Mel Sembler, the next U.S. Ambassador to Italy?, No way Jose

[ramprato]

Mel Sembler, the next U.S. Ambassador to Italy?, No way Jose
 I wrote the President today, hey I'm an American, it's my right too.....


ATTN: President Bush

                or

To whom it may concern,


If anybody there in the Whitehouse really cares about us (the people that pay taxes for your stay there), then please read and comprehend the following........The Whitehouse staff and the Presidents latest move "intending" to nominate Mel Sembler as the next United States Ambassador to Italy had me (being one of those 12,000+ "graduates" of Straight) thinking "well this is perfect....now I've seen everything".


I read that press release you sent out and wondered to myself how is it that Mel Sembler who founded a program like Straight Inc., would be made a U.S. Ambassador again after our government knowing full well that Straight Inc., by the early 1990's was an abusive "drug treatment center" harming tens of thousands of young people throughout the country, which inevitably caused the Straight program to close down in disgrace? I can safely state that this was an abusive "drug treatment center" harming tens of thousands of young people throughout the country because some of  that abuse I personally witnessed, some of these young people came out of there suing those (people who ran straight) that had enough emotional strength to face their attackers.


Now I will say this, personally I don't care how close the Bush and Sembler families have been to one another over the years, there are things the Semblers along with others who were involved with Straight Inc., need to answer for to the public via THE PRESS, which our group is more than happy to help the press out with. There are families torn apart as a result of Straight, there are people suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of Straight. We are talking about suicides absolutely disproportionate to the population in general of people who were in Straight that took their own lives, we are talking about physical abuse, mental abuse, emotional abuse, and in some cases, even sexual abuse.


The next time you run a press release boasting over the 12,000+ "graduates" of Straight Inc., well think again on that statement because a lot of people like MYSELF of these 12,000+ that "graduated" Straight Inc. believe it was all a lie and a few people got very rich at the expense of all of us who suffered way too much trauma at the hands of a few, and I can tell you that thanks to the Sembler's and Straight Inc., I've had all the "help" I can stand for one lifetime.


Of course our group has taken action, when and if this nomination becomes official and is laid on the table before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, you better keep in mind that EVERY Senator that serves on that committee has been notified about our concerns by email, letters, and phone calls. I should also mention that we are also informing even our respective senators that represent our states about this intent. We will not give up, don't expect passive behavior here, we will get out the word on this irresponsible action if it does occur.


Now I suggest that you start reading up on the following links that tell the truth about Straight Inc. and the Mind Rape Mill for profit that it really was, because the press is already being notified about this and your going to need to figure out a crafty response, good luck:


Have a nice day.


****

We have an electronic petition in progress at this link:
www.stopsembler.org/www.thestraights.comwww.straightinc.homestead.comwww.fornits.com/anonanon

_________________________________________________________________________________

Your press release is below this line:

_________________________________________________________________________________


THE WHITE HOUSE


Office of the Press Secretary


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For Immediate Release  July 27, 2001  





President George W. Bush today announced his intention to nominate Melvin F. Sembler to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Italy.


"Mel Sembler is a successful business leader and an experienced diplomat. As the next U.S. Ambassador to Italy, he will strengthen the close relationship that the United States and Italy share," said President Bush.


Mel Sembler is the Chairman of the Board of the Sembler Company, a shopping center development and financing company.  He served as Ambassador to Australia under former President Bush.  President Reagan appointed him to the White House Conference for a Drug Free America, and he was an advisor on drug policy to former President Bush and former Florida Governor Bob Martinez.  In 1976 Sembler founded STAIGHT, an adolescent drug rehabilitation program which has graduated over 12,000 young adults nationwide.  His community involvement includes service as the Chairman of the Drug Free America Foundation and on the boards of the International Council of Shopping Centers and the Florida Holocaust Museum.  A former member of the U.S. Army, he is a graduate of Northwestern University.

[ This Message was edited by: ramprato on 2004-12-10 05:21 ]

[TallyR]

unfortunately . . . my friend, I think it's a done deal.  It makes me feel pretty poorly to know that a guy like him, with all that is known about him, gets appointed as ambassador.

Hey, let's have the next conference in Florida, how about in March during session.  

