In response to these accusations, Dederich declared in l974 that Synanon was a tax exempt religious organization, the Church of Synanon. A memo declaring it a religion asked a question that didnt need to be answered: Who will be God? (Gerstel, Paradise Inc.; Morantz vs. Synanon, IRS vs. Synanon) Dederich declared no more children (1976) as they take time away from Synanon goals. Paul Morantz, an American attorney and investigative journalist has written substantially about the cult - as he delves into brainwashing cases for victims. Through a telehone call to Paul Morantz by the Marin County council, the Supervisors requested Morantz lobby to defeat the bill which was in its last committee for vote. Dederich called it an insight producing experience. "It's kind of like saying you can't go to therapy," Nolan told reporters outside the courtroom. (Tony Lang, Synanon, Morantz archives on Synanon). The main character discusses a drug rehabilitation cult "The Church of Niebor," which is based on Synanon.[46]. (Mitchell, the Light on Synanon). Now in a ballroom the Trippers were surrounded by hundreds of cheering, clapping Synanites. Synanon is a US-founded social organization created by Charles E. "Chuck" Dederich Sr. in 1958 in Santa Monica, California, United States. [22] The Game served not only as Synanon's most prominent form of therapy and personal change, but also worked as a way for leaders to collect the opinions of community members. In l977 in Santa Monica, Synanon took in a woman in a pre-psychotic break, and would not return her to her husband and transferred her to Tomales Bay. But there was a catch: new members had to transfer their assets to the organization. Dederich declared they were better than the world and through his experimentation Synanon would lead the human race into the 21st Century. (IRS v. Synanon; Morantz vs. Synanon; Winn vs. Synanon; Renfroe vs. Golden State). Paul Morantz got the court order giving Ms. White custody, but Synanon refused to turn them over. Dederich was arrested for operating in Santa Monica without a health license and out of zone. Drug users started coming, and the alcoholics objected, and since there was already AA Dederich tossed out the drunks and kept the dope fiends. A members sluring the words symposium and seminar led to name Synanon. This article is about the organization. As a result of its poor conduct, Santa Monica surrendered and Synanon became untouchable. Everyone was to cop-out (confess to past sins). Synanon wanted the kids to try to keep their tax free status and placed them in a militaristic Punk Squad (forerunner of Scared Straight and other failed camp programs). There was The Witching Hour which featured a Ouija Board to be operated by Witches, two women in black and white robes. Aids returned with smut obtained from the un-brokens spouses to use. Fighting to stay awake, defenses wiped away, the unbroken broke and asked for forgiveness. More than 80 people had been attacked by Synanon, Morantz said. Some cried for their mothers. (Time Magazine, Dec, 1977). [22] During this practice, members were encouraged to be critical of everything, using harsh and profane language. While his associates went to jail, Dederich avoided imprisonment by pleading no contest to conspiracy to commit murder, agreeing as part of probation to formally step down as Chairman of Synanon and agreed to have nothing to do with running Synanon. September 21, 1978 ex-member Phil Ritter, was severely beaten by two members, causing him to fall into a coma for a week. Mitchell developed a deep throat in the Sheriff department, Art Disterheft. Children who had been assigned to Synanon began running away, and an "underground railroad" had been created in the area that sought to help them return to their parents. Synanon is purported[by whom?] As these juveniles did not want to be there, Synanon methods failed. "He was beaten, he was hit in the head and then socked in the stomach.". He had outsmarted Synanon and its team of lawyers. Skip to content It's Time for Morning Meeting Sharing our Synanon Stories Menu About Stories Contact Kids Places Faces Philosophy The End Early Days Work Play 'imperial marines 1978' Leave a Reply Cancel reply Yes, it is all true. The imprisonment made Dederich a public martyr. Some Trippers began to hallucinate, Dederich having achieved his LSD replicated altered state of consciousness. Copyright Paul Morantz. (Tony Lang, Synanon, Morantz archives on Synanon). The Department of Justice in the 80s, hiring Morantz and sociologist Richard Offshe as consultants, sued Synanon to remove its tax-free status retroactively for committing a reign of terrorism. The snake bit Morantz but did not kill him. He was found passed out on a kitchen floor and was told, Fatso, if you do not go to Alcoholic Anonymous you will die. (Dr. Dan Casriel, So Fair a House, Yablonski, The Tunnel Back: Guy Endore, Synanon; Charles Dederich tapes on history of Synanon.). Those who went to jail for Synanon were treated as heroes. The games turned on one than another. "Synanon House A Consideration for Its Implications on American Correction". A Shepherd led them through candle-lit and incense-burning corridors to a locker room filled with rows of Army cots with name cards. AN ULTRA-violent cult brainwashed addicts into shaving their heads, and enforced mass sterilizations in "Gestapo-like" demands. They also beat a neighboring rancher, Gamboninni, who was helping children run away from Synanon and return to their parents (Light on Synanon; Dave Gerstel, Paradise Inc.; Marin County crime report on Gambinini beating, Synanon memos describing incident. Synanon struggled to survive without its leader but with a severely tarnished reputation. The Marin County Supervisors, including Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein did not want to take a public position against Synanon as it was a constituent. The