Fornits
Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform => The Troubled Teen Industry => Topic started by: katfish on October 16, 2005, 09:52:00 PM
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Several weeks ago, A START (Alliance for the Safe, Therapeutic and Appropriate use of Residential Treatment) sent out an announcement inviting people to attend a press conference on Capitol Hill on October 18, 2005 calling for increased protections for youth in residential programs. We have since learned that because the press conference will be held in the Capitol Building, it is necessary to provide the Capitol Building security with a list of names of those people planning on attending at least 24 hours in advance of the event. If you are planning on attending the press conference but have not r.s.v.p.'d to Allison Pinto of A START, then please contact Cheryl Johnson in Congressman George Miller's office at 202-225-7118 before 11:00 a.m. on Monday, October 17. You can also reach Cheryl Johnson at:
Committee on Education and the Workforce
U. S. House of Representatives
2181 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-4527; TDD/TTY: (202) 226-3372
Allison Pinto, Ph.D.
A START
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On 2005-10-16 18:52:00, katfish wrote:
"Several weeks ago, A START (Alliance for the Safe, Therapeutic and Appropriate use of Residential Treatment) sent out an announcement inviting people to attend a press conference on Capitol Hill on October 18, 2005 calling for increased protections for youth in residential programs. We have since learned that because the press conference will be held in the Capitol Building, it is necessary to provide the Capitol Building security with a list of names of those people planning on attending at least 24 hours in advance of the event. If you are planning on attending the press conference but have not r.s.v.p.'d to Allison Pinto of A START, then please contact Cheryl Johnson in Congressman George Miller's office at 202-225-7118 before 11:00 a.m. on Monday, October 17. You can also reach Cheryl Johnson at:
Committee on Education and the Workforce
U. S. House of Representatives
2181 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-4527; TDD/TTY: (202) 226-3372
Allison Pinto, Ph.D.
A START
"
Katfish,
Where are ye getting this information from?
-DPThe Mann family was only one of a host of influential voices being raised against the traditional reading instructions in the most literate nation on earth.
John Taylor Gatto
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I didn't see any public announcement on Fornits, TAUSA or ISAC about this press conference. Did we all just miss the boat or was this info posted somewhere that we should have known about, but didn't?
:???:
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On 2005-10-16 19:18:00, Anonymous wrote:
"I didn't see any public announcement on Fornits, TAUSA or ISAC about this press conference. Did we all just miss the boat or was this info posted somewhere that we should have known about, but didn't?
:-?
"
What is Tausa?
-DPPuritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.
--H. L. Mencken, American publisher
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TAUSA (Teen Advocates USA)
http://www.teenadvocatesusa.org (http://www.teenadvocatesusa.org)
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I'm feeling afraid to attend. I was emailed also, but can't seem to take that first leap of faith. Is anyone else going? I know it's 2 days away and all....
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On 2005-10-16 19:39:00, Withdraw wrote:
"I'm feeling afraid to attend. I was emailed also, but can't seem to take that first leap of faith. Is anyone else going? I know it's 2 days away and all...."
I am not attending simply b/c it is my daughters birthday, and I cannot afford to attend.
The thing that bothers me about this is that Allison Pinto has never returned my emails at all, and I even invited her to call me, and I have knowledge that she has also snubbed Isac. The picture that it paints for me is not pretty.
If Miss Pinto truly understands survivors and kids that are still being mistreated as we speak then it seems to me a professional of her stature would understand that not contacting survivors back and snubbing an organization that has worked hard for over three years now to help children does not aide in her credibility/trust amongst survivors at all.
warm regards,
-DP
regards,
-DPOf all the enemies to public liberty, war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded because it comprises and develops the germ of every other.
--James Madison
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On 2005-10-16 20:39:00, Deprogrammed wrote:
"
On 2005-10-16 19:39:00, Withdraw wrote:
"I'm feeling afraid to attend. I was emailed also, but can't seem to take that first leap of faith. Is anyone else going? I know it's 2 days away and all...."
I am not attending simply b/c it is my daughters birthday, and I cannot afford to attend.
The thing that bothers me about this is that Allison Pinto has never returned my emails at all, and I even invited her to call me, and I have knowledge that she has also snubbed Isac. The picture that it paints for me is not pretty.
