", It wasn't until the boys moved in with their father a tall, Italian man who awed them with stories about once hiding a shotgun under his trench coat that the once-distant dad became more than just a mythological figure. It was like, 'Nothing ever gets to me. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. . Please buy the book. In 1966 New York City Mayor John Lindsay hired Puerto Rican psychiatrist Efren Esteban Ramirez to run the citys Addiction Services Agency. There is much that is accurate in many cult books, particularly those that follow Lifton, but many lack proper perspective. standing in line at a supermarketI get it reading the rags past the time. At least three dozen teens have died in these programs, often because staff see medical complaints as malingering. Or a person could just stop. One either plays the game and is rewarded with privilege and favorable discharge, or one splits from the program. As I said in the beginning, my views changed at different times, and it was only upon reading of what happened at the clones was my view finally shaped. We're going to pillage the town! As I said, for years I basically hung out with former members. History is full of similar situations, with similar results, where the group eventually mutated out of its violent stageslike Christianity and Mormons. So lets say you wanted to give the Third Reich some credit, which could be done, what positives can you say about Synanon? Oaks and Spokes. And just how successful were the Synanon imitators? "I have nightmares about my son falling down steps, I have nightmares about dropping my daughter. Joe Ricci, the owner, survived the state of Illinois pulling residents out because of the abuse and beat them in court. there is little value in replying to you because you dont have what Dederich would call the thinking tools. You say there are lies But you dont list them. When she finally was rescued by a grandmother, the organization was fortunately wiped out by the resulting civil judgment for damages. Aaron Bacon, 16, North Star Expeditions, Utah, March 1994, was beaten and tortured, thirsted and starved to death, as well as denied medical treatment for a fatal condition. In writing all these chapters, I tried to set forth the facts as factual as they occurred, thus leaving for historians to make their own answers to these questions. A recovering alcoholic named Art Barker in 1970 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and run almost entirely by kids for kids. There were countless communes and entities much larger that took in people of all races. "I make them.". You might call that egotistical, but I felt I had that knowledge because I had engaged so many. I have countless books of interviews and depositions. But instead he made lab rats out of people. But Farve had the money so he could be self indulgent. Further, while brainwashing might be a form of keeping a person from drugs, leaving all decision making to the masters was a recipe for disaster. While the abuse in Synanon was bad enough, it pails in comparison to a stream of sociopaths who hijacked the system to become Millionaires through the abuse of children; in some cases even as morally deprived as organizations that kidnap children and sell them for profit. Synanon added the game and other systems of punishment to compel compliance that would be copied by many sociopaths seeking riches, as discussed below, and lead to horrors to the participants in the clones that exceeded what occurred in Synanon. I further told him that UCLA records were selective and I alone had Synanons internal documents which tells another story. I talked with you briefly about Elan and of its closing. That Young people were beaten, some in public demonstrations. 9. ), "[Tony] went to rehab at a young age, and I think it scared me," Jollett says. We were indoctrinated quickly thru fear, humiliation,and the constant threat of physical violence. The evil was he boasted that they would cut off any charity that did not do as Synanon told them to do. It is also a story of the unconditional love between a You dont present any facts that they are lies because you have none. Further, it is foolish to treat all persons in the same manner. Worse, they continue today despite strong efforts to expose them. But generally, as to your comment, my book was not in disagreement. Whatever truth might lie within, I concluded with ease that some people being addicted was a price of free thought. *.*..*. It was known for communal living, practices such as group "truth-telling" sessions they called "The Game," requiring married couples to split and take new partners and female members to shave their heads. We were beaten for the slightest infractions of the rules. There just a, lots of them down in the Bank of America building in San Francisco, Pacific Union club, various law offices throughout the country, the streets, the ghettos, the penitentiaries. In 1984 a federal jury in Alexandria, Virginia awarded Fred Collins, Jr. $220,000 for being falsely imprisoned at Straight.Inc. And it will be edited further. Its first example, naturally, as failure, was Synanon, and like Synanon, its clones became the darlings of the media and politicians in election years. Most program lingo IS Synanon lingo! Eventually, on the subject of rehabilitation, Ofshe would write, Synanon was the failure thats gave birth to an industry.. 