cult required mandatory abortions and vasectomies for its members, and married couples would accept new partners selected by Synanon every three years. And Synanon, which is to say Dederich, was not happy about being made to look foolish. Juveniles in the 70s were often sent to Synanon by juvenile agencies or by courts on juvenile officers recommendation. In 1977, a group of Synanon thugs pistol-whipped a truck driver who had cut off their vehicle on a highway. Her daughter died in Synanon and the husband split. To recruit needed non addict club members, Dederich created The Trip, forerunner of Werner Erhards est training, which was a combination of group psychotherapy, coercive persuasion, mysticism and old fashion spiritual revival. All such notions Dederich declared were also a squeeze to get rotten fruit out of Synanon (those who will not obey). (IRS vs. Synanon). For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, In 1975-Oakland, CA- more than 500 women from Synanon communities throughout California shaved their heads, Members of Synanon have their head shaved in 1969, Synanon, poster: Richard Conte (cigarette left), Edmond O'Brien (top head), Alex Cord (arm outstretched), Stella Stevens (bare shoulder), Eartha Kitt (bottom right), 1965, Synanon founder Charles Dederich was arrested in Arizona on a California warrant charging suspicion of conspiracy and solicitation to commit murder in the rattlesnake attack of a Los Angles lawyer, The name was chosen when a member slurred the words 'Symposium' and 'Seminar', explains, Members of Synanon at the North Beach branch have a party to celebrate the 1,000 live-in member, April 4, 1968. spread throughout California, and Synanon became a counter-culture community by 1964. more than 1,300 members - resulting in a healthy bank balance, as its assets totaled about $33 million. For the film, see, Synanon's influence in the behavior-modification field. (Robert Jay Lifton, Coercive Persuasion, the Psychology of Totalism). And there was no way that its leader was going to share any of that with the taxman. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Sternberg, David. to have been involved in several criminal activities, such as the disappearance of Rose Lena Cole in late 1972, or early 1973. After several inquiries into their practices and financial holdings, Board of Directors passed declaration which made Synanon . Click to reveal Escape From Cielo Drive (A Tale of Three Charlies) The strange tale of Charlies Manson, Charles Watson and the suggested unknown forewarnings of an eventual murder attempt on my life through similar circumstance. Escape From Cielo Drive (A Tale of Three Charlies) 0 December 26, 2010. In 1974 Synanon declared itself a religion and centered on middle-class searching for utopia rather than addict curing. Returning to. Synanon, is the first ever self helpno doctors drug rehabilitation program, founded by Charles Chuck Dederich Sr. (19131997) in 1958 in Santa Monica, California. So, Lance Kenton and Joe Musico thought up this plan, and they went and found a rattlesnake," Aron said. Their last hope. Synanon is a US-founded social organization created by Charles E. "Chuck" Dederich Sr. in 1958 in Santa Monica, California, United States. [clarification needed] Synanon moved to create schooling for members, and Dederich wanted members to mentally change in order to improve society on the outside. The Synanon organization also developed a business that sold promotional items. ( Dederich tapes on Synanon history; Tony Lang, Synanon, Guy Endore, Synanon, Gerstel Paradise, Inc). Dederich refused all suggestions. We will make the rules. In October 1977, attorney Paul Morantz was embroiled in a civil suit against the cult when he was introduced to Synanon's violent side the so-called Synanon Imperial Marines. You may change your value system, notions about life and viewpoints about people. On June 13, 1977 it was decided that the Imperial Marines would help teach doctors martial arts. He had been litigating against the organization, getting children returned to their families, giving information to the media, lobbying against a Synanon bill and fighting to expose its hit squad to law enforcement. Eartha Kitt, right, giving dancing lessons, donated the proceeds from her classes to the Synanon House, aving an abortion is like squeezing a boil, nothing more. The name was chosen when a member slurred the words "Symposium" and "Seminar." One of its early cardinal rules was "no violence" or threat of same. Joe Musico proposed to the Board that at its June 26 meeting it reconsider the idea of an additional Synanon National Guard and place him in charge of training it. A hoop-a-la began (Synanons dance). Yes, it saved my life and I do not regret being there. A Grand Jury in Marin County, pushed by Paul Morantz, issued a scathing report in March of 1978 attacking Synanon for its child abuse and for the profits that flowed to Dederich, weapons, threat and also attacking authorities for their lack of oversight. Synanon was also developing a paramilitary organization that included two police forces (the Imperial Marines and the National Guard). [41], Father William B. O'Brien, the founder of New York's Daytop Village, included Synanon's group encounters and confrontational approach in his research into addiction treatment methods. Professionals, even those without drug addictions, were eagerly invited to join, provided they transferred their assets to the organization. [25] Initially Synanon did not support violence; Dederich later changed the rules to allow for violence in order to maintain control. Morantz and Synanon locked horns for 8 years. In 1974 Synanon declared itself a religion and centered on middle-class searching for utopia rather than addict curing. As the alcoholics had not wanted change, neither did they. that the Synanon group was running an unauthorized