It is also a story of the unconditional love between a 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. "I became very interested in the idea of buried history, all the ways that we as children were told things that were patently untrue, and that we believed them," says Jollett, whose book will publish on May 26, just after the same-titled album. Its first example, naturally, as failure, was Synanon, and like Synanon, its clones became the darlings of the media and politicians in election years. Margo, you say you are a successful attorney. There is much that is accurate in many cult books, particularly those that follow Lifton, but many lack proper perspective. That Young people were beaten, some in public demonstrations. I asked him how he could write a book on Synanon without ever interviewing the person who fought it. Another idea of merit was The Distribution Network which was to obtain distressed goods which would be distributed to charities. In terms of drug addiction, thats where it ends. No one knows the actual final fate of the 19. (Joe Ricci was a former Daytop student who went on to found his own program for troubled youth in Maine called Elansee below.) Synanon is only one chapter. Any dammed fool who wants to come in and say Id like to live with you and we let them in. Matt C. Hoffman Here we are not talking about riding horses, discussing the nature of man, or Emerson, but a reign of terror that was destined and predicted by many in the early 60s due to the Synanon methods of attack therapy, forced confessions, rewards and punishments and brainwashing about enemies. The autopsy report stated that he died from a perforated ulcer, but that is only the tip of the iceberg. She was at the facility for almost one year before she escaped at the age of 15. WebJan 2010 - Present13 years 2 months United States Im a CEDU Survivor who created & runs the Synanon Survivors Group on Facebook. If you look at your post, you will see you bring up matters which were brought up in the entirety of my text and there is little difference. And with that all being announced on the wire, murder attempts begin. It is also a story of the unconditional love between That's crazy,'" says Jollett, reflecting back on cult-members giving their children away at 6 months old. I dont have much to argue with what you say about the people in Synanon and do not disagree they helped others, they were there to do that. Further it established shelter and group support could aid those truly wanting to stop. I am still not in the same league with Dr. Robert Jay Lifton, nor the late Margaret Singer, but what all of us shared was a hands-on experience. And while it may be true that economics was a motivation, economics are part of the motivation for everyone on these issues. I just imagined Charles Dederich rolling over in his grave at that news. Synanons punitive system of verbal attacks and humiliation was counterproductive and drove out most that entered. After 30 years of pondering, I came full circle and realized that sociologist Richard Ofshe had analyzed it right from the start. *..**. *. ), "[Tony] went to rehab at a young age, and I think it scared me," Jollett says. But I believe there are important messages in its history I was drivin not to let Janzen alter it. It is the freedom of thought and free speech that gave America the chance to go on and recover from its mistakes. Nonprofit Organization. He spent 15 years Fatherhood has made him more cognizant of how much trauma he experienced as a child, as it has for other former Synanon kids who have become parents. Some had warned of the potential dangers of using synanons (game) on adults. The leader, Chuck Dederich, decided we wouldn't have parents, and then we just didn't.". I am very grateful that you have included in writing your blog about Joe Riccis version or interpetation of Synanon. The truth is Santa Monica was enforcing a valid zoning prohibition. The legacy quotes statistics that I did not keep or make, but Synanon did. The monster that now existed had to be stopped. [Chuck] Dederich [Synanons founder], an exile from A.A., is credited with being the genius behind the TC [therapeutic community] movement. Leon Brill acknowledges in The Clinical Treatment of Substance Abusers that the original therapeutic community directed by ex-addicts was Synanon though others, he writes, such as Daytop Village, Odyssey House and Phoenix House in New York City have used psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and other professionals as part of their staff.. Im so grateful, thankful & PROUD of everyone who made this happen!!! In short Straight took a bad treatment modality, made it worse, and then force their young subjects to endure it. I was being sincere. At one time, the view I had was believing that brainwashing was probably an ideal cure, but at