If Miss Pinto truly understands survivors and kids that are still being mistreated as we speak then it seems to me a professional of her stature would understand that not contacting survivors back and snubbing an organization that has worked hard for over three years now to help children does not aide in her credibility/trust amongst survivors at all.
warm regards,
-DP
regards,
-DPOf all the enemies to public liberty, war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded because it comprises and develops the germ of every other.
--James Madison
"
Furthermore there is nothing on Rep. miller's site announcing any support of this "press conference". I guess the site can still be updated tmw and I will check...but something is just not adding up here at all.
regards,
-DPYou cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war.
--Albert Einstein
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Thanks for your response. I don't have alot of energy to check stuff like that out, and honestly wouldn't know where to look. Keep in touch if you learn anymore, please.
She seemed legit/sincere, but I also got a wacky feeling around the whole thing, could very well be my own distrust though. I can say the email that was mailed was very form... with a few personal additions compared to the others I saw posted.[ This Message was edited by: Withdraw on 2006-02-28 22:04 ]
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I noticed that your description has you in Springfield in 1986. I was there from 1987, to early 1989.
I have been thinking about people from there, one girl in particular who came in around the time I did. She looked like Richard MArx and compulsively tore all the hair away from her eyes.
I am interested in talking with people from Striaght around that time.
The only movie I ever remember seeing was the Princess Bride. I believe this was for Christmas. This is my favorite movie still, probably because it was such a valuable experience at the time, who knows.
Thanks.
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Hey DP,
Allison sent me the info and asked I share it with anyone who may not have gotten in touch with her for the press briefing, but who plans on attending. She didn't want anyone to get stuck and not be able to enter the conference b/c of that confusion. I guess she had stated originally that it was optional to RSVP, when it's really not.
As I understand, as it reads above, she contacted people to let them know about the conference. I have posted around as well, info about the conference. We were concerned about filling the room, but as it turns out those who have RSVPed have will fill up the room. People may cancel, though. What everyone is aiming for is to get a congressional hearing, that's when it's really important to have everyone show!
Well....I'm off to DC.
best, kat
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On 2005-10-17 08:39:00, katfish wrote:
"Hey DP,
Allison sent me the info and asked I share it with anyone who may not have gotten in touch with her for the press briefing, but who plans on attending. She didn't want anyone to get stuck and not be able to enter the conference b/c of that confusion. I guess she had stated originally that it was optional to RSVP, when it's really not.
As I understand, as it reads above, she contacted people to let them know about the conference. I have posted around as well, info about the conference. We were concerned about filling the room, but as it turns out those who have RSVPed have will fill up the room. People may cancel, though. What everyone is aiming for is to get a congressional hearing, that's when it's really important to have everyone show!
Well....I'm off to DC.
best, kat"
Well, she never has contacted me by phone or by email.....as I already told you before....so do not come on here and act as if I never told ye that.
Allison Pinto never has contacted me at all! You already knew that.May the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house.
-- George Carlin
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So??? What happened? Who was there? What did they have to say? How was it received?
You need only reflect that one of the best ways to get yourself a reputation as a dangerous citizen these days is to go about repeating the very phrases which our founding fathers used in the struggle for independence.
--Charles Austin Beard
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On 2005-10-19 19:22:00, Antigen wrote:
"So??? What happened? Who was there? What did they have to say? How was it received?
You need only reflect that one of the best ways to get yourself a reputation as a dangerous citizen these days is to go about repeating the very phrases which our founding fathers used in the struggle for independence.
--Charles Austin Beard
"
Exactly!
Love ye ginger :grin: Fear is the parent of cruelty, therefore it is no wonder if religion and cruelty have gone hand-in-hand.
--Bertrand Russell, British philosopher, educator, mathemetician, and social critic
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Hi Antigen, Dp- all,
The press conference went great! Met some good people and I think this is just the beginning for 'A Start' and promoting change. Only one paper has covered it, far as I can tell, which of course is unfortunate, but not a deterent. I'm a little suprised, I knew the press ignores us former program kids quite well, but didn't realize that they would blatently ignore calls for action by so many mnetal health professionals and organizations. hmm...guess I'm a little naive, huh?
