Fornits
Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform => Straight, Inc. and Derivatives => Topic started by: Tampa survivor on August 06, 2002, 12:37:00 AM
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I have been wondering. If Mel Sembler runs one of florida's largest commercial development companies($$$$), AND quotes his founding of STRAIGHT as among his greatsest accomplishments, can we link him to damages. The catholics are having to cough up for 30 year old stuff, and the DFAF, DARE, SAFE, GT crowds have so many familiar names and operate using the old access and dollars routine. The honorable mail order doctor newton went away mercifully after about 5 million in damages. Is is time to sting the big boys, or is it just a pipe dream?
Bill
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a pipe dream.
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I figured the $$ are safe from us, as the people suing the churches are finding out in Boston as the diocese approaches bankruptcy to protect its CONSIDERABLE assets. I oh too well understand all that....
The Italians are CRAZY about thier children, as folks who have been there can attest. They detest harsh punishment and would probably be aghast at the history of Ambassador Sembler if they knew. Anyway, every time I see ANOTHER wal-greens or eckerds pop up with a Sembler corp. sign out front, I grit my teeth a bit. Its even worse when I want to vote republican for good reasons, then remember why I hate them: protecting the abuses of straight and its ilk. Talking Libertarian, then walking a different tune.
Bill
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it is a pipe dream if we want to go after Sembler - he is too powerful adn too much of an asshole. Now the state of Florida is another matter - we can get those fuckers. We already have dcf worried. I am working on getting an attorney; I have manhy powerful lawyer friends that are looking for civil righs attorneys to represent us against the state. Hang in there, we may get our day in court yet.
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Funny, Sembler pipe master, what an a hole, a cool dude without any cooth. Straight really sucked for me. They kept me in there way too long. Always setting me back for some lame reason. They songs sucked. Disney shit from hell. Well, at least Newton got screwed. Happy feelings to the dude I use to hate. Alot of suffering and hatred behind that man. His wife Ruth Ann was a bitch also. I'm glad they at least suffered in the pocket where I suffered in the heart. Funny how things work out. Jeff
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Shane,
Great name...my boy shares it with you!! I love money as much as the next guy. I agree with you in that the goal is not to gain a buck, but to embaress and humiliate these folks. People who step on others to personally gain are despicable. The story will get picked up when enough of US start talking about it. I say again, look at the "Catholic Cascade", where once one humiliated guy could be silenced, but now that they are emboldened, the groups of them are cleaning house in the priesthood. 30 year old wrongs are suddenly REAL RELEVANT. Lets shout and bitch. I bet if we networked contacts from our biz. lives and families, it might work. My mom was telling me she had "funny" documents related to money and the program. My dad does biz with some rather powerfull folks himself, lawyers and fat cats of different types. Ask around people....my mom started telling me things I never new about the program, as they were at one time close to the Newton family. Maybe if we can cross link wrongdoing (corraboration),or find things that were common that most of us thought were isolated incidents. I would LOVE to depose V. Miller myself.
Where in Mad beach does he live? Probably rolled his $$ into a beach house. Prick.
Bill
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dream. We can haunt them till the day they die. We need to find out what "boards" they are on (ie Bettybitch Sembler is on the holocaust museum in St. Pete) and get them thrown off. We have already spoken to the Public Relations officer at the museum and are working at getting them kicked off. If they refuse, then it's protest time. Even the jews aren't immune from the child abuse stigma.
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I'm on the road and can not remember my password, so am replying anonymously. But I am Wesley Fager, a serious Straight researcher. You said, "My mom was telling me she had "funny" documents related to money and the program."
I'd like to see a copy of those documents. Could you please coordinate with me on them.
Anyone who has funny documents on straight and money, I would like to see them.
Wes Fager
http://www.thestraights.com (http://www.thestraights.com)
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Kpickle is on the right track. But also don't forget the potential of a claims bill. For 17 years Straight abused kids intentionaly and in an organized manner. And the state of Florida knew it and tolerated it, and sometimes actively promoted it. The judicial system, the health department, the police and sherif's office, the state's attorney office. That's all spelled out here:
http://thestraights.com/news/index-page ... vil-rights (http://thestraights.com/news/index-page2.htm#florida-state-civil-rights)
Of course, the governor of Florida is on the advisory board right now for DFAF so there is not a good atmosphere for a claims bill right now, but time changes things.
Also you should know that Florida and Texas are two states that protect the propery of the rich and famous. Enron's Keneth Lay is a fellow Regeant of the Republican Party (a concept dreamed up by Mel Sembler). No matter how badly he screwed over his fellow man, bankruptcy laws allows him to keep his Texas properties. Same for Father Casius in Florida. He still owns his sail boat.