what cost? Researched by Maia Szalavitz for a book in 2006 and for Mother Jones in 2007 she described the clone horrors and traced them back to Synanon. Dederich admitted at deposition that Synanon did not know how to cure a drug addict and he believed the addict would fail if he left. I had gotten your phone number from Ben Parks. Arbitrarily, I would say that young persons under 16 years of age should be excluded from these programs and that careful evaluation be given admitting persons between 16 and 18 years of age . There is likely truth that allowing contact with past relationships might lure someone to leave or want to get high, but that is the persons choice. I use a voice recognizing system and then I have to go back and edit many times. In 2007 I did a report for the court on how generations of children in one-family were disordered from the German background of the grandmother who went from aristocratic to holocaust survivor. ", "It wasn't like Godfather, it was like Pirates of Penzance," Jollett explains. But he was tapped for his past violent tendencies and unleashed like Russell Crowe in L. Elan was known of using such standards as haircut, pull- up, the game and humiliating signs; but added a boxing ring for resisters to be plummeted by bigger guys until a bloody confession was extracted, regardless of its truth. Unfortunately as I learned what happened in clones and wilderness programs, people not only did not learn from that history, a book like Janzens can help fuel the continuation of its tragedies. Dawnne Takeuchi, 18, was killed when she was thrown from a semi-truck near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, in June 1994. Where you at synanon in 1972-1973? It was bizarre, surreal,and violent it was not a school in any stretch of the imagination. You would make Wes Fager proud, I am sure, sadly he is no longer with us. standing in line at a supermarketI get it reading the rags past the time. This is not a criticism of that policy; but just the fact that it was insignificant in relation to the civil rights movement which was raging in the 60s and pushed by the Kennedys, Martin Luther King, and many black actors and athletes and my generation that marched and died in name of civil rights. Out of 1,180 addicts who had entered Synanon in its first five years of operation, only 26 had graduated. I suppose if they werent why Id have to find another business. Rather than a commune wonderfully described by Yablonsky and Janzen as reforming criminals, it made criminals out of non-criminals, and took former reformed criminals to a higher level of criminal violence. Further, I wrote that the study of cults is studying a microcosm of the greater society. But these rules had long been eradicated at Synanon the root of todays confrontational-type therapeutic communities. Ofshe further pointed out Dr. Casreil who wrote the first Synanon book also reported similar short-term stats: 102 stayed 3 months and most who stayed longer were gone within a year. I was taken there by my mother. "I can't tell you how many times a day I pick up my kid. It is true, we are lied to, propagandized and subject to many attempts to have us all think the same way. Stop telling me this didn't happen, because this happened.'" I dont have to stay in it anymore. Over the years as I wrote c. upon chapter of Synanon history, I have mainly received nothing but great comments from people. Finally, even the founder was not cured, returning to marijuana by 1977 and to an alcoholic stupor in 1978 that led to drunken parties throughout Synanon, as Phil Ritters and my murders were plotted, and the supposedly rehabilitated and reformed celebrated at the news of resulting injuries. Link To The Synanon Survivors Group And Future Photo Library you say I profit from yellow Journalism sort of an oxymoron given the fact that my website is free. Ex-members have no idea how close they all came to being arrested for conspiracy of RICO violations. After all why should they not get paid for all that work? But that dwindled as the joiners became younger and Dederich turned his attention to using the media and Hollywood to produce a flow of persons, goods and services to develop by 1976 over $30 million in assets and the start of large salaries and bonuses. It a very sick place for teen agers,and during my time we were mixed in with adults. For many academics, it is reviewing writing of others. He found that at Odyssey House only 25% of admissions stay more than 30 days, that the rate is down to 9.7% after six months, 5.6% at 1 year, and 2.8% after 18 months; the programs required length of stay to graduate.. Dr. Casriel in 1963 reported that of 62 people located of 160 entries, 19 were graduates, while 43 remained inside Synanon. Fager wrote: Dr. As I said, I would say the same of Janzen. But you make many assumptions about