in a place like Straight. I just wonder if people are stagnating in the past or dealing with things the best they can in order to enjoy life the best they can.  



If discussing these things over and over again is truly helpful here, I apologize for my question.  I did not mean to offend.

"

Then waht are you doing on this site and whay are you posting and why not just as you say get on with you life .
See you are doing the same as us only you sre still trying to justify it.
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Offline Anonymous

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St.Pete straight 1979
« Reply #42 on: September 15, 2005, 09:33:00 PM »
I was a participant in this program, willingly or not and apparently I have a different view on things than most here.  I'm just trying to figure things in my mind.  Nonetheless, I mean no disrespect to anyone here.  I just want people to know that there are those who have "graduated? and "not graduated" that are doing OK.  Life goes on.
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Offline Anonymous

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St.Pete straight 1979
« Reply #43 on: September 16, 2005, 03:14:00 PM »
I must say that I agree with Anon. Just because someone found this site and posted on it does not mean that they are " in denial" about how they really feel about their own experience in the program. We all each had our OWN experiences there didn't we? And by the way, I thought this post was for the people that were in straight around 1979 or so. Hmmmm... that would make most of us somewhere in our fourties give or take. I don't know about the rest of you but my life has been a whole lot more than just the year I was in straight.Yes it sucked and I hated every day I was there but I have had WAY bigger and more life changing experiences than what happened to me in the program.  Looking back on some of the posts and seeing that there are people who are talking about " getting even" with someone on Sr. staff is in my opinion, just plain sad.

A
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Offline Anonymous

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St.Pete straight 1979
« Reply #44 on: September 16, 2005, 03:23:00 PM »
Well said.  Thank you.
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