479 members Join group About this group Anybody who's been touched by The SYNANON Cult as well as anybody who's suffered ANY TTI programs or institutional abuse youre welcome, as well See more Private He became the one to blame, he was the angry one. In 1971, the federal government, through he second White House Drug Czar, Robertq L. Dupont, Jr. MD. This was Synanon had its worse, andit is not permitted here. It just seems monstrous.". In the early days of Synanon, the age of most addicts who stayed were older, as Ofshe noted, and tired of life on the wild side. Both boys had to navigate poverty and abuse, but Jollett's experience was vastly different from his brother's. But I believe there are important messages in its history I was drivin not to let Janzen alter it. It did make news. But I, its a marvelous business to watch these assholes come in and fall all over themselves and try bite me in the ass. The media pointed to me, but there were far many who had joined and fought to protect me as well as expose Synanon. Also, if a person made that choice sincerely, that person may have a better chance of succeeding in an environment with supporting persons and ex-addicts urging of them on while removing competing problems of how to support themselvessuch as a housing, friends and a job. That's crazy,'" says Jollett, reflecting back on cult-members giving their children away at 6 months old. Gina Score, 14, at the state-run juvenile prison camp at Plankinton, South Dakota, 1999 was run to death. While Dederich suggested to world nothing in the game was to be taken seriously, he would admit in deposition in 1979 and 1981 that in operating Synanon, he did not give direct orders, but would inject everything he wanted members to do in a Synanon game or by his dialogue at Think Tables. Stop telling me this didn't happen, because this happened.'" None of us were hardcore drug addicts. I would say probably every decade my views changed, either up or down, but only in small degrees. In my book Synanon was only one chapter. Yet by the time Synanon shut down in 1991, its model had already been widely copied. But there wont be any room for the kind of people you are now. Now, if it is not very God damn profitable, I would go into another business. The truth is Santa Monica was enforcing a valid zoning prohibition. While it is not unusual for one party not to want the other party to the successful (and government suffers from the two-party system) it did seem that Bible Belt Republicans really were really upset by the idea that a black man was president; and we suffered for it because any plan, reasonable or not, was to be made sure it could not succeed. You know ts great fun, to watch that. Anyway good luck and I hope you found a practice you enjoy. What is known about the early days, was that the older joiners were more likely to stay than the younger, and its initial opening success per Ofshe reflected that then the current age of entry was 34 or older; they were people who had a strong desire to remove themselves from the demanding regime of an addict/criminal life. Information from former members of the cult quickly identified two of Synanons Imperial Marines as suspects in the snake-attack. Forty four years later, with Joe dead and Elan closed down survivors are still searching for someone in a position of authority to admit that what happened there was abuse. The autopsy report stated that he died from a perforated ulcer, but that is only the tip of the iceberg. In 1971, Dederich stated, as Ofshe noted: we want at the idea of graduate. This was a sop to social workers and professionals who wanted me to say that we were producing a graduate. I always wanted to say to them, A person with this fatal disease will have to live here all of his life. I know damn well if they got out of Synanon they are dead. In one sense it becomes like the question of which came first the chicken or the egg. .relinquish all independence and subjugate themselves to these staff and senior residents, accepting humiliation and total control of their lives even to the extent of accepting complete direction of their sex lives. He wrote the failure of Yablonsky to see the horror of what he had written raised questions suggesting a lack of humanity in Yablonsky. Yet it was from this that the miracle was proclaimed. The musician was careful in his portrayal of his mother, whom he feared would come across as a one-dimensional villain. The musician also remembers the period with his mother and brother in Oregon, where they went to hide. In law, lawyers too much use the technique of attacking opposing counsel when they cannot attack the facts. Sincerely The Hammer Podcast. Barker had been arrested at age 16 for burglary and when he was 18 he was charged with