I feel very fortunate to have been there and know that there is a sense of outrage that I see spreading in the mental health community...now it's a matter of garning bi-partisan support for these bills- End Inst. Child Abuse Act of 2005 & Keeping Families Together- one provides fed grants for regulation, the other fed grants for improvement in local care so kids have options and are not sent away- You can't take something away w/o providing an alternative, strategically I mean--- so for those of you who live particularly in REPUBLICAN AREAS, contact your representatives if you want to support regulation of the industry. I guess slowly but surely we may change the abuse of children in the name of care. Sadly I wish this could happen over night, just the thought of the continual abuse makes me ill...frustrating.
The press story covered here:
http://www.sltrib.com/search/ci_3130174 (http://www.sltrib.com/search/ci_3130174)
MAIN SITE for A Start here- I'm a big fan of the fact sheet especially!
http://cfs.fmhi.usf.edu/projects/ASTART.htm (http://cfs.fmhi.usf.edu/projects/ASTART.htm)
[ This Message was edited by: katfish on 2005-10-22 21:51 ]
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Ok, cool, but I have a complaint with Astart's website HTML. This is why:It says "since the early 90's. They need to do their research a little better....since this has been going on since the 80's....early 80's.......and well even look at the 70's.
So, what I am trying to say is this, can we work to educate ASTART? Can they change that and actually include the history and represent the whole truth? I am also not sure that I am able to be bipartisan with this considering the facts that there are too many republican criminals involved with all of this, history and all.
By the way, I live in a corrput, whoopsy I mean swing state, and I have called and will still call reps, the governor, the attorney general,and senators etc.......but they will not hear me even yelling at the top of my lungs, hence the swing in their step.
so, trust me this is a harder situation than one thinks at times.
MAIN SITE for A Start here- I'm a big fan of the fact sheet especially!
http://cfs.fmhi.usf.edu/projects/ASTART.htm (http://cfs.fmhi.usf.edu/projects/ASTART.htm)
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It has to be bi-partisan... otherwise it won't float... And lets all remember there are good guys and bad guys on both sides of the aisle...
As far as 'A START', you have to remember that to be effective, you need to be focused... Granted since the Spartans, people have been having their children taken away and forced into camps (armies in Sparta's case :smile:
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I agree with Kat.
The Mental Health professionals and Bazelon are obviously sincere in their efforts to make changes within the Residential Treatment Industry.
I heard commented, that themental health profession have known for a long time the Industry was dangerous to children's well being.
Better late than never. Changes must be made.
I am very proud of Kat and Charles with their attendance at such an important event. Kat did a great job in representing other young victims and survivors of the residential industry. She did you all proud. Her courage was impressive.
IMO we need to continue to request of our law makers in Congress to pass these bills ASAP.
Send the news letetrs to simply and make your points . Remind them next year is a Congressional election year. What ever it takes. Refer them to Bazelon and AStart for more details.
Listening to Dr. Charles Huffine speak with such conviction and insight, I was thinking to myself, I wish we had had access to such a kind and knowledgeable professional when I was seeking help. We need more like him . He knows the truth and he cares.
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Kat, are you a Change Agent?
Faith is believing something you know ain't true.
--Samuel Clemens "Mark Twain", American author and humorist
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On 2005-10-22 22:38:00, Anonymous wrote:
"
Ok, cool, but I have a complaint with Astart's website HTML. This is why:It says "since the early 90's. They need to do their research a little better....since this has been going on since the 80's....early 80's.......and well even look at the 70's.
So, what I am trying to say is this, can we work to educate ASTART? Can they change that and actually include the history and represent the whole truth? I am also not sure that I am able to be bipartisan with this considering the facts that there are too many republican criminals involved with all of this, history and all.
By the way, I live in a corrput, whoopsy I mean swing state, and I have called and will still call reps, the governor, the attorney general,and senators etc.......but they will not hear me even yelling at the top of my lungs, hence the swing in their step.
I was wondering that too, about the start of this 1990's, especially given there's an article coming out that I will link to when it does that states somewhat the history of 'sending kids away'. I think that if anyone thinks that there is information that is missing you should definitely contact Dr. Pinto. I spoke with Dr. Huffine of A Start and he pointe out that this has its root in the US with 'rag boys', city street kids essentially being sent away to the wilderness or farms (sorry, one of the 2) to 'buck up'. I suspect that the point of stating the boom of 1990's was not to deny the history or roots of the industry, but to highlight that there has been a sudden boom- a crisis, if you will, that needs to be addressed. Not that it didn't now, but-- as usual, if we have a problem in the US it seems that if it doesn't affect too many people that continued injustice is somehow ok. So the boom emphasizes the numbers- in which lies a certain amount of strength.
