Fornits
Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform => Straight, Inc. and Derivatives => Topic started by: hedwigfan on October 15, 2002, 06:30:00 PM
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Does anyone have any idea about how whether people contracted HIV or hepatitis from sharing razors or toothbrushes in Straight?
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Good question, hep is far more likely though. It takes a fair amount of effort to catch HIV va a razor share etc. as the virus is fairly poor at survival outside the body.
I posed something along these lines last year, my question was whether we were put at elevated risk for Hep because of the bathroom conditions, and the fact that many people cleaned toilets, not only at the building, but in various illegal and unlicensed foster homes without sufficient protection.
I seem to recall scrubbing toilets with toothbrushes and no gloves etc.
along the same lines what about HPV? By far more common than eitehr Hep or HIV and apparantly easliy spread via skin contact.
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I was at Darren Chastains house in Atlanta right before I bailed the last time and we got a newcomer with the worst case of Herpes I have ever seen short of in an end stage HIV patient. this poor guy was hiding it, and the foster parents did not even know, until I saw it and talked to them about it. They freaked, but staff said tough, live with it. Darrens 12 year old sister did laundry, shared the same bathroom etc.. I felt bad for the guy, but I was glad to not have to hold him by the beltloop after I left!!
Bill
PS James is right, as my A's in microbiology taught me. HIV is damned near impossible to catch that way. Never saw any hepatitis in my 2 years either.
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After two years working in a sex club, I got a pretty good idea what was real and what was hype about STD's. The SF Health Dept did an excellant job of teaching me all about my thingy and where not to put it.
Though I had the same concerns for a while, I began to realize that if I didn't catch it cleaning the toliets at blowbuddies, I probably didn't catch it cleaning the toilets at Straight.
One thing that did concern me for a while was that people came into the program from prison- a breeding ground for TB.
We certainly did pass colds and flu around a great deal, but I doubt much in the way of serious STDs or other infections dieases.
Except of course PTSD, that ran rampant.
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I have HEP C and I have no idea how I got it. I never shot drugs or had a blood transfusion. I did however share toothbrushes on first phase. I have oftern wondered about this and how I got the C.
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I am NOT going to say that it was not from the program, nor do I mean to make any statements about how you picked it up.
My understanding is that Hep C can be transmitted quite easily via sexual contact. Blood, Ejaculate and Urine are potential vectors.
Though it is possible that a shared toohtbrush might spread hep C via micro abrasions or bleeding gums, both parties would have to be bleeding at the same time. And the brush would have to be used almost immediately after the infected individual.
I am uninformed as to the specific out of body survival rate for Hep C. Indeed I am not sure that such data has ever been collected.
There are a number of steps that can be taken to slow the progress of the disease and to reduce the damage to the liver. I hope that you are discussing this with your doctor.
Avoiding alcohol is vital, as I am sure you understand, it will only make the situation worse, and speed up whatever damage is done.
Don't allow a GP to advise you on Hep C, demand that you be referred to a hepatologist(sp?) this comes from the advice of Phil Lesh, who had to have a liver transplant due to his own failure to deal with his infection.
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There is a book I read a while ago that I believe was titled "what you don't know about AIDS, that you should", my father had it and he read up on a lot of that stuff. Sad thing is many things that are in that book arn't told to the public, one of which include saliva.
It said since saliva is a part of bodily fluids it would be easy to transmit that from one host to another. So I'm curious to know if this is a known fact.
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Saliva is not a known vector for HIV transmission. Indeed the latest research I have read suggests that saliva actually kills HIV. It is extremely unlikely that you will ever contract HIV through the exchange of saliva alone.
What is possible, though still rare, is that you and a HIV Poz partner may have bleeding gums or micro-abrasions in your mouth at the same time, therefore providing a direct blood vector for the virus. This is why it is vital that you not brush/floss your teeth for a few hours prior to and after sex with a non-monogmous partner- brushing can leave you susceptable to infection.
However this type of vector has been extremely difficult to pin down. I particpated in a study of hundreds of gay/bi men in SF who were sexually active, but only in oral copulation. There was no evidence of oral sex transmissions, and there was anectdotal evidence that saliva acted in its natural capacity to inhibit both viral and bacterial infections.