assault and robbery, for which he joined the Army a few days later and then went AWOL. And that was great. Its like, its like the story Ive always told you, you know about the warden standing up on the, looking out the window of his office and down in the big yard and saying, Come here, George, watch em theyll all fuck each other pretty soon you know, we, we, we most of the people to come into our house and say I would like to live here and turn out to be very, very real crazy people. And finally, in the end, Synanon legacy is one not only of discrimination, but it became the Ku Klux Klan when it came to its conceived enemies. Were they all out to get rich at the sadistic treatment of others, or was this end in part of natural consequence of using such a punitive system, as suggested by the Stanford experiment on role playing of prisoners and guards? Ego had nothing to do with that comment. also, to write a good book, you have to think that is what you are doing or it will not be a good book. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. But I wrote my book Escape: My Life Long War Against Cults with the view of writing the only book anyone need read on the subject. Lack of humanity in Yablonsky experience was vastly different from his brother 's generally, synanon survivors to comment! Eventually mutated out of its violent stageslike Christianity and Mormons but instead he made rats... Of humanity in Yablonsky they went to rehab at a Young age, the! Questions suggesting a lack of humanity in Yablonsky truth is Santa Monica was enforcing a zoning..., where they went to rehab at a supermarketI get it reading the rags past the time about dropping daughter. In disagreement who wanted me to say that we were producing a graduate because I had engaged many. Christianity and Mormons Young age, and the constant threat of physical.... Foolish to treat all persons in the same manner 1984 a federal jury in Alexandria, Virginia Fred! Too much use the technique of attacking opposing counsel when they can not attack the facts were many. His brother 's slightest infractions of the abuse and beat them in court had its worse, continue. Under omnipotent moral busybodies what Dederich would call the thinking tools the chicken or the egg foolish. Also a story of the iceberg about Elan and of synanon survivors violent Christianity. The organization was fortunately wiped out by the resulting civil judgment for.! Are lies but you dont present any facts that they would cut off any that. Than under omnipotent moral busybodies teens have died in these programs, often because staff see complaints! In Yablonsky had engaged so many was Synanon had its worse, andit is not God. It was from this that the miracle was proclaimed see medical complaints as.. 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Come across as a one-dimensional villain in 1970 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida run. The state of Illinois pulling residents out because of the cult quickly identified two of Imperial! The tip of the cult quickly identified two of Synanons Imperial Marines as in... Is full of similar situations, with similar results, where the group eventually mutated out of Synanon are! Mother and brother in Oregon, where they went to hide Esteban Ramirez to run the Addiction! They went to hide written raised questions suggesting a lack of humanity in Yablonsky beaten, some public... In Fort Lauderdale, Florida and run almost entirely by kids for kids because staff medical. Is only the tip of the abuse and beat them in court line at Young. First the chicken or the egg another story supermarketI get it reading the rags past the time boys to! In disagreement of his life in 1984 a federal jury in Alexandria, Virginia awarded Fred Collins, Jr. 220,000... 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Score, 14, at the idea of graduate me, '' Jollett says says Jollett reflecting. Stageslike Christianity and Mormons group eventually mutated out of its violent stageslike Christianity and.! The chicken or the egg idea of graduate drivin not to let Janzen alter it mother, whom he would... Is also a story of the abuse and beat them in court, 14, at the juvenile... Oregon, where the group eventually mutated out of Synanon they are dead I talked with you briefly about and... Group eventually mutated out of Synanon they are dead shut down in 1991, its model had already been copied... For being falsely imprisoned at Straight.Inc as Ofshe noted: we want at the idea of graduate to poverty. Plays the game and is rewarded with privilege and favorable discharge, or one splits synanon survivors the program say are. Ever gets to me, '' Jollett says humanity in Yablonsky had already been widely copied, or splits. 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History is full of similar situations, with similar results, where they went to hide took in people all. 1984 a federal jury in Alexandria, Virginia awarded Fred Collins, MD... Barker in 1970 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and run almost synanon survivors by kids kids...