But like I said, I think if there's a point to be made by you or whomever, then you should make it, or question what points are being made if you have them...
And I wondered as well about the Republican support- I think our political climate is just...going to make progress on this issue incredibly difficult. Sigh-- I don't know what to say about that...I think it's so hard b/c from what I have read a lot of Rep. have had their hands in this industry, have they not- or at least lined their pockets it seems. Like, for instance, even trying to thing of ways to frame the BM issue, where one of the arguments is BM is contrary to indiv. liberty b/c it imposes ones will onto others, but isn't that what America and the right are doing by hijacking 'morality'? Just tough and frustrating, but holding fast to the american ideals that are of value, such as liberty is the only choice we got, far as I can tell, until tides shift in our direction...whew! went off on a tangent there, but... i hope this helps.
Again, I agree on the history part and think it sould be discussed b/c, frankly, I think it's only respectful to the victims that came before us to cover the history as accurately as possible.
best- kat
best- kat
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On 2005-10-23 10:03:00, Antigen wrote:
"Kat, are you a Change Agent?Faith is believing something you know ain't true.
--Samuel Clemens "Mark Twain", American author and humorist
"
try to be...lol, more of an advocate I guess. certainly I feel I have worked hard at changing my own postition after picking myself up out of the gutter after my experience at Mission Mountain School left me far worse than the suicidal kid I arrived there as...certainly I would like to think I am a cog in the wheel of change in respect to the industry.
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On 2005-10-23 13:44:00, katfish wrote:
And I wondered as well about the Republican support- I think our political climate is just...going to make progress on this issue incredibly difficult.
Oh, are you kidding me? Our political climate almost couldn't be better!
WILLEMSTAD, Curacao, Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- On the heels of his
nomination of Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court and the Karl Rove controversy
President Bush's approval rating has plummeted to the lowest level of his
presidency. Combined with the situation in Iraq, the hurricanes and
unprecedented gas prices, the latest polls show only 39 percent of U.S. adults
approving of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as Commander in Chief.
With more Americans questioning how he's leading the nation,
PinnacleSports.com today became the first sportsbook in the world to release
betting lines on the approval rating of President George W. Bush on a number
of key issues.
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stori ... 712&EDATE= (http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/10-21-2005/0004174712&EDATE=)
Ya' can't make this shit up. The public, the media, even the Religious Reich, to some extent, is starting to peek at the tiny, little, bulb nosed man behind the curtain! And do you know who's standing there right in the middle of all those cronnies? Mel and Betty Sembler, founders of Straight, Incorporated.
It seems silly to gloss over such an important aspect of the story, doesn't it?
The clergy know that I know that they know that they do not know.
--Robert G. Ingersoll, American politician and lecturer
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Antigen, you think? Pol. climate couldn't be better? Maybe you're right, I sure hope so!!! I just sensed that maybe America is not really caring too much about all this controversy, then again I've had my head stuck in a book for school so I'm not too on top of this stuff...I hope you're right- I would imagine, given the approval rating, Rep. Congressional officials would want to keep their distance from Bush...maybe bi-partisan support of this bill will come to fruition...fingers crossed.
LOL- I have never heard you to be the voice of optimism!
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On 2005-10-23 13:44:00, katfish wrote:
"
On 2005-10-22 22:38:00, Anonymous wrote:
"
Ok, cool, but I have a complaint with Astart's website HTML. This is why:It says "since the early 90's. They need to do their research a little better....since this has been going on since the 80's....early 80's.......and well even look at the 70's.
So, what I am trying to say is this, can we work to educate ASTART? Can they change that and actually include the history and represent the whole truth? I am also not sure that I am able to be bipartisan with this considering the facts that there are too many republican criminals involved with all of this, history and all.
By the way, I live in a corrput, whoopsy I mean swing state, and I have called and will still call reps, the governor, the attorney general,and senators etc.......but they will not hear me even yelling at the top of my lungs, hence the swing in their step.