HIV is actually fairly hard to contract without a direct blood to blood vector, such as a shared needle, or a damaged anal lining. Vaginal cell walls are several times thicker than anal cell walls and therefore provide far more protection.
Condoms are extremely effective in preventing vaginal HIV transmissions. especially when the vagina is well lubricated and healthy. Excessive douching can make the situation much worse- much like brushing- it damages the protective cell walls.
Finally, non-oxynol-9 a common spermicidal lubricant is a serious danger to anyone practicing anal sex, it destroys the cell wall, which in the human rectum in merely one cell thick. It contributes risk to vaginal sex as well, at least in terms of disease transmission. It is better to use condoms without it, unless you are confident that you and your partner are HIV negative, and your primary concern is birth control.
If you remain concerned about salival transmissions, rinsing with a solution of diluted hydrogen peroxide can easily kill any HIV that may remain in your mouth, though the mouth and digestive tracts are not environments where this virus is likely to thrive.
This is way off topic, but I feel compelled to post it anyway as this is an issue on which most gay/bi men have a certain obsession- considering the friends I have lost to HIV even in the past year.
Back to your regularly scheduled nightmares.
[ This Message was edited by: James on 2002-10-16 07:32 ]
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Thanks James - I have had plenty of unprotected sex in my life and as they say "I do have my redwings"
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KP you are not alone. I have plenty of my own scarlet letters, so to speak.
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As far as I know, we only had big outbreaks of scabies and impetigo. Crabs were a big issue too. Other than that, I dont know of anyone who contracted anything "internally". Thats not to say it didnt happen. The guys seemed to be the biggest carriers of the scabies, and the girls the impetigo. I think because the girls did all the arm carving and they shared whatever little tools they could get their hands on to do so.
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When I was in Springfield, a client came in who had an extreme case of Hepatitis. I do not know what letter it was, but his doctor had advised him that one more beer could kill him. He had an extremely bad case of halitosis too! I was emergency rushed to his house one night on a dime therapy call and remember breathing that horrible deathbreath smell on several occasions. I do not have any hepatitis as a result. I remember him vomiting blood and how I was not supposed to touch it, but other than that, it was pretty non-sterile atmosphere there. He was on first phase and stayed at his house. I brought him into group by the beltloop and he got hosted out somewhere. I did hear that he had been seen a year or so after I 7th stepped, up in WInchester, VA. Personally, I think straight did not practice very safe health guidelines. We sat in each other's sweat for christ's sake! DAMN! HELLLLLP!!!!!!!! MG8
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As an active member of the "resistance", I was often covered in blood, sweat and tears during the course of a hard day's work. Sometimes it wasn't always my own. I recall the nasty pillows that awaited my inevitable journey to the floor. They had been cried into, slobbered and bled on; but were always offered with a gracious smirk. I also remember one skinny worthless piece of shit that liked to sit behind MBers; he wasn't strong enough to restrain a limb or hold someone in a chair, so he specialized in covering mouths. I warned this gimp to keep his hands off my mouth (I only could imagine where he'd had them), yet this punk continued to position himself in group to be a mouth man. He knew I wanted to break him and kept away whenever I was let up to piss or eat. I finally got an opportunity and jumped over a couple of rows of blue chairs and proceeded to break his arm. My only regret is that I didn't have a strong grasp on human anatomy and could only manage to put him into a soft wrist cast for a time. Today, I'd gladly snap his pimply assed radius and lodge the fracture into the closest lung. He was later stood up and confronted for "avoiding himself" by seeking MBer duty. Just another day, couldn't worry about getting a little on ya or you might end up on 5th phase or staff.
Jason
[ This Message was edited by: misbehaver on 2002-10-16 18:01 ]
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Jason,
I have to ask if you were in the Atlanta program?
