Ginger, thank-you, I really appreciate what you said.
I saw the post but I wasnt going to respond because the individual obviously didnt have any facts and for that poster I dont know what program you were in but Richard did close St. Pete. You said oh you didnt close them all, Im sorry I did what i could in my home town an then was busy falling apart. Perhaps you could be more productive if you stopped the attacks and tried to be part of the solution. If you 7th stepped as you say, and "got yourself out" thats good but did you think of those you left behind, there is a difference between thinking of those still in and due to damage suffered in Straight not being able to help because of where one is emotionally and not even thinking of them at all. You seem to be self consumned , unlike the survivors that have put their names, money, family on the line to help others - those include Ginger , Richard, Sammy , Mike , Chris and many others.
What i really here in your post is anger and guilt but not at me, it seems you jumped right on it and perhaps feel guilty that you may not have been part of the solution even to this day, thats ok, no time like the present to start. No one should feel guilty about not doing something right after getting out , we had all just been through hell. Yes, I went to the authorities and closed it and Straight St. Pete begin to shuffle money and things which in turn woke Richard up, Richard closed St.Pete , Richards action in turn prompted others to go after other Florida programs, so we were all working together without knowing it. I found it difficult that you would actually be angry that Richard and I didnt close all programs. Do you have any idea what it took out of me to do what little I did do, no of course you don't, BTW I also worked with another survivor to start ISAC and we went after many other programs , and lauched several rescue missions of those still in, that survivor and I risked our family, our finances. Ginger has been sued, threatned lawsuits, put money in the board, paid for us to meet here, Richard has put thousands into efforts to get semblers under oath, sammy put herself and her emotions on national television and founded survivors of straight, for all of us revisiting it all was emotionally VERY hard.
If you poster have not been part of the solution thats ok, some can some cant. There were times I couldnt get involved because I just couldnt.
But if you cant be part of the solution perhaps you shouldnt attack those that are doing what they can to get justice. I am sorry that we didnt close all the programs, but I know I did what I could and could do no more.
Perhaps you could not post anon but tell us who you are since you seem so angry. BTW its because Ginger cares and does put her money where her mouth is that you are even able to post here and meet other survivors and talk. Its because of Richard that St. Pete was closed if you were there, how many lives did he save because the never went into an intake because the program wasnt there. Yet, all you have to say is "yeah but yall didnt close all the programs".
Your opinon of me does not strike me as important but those survivors i mentioned have earned respect because they cared and still do.