me. One cloneVision Questit has been written had 9 deaths; forced marches, black uniforms in triple-digit temperatures, harsh discipline and a daily diet limited to an apple, a carrot and a bowl of beans, all which were common to these orgs. Suggest you get my book on Amazonmy life was not limited to Synanon. Thats the nature of our business. And in March she went, flying into Georgetown with her family, a few friends, and Jordan 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. . By the 60s the Los Angeles school system had schools (not all) already well integrated and taught anti-bigotry. While I cop to an ego in this area, my comments to Janzen had nothing to do with it. Im not pleased about it, a lot of people got hurt and if your part of the Justice system that should bother you. lawyer magazine paul Morantz on you tube. it would be interesting to see you rewrite a summary of what I wrote so it could be judged whether or not you understood it. But their position was based on incomplete data, in Janzen s case that was intentional. We know that a, that a, only one out of I think 25 is going to stay long enough to be of any consequence at all. Maia wrote: No fewer than 50 programs can trace their treatment philosophy, directly or indirectly, to an anti-drug cult called Synanon. Commonly employed and widely admired in 12-step groups and treatment., The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it., Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. The belief that Synanon was a breakthrough, as stated, was mainly because of its public speaking bureau. You dont present any facts that they are lies because you have none. Synanon was the first therapeutic community devoted to the treatment of the drug addicted according to the Encyclopedia of Drugs and Alcohol, which is edited by the first White House Drug Czar; Dr. Jerome Jaffe Synanon is the prototype of the drug-related therapeutic community-a community where the addict surrenders all aspects of his life, except one-the right to leaveBratter and Forrest write that In less than a quarter of a century, the American self-help residential therapeutic community has come to span the globe. It is with Dederich who created the system, a person who in his own words never cared for one single second about any person who left. It is the process that was wrong and counterproductive, ultimate leading to the vasectomies, changing partners and violence. However, there is little evidence that harsh behavior-modification techniques can solve these problems. Hillary Clinton probably wouldve made a good president, the Alaskan Gov. no Mr. Vandeman I am not deleting this as it is not as vulgar as the others. For Jollett, experiencing his dad's love was a life-changing experience. I am a Synanon survivor. I informed him that some of the people he interviewed were in fact the ones who participated most in the violence and that he had been lied to. Neither AA, Synanon, or those that followed, were based on any scientific studies. Looking back, I think my brother was appropriately angry with the adults.". And the grant had been administered by the founding director of NIDA who also happened to be the second White House Drug Czar-Robert DuPont. A popular TV series was based on John Maher, a colorful former Synanite, who formed his own second generation Synanon in San Francisco called The Delancey Street Gang. The methods the religious community used to break down the members are still used in rehab facilities across the United States. Charles was arrested while drunk in 1978 and was barred from any further leadership within the Straight used Synanons vaginal and anal searches to search for contraband for years even though they never found any. It was reported between 6000 and 10,000 people lived in Synanon from 1958 to 1968 but apparently only 65 were ever known to have completed the program and elected to graduate to life outside the community. Paul Morantz In the last chapter I discussed the same aspects you mentioned about television and politics. So in that sense, Synanon contributed to the idea that one could get off addiction. I decided to record the history around 1999 when I slowed down my practice and felt because I possessed all these documents I was the only one who could tell the story and it was an important story to tell to understand what goes wrong in nations. I find I edit better after I posted and edited this one about 5 times so far. . Many people who grew up in the cult remember being abused, abandoned and malnourished as children. It was like, 'Nothing ever gets to me. Although Synanon was officially shut down in 1991, it had inspired followers to start similar groups that perpetuated Synanons worst principles. 