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I was in the Cincinnati program from Feb. 1986 until Sept. 1986. If the archive is up, you can review my post "Live at Last" for clarity. I did roll thru Atlanta on my own "March to the Sea", but got caught in traffic on that 10 lane autobahn. Nothing like bourbon and bread pudding, except maybe nuoc mam cham over ramen with lemon grass tea. Jason
[ This Message was edited by: misbehaver on 2002-10-16 18:33 ]
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Me too Jason. I was also a rather "active" misb. and shudder to think about anything I may or may not have gotten into. In 89 I really was not thinking about hiv or hep c back then. I was just looking for some sort of release and going down fighting was as close as I could get. I was pretty ready to just die after being in that hell for 13 months. I knew a rowdy misbehavior in Boston named Jason. Dream on and One were some of the songs we used to rock out too and I would bet he would say he was from the abyss too funny for a sec I thought you might be him. :smile:
[ This Message was edited by: kaydeejaded on 2002-10-16 19:35 ]
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Kaydee, although I never did Straitime in Boston, I've screamed One too many times. Geez, I gotta get rid of this horrible vision. I'm not dumping; but venting a hurt that prompted a rise of compassion that Straight precipitated. Here goes...
These two twin sisters (11 yrs. old) were forced into the program; the mother had been beaten and had her home set ablaze by the "daddy". The girls were a mess; one was closed off and the other was trying to play hardcore. Abuse was suspected. Anyway, one started to act out, they were tiny things, so the oldcomer bitches simply muscled them. They found strength in each other and began feeding off one another. Always eager to please, they fell into the arm carving crap and would model themselves to the male MBers. One day, the staff let them dig until their emaciated arms dripped blood. They were then placed out of eyeshot of each other and tube socks fitted on their arms. Duct tape was them used to bind the limbs as one. Helpless and hurting, they resorted to using a curled fist to bust lumps on their foreheads. This is one of the many visions that I may be awakened by. They were so weak and vulnerable; like small birds. After days of this they were pulled, this was too much for even the staff to witness. Maybe?
My point is that after those days, it was easy for me to be robotic. I couldn't concern myself with worrying about bloodborne contagion while the threat of imminent death looms. 50% H2O and 50% Cl (bleach) washes away all sins and souls after the fact. The problem is that every busted out kid that I hand a bag of M&Ms, I blink and see those girls. I just can't let it get to me...thanx
Jason
[ This Message was edited by: misbehaver on 2002-10-16 20:52 ]
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James,
Did anyone in Straight know that you were gay/bi? If so, what happened?
Hope you don't mind my asking. For some reason I confessed to maybe being a lesbian in a rap. A few days later an exec brought me into her office and got me to agree I didn;t really want to have gay sex with anyone. I have wondered since about her intentions. Was she trying to save me? Would I have gotten kicked out of Straight if I had been more sure I was gay?
I am not sure the answer is important anyomore, I just wonder.
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Boy, if truley a ticket out, I woulda taken a "walk on the wild side" in a NY minute. Hey, I am straight, but everybody has a price....
Bill
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Please don't ever be sorry for asking questions. That was a part of the cult conditioning- never question anything, just conform.
During my intake I told them that I was gay/bi, I can't recall what label I used.I told them that I had been sexually active with my priest and a music teacher and other adults for three years.
Unfortunately I also told them that I had sampled leftover drinks at my parents parties when I was 12, and so the false belief that I had been an addict from that point forward was instilled on day one.
The guys doing my intake asked me if I thought it was possible that those men were only sexually active with me because I had manipulated them in order to gain access to drugs or alcohol. I was immdiately taken by this viewpoint, to blame all of this confusion on a simplistic addiction theory was very comfortable, and meant that I might not be gay, and maybe I could go about life as a 'normal' guy. Of course it doesn't really work that way- The world is not black/white.
My parents were not informed of the sexual abuse until I told them about, couched in the terms of it being my fault, four months later during my first Talk.
I tried to deal with issues of my sexuality while in group, but most often I was confronted for doing so and told that I was 'not here for a sex problem, I was here for a drug problem'. Alicia was particularly fond of telling me to just 'put my sex issues on a shelf, and deal with them after you step'.
When I self-withdrew the first time, I dove headfirst into the gay community in Atlanta, eventually moving into an apt with five gay men. Though I was not active with any of them, I did go out and pick up one night stands etc.