I was wondering that too, about the start of this 1990's, especially given there's an article coming out that I will link to when it does that states somewhat the history of 'sending kids away'. I think that if anyone thinks that there is information that is missing you should definitely contact Dr. Pinto. I spoke with Dr. Huffine of A Start and he pointe out that this has its root in the US with 'rag boys', city street kids essentially being sent away to the wilderness or farms (sorry, one of the 2) to 'buck up'. I suspect that the point of stating the boom of 1990's was not to deny the history or roots of the industry, but to highlight that there has been a sudden boom- a crisis, if you will, that needs to be addressed. Not that it didn't now, but-- as usual, if we have a problem in the US it seems that if it doesn't affect too many people that continued injustice is somehow ok. So the boom emphasizes the numbers- in which lies a certain amount of strength.
But like I said, I think if there's a point to be made by you or whomever, then you should make it, or question what points are being made if you have them...
And I wondered as well about the Republican support- I think our political climate is just...going to make progress on this issue incredibly difficult. Sigh-- I don't know what to say about that...I think it's so hard b/c from what I have read a lot of Rep. have had their hands in this industry, have they not- or at least lined their pockets it seems. Like, for instance, even trying to thing of ways to frame the BM issue, where one of the arguments is BM is contrary to indiv. liberty b/c it imposes ones will onto others, but isn't that what America and the right are doing by hijacking 'morality'? Just tough and frustrating, but holding fast to the american ideals that are of value, such as liberty is the only choice we got, far as I can tell, until tides shift in our direction...whew! went off on a tangent there, but... i hope this helps.
Again, I agree on the history part and think it sould be discussed b/c, frankly, I think it's only respectful to the victims that came before us to cover the history as accurately as possible.
best- kat
best- kat"
Personally, I think Maia's book which hits the stands in Feb. 06 will be very helpful in educating people about the fact that before WWASPS, MMS, SageWalk, etc. there was something far more sinister going on in America called The Seed and The Straights. Truly, as bad as the newer brand of BM programs are, they pale in comparison to what was going on in the '70's with siblings being marched off to these suburban cults in broad daylight.
:smokin:
Good Lord, ho
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On 2005-10-23 15:50:00, Anonymous wrote:
"
On 2005-10-23 13:44:00, katfish wrote:
"
On 2005-10-22 22:38:00, Anonymous wrote:
"
Ok, cool, but I have a complaint with Astart's website HTML. This is why:It says "since the early 90's. They need to do their research a little better....since this has been going on since the 80's....early 80's.......and well even look at the 70's.
So, what I am trying to say is this, can we work to educate ASTART? Can they change that and actually include the history and represent the whole truth? I am also not sure that I am able to be bipartisan with this considering the facts that there are too many republican criminals involved with all of this, history and all.
By the way, I live in a corrput, whoopsy I mean swing state, and I have called and will still call reps, the governor, the attorney general,and senators etc.......but they will not hear me even yelling at the top of my lungs, hence the swing in their step.
I was wondering that too, about the start of this 1990's, especially given there's an article coming out that I will link to when it does that states somewhat the history of 'sending kids away'. I think that if anyone thinks that there is information that is missing you should definitely contact Dr. Pinto. I spoke with Dr. Huffine of A Start and he pointe out that this has its root in the US with 'rag boys', city street kids essentially being sent away to the wilderness or farms (sorry, one of the 2) to 'buck up'. I suspect that the point of stating the boom of 1990's was not to deny the history or roots of the industry, but to highlight that there has been a sudden boom- a crisis, if you will, that needs to be addressed. Not that it didn't now, but-- as usual, if we have a problem in the US it seems that if it doesn't affect too many people that continued injustice is somehow ok. So the boom emphasizes the numbers- in which lies a certain amount of strength.
But like I said, I think if there's a point to be made by you or whomever, then you should make it, or question what points are being made if you have them...
And I wondered as well about the Republican support- I think our political climate is just...going to make progress on this issue incredibly difficult. Sigh-- I don't know what to say about that...I think it's so hard b/c from what I have read a lot of Rep. have had their hands in this industry, have they not- or at least lined their pockets it seems. Like, for instance, even trying to thing of ways to frame the BM issue, where one of the arguments is BM is contrary to indiv. liberty b/c it imposes ones will onto others, but isn't that what America and the right are doing by hijacking 'morality'? Just tough and frustrating, but holding fast to the american ideals that are of value, such as liberty is the only choice we got, far as I can tell, until tides shift in our direction...whew! went off on a tangent there, but... i hope this helps.