[ramprato]

unfortunately . . . reply Agreed,


9-11 (note that my original post here was dated 9-10) was amongst one of the things giving Sembler the break that needed in order to avoid flack from us. It also helps I think to have millions to buy off politicians everything from quietly and hastily shoving a nomination (ambassador to Italy) process through Senate, along with making part of the ballot process SECRET, a previous ambassadorship (Australia) under your belt, yep, goes to show money can buy you anything, even blood money. Says a lot about some of your leaders doesn't it?  

[FaceKhan]

Re: unfortunately . . . reply Well don't feel too bad about it. He could have been appointed to something far more important, afterall our new Attorney General Ashcroft, our new Drug Czar John Walters, and our DEA director Asa Hutchinson are about as fascist as serious political figures can get before they join the ranks of Pat Buchanan and company. All 3 believe in forced treatment, and long prison sentences for drug violations and they actually have the nerve to sick their stormtroopers on medical marijuana program operators in california and doctors who help their patients die in Oregon, while we are supposed to be concentrating our law enforcement efforts on stopping perfectly sane but slightly maladjusted terrorists from turning our planes into Kami-Kaze bombs. Its like I have said for a long time, how many murders, rapes, robberies, child molestations, and institutional brainwashing goes on while our police concentrate on preventing sick and dying americans from easing their pain that they must certainly deserve, afterall god made it happen. Its 4am ignore my rantings.

Slavish discipline makes a slavish temper... If severity carry'd to the
highest pitch does prevail, and works a cure upon the present unruly
distemper, it often brings in the room of it a worse and more dangerous
disease, by breaking the mind; and then, in the place of a disorderly young
fellow, you have a low spirited moap'd creature, who, however with his
unnatural sobriety he may please silly people, who commend tame unactive
children, because they make no noise, nor give them any trouble; yet at
last, will probably prove as uncomfortable a thing to his friends, as he
will be all his life an useless thing to himself and others... Beating them,
and all other sorts of slavish and corporal punishments, are not the
discipline fit to be used in the education of those we would have wise,
good, and ingenuous men...
John Locke, 1692

[ladyjerrico]

Ramprato,
It took me a few sites and postings to realize that the Ambassodor of Italy is in fact the founder of Straight Inc.
It also took me this long to actually search for things about my past with Straight Inc. (after 12 years, it's finally starting to surface).
To me knowing he is the Ambassodor of a country in his hands scares me and frightens me. I've recently thought of writing to the President, but having second thoughts because of the incidents of 9/11, knowing this country is on highest alert and all, I don't want to stir up anything more.
You would think that having such a powerful role in society he would be questioned about his background and efforts towards Straight, I mean come on.. every job in America you need a background check.. maybe it's different in Italy.. but I certainly think that he still needs to stand up and "get honest" with all of us!
I'm sure he knew a lot of what was behind that curtain of travisty we've all suffered, and now he's hiding behind even more power.. this makes me wonder a lot about what the government is trying to hide and trying to succeed at doing so

[Matt C. Hoffman]

[Matt C. Hoffman]

Sorry  these computers sometimes bogle my mind .

It is sad that a man gets rewarded for abusing children (ambassadorship to Italy) in this day and age.

Yet I would also like to point out that Joe Ricci who split from Day Top Village to found The Elan Corp.ran for Gov.of Maine on the democratic ticket, Not once But twice.Thank God he lost .

Also something else we (the residents  at Elan ) also gave speaking Engagements about Elan to various schools in the real Community.

This was a way to further our re-education and make us feel that the abuse (insane physical and psychological abuse)was good for us and that we needed this type of treatment.(of course there were certain things that we could not talk about "because the real world would not understand") Pure brainwashing at its finest

Generally people that went on these false propaganda excursions were within 4 or 5 months of Graduating from the program .These were very well rehearsed  before we were sent into the real community as I am sure were Straights.

[ladyjerrico]

It baffles my mind that these facilities stayed so long in full force without any repercussion from law enforcement or government officials.

Maybe than again, like anything else pending a trial case, it takes that long just to find out, "hey, there's a problem here".