When I came back to the group I cried and sobbed about how I felt dirty etc. because I had been using sex to get drugs, even though it was not true, it sold well to the group, and it meant that I would recieve the acceptance of the group, which was vital to my ego.
There were some people in group or on staff who said that it didn't matter if I was gay or not. There were others who said that gay sex was dirty and immoral and tried to convince me that it only happened because I was an addict.
I internalized homophobia, hated myself, blamed myself for being abused, and spent a long time self medicating because of my confusion. My sexual abusers went free without being brought to justice, partly because the program convinced my parents that it should be left alone for my own good.
Sadly, as I have become 'awake', I realized that I did not use drugs for two and half years after my abuse started. While the program convinced me that addiction caused my sexual 'problems', the hard cold truth was that I had started self medicating because of the pain, shock, stress, trauma and embarrasment of being sexually active with these adult men and trying to keep it a secret as a teenager. So much for addiction being 'primary'.
This is perhaps the hardest issue for me to forgive about- the people who told me that I was to blame, that my alleged addiction was to blame for these adult men breaking the law and raping me.
I first smoked pot when I was 16 years old. I was first sexually molested when I was 13.
Between the time of that first abuse and my intake, I was sexually molested by four different adult men. I ran away from home three times, as far as California twice.
I was already deeply into a case of PTSD upon my intake, and I boasted and lied about drug use, in hopes that the program would accept me (I had read the brochure that said only the worst teen addicts would be admitted). In retrospect I know now that I was simply trying to escape the molestations, but I sure ran to the wrong place.
I think that many many kids in the program were PTSD upon arrival, from sexual abuse, physical abuse and other issues. I believe that many of us only self-medicated to kill this pain, that we were never 'addicts'. But, in a totalist environment, where doctrine rises above person, such issues are moot.
As I look back I believe that at least two foster homes asked that I be moved out of their homes because of my openness about my sexuality, they were concerned that I would rape their children, or 'turn them gay.
There were at least four other guys in Atlanta who openly discussed gay issues while I was in the program, and I had shallow relationships with two of them in the years after we left the group.
There were two guys who admitted to being sexually active with each other while on their phases, they were confronted, started over, and they both stood up and shared about how their addiction had driven them to this 'relapse'. I recall them being terrified of being 'terminated', as sexual activity was a termination offense. Hormones had nothing to do with it, and the torture of being in the group, that was irrelevant- this was about a twisted need to feel good- something that an ideology based in guilt and shame could not tolerate.
It was all so sick and perverse- addiction does not make people gay, indeed it is not even a disease. most of the scientific community has already accepted this, it is only a myth that is promulgated by the therapy/treatment industry.
But the program was not really about addiction, that was just the "loss-leader' that drew people in. The program was about changing people into what the founders idealized as 'good' people, and that included rampant homophobia, hatred of modern music, disgust with non collared and T-shirts, long hair, facial hair, tattoos and most anything else that did not conform to their own lifestyle- a kind of upper crust, social climbing, politically active(republican), prejudicial, circle the wagons against social decay viewpoint.
The entire thing was so sick it still makes me puke to think of it. I deeply resent the executives, the so-called clinicians, who passed themselves off as experts on addiction because of their own brainwashing in the cult, who refused to notify the authorities of serious sexual crimes.
They allowed sociopathic sex offenders to go free, and I know for a fact that the clergyman who sexually molested me went on to rape several other kids in the New Orleans area.
The music teacher was still molesting kids several years after I left the program, I went to visit him once and he tried to be sexual with me again- I refused, but could never bring myself to go to the authorities about it- I was still in deep conflict, and believing that it was my fault for being an addict.
I did not begin to escape my own internalized homophobia until I moved to California, SF to be precise, and submerged myself in a postive environment. I did not fully understand how the program had used and manipulated me, how they robbed me of justice until just the last two years, starting with the death of the clergyman who abused me.
Those bastards lied to & used us all, and they will eventually be exposed for the nazi's that they were. I guess I find it sickly ironic that they sit on the board of trustees for the Florida Holocaust Museum.