Again, I agree on the history part and think it sould be discussed b/c, frankly, I think it's only respectful to the victims that came before us to cover the history as accurately as possible.
best- kat
best- kat"
Personally, I think Maia's book which hits the stands in Feb. 06 will be very helpful in educating people about the fact that before WWASPS, MMS, SageWalk, etc. there was something far more sinister going on in America called The Seed and The Straights. Truly, as bad as the newer brand of BM programs are, they pale in comparison to what was going on in the '70's with siblings being marched off to these suburban cults in broad daylight.
:smokin:
Good Lord, how could anyone not understand the newer programs is just history repeating itself?
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On 2005-10-23 14:50:00, katfish wrote:
LOL- I have never heard you to be the voice of optimism!"
Well, stranger things have happened LOL. I just hate when people blow a lot of sunshine up my ass and so I try hard to avoid ever behaving that way.
But I think things are actually taking a turn wrt the most onorous behavior and characters of the current band of politicritters. Not that the next alternative will be any panacea. But Jeeze, Louise! These people are dangerously unbalanced!
If you haven't read it yet, this report by Wes Fager (ok, and me, I did a little word-smithing at his request) is well worth the read:
George W. Bush, The Drug Free America Foundation, Inc., (formerly Straight Foundation, Inc.) and the Republican Party (c) 2000
by Wesley M. Fager of the Oakton Institute for Cultic Studies
and Ginger Warbis
[Permission is hereby granted to publish and distribute this work in its entirety]
Now you might find it difficult to accept that a US president could become involved with a cult. First, you'd think a former head of CIA would have to be far too intelligent to be taken in this way. Secondly, the implications of the leader of the free world carrying out the responsibilities of that office under the influence of a destructive mind control cult are just too frightening to consider. But here are some documented facts on the matter. See if you can come to any other conclusion.
Nancy Reagan took Princess Di to Straight-Springfield to show her how we handle our druggie kids in this country while Ronald Reagan wrote an endorsement for Straight pamphlets. Robert DuPont, Richard Nixon's Drug Czar, had overseen funding for an experimental juvenile program to try to turn American kids into the straight laced citizens that he thought they should be. That program was called The Seed and its methods were likened by the US Senate to Communist brainwashing techniques.
Full Text: http://thestraights.com/gop.htm (http://thestraights.com/gop.htm)
Life may have no meaning. Or even worse, it may have a meaning of which I disapprove.
Ashleigh Brilliant
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Just found this in the November 18 issue of the APA Newsletter:
http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/40/22/8 (http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/40/22/8)
Government News
Bills Target Abuses In Residential Facilities
Aaron Levin
A partially hidden industry offering a controversial approach to teens with psychological or behavioral problems needs better oversight.
Residential treatment programs for young people with behavioral or emotional problems need increased state and federal oversight to eliminate abusive and unproven treatment practices, said mental health advocates at a meeting last month at the U.S. Capitol.
While many beneficial programs exist, many others are not accredited or licensed, according to psychologist Robert Friedman, Ph.D., a professor of child and family studies at the University of South Florida in Tampa. "Some of these programs are exploiting the desperation of parents and mistreating the youth they serve."
At a meeting for Capitol Hill staffers, Friedman and others supported one bill (HR 1738) to allocate funds to help states license and regulate these facilities and a second (HR 823, S 380) to end custody relinquishment as a requirement for coverage by public insurance programs.
Few data exist on the number of children sent to such programs or their effectiveness, said Friedman. Regulatory policies vary, with some states requiring licensing and others having no oversight at all. Fewer than 12 states regulate these programs.
At issue are unregulated facilities using methods with no grounding in research or conventional practice, said Charles Huffine, M.D., of Seattle, a past president of the American Association of Community Psychiatrists. These programs offer only cursory assessment of new residents, followed by issuing diagnoses that frighten parents into committing their children to the facility. Young people are isolated from their families and then get unproven, confrontational therapies. Several deaths have been reported, as well.
"Abuse is sold as treatment," said Huffine. "It's advertised as `behavioral therapy' but as a researcher, I can tell you it has nothing to do with behavioral therapy."
Parents often are so desperate for help that they fail to check the credentials of program staff and are easy prey for fear-mongering sales tactics. They end up paying thousands of dollars a month in the hope that something will help their children.
Because these are private entities and not public institutions, they function as parental surrogates.
"Kids have no rights and no diagnosis and can be sent away to age 18," said Huffine.