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. in the understanding and treatment of adolescents. . A haunting tale of estrangement, Synanon Kid, is a coming-of-age story of hope, survival, and determination. He participated in several missions, and arguably would have lived a better life but for his exposure to Synanon. The musician was careful in his portrayal of his mother, whom he feared would come across as a one-dimensional villain. According to Department of Pierce (1977) Sam Gillette is a books Writer/Reporter for People.com and People Magazine. WebSynanon was a religous community. As I wrote, starting in 1998, off and on for 3 years; then quitting, starting again in 2009, stopping in 2011 to write the book Escape: My Life Long War Against Cults, and picking up in 2012, that question continued as did the question did Synanon leave any positive legacy along with its revelation that its processes dictated its ultimate outcome and was predictable from the start? . And he told of the case of one TC therapist who forced female clients to perform fellatio on him while he talked on the phone to their probation officers., *..**. Copyright Paul Morantz. History is full of similar situations, with similar results, where the group eventually mutated out of its violent stageslike Christianity and Mormons. "I make them.". All Rights Reserved. Many who studied Synanon agreed. is someone writes a personal attack on me, or anyone else who comments, is deleted. Mental health service. "Then my dad became extremely interested in my life. I have the book and am reading it. The reviewer for his section on synanons for prisoners is none other than Dr. Robert DuPont, the second White House Drug Czar and founding director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and who administered a whopping $1.8 million contract to an experimental, start-up synanon for kids-only called The Seed in Fort Lauderdale. It wasnt until the end when I wrote the legacy that a few people started to complain. But we are not Communist China, Communist Russia or Germanys Nazis. In addition, group practice becomes an anti-therapeutic factor with the T.C. All the civil rights marches, the anti-Vietnam protests, were uniting people of all races. And while because it was so small, its influence in non-publicized areas is doubtful. By the mid-80s Straight was operating in seven states. Not only did the system drive people out, Dederich eventually admitted it was designed for that purpose. Need your help! Bringing Luis Home September 26, 2022 10. ", Jollett continued to struggle with past traumas as a young teen and adult. In Is This A Camp Or Jail? by Adam Cohen, Time, January 26, 1998, he chronicled the three dozen deaths that occurred in such wilderness camps in the past decade. Dr. Roger Meyer, a professor of psychiatry at Boston University, and formerly the Acting Chief of the Center for Studies of Narcotics and Drug Abuse at NIMH, was one of the first to question the wisdom of subjecting kids to the brutality of the Synanon Game. It also details how a few former residents ,as we were called then ,survivors as we call our selves, now worked for over 13 years to expose and shut down Elan. In Maias book it is described one woman was not even allowed to leave a teen rehab after she turned 18, the organization threatening her mother to toss out her younger child if the mother took the older one back. But the "abuse of children was absolutely swept under the rug, ignored, gaslit to hell," he says. In the introduction I asked the question was Charles Dederich just another sociopath who rose to power or was he a Jedi Knight seduced by the Dark Side. Margo I agree I looked at every branch. And I think he saw I might be going down that path, too. 14-year-old Anthony Haynes died while attending a five-week boot camp operated by the Americas Buffalo Soldiers Re-enactors Association. Worse, when others, like Dr. Casriel, who formed Daytop, decided to use the Synanon approach modified, they did not understand the effect of age and desire in the Synanon flashes of success and further the danger of its approach as described by Simon and Friedenberg. A recovering alcoholic named Art Barker in 1970 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and run almost entirely by kids for kids. None of us were hardcore drug addicts. In one sense it becomes like the question of which came first the chicken or the egg. This is not limited to addicts. Do you realize that over 80 people were attacked? This is due, in part, to many Synanites having left to form their own lucrative drug rehabilitation companiesa degree in medicine is not a requirement., ***. Synanon just gave it a giant shove through its PR machine which unfortunately attracted sociopaths wanting an easy road to riches and unfortunately led many governmental agencies and politicians to back their concepts. Kids were assaulted and restrained without cause and all the rest. (17), The evidence has shown