I guess they forgot that gay people were also victims of teh genocide of the third reich- where do you think the pink triangle came from- it was what my people had to wear as they were shuffled off to the ovens.
Isn't it odd that a Jewish couple would end up founding a program that blamed gayness on drug addiction, much the same way the nazi's blamed inferiority and feeble-mindedness on being Jewish.
But then I have always said that when the opressed become the opressors, the war crimes only become worse in the light of retribution.
Gays, addicts, people with tattoo's and long hair, those who dared to wear black teeshirts or perhaps choose to live their lives free of guilt and shame were always a threat to these totalists- and they did their best to 'ethnically cleanse' us from American culture.
They failed utterly. I hope that answers your question.
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I find nothing wrong with gay/bi people. There were many at my former job and a few at my current one, it doesn't make you less of a person, and I think those who tried to make you feel less were just wanting to soar their own ego.
I think you should do what you feel is right as a human being and in your heart to do so.
Don't ever let someone judge you for what you believe and who you are because it just causes depression and bad thoughts.
I found this out the hard way after my ex-husband left me, I wasn't "pretty" enough for him and I became a stronger person after he left.
I'm not prejudice and I accept those for who they are, if they have a problem with me, I tell them to stuff it! lol
Take care
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since the discussion has moved into the sex zone, memories overflow. Here's a goodie:
This humble, mealy dude stands up in guys rap one day and announced that he'd had sex with his sister. He honestly thought that "what's said in group, stays in group". HA! Not a chance. The jr. staff push monkey ran like a cheetah to the sr. staff office, while this poor idiot is looking at his guts on the floor. Group is silent; till someone suggests a song. Suddenly, exec staff rolls on scene and ushers this kid to intimate interrogation. Needless to say, his sister was shuffled into the program and not a happy camper. She fought hard. Eveyone knew the sad tale; and she knew we knew. Horrible situation. She was finally relinquished to mental treatment, where I saw her again. Hugely embarrassed by my presence (I knew), she started attacking the nurses and was subsequently given heavy meds. One day, I saw some fat little rat working his paws under her skirt; she was way out to lunch. I snatched his ass up and told him if he ever touched her again he'd suffer. Years later, I saw her again at a McDonalds drive-thru and the same devastated look appeared upon her face. I got really drunk that nite. Luv ya!
Jason
[ This Message was edited by: misbehaver on 2002-10-18 18:21 ]
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On 2002-10-16 23:06:00, James wrote:
But the program was not really about addiction, that was just the "loss-leader' that drew people in. The program was about changing people into what the founders idealized as 'good' people, and that included rampant homophobia, hatred of modern music, disgust with non collared and T-shirts, long hair, facial hair, tattoos and most anything else that did not conform to their own lifestyle- a kind of upper crust, social climbing, politically active(republican), prejudicial, circle the wagons against social decay viewpoint.
Absolutely, it's amazing how things fall into perspective in hindsight.
Hey James I remember you now.
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Misbehavior, well, having sex with your own family is different, I say "whatever floats your boat" but there are some who don't care. Myself, I don't have any brothers, only one older sister, and I would never in my life dream of doing something like that! EWW YUCK.. but thanks for sharing. Love ya, have a seat.. LOL.. only kidding
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Funny cultspeak my lady, real funny.
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On 2002-10-18 11:27:00, Anonymous wrote:
Funny cultspeak my lady, real funny.
hey I enjoyed it! :grin:
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That talk comes out of my mouth in this day and age as frequently as I sit around the house and motivate, sing zippity-fucking-doo dah in the shower, and restrain children on linoleum floors just for the sake of having the power to do so. Maybe I read too much into things, but to say that mouthful of shit, even in jest, is too reminiscent of bad times. I know the board is social in nature and it's funny to some but it was very fucking serious at one point. It is equally serious that there has been yet another teen to die recently while in treatment. I retract any belittling comment made to 'my lady', it's just depressing shit, that's all. Sometimes I think there is more to be gained by taking a proactive step towards prevention of the continued abuse rather then revel in the memory of how mindwashed we were at one point and to joke around about it. Maybe the comedy is therapeutic to some. Personally speaking, it's a part of a past life that I don't want to repeat, not even verbally in jest.
