Fornits

Fornits Home for Wayward Web Fora
An open discussion about the troubled parent industry

Well, Bill and I had one here back in August. 22 former VA clients, some spouses and kids, too. It was really nice to just sit and talk, eat good food and drink a few beers. Everyone that came wants us to do it again so unless someone else wants to do it, I'll volunteer again.

Shelby

Unfortunately, many people ( myself on occasion ) confuse the right of free speech with the right to be an asshole.

Shelby

If you remember Leigh Bright and were in St. Pete AND VA, then we served together. You may remember my brother Tracy, too. Email me if you want to

Shelby Cornwell
[email protected]

Speaking of Miller, on more than one occasion I noticed him standing in the back of girl's rap - just observing, I'm sure...

Shelby

I was in St. Pete between June and October of 1982, then spent another 2 years in the VA program. I certainly do remember the way things were in St. Pete - all too well.

Shelby
[email protected]

Well, Miss (or is it Mr.?) Cleo, I never said they were my friends. I was tagging along with the guy I was dating. Shortly after we realized what horrible, lying mother-fuckers these "caring, devoted" staff members really were, we came up with new ways to spend our evenings. I was soon pregnant and had much more important things to occupy myself with than piece-o-shit staff members.

And you'd be wise to never bet against me.

Shelby

[ This Message was edited by: Shelby on 2002-10-19 19:18 ]

If the staff members I had experience with were truly "brainwashed", yes that would preclude free will. That's why I put "brainwashed" in quotation marks. I DO NOT believe for one second that the staff members I dealt with were brainwashed. Others may have been, I can't say because I didn't know them. But as a 7th stepper, I hung out with nearly every VA staff member. They laughed about putting "misbehavers" on the peanut butter diet, making 16 year old boys sit in playpens, making girls sit on the guys side and be threatened with rape. They laughed about letting my former newcomer pound her head on the floor until she was nearly unconscious. They openly trashed specific phasers and would toss around ideas of how they were going to "fuck with their heads" in group the next day. And I saw their faces change when they spoke of leading group. They got off on it. It was a power trip, plain and simple. Over a very captive audience. And I know I'm not the only one who saw staff members sitting in the back of group, laughing so hard at kids being insulted and humiliated, that they had to hide their faces behind their clipboards.

It seems to me that truly brainwashed staff would have believed that what was happening was necessary treatment. And why would that be so damnned amusing?

Truly brainwashed staff would have believed in the rules that they crammed down our throats. But these staff members drank, smoked, were screwing each other - not to mention talking shit about phasers by name during off hours.

So, no I can't excuse them under the guise of being brainwashed, since they weren't. But I can admit that they were probably just too simple minded to see that what they were doing was abuse.

Shelby

I checked the link, just for you - and it worked just fine.

Shelby