I would think that the media would have been well aware about how shocking this facility was and want to blow it out of the water like anything else now a days, however, back in the 80's we were in a type of atmosphere (congressionally) trying to "save" those people from drug abuse, and the Reagans sure wanted to advertise.

I suppose when something as popular as a "fad" (such as "just saying no") is reflected on all communities, sure they will listen to that.. but never to the children who were "abandoned" and needed to fight every step of the way to survive.



[ This Message was edited by: ladyjerrico on 2002-03-14 18:38 ]

[Matt C. Hoffman]

These men that ran Elan had Absolute control and power over the residents.



Whenever an investagator (or parent came on the premisis) things were sanitized to the point that Elan smelled like a rose .We were totally  afraid to say anything contrary to the program.



With this power that the Directors had over us they also had the ability to control what went out to the media .



for example there was a Dateline segment Nov. 2000 (if memory serves me well) that showed a young girl wearing a dunce cap in a classroom setting . This person is being yelled at by a young boy in the front row amongst15 or so other kids. (I recognized the young girl and the young boy was her brother .)



This was totally set up  and a gross misrepresentation of what really went on during General meetings. This tape was made back in the later part of 1974 or the very beginning of 1975 .



The thing that strikes me as strange is that if these men felt that what they were doing (the directors)was top of the line quality care and totally non abusive ,then why did they try to hide what was really going on inside that hell hole



The only two answers that I can come up with is 1 they would have been shutdown pronto haste and probably sent to prison.And #2 the money would have stopped coming in from 5 different states as well as the money that was paid by such companies like Blue Cross and Blue Shield as well as other

 insurance companies.



Absolute power over people .Total control of the information That was presented about the place and the money(lots of money)



And to top it off brainwashing at its finest

coupled with who in the hell is going to believe these people afterall we were the scourge of society ,Alcoholics and Heroin addicts and pot fiends.

Thats why I belive it has existed so long .

It is a shame that it took the murder investagation of Martha Moxely to shed a little light into a very dark place(in my opinion) that is Elan.







[ This Message was edited by: Matt C. Hoffman on 2002-03-14 19:28 ]

[ladyjerrico]

what you said in the beginning reminds me of open meetings, during the time right before the parents came in the room we were "motivating".. when we were told to stop motivating and raise our hands, that is when the parents came in.. and all of them believed that the whole time we were there, that is what we did, just raised our hands!
I do know that Straight was all about money.. they had the power and control.. you are absolutly right!
I was thinking, the "directors" of this institution probably thought "how can we make a shitload of money, treat children like crap, and not let the public know about this" there had to be a lot of "mind games" and crafty thinking going on in someones demented brain.

[ This Message was edited by: ladyjerrico on 2002-03-14 19:27 ]

[Matt C. Hoffman]

Yeah in my opinion the king sadist was Joe Ricci (he took the easy way out and no longer dances on this planet )

Followed by Peter McCann (who I believe also no longer dances on this planet )

Followed by Gerald Davidson (who also no longer dances on this planet)

Followed by Martin Kruglik( he still walks amongst us and was the fellow with dark hair standing up in the front of the room in the dateline Nov 2000 tape . He is also quoted from the witness stand in the New yorker in an article written by J. Toobin as saying that Elan is not brutal) In my opinion a big FAT lie ) the issue 7-3-00.

Followed by Jeff Gottlieb ( still alive and once told the residents when asked  what would he be doing if he was not a director at Elan .His answer was that he would be selling shoes, which is what he should have been doing in the first place.

Followed by Ken -"I thought Joe Ricci was a God" Zaretzky (who still walks amongst us and has actually got an online version of Elan .In my opinion ,Zaretzky from my many nasty experiences with him a perverted ,pathological ,true sociopath who plays both sides of the fence in his many quotes about Elan .Details magazine october issue and the Duck Book.

These were the sick demented minds that in my opinion are responsible  for many people
being dead ,in prison ,and being emotional cripples after having come in contact with the Elan program from 74 to 76 .

[ladyjerrico]

Unfortuantly these people were brainwashed so badly that even the thoughts of this program still are fresh in their minds to this day.
As the saying goes "the good people are the ones who get the crap, and the bad people are the ones to get away with it". I believe I heard that somewhere in my adolecent stage of my life, but, sadly to say, it will always remain true