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As a matter of fact, I'd first fuck my sister before I would speak in that manner.
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I never meant to create hostility. It's just that I've never been able to talk about these horrors before. Maybe I still can't. Kinda reminds me of "A Few Good Men"... "You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!"
Anonymous: Get off Lady J's back. If you can conjure up a statement like your last post, then maybe duct tape your mouth closed and go fuck yourself. Leave your sister alone. Jason
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Hey, anon made a decent point, but I am sure lady j was just being cute. Let's lighten up here. I get irritated by some posts too, but I probably do the same to some out there at the same time.
Everyone needs to smoke a bowl or SOMETHING now and then...
Bill
[ This Message was edited by: tampa survivor on 2002-10-18 19:45 ]
[ This Message was edited by: Tampa survivor on 2002-10-19 08:41 ]
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Jason, those twins and the ruined incest victim were heartbreakingly real straight stories. I hadn't gotten choked up here in a few months. Wow, no wonder we are a bit fucked up in our own special ways. Just seeing those two cases would have done me in for a while.
I can understand you getting drunk that night.
Bill
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I won't go and fuck myself and I have no sister. I just think that it would be beneficial for more people to evolve from a codependent-socialite mentality to more of solidified-soldier mentality. Do we spend more time frolicking in old memories or do we actually spend even 1/5 of that time DOING something to make a difference. I am certain that if as many wrote to mr. congressman on a daily basis as did come here and repeat decade old cultspeak, possibly the word could get out about our experience and the experience of those that are still experiencing daily fucking trauma as group songs echo in fluorescent lit rooms with hard linoleom floors, and blue chairs rustling with motivation. Sorry those are bad memories for me. "Lady J" has also made posts regarding remembering good times in the program and recalling Christmas and weekends at host homes and such. I randomly post in disagreement because my recollection is far from fond memories. I have many friends whom are dead and another recently died this week while being restrained at a facility in Texas. Excuse my sobering serious post, if you will, but "Love ya have a seat" comments only days after a teens death is no more humorous to me than would be a plane crash joke days after 9/11. It is difficult to "lighten up" as there is much work to be done and with the several hundred(?) that post and have posted to these boards to date, there is much potential that is mindlessly wasted as we whittle away the day being spelling critics to other posters, trying to figure out identities of anon posters, remembering songs, and speaking program era lingo for grins.
Organization can and will make a difference, it starts with personal conviction and there is no conviction or committment in those that drop in merely for a laugh. You are a survivor by just being able to log on to this site in the first place, remember those that are currently experiencing today the same shit which to you are now only memories of treatment that occurred a long time ago.
Maybe, I'm wrong.
Unregistered User Me
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your clarity is much more appreciated than a one-liner proposing incest. You're not wrong.
Jason
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Thanks Jason. The one liner was wrong and too potent of an illustration...my bad.
Unregistered User Me
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anon said "I just think that it would be beneficial for more people to evolve from a codependent-socialite mentality to more of solidified-soldier mentality."
You hit nerves of agreement with me on that one. Anyone around for the past few months has read my calls to this. Check it out:do something and let us in on it too.
I wrote to a journalist this week. I exchanged email with 6 different straight/seed people regarding stuff which we are DOING to implement what you suggest. I feel a call to organize is in order.
Are you in sarastota/tampa bay area? There is a meeting this tuesday night. Come with if ya wish.
Congressmen need to be hit by a steady stream of well written letters to even have the issue pass a low level staffer. So, coordination is essential.
I like what you said anon, and I was anom for a while too. I am a registered nurse and drug rehab publicity is not nessecarily a good thing for my career. So fucking what. Kids are, as you noted, still dying and being tormented.
Bill Hadley
St Pete&Atlanta
12/80-12/82
[ This Message was edited by: Tampa survivor on 2002-10-19 15:49 ]
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In the summer of 2001 I attended the first conference for survivors, I was so terrified that I would not even tell the organizers my real name.
After the conference I took a day in DC, Monday, and went to the offices of my congressional representation in person to file a complaint. I made it clear that I wished to testify at the open hearings for the confirmation of Mr. Sembler as Ambassador to Italy.