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hey every body, i too would like to be heard. i have alot to say on this and other various issues . i was held in stoughton for a year at the age of 12.it too has had emotional & traumatic effects on me. i have taken" my share of responsibility for what got me there" (at 12 yo????) it is thier turn. i have just recently joined here and already feel better having had this opprtunity to validate these emotions. as much as i may have hated the group(no, being a part of the group) i think i am glad to have you guys now!! love ya group (haha):-P
jenn
size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: sunshinegirl420 on 2002-08-15 14:19 ]
[ This Message was edited by: sunshinegirl420 on 2002-08-15 14:38 ]
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You are not alone in your feelings about the group experience! :smile:
Personally, although I would like to see them take to task for the damage they did to so many young people, I do believe that they will ultimately pay the price... :smile:
debi
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HEY PEOPLES, I just wanted to say thanks for your thoughtful replies to my question of redress. Yes, I am a dreamer,but I tend to get real tenacious about things when I get fired up. Well, 12 and 13 year old "druggies" Bill and Jennifer were unable to be heard, but as a licensed medical professional Bill has credibility. We are all older, and cannot be discounted as "druggies" by the protectors. I signed into the Yahoo board and read rants back and forth between "pro"s and "anti"s. Reading Mark Davis rabidly defending the program. Posting his phone for anyone wanting to argue about it. People picketing Anne Crow's house in Dunwoody(boy, bet that flies well with the neighbors in thier $500K houses). She was exec staff of ATL for long time. Many many people visciously hate her as I detest Newton . I lived with them for a whole shitpile of various(mostly first) phases.. Fantastic love filled home. Her sons played us guitars, well played folk,rock, all the stuff against the rules. GO FREAKIN FIGURE. I had Mark Davis as an oldcomer. The man ranting on the yahoo board about those of us who dont look back fondly couldn't be him??? It is. The debate up north seems to be a bit more lively. When I see real people I knew and lived with slashing at each other's opinions of the program, I know that discrediting the program will not be so easy.
Anyway, Wes, i will follow up on your request....mom's digging.
Marnie>>keep finding those old pics of staff and stuff.
Who still has old MI's? I found some and it was very telling as to the psychological status of the writer. Mine had all sorts of stuff in it that would shock a psychiatrist. Anybody else...
I thought about making a dime therapy call when I found a list...
Have a good night folks. I'm done.
Bill
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There is actually a board on Yahoo where people are in support of the program??
I am deeply shocked. I will have to seek it out and see what i can do...LOL :smile:
debi
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is that the yahoo alumni board? If so, I would think that the vast majority of folks on that board think that straight was a crock o' shit (sorry Dave)(haha) - I think most folks that were actually there will realize one day that it all was a crock too....
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Yup, you're correct. Just recently, in fact, Don Smith (the host of that group) sent out a post looking for interest in a class action.
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Why do so many people go around acting like they care about what we are doing? Then when it comes time to act, they hide! I would expect that there may be a few wallflowers, but now I get the feeling like there are hundreds of wallflowers. You know, this aint goin to be easy, folks. If you sit behind the screen of your computer, you feel all powerful and anonymous. That works great for you, but when you want something done about this situation, what are you doing? Sitting behind your computer! Actions speak louder than words. I believe it will be easier to convince the public and the authorities in this country about the truth if more of us would be active in the protests, mailing out information, etc etc. Jeewiz, you get out of it what you put into it. That is a fact. If I am going to be sticking out my neck from one battle to the next up here, I would hope and expect that many more people would want to join in and help. Maybe my expectations are of a selfish nature, but what army won a war with one platoon? Helluva of a thought, but it is an honest one. If all you do is stand by, then that is all that will happen. Let's see a thousand people marching together for the cause! When applying for a permit with the US Park Police in Washington DC, tell them to expect at least 1000 people to march down Constitution Ave to the Capitol and see what they say. The group that went from St Pete to Va was the "mayflower" group. Let's build a thousand replica boats and send them to Mel & Co. Well, that's it for now. Hope to hear about something new happening soon.
MG8
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Marching in washington. Like anybody is gonna give a shit. A few hundred thousand will get you big time noticed(think Farrakan a few years ago),ten thousand would definately grab some good newsprint in the papers( think the repartions for slavery crowd a few weeks ago), and the fact is, that with every angry straight, seed, sembler lover among us, we might put togther a few hundred.