The offending residential treatment programs inhabit a nebulous world where data are not easy to find. Many are set up to avoid regulation by mental health, drug abuse, education, or child welfare authorities, said Maia Szalavitz, a freelance journalist and the author of the forthcoming Help at Any Cost: How the Troubled Teen Industry Cons Parents and Hurts Kids (Riverhead Books, 2006), in an interview.
"We have more regulations for chickens then we do for these kids," said Szalavitz.
Even the numbers are hazy. There may be 100 programs of concern, housing 10,000 to 20,000 children, and bringing in $1 billion a year in fees, Szalavitz estimated. Many are based on outdated, abusive "attack therapies" popularized in the 1970s by organizations like Synanon. The programs often promote harsh discipline, deprivation, betrayal of peers, and isolation from family. Some set up branches outside the United States, both to escape regulation and to distance children from parents.
At present, any regulation is up to state attorneys general. In August, the New York attorney general ordered one such boarding school, Ivy Ridge, near the Canadian border, to refund $1 million to parents for "grossly misrepresenting academic credentials." Despite its claims, the school was not accredited and had no authority to issue the 113 high school diplomas it handed out to students. The school is affiliated with the World Wide Association of Specialty Schools, a group of seven schools in the United States and abroad that have been investigated for allegations of child abuse, according to the Salt Lake City Deseret News.
Passage of HR 1738, the End Institutional Abuse of Children Act, sponsored by Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), would provide $50 million to the states to license and monitor programs, establish penalties for child abuse within them, and require the State Department to report any abuse of American children overseas, said Tammi Seltzer, senior staff attorney at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law in Washington, D.C. The Government Accountability Office should also investigate treatment practices and credentialing in the industry, said Seltzer.
"For the first time, mental health stood up and opposed these programs," said Szalavitz. "They need to be delegitimized by the psychological and psychiatric establishments."
More information on residential treatment programs for children is posted at http://cfs.fmhi.usf.edu/projects/ASTART.htm (http://cfs.fmhi.usf.edu/projects/ASTART.htm)>.
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This article certainly sums up the Straight situation and then some. Great job.
Does anyone know if Jeb Bush's daughter attended a Straight/Seed facility for her drug problems?
Straight was probably closed by then. right?
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On 2005-10-23 15:52:00, Antigen wrote:
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On 2005-10-23 14:50:00, katfish wrote:
LOL- I have never heard you to be the voice of optimism!"
Well, stranger things have happened LOL. I just hate when people blow a lot of sunshine up my ass and so I try hard to avoid ever behaving that way.
But I think things are actually taking a turn wrt the most onorous behavior and characters of the current band of politicritters. Not that the next alternative will be any panacea. But Jeeze, Louise! These people are dangerously unbalanced!
If you haven't read it yet, this report by Wes Fager (ok, and me, I did a little word-smithing at his request) is well worth the read:
George W. Bush, The Drug Free America Foundation, Inc., (formerly Straight Foundation, Inc.) and the Republican Party (c) 2000
by Wesley M. Fager of the Oakton Institute for Cultic Studies
and Ginger Warbis
[Permission is hereby granted to publish and distribute this work in its entirety]
Now you might find it difficult to accept that a US president could become involved with a cult. First, you'd think a former head of CIA would have to be far too intelligent to be taken in this way. Secondly, the implications of the leader of the free world carrying out the responsibilities of that office under the influence of a destructive mind control cult are just too frightening to consider. But here are some documented facts on the matter. See if you can come to any other conclusion.
Nancy Reagan took Princess Di to Straight-Springfield to show her how we handle our druggie kids in this country while Ronald Reagan wrote an endorsement for Straight pamphlets. Robert DuPont, Richard Nixon's Drug Czar, had overseen funding for an experimental juvenile program to try to turn American kids into the straight laced citizens that he thought they should be. That program was called The Seed and its methods were likened by the US Senate to Communist brainwashing techniques.
Full Text: http://thestraights.com/gop.htm (http://thestraights.com/gop.htm)
Life may have no meaning. Or even worse, it may have a meaning of which I disapprove.
Ashleigh Brilliant
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Hats off to you and Wes, Ginger. Good job!
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What happened at the meeting? Did anyone attend it? Any press releases?
Any priest or shaman must be presumed guilty until proven innocent.
--Robert A. Heinlen, American science-ficiton author