Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > Brat Camp
ABC Brat Camp
Deborah:
There were so many red flags for the educated viewer.
Let's take the deprivation diet: Yeh, yeh, I got the point- the objective was to create enough deprivation around food that they would appreciate such a basic thing. But, they do not have to serve unseasoned oats, rice, couscous, beans, and lentils. I was a vegetarian for a number of years and I can tell you that these foods are as bland as can be without seasoning. I love them, but wouldn't tolerate them unseasoned. That little torture is unnecessary and potentially detrimental. They could serve them simple vegetarian fare that actually tasted good. AND wasn't burned. Why not make the goal to have the kids come out enjoying nutritious food?
Anyone else notice the scene where the kid was FORCED (key) to eat his burned, bland, oatmeal mush? The narrorator (or staff) clarified to the viewers that the kids HAVE to have 'a certain number of calories' per day. Bull squat. That was a lame justification/excuse for 'forcing' the kid to eat it. State regulations require that the USDA requirements be provided, BUT prohibits providers from forcing a child to eat anything. To force a kid to eat unpleasant food until they puke is abuse, compounded by making him dig a 'new hole' if he puked.
I think 1800 calories was mentioned as some point in the program? USDA recommends 2800 with 'normal' exertion. For the exertion they were enduring it would likely be near 3,000, and lots of variety.
As for the 'Earth Names'. Programs like SW, Vision Quest, Distant Drums, have all highjacked and are capitalizing on the romanticism of Native Sprituality. I'm sure some parents fanticize that their kid is going off to have a bonefide vision quest, some spiritual epiphany. These folks don't know the first thing about vision quest. There is nothing about these programs that vaguely resembles vision quest.
More about that in my post on Brat Camp at Sociopranos:
http://www.sociopranos.com/forums/threa ... &start=301
And what a contradiction. It wasn't that long ago that the prevailing attitude was, 'the only good Indian is a dead Indian'. Now middle class white people are sending their kids to wilderness torture camps with NA themes.
I'm sure the owner(s) is christian or mormon. Why not slap a christian name on the business and let the staff pick biblical names? The owner's biblical name could be Ceasar. They could do burnt offerings- perhaps that's what the oatmeal mush was? They could sacrifice kids on the alter who didn't come into compliance. Or ban them from the group without food/water until they repented. What they are doing is a disgrace and very disrespectful to native spirituality.
In the case of Ian August, Wardle played on the the mother's new agey woo-woo belief system. Played this game with Ian, who was sure that he'd known Wardle in a past life. Give me a damn break. And when they killed him by walking him to death, his mother wrote it off as Ian's 'karma' and felt sorry for what the Wardle's were going through because they had been so 'supportive' of her having to deal with this unruly child. ::puke:: ::puke:: His death was clearly due to neglect.
To address the age of majority issue. I don't know about other states, but in Tx a teen 14 or older can refuse any form of psych/drug rehab treatment. They can walk out the door, without a court order. Why do you think parents are shipping their kids to the desert, thousands of miles from home?
Deborah:
Anon,
You, like this documercial are attempting to shape the perception of your audience.
These kids are not 'camping, working, and walking'. They are living in austere elements for 60-90 days doing mindless 'work' and being force marched on limited calories, and worst of all being publicly exploited by sadistic capitalists.
I suggest you enroll yourself for a little sensitivity training.
It's a simple and sadistic mind that believes this is the way to 'help' anyone, much less a developing teen.
No doubt, some will give the appearence of having a radical transformation. Three months in hell can have that affect. Some will learn to 'act' well.
Anonymous:
A burnt oatmeal diet on television. This is a very sick society. That right there, forcing a kid to eat such shitty food, is part of known Thought Control techniques. When the kids realize what ABC and this boot camp did to them, they really ought to sue them out of existence. ABC and this television show have no place in a decent and civil society. SHAME.
Deborah:
I was just reviewing a thread on the death of Ian August at Skyline Journey and happened upon this info re: Utah regs. A response to a program parent:
Regs state that packs: shall not exceed 20 percent of the consumer's body weight. If the consumer is required to carry other items, the total of all weight carried shall not exceed 30% of the consumer's body weight.
Regs require 6 quarts [of water] per day. How long were the hikes? How many quarts did your son carry in his pack, along with the rocks and other supplies? Did he receive electrolyte replacement? Did your son receive 3,000 calorie per day? And an additional 30-100% more calories when hiking and in cold weather? Did he take a multiple vitamin daily?
***
These are Utah regulations. Since SW isn't licensed in Oregon, whose guidelines are they following? One of the Industry Associations? Their comments re: the weight of packs and calorie requirements were deceptive, giving the audience the impression that they were monitored and following state regulations.
And about those packs- it was stated in the beginning of the program that the packs weighed 40#, then later one of the kids claimed that they had told her 33 or 35#.
Antigen:
--- Quote ---On 2005-07-14 16:23:00, Anonymous wrote:
I may not have all the answers when it comes to dealing with problem children, but this whole Brat Camp thing was very misleading and puts off a very unsettling vibe. Too bad most Americans won't recognize that.
--- End quote ---
Thank you :nworthy:
You've got the most important answers, I think.
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark. The real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.
--Plato
--- End quote ---
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version