I was reminded today by an article posted on ARS . Report of a Lulu Corter - victim of KIDS won a $6.5 million suit for the abuses she experienced for l3 years . AS I read that this group "Kids" is a spin off of "Straights" whose roots are in http://thestraights.com/images/seed-Ervin-brainwash.gif "The SEED" which was itself based on "Synanon",a rehab program founded by the late Charles Dederich Sr.

This information reminds me of a little history of " "Synanon"" a rehab program turned sour when Mr. Dederich found he had power and control of his followers. (it was 1958) I do not know the actual date that Dederich founded Synanon -he had a large home in Santa Monica area and at first befriended some young people who he realized were on drugs. He was an alcoholic who I believe at that time had resolved that problem. He was successful in helping the young addicts to go straight. To support the group he had them go out and solicit money from various businesses. At that time I was office manager in a small company in Southern Calif. in the late 60's and early 70's.. This company manufactured mops of various kinds. The owner always donated several to the young "Synanon" members as they asked for donations. Both the owner and I were impressed with these young people. Seemed to be energetic and on the way to becoming productive citizens.

A few years later we moved to N. Calif.. Because of my son's involvement in $cientology I had become far more aware of the number of destructive cults operating in Calif. and through out the country. I had read of the court case involving Dederich's "Synanon" and the placing of a rattle snake in the mailbox of Attorney Morantz. He had won a huge settlement for one of the ex- followers of Dederich who had been abused while in the cult. Stan Kenton's son and another young man were charged with the crime. I believe they were sentenced to two years in jail but I am not positive. Dedrich plead no contest.

Later in l980 I went to a hearing in Sacramento concerning Bill 1423. This bill was passed and remains today. This bill was introduced by Senator Petris of the Marin county area. The passing of the bill took away the A/G of Calif right to prosecute any crime in an organization with "religious" license. Prior to attending the hearing I had written to each member on the committee. Henrietta Crampton came from S. Calif. to also attend. We went with a Moonie parent who was also interested in this bill.

The setting of the hearing was a rather small room and the ones supporting the bill sat on the left and those against it on the right. The left side was filled with members of the "Synanon" cult which had a branch in Marin County. There were also members of clergy there who spoke in be-half of the bill. While the speakers who were against the passage of this bill talked I was amazed to see the lack of respect shown by the members of the committee. Willie Brown (now mayor of San Francisco) and Maxine Waters (now a representative in Congress) sat and talked and giggled all through the testimony . Others chatted away too while people who had been abused one way or another were trying to be heard.. There was a young man with a camera with a number 7 on the side (probably wanting us to think he was from TV 7) taking pictures of Henri and I at every opportunity . (We heard later where he did come from) Atty Morantz was still so terrified of the "Synanon" group he could barely contain himself.

When Sen. Petris walked in the room to speak you could hear a pin drop and he was extremely eloquent with his argument against the bill. I could see the "shaved heads" sitting their gleeful to hear this Senator from their district speak. David and Cathy Mitchel were there. They were the authors of a great book written with Richard Ofshe titled the Light on "Synanon". The Mitchels had suffered harassment too like anyone who dares print the truth about a powerful destructive cult. At the close of the hearing I went into the hall and talked with various people who had attended . I noticed two tall handsome men in the crowd and asked their opinion of the hearing. They responded that they were there from the arch diocese in Los Angeles. There was also a representative from the National Council of Churches. This proved another writing of LRonHubbard- Rile up others on a subject you want addressed and let them do the dirty work for you. Not an exact quote but that is the gist of his advice. Not one $cientologist testified ..

This hearing was an education in itself. I lost a lot of faith in elected officials. The issue of the passing of 1423 was cut and dried. No need for a hearing at all -it was over before it began. I now wonder just who did all the powerful lobbying to those assembly people who couldn't give an hour of their attention to a serious matter. Were they "wined and dined" were they promised money for the next election? Who knows. I do know that I got letters from Maxine Waters thanking me for "supporting" her on this issue. Which proved she didn't even talk to the aide who read my letter telling her that I was totally against passage of this bill. Then I got a letter from Gov. Brown-also thanking me. He signed the bill because he believed in "religous" freedom. Apparently this allows the groups with religious license to act above the law.

In the meantime, tho I was not aware of it, Dederich had moved to Lake Havasu City . When he was to appear at the trial in L.A., I was told he had to be taken in a station wagon as when they went to pick him up he was too intoxicated to sit up so they made a bed for him in the back. True? I don't know. Years later I moved to Lake Havasu City. When my husband died I talked with the minister who gave his funeral service. He told me of his experience with the "Synanon" group when they moved in on Havasu City. Dederich bought seven businesses. A restaurant, a hotel and a mattress factory. I do not know about the others that he purchased. The minister was hearing the talk of concern as to Dedrich's purchases and seeing many of his followers around town. He was asked to call a meeting, which he did. He expected thirty people and he said close to three hundred showed up. The entire town just decided I guess, to boycott the businesses. No one ate at the restaurant, no one ate at the hotel and no one bought the mattresses. Was not long and Mr. Dedrich moved on. He went to New York state where I heard he bought a place in Barrytown which was the home of the Moonies.

I knew of a woman in New Mexico who sent her son to the "Straights" there. When he told of the atrocities she was happy he was able to escape and come home. The fact that I have read where the Bush family would support the "Straights" is very disturbing. Will they like the $cientologists send out the "poster boys " and "poster girls" to seek Faith based money to keep these destructive groups in action? I suggest each and everyone who is aware of abuses to go pubic immediately. I also realize if Lulu Corter who just won this court settlement in New Jersey had lived in Calif. she very likely could have never got this case before the courts let alone found a lawyer who would risk his career to file . All This in AMERICA

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