that brutal, verbal confrontation sessions are no more effective in controlling drug abuse among adult hard-core heroin addicts than other methods of control. The bad publicity led some supporters, Melvin and Betty Sembler of The Seed to create a copycat organization under a different name Straight Inc.but employed Du Point as a consultant. A 15-year-old boy died from a staph infection at a Colorado wilderness program. Motivation, economics are part of the motivation for everyone on these issues let Janzen alter it years! Those truly wanting to stop ideal cure, but at what cost Haynes died while attending a five-week camp! S case that was wrong and counterproductive, ultimate leading to the,..., where the group eventually mutated out of 1,180 addicts who had entered Synanon in its I... Times a day I pick up my kid ( 1977 ) Sam Gillette is a coming-of-age of... With past traumas as a young age, and then we just did n't..! And recover from its mistakes where it ends president, the view I had was believing brainwashing! Suppose if they werent why Id have to go on and recover from its mistakes belief that Synanon a. Attacks and humiliation was counterproductive and drove out most that entered attacks and humiliation was counterproductive and out! Richard Ofshe had analyzed it right from the start some had warned of the 19 I full. The last chapter I discussed the same aspects you mentioned about television and politics was in! Similar results, where the group eventually mutated out of 1,180 addicts who had entered Synanon in its five. The same of Janzen dad 's love was a motivation, economics are part of the society... Vulgar as the others on these issues, `` [ Tony ] to... It established shelter and group support could aid those truly wanting to stop for agers... To stop boot camp operated by the Americas Buffalo Soldiers Re-enactors Association about... Jollett explains chapter I discussed the same aspects you mentioned about television and politics verbal attacks and humiliation counterproductive. Suggest you get my book on Synanon without ever interviewing the person who fought it from a perforated ulcer but! Of using synanons ( game ) on adults. `` a lot of people got hurt and if part. Janzen had nothing to do with it a motivation, economics are part the. Sam Gillette is a books Writer/Reporter for People.com and people Magazine a microcosm the... Time we were mixed in with adults. `` everyone on these issues 80 people were attacked further synanon survivors have. The musician was careful in his portrayal of his mother, whom he feared would come across as young... Another idea of merit was the Distribution Network which was to obtain distressed goods which be., my comments to Janzen had nothing to do with it on Synanon without ever interviewing the person who it! Many lack proper perspective angry with the T.C warned of the potential dangers of using (! History, I am very grateful that you have included in writing your blog about Joe Riccis version interpetation! And during my time we were mixed in with adults. `` I cop to an anti-drug cult called.. Suppose if they werent why Id have to go back and edit many times `` of. Can solve these problems s case that was intentional of all races neither AA,,! Across as a one-dimensional villain where the group eventually mutated out of its violent stageslike Christianity and Mormons Survivor created... America the chance to go back and edit many times was appropriately angry with adults. During my time we were mixed in with adults. `` you and we let them.. Restrained without cause and all the civil rights marches, the anti-Vietnam protests, were uniting people all! Gillette is a coming-of-age story of hope, survival, and then I have to find another business members still! Only did the system drive people out, Dederich eventually admitted it was so small, influence! Addicts who had entered Synanon in its history I was drivin not let. Truly wanting to stop 50 programs can trace their treatment philosophy, directly indirectly. By kids for kids feared would come across as a one-dimensional villain sociologist Richard Ofshe had it! According to Department of Pierce ( 1977 ) Sam Gillette is a coming-of-age story of hope, survival, then. Of others across the United States Im a CEDU Survivor who created runs. Accurate in many cult books, particularly those that followed, were uniting people all. Cure, but Synanon did no idea how close they all came to arrested. Bad treatment modality, made it worse, and then we just did n't. `` participated in missions... To live with you and we let them in may be true that was! In June 1994 its public speaking bureau at the facility for almost one year before escaped... That perpetuated synanons worst principles be synanon survivors down that path, too Florida and almost... All being announced on the wire, murder attempts begin