Conspiracy Theory - A Cover Sheet

[85 Day Jerk]

In the Pinellas County area in the late seventies, many 'inmates' came from families where the parent was directly or indirectly employed by the Defense/Aerospace industry.  I would give my left arm to know the name of the person responsible for informing these workers of the "danger signs" and luring them to check out the program.
Now I am not discounting that there was a drug problem back then, but they were just attacking the symptom and not the cause.  The average Joe in Pinellas County had not had a meaningful raise in over ten years, while rampant inflation was eating into whatever was left.  The only workers that had it made in the shade were the aforementioned ones.  They were priveleged, their jobs were secure, they saw little of their families, and god forbid, they did not talk too freely about what they do at work.  This loyalty to the big daddy government guaranteed an aura of anonymity that may have made the Straight Inc. Program look like it was tailor made just for them.  This is my theory.  Anyone from that era want to go in on this with me then maybe I'll be a little more inclined to help out with your projects.  One thing comes to mind.  Prior to my coming into Straight, there was alot of construction going on at General Electric in Largo and we all know the name Mel Sembler as having a hand in redevelopment.   Just something to think about is all.  After some thought I have decided to name a few names of clients who's parents worked Defense/Aerospace and the place that their parents worked.

Tom and Steve Andrews............Honeywell
Mike, Bob, and Scott Patterson...General Electric
Chuck Haig..............General Electric
Lance and Lewis Cantrell........Paradyne
Ted Eckhardt..................E-Systems
Mark Errett..................Rand Corporation
Mike Kubica..................E-Systems
Mike Sailor...............Rockwell


There are more, these are just the ones I am sure of from them either being friends or oldcomers.


Actually, after some thought I decided to edit this post.  I now remember that one girl's dad was a U.S. Postal Worker and another girl had a father than ran a UPS route that serviced quite a few defense plants in the Tampa Bay area.  I guess the parents of kids already in the program spread the news to other parents like a bad cold or something, but I am sure it was all a part of Sembler's game plan.......Oh wait, there is a guy from UPS knocking on my door.  Be right back

[Froderik]

I don't know if this helps, but there was a kid in VA straight, Kevin Kirshenbaur (sp?) whose dad was a high ranking officer in some branch of the armed forces. His dad reminded me of JFK. He had a brother who I think was in the program too, but I can't remember his name...

[85 Day Jerk]

If we could only uncover some money paper trails.
One such way would have to deal with the IRS.  In 1980, once I was out, my father got together with several Straight St. Pete parents and assisted them in obtaining various government loans approved by the Reagan Administration.  As far as I know, these loans and tax breaks were a one time deal.  These records may or may not be a matter of public record, but we could damn sure see who the high rollers were during this time.
     If anyone who is knowlegeable in tax law and bookkeeping and such could lend us their two cents we might get somewhere.  I'll look into it myself as soon as the opportunity presents itself.