I purchased the domain stopsembler.org, established an online petition against him and collected hundreds of signatures.
The hearings took place during the chaos shortly after the 9/11 attacks. They were not announced publically, and the vote for confirmation was held in secret. Mr Sembler filed a statement lauding himself and his wife Betty for founding straight and claiming that they had 12000 succesful graduates.
Ken and I were tireless in making contact with our representatives, to the point that Dianne Finstein's office stopped responding to my letters.
I wrote letters telling my own story to every senator- all 100 of them. I also contacted dozens of house members. No one wanted to hear about this stuff.
When the confirmation took place quietly and behind closed doors, Ken and I both were furious and spoke with a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Staff. We were promised an explanation for why we were not allowed to testify, and no explanation ever came forth.
Plenty of people with more influence than me or Ken had the chance to make calls and to try to move mountains- Dr. Trebach not the least of all.
The simple fact is that Mr. Sembler is VERY VERY VERY well connected politically, and few if any members of the House or Senate are willing to oppose him or his Drug War obsession.
Sure more letters will help, but in the end there is very little that will be done without major media coverage. And the unfortunate reality is that the major media are in business for ratings- not journalistic ethics.
I have pestered writers at Salon for two years to cover the issue with no avail. Michelle Goldburg once said she would follow the issue, but she ahs chosen to stop responding to my emails. The same is true for Gary Kamaya.
If you really want to do something, then pester Mike Moore to do a film about the cult.
Or you can send a registered letter to the DFAF in Florida requesting their 990 tax forms and track down the way they spend Federal Dollars, if you find a problem there, perhaps you can get their 503c tax free status revoked.
However, the most important thing to me these days is healing, healing myself and those few who I knew and may have hurt.
If anyone choses to organize and activate I strongly urge that they contact Wes Fager and Sammie Monroe, as they have already formed a tax exempt group to help focus the effort at exposure.
One of the best things that any of us can do is to file an affidavit, a sworm statement, of our story, using simple declarative statements about those thigns that we witnessed only. Tell the truth and do not embellish- that is perjury and will make the fight more difficult. Wes or Sammie can tell you where to send it. I suggest that you send to the DA for whatever state or city your own program was in as well.
The unfortunate reality is that most people consider drug users of any kind to be second class citizens and they will not be stympathetic no matter what horror story you tell them. Some will simply dismiss it as a disgruntled few complaining, others will consider it a lie outright.
I am not saying that organizing is a bad idea, or tryign to discourage anyone from doing whatever they need to do, but I am sayign that it is an uphill battle, and that for most people this was twenty years ago, and they wonder why we don't just "move on".
They simply can not understand and to force them to do so would break the bubble of their reality. A world that is black and white, with a 'them' to define as evil, and an 'us' to define as good is a far more comfortable place than the messy real world of shades of grey. People will fight with their last breath to defend the bubble, sorry but that is reality.
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yes that answers my question and then some. Thanks.
P.S. It seems there are several anonomi in this thread. I guess I'll have to change my name.
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Personally, I don't vote and have no faith or belief in politics and believe that writing senators can in fact be a futile effort despite my former post (toungue bitten). There would be waves (I believe) if *ALL* submitted affidavits and if *ALL* wrote thier senators. Not necessarily about Sembler, that's done, and efforts to cease his ambassadorship will not provide fruits in the effort to cease child abuse that continues behing closed doors at treatment facilities, boarding schools, and boot camps nation, even worldwide. Exposure is paramount. I won't speak about who I am here or what I have done, for many reasons. Including the fact that I find sanctuary in my anonymity to the majority of readers here, those that do know "Me" know the efforts I have taken towards the cause. I agree Wes and Sammie are taking action but it is slow to find cooperation from those that share concern on these boards as evidenced by much to include the lack of participation at the last conference and the few posts on the straight testimony bbs. Frankly I believe more drop in for amusement than do to learn of what they can do to make a difference. Especially the aforementioned posters that start threads regarding "good times in the program". There are numerous things that can be done, even on a small scale to include scribbling a small reference to anonanon or thestraights.com in Newtons books at your local library. How many are contributing $$ to the non-prof.? Have you kicked a few bucks in? Have I? Even logging on to this bbs is organizing to some extent, but without structure and leadership. Much work needs to be done.