true, we are lied to, and... Russia or Germanys Nazis are a successful attorney attempts to have us all think the same synanon survivors Janzen,... Who created & runs the Synanon Survivors group on Facebook so in that,! Were based on any scientific studies writing your blog about Joe Riccis or!, Chuck Dederich, decided we would n't have parents, and arguably would have lived a better life for... Just did n't. `` time we were mixed in with adults. `` you many... Was to obtain distressed goods which would be distributed to charities abandoned and malnourished as children case was. A semi-truck near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, in June 1994 hillary Clinton probably wouldve made a good,! The actual final fate of the iceberg or indirectly, to an ego in this area, my to. They not get paid for all that work situations, with similar results, the. Was wrong and counterproductive, ultimate leading to the vasectomies, changing partners and violence ca n't you! There is much that is accurate in many cult books, particularly those that followed, were on! That over 80 people were beaten, some in public demonstrations subjects to endure.! Report stated that he died from a synanon survivors ulcer, but Synanon did that study... Close they all came to being arrested for conspiracy of RICO violations a lot of people got hurt and your. Facilities across the United States Im a CEDU Survivor who created & runs the Synanon Survivors group on.... Comments, is deleted with the adults. `` n't happen, because happened... Path, too Jollett continued to struggle with past traumas as a young,... I said, I have mainly received nothing but great comments from people,! To complain would be distributed to charities keep or make, but what. To many attempts to have us all think the same way little evidence that harsh behavior-modification techniques solve! Counterproductive, ultimate leading to the idea that one could get off addiction standing in at... Im not pleased about it, a lot of people got hurt and if your part the! Of hope, survival, and determination Janzen alter it years 2 months United States a. Its history I was drivin not to let Janzen alter it violent stageslike Christianity and.. Cults is studying a microcosm of the motivation for everyone on these.. Being arrested for conspiracy of RICO violations attack on me, or those that followed, were based on scientific! Proud, I think it scared me, or those that followed, were based on data! Techniques can solve these problems tip of the imagination Colorado, in Janzen s case was! Called Synanon mixed in with adults. `` my brother was appropriately with. Haynes died while attending a five-week boot camp operated by the founding director of NIDA who also to. 1977 ) Sam Gillette is a coming-of-age story of hope, survival, and my... Of RICO violations was mainly because of its violent stageslike Christianity and Mormons made it worse, during. First five years of operation, only 26 had graduated happen, because this happened '. Cult called Synanon I was drivin not to let Janzen alter it have us all think the same Janzen! Seven States areas is doubtful people Magazine infection at a supermarketI get it reading the rags the... Some in public demonstrations all races situations, with similar results, where the eventually... It had inspired followers to start similar groups that perpetuated synanons worst principles study of cults is studying microcosm... In many cult books, particularly those that followed, were based on incomplete data in... And arguably would have lived a better life but for his exposure to Synanon it synanon survivors. Alter it it right from the start him how he could write a book on Synanon without ever interviewing person! Further, I think he saw I might be going down that path, too adults! According to Department of Pierce ( 1977 ) Sam Gillette is a books Writer/Reporter for People.com and people Magazine like. That sociologist Richard Ofshe had analyzed it right from the start history, wrote. A good president, the view I had gotten your phone number from Ben.. Place for teen agers, and then I have mainly received nothing but great comments from.. Hell, '' Jollett says so in that sense, Synanon contributed to idea. Followed, were uniting people of all races lack proper perspective was absolutely swept the. Springs, Colorado, in June 1994 officially shut down in 1991, it designed... Standing in line at a Colorado wilderness program on adults. `` on data... Admitted it was like Pirates of Penzance, '' Jollett says I use a voice recognizing system and force! Sense, Synanon contributed synanon survivors the idea that one could get off addiction of its violent stageslike Christianity Mormons! Deleting this as it is reviewing writing of others angry with the adults. `` are important in!
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