I am realistic. Sure, sign me up. I love DC. Can we do it in spring? Really, for a sizable group to travel, a grassroots movement is needed. We don't have one. Is there a specific, organized method of grouping victims, thier feelings about the program, and devising a way to persistently grind away at an agenda. Look at the bunny huggers. If you went to legalize Manatee Barbeque tommorow, a million people would be up in arms, and at lest ten thousand would descend on Tallahasee like the plague within a week of the organizers asking. Well, I would join a group and participate in its activities, but how many others will?
Well????
Bill
ps Can we get Jimmy Buffet to sing at a fundraiser....
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Well, when we protested the Italian Embassy in DC, my family outnumbered all the other participants combined! LOL...Whatever. I think there is merit to exposing the tyranny of Mel Sembler and his cronies, along with the Newtons and Bushes, etc... What ever happened to the guy that disappeared down there in Fla back in 76? Was he a target of Sembler and Co? Who knows. I think the main problem now is that people think that this MOVEMENT is a futile one, when thinking realistically, I would surmise the same idea. However, I think very abstract and abnormal thoughts, so this goal of vindication and justice is within reach for me. I need to get some funding first, like Chris and the SAFETY Net people are supposed to be getting soon. I don't hear much from them, so I have NO idea what the hell is going on with that. I have a few people up here willing to sacfrice themselves to the cause, but I do not want to have a conflict with the Fla people if they already have an agenda. I have been told to have my own agenda, don't worry about them. I get nervous thinking about being face to face with the President or any other high ranking government official and trying to describe what the goals of the MOVEMENT are and what needs to happen to satisfy everyone. Maybe there is no omnipotent satisfaction. There will always be someone who has a friggin problem with something. On a bit of a lighter note, If I say, "Hey, April is Straight Survivor Month, come to DC on the 4th and march to the US Capitol from the Lincoln Memorial starting at NOON." How many people would make it up and over here. Hmmm. Good question. Mel may die of a heart attack by then. I'll tell you right now that the march can be arranged. I am thinking very seriously right now about another event to get people involved. Much like a boycott or a civil disturbance somewhere totally unrelated to Straight Inc interests. Those would be the attention getting places. If someone went into a laundromat and started pulling out everyone's laundry and throwing it about, say "Straight Inc. made me do it" LOL... after a couple hundred incidents like this nationwide, there would be people talking everywhere about Straight, Inc. including the police and lawyers and all the people we need on our side to finally get these people held accountable. Well, whatever, nobody posted anything on the group site Sunday. That's a first. Maybe most people are going to be wallflowers and hope the sky falls first. Who knows. Meanwhile, get your bus or plane ticket ready for April. That is sounding more like a plan with every passing moment. We need to make sure that Congress will be there that day and not on some vacation like they are now. MG8.
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Well, when we protested the Italian Embassy in DC, my family outnumbered all the other participants combined! LOL...Whatever. I think there is merit to exposing the tyranny of Mel Sembler and his cronies, along with the Newtons and Bushes, etc... What ever happened to the guy that disappeared down there in Fla back in 76? Was he a target of Sembler and Co? Who knows. I think the main problem now is that people think that this MOVEMENT is a futile one, when thinking realistically, I would surmise the same idea. However, I think very abstract and abnormal thoughts, so this goal of vindication and justice is within reach for me. I need to get some funding first, like Chris and the SAFETY Net people are supposed to be getting soon. I don't hear much from them, so I have NO idea what the hell is going on with that. I have a few people up here willing to sacfrice themselves to the cause, but I do not want to have a conflict with the Fla people if they already have an agenda. I have been told to have my own agenda, don't worry about them. I get nervous thinking about being face to face with the President or any other high ranking government official and trying to describe what the goals of the MOVEMENT are and what needs to happen to satisfy everyone. Maybe there is no omnipotent satisfaction. There will always be someone who has a friggin problem with something. On a bit of a lighter note, If I say, "Hey, April is Straight Survivor Month, come to DC on the 4th and march to the US Capitol from the Lincoln Memorial starting at NOON." How many people would make it up and over here. Hmmm. Good question. Mel may die of a heart attack by then. I'll tell you right now that the march can be arranged. I am thinking very seriously right now about another event to get people involved. Much like a boycott or a civil disturbance somewhere totally unrelated to Straight Inc interests. Those would be the attention getting places. If someone went into a laundromat and started pulling out everyone's laundry and throwing it about, say "Straight Inc. made me do it" LOL... after a couple hundred incidents like this nationwide, there would be people talking everywhere about Straight, Inc. including the police and lawyers and all the people we need on our side to finally get these people held accountable. Well, whatever, nobody posted anything on the group site Sunday. That's a first. Maybe most people are going to be wallflowers and hope the sky falls first. Who knows. Meanwhile, get your bus or plane ticket ready for April. That is sounding more like a plan with every passing moment. We need to make sure that Congress will be there that day and not on some vacation like they are now. MG8.