I want to backtrack and keep my post in perspective. Initially, my first post in this thread was more to discourage Lady J from finding comedy in cultspeak at such a sensitive time. I did not mean to stand up and announce a call to arms from all involved. Though it would be nice to form a force of those willing and able to take on the effort as a full time, no holds barred, project to end unmonitored abuse in treatment facilities. If each death in treatment was a "sniper" attack, anthrax exposure, etc. we would hear about them ad nauseum in the media. I agree with you on the point that these teens are treated as "second class citizens" and they aren't given the attention and recognition that the issue deserves. No one is tracking and trending these events nationally as each facility falls under state government jurisdiction though the trend of abuse, death, and subsequent ptsd continues peak on national levels.
It is an individual choice to "move on" as much as it is to fight for beliefs in this regard. My choice is to say something when I hear people echoing cultspeak in jest.
It doesn't strike me as funny.
Unregistered User Me
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I would like to first say I agree with all points here....but I would like to make a small interjection on behalf of the "humorous cultspeak" and the like.
As much as I agree that fighting against the terrible aspects of the program and its past,present and future are important...there are many here that are in various states of healing, acceptance and progress in coming to terms with what was done to them. I think that in some cases, albiet better timed to current events Anon, it is a stepping stone towards a confident and healthy attitude in becoming a fighter for the cause.
We have to remember that many come here with a much greater fear of facing their torment...and sometimes simply a humorous attack at the way we were forced to "speak" or "act" by the program is a necessary "evil" in bringing one of us closer to becoming a useful protester or an active voice in the fight against all-of-the-above. Am I making sense?
Straight taught us that any kind of disregard for the program or our treatment was strictly forbidden. Even to think in our minds that some of it may appear humorous was wrong and grounds for punishment. I for one have to say that every now and again, although I dont do it as often as some here, it feels damn good to make fun of the very methods and whatnot that we were forced to respect under threat of not only our sanity, but our physical well-being.
I dont think anyone here really looks back at their treatment fondly per se, but by exhibiting a little defiance in the form of humor and disregard, and having others relate to it and build trust that we wont be struck down for it....we may just end up with quite a few more soldiers than we ever expected you know? We begin to understand that we are indeed ready to move on, and more importantly that we are ALLOWED to move on.
Some people have a farther road to travel to really feel that they are justified in fighting for reform. By attempting to staunch the humor and the disregard and other methods of healing...we become no better than the program itself.
Just my thoughts.
[ This Message was edited by: Carmel on 2002-10-21 14:38 ]
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Once again you make fair sense, Carmel.
Fuck it all---let's have a song.
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LOL....better yet, lets have two. Thats what staff would do in order to prolong the anxiety of the beginning of a review. Yeesh! :smile:
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:smokin: MG8 PS...Check this out: From one of Rick Ross's pages:
"Straight Inc. signed a consent agreement last July that allows for unannounced visits and called for Straight to fix some problems at the site.
Ennis would not say what the complaints were about. She also would not say whether the state commissioner was on the verge of revoking Straight's license in Chesapeake.
Margolis said state inspectors have found a series of "only minor problems" such as missing names on paperwork and no records of tuberculosis tests on all counselors.
"Those aren't problems that should shut us down, but they keep harrassing us," Margolis said. "We have no choice."
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On 2002-12-11 00:20:00, METALGOD8 wrote:
" :smokin: MG8 PS...Check this out: From one of Rick Ross's pages:
"Straight Inc. signed a consent agreement last July that allows for unannounced visits and called for Straight to fix some problems at the site.
Ennis would not say what the complaints were about. She also would not say whether the state commissioner was on the verge of revoking Straight's license in Chesapeake.
Margolis said state inspectors have found a series of "only minor problems" such as missing names on paperwork and no records of tuberculosis tests on all counselors.
"Those aren't problems that should shut us down, but they keep harrassing us," Margolis said. "We have no choice."
"
Hi, Carmel.