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i'll march in dc in april
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What is the statue of limitations on this type of abuse? Any lawyers out there with any idea? Also, being very new to this forum, I'm not sure how many folks out there have any idea what Straight was (public awareness) and what kind of lasting damage it has done. I guess I'd like to know, what needs to be done to successfully organize a march?
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For me the program ended 20 years ago. Only capital offenses could be prosecuted criminaly this far out. So, that leaves civil. Hmm, but who to sue? Go for the money?! THEY ARE STILL THE TOAST OF THE DRUG WARRIORS TODAY. Sembler, Dupont,Hartz,etc. Can they be connected to causing or abetting the wrongdoing? Can they even be PROVEN to have known? Barring "smoking gun" paper like internal memos, staff notes, it is all just heresay. I have a dream where a former exec staffer has an epihphany of sorts and surfaces with that type of thing. Quite a few former "kid staff" lurk about here, but pressing hard upon them is wrong as they were victims of cultlike programming too. I know at least one who has had a HARD time with coming to grips with what she did.
I remeber vividly many incidences which would turn a juries guts, but no lawyer will touch it, unless you self-fund the litigation. Ever sued an Ambassadour? It is not done lightly.
Bill
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This is complicated because I don't think the general public perceives us to be victims at all. Hell, it's taken me almost 20 years to realize that what happened in Straight was abuse! (I was pushing down my feelins'). My parents are STILL involved with other straight parents, and these people are invited to our family events!
I saw a posting somewhere that talked about all the young kids whose education was disrupted for months/years. I wonder about approaching the media from that type of direction (e.g., what percentage of phasers actually completed their high school educations?). Everyone is so hot about education, especially now that Georgia has the lowest SAT scores in the nation. How did Straight get around providing educational services? Even in mental hospitals, kids go to school.
Another thing is, does anyone have any idea of how many Straight survivors have ended up in therapy, committed suicide, etc.? I remember all the kids who carved on their arms and the scars they still must have. Did anyone have photos?
Sorry I'm going on and on. Haven't been sleeping well since I started therapy for all this repressed mental anguish.
I'll end with a favorite quote by author, Hermann Hesse: "I wanted only to live in accordance with the promptings which came from my true self; why, then, was that so very difficult?"
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Regarding the schooling staff at Straight, in my stay there, we were able to recieve our homework from our parents who in turn went to the schools to get it, I believe Straight scrapped by with the bare minimum to allow us to "learn" (ha, that was a joke). So they didn't get in trouble with authorities, at least the year and the one I went to (1990 in Plymouth).
Also, regarding any Straight survivors, for those who have survived, I think it takes a while for those to come to realize exactly what happened to them (myself, it took me 10 years to actually understand).
For those who didn't survive, I haven't heard from many from Plymouth, but only 1 I can recall, one died from going back to drugs and died on an overdose, she was a staff member for a long time.
A few I heard that went back to gangs or drug using. But those are the ones who wern't strong enough to survive.
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Hey, lots of strong people were broken, Lurray Harbor in Tampa was one. She was a 13 yearold fireball of a misbehavior at about 95 pounds. 1981. I watced her slice and dice her skin worse than anybody, split, fought, bit and finally won her fredom. Her sister confirmed, dead before 1987. How about the people dumped by thier families? Not all of us went to a program with school....I am a sharp student and still graduated a year late. Homework??? Wow, I wasnt trusted with a pencil at times, so I wrote MIs in crayon. To have had anything to stimulate the mind would have been great.
Bill
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1988 boston, no school what-so-ever until third phase. when i finally got there i was screwed yet again!! as an "out of town client" it proved to be rather difficult to enroll . i was shuffled all the time as a "host sister". my mom couldnt take time off to figure it all out. Thats okay. i went home for the first time ( to connecticut) and ran. i wasnt surprised to be returned. but it was better being on first phase (in a sick way) since i was out of town i didnt go home on 2nd phase i was still in host homes, i was always living with a phaser higher up(4th ,5th) and i would get stuck with the newcomers' all of the time while they watched tv radio etc i was a baby sitter
[ This Message was edited by: Sunshinegirl0420 on 2002-09-12 21:43 ]
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The law may have changed or since a few Straights were closed at the time of my incarceration, could be that the law finally got after them and they needed to have schooling of some sort. Back in 1990