medical clinic. [7] It has been called one of the "most dangerous and violent cults America had ever seen. Episode 22 of Mannix depicts Synanon members involved with a fictitious 1945 Daily Clarion bombing that killed 14 men. synanon imperial marines. It is also referred to in the song "Opening Doors" from Stephen Sondheim's musical Merrily We Roll Along, which mentions it as a hypothetical song title in a satirical revue of the 1960s. Yes! He was saved from meningitis in the l940s by the discovery of penicillin. The medical board was to establish rules for Synanon but never did. [12] In not too long of a time, Synanon commenced training the Imperial Marines in Depot Flats in the Badger Mountains and then attacked over 40 people (some attacks were before Marines trainedDederich, New Religious Posture, Dont Fuck with Synanon. During the first stage, members did community and housekeeping labor. A big shot would advise the Trippers they were not really chosen as an honor, but each was really selected because each was a resister, thinking he or she knew better the direction Synanon should go, part of the dummies that hold Synanon back. Maybe, Dederich said, one day we will just put dingbats like you against the wall and wash them off and bring them back into the human race. (Tony Lang, Synanon, Morantz archives on Synanon). These are real threats", he snarled. (Gerstel, Paradise, Inc.). Montell's father was a member as a child and spoke freely to Amanda about his experience in Synanon. The Grand Jury report also rebuked the governmental authorities involved for their lack of oversight, although it stopped short of directly interceding in the Synanon situation. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. [9] This included taking vengeance against. Synanons purchase of over $200,000 dollars of weapons from a single gun store also brought media attention. Members were taught that if caught on a violent mission to go to jail and to not blame Synanon. Teachers, lawyers, doctors, police, politicians, all got hooked, many forming an allegiance previously not matched in their lives to the group and trainers that trained them. Ex-Synanon members heard from members inside Synanon, that they had Morantzs address and that he was next, While Morantz was meeting with the California terrorist unit and LAPDID (intelligence) for protection on October 10, 2008, Synanon Marines Joe Musico and Lance Kenton, son of band leader Stan Kenton, as part of conspiracy with Dederich and other top officials, placed a 4-foot rattle snake sans rattles in Morantzs mailbox. At its Aug. 12 meeting, the Tulare County Planning Commission approved a final site plan for the Sequoia Resort, which will house 67 vacation rental units on a 71-acre property formerly owned by Synanon, a drug rehabilitation turned religious cult that operated a commune on the . Founder of Synanon House for drug addicts Charles Dederich, Chuck Dederich stands by his new wife, Ginny, at Synanon branch in Marshall, California, Founder of Synanon House for drug addicts Charles Dederich (centre) and staff members during rehabilitation session, Drug addicts at Synanon House for rehabilitation, Donald Trump announces enhanced counter-narcotics crackdown on drug cartels amid the coronavirus crisis, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Disoriented by lack of sleep, each was moved to the point of intense disillusionment. The Conductor made it clear this was the resisters last chance. Marino said: "I thought they were going to kill us.". Children were often recruited from the Synaon schools and trained in military techniques with the growing stockpile of munitions Dederich had purchased. "The Social Development of the Synanon Cult". At age 12 his mother remarried and Dederich went on a jealous rage turning to drinking and rebel rousing. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. It is currently active in Germany. put my Synanon evidence books on the kitchen counter", when he noticed "something dark and elongated through the grill of my mail chute". Synanon, is the first ever self help-no doctors- drug rehabilitation program, founded by Charles "Chuck" Dederich Sr. (1913-1997) in 1958 in Santa Monica, California. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. In 1959, Synanon moved from their small storefront to an abandoned armory on the beach. Synanon began as a two-year residential program, but Dederich soon concluded that its members could never graduate, because a full recovery was impossible. In the 1970s, two men were run off the road near one of their properties. At age 8 his youngest brother died of influenza and Dederich felt guilty and responsible. That is the end of that lawyer. [5] The group ultimately became a cult called the Church of Synanon in the 1970s. Increasingly-wacko Dederich also created his own "Imperial Marines," while hundreds of his cult followers were ordered to get vasectomies and divorces! The Imperial Marines was Synanon's private fighting force, trained inside the organization and heavily armed. Was he an unreconstructed, imperial colonial racist who had the worst possible views on, not just people of color, but people who were not aristocrats? Men were given forced vasectomies, and a few pregnant women were forced to have abortions. He was passed out when he was arrested for the assault and attempted murder of Paul Morantz. A . You can get killed dead, literally deadthese are real threats, he snarls. Beginning in the mid-1970s, women in Synanon were required to shave their heads, and married couples were made to break up and take new partners. [40] The CEDU model was widely influential on the development of parent-choice, private-pay residential programs. Beatings of Synanon's opponents and its ex-members, "splittees", occurred across California. He gathered his own following in AA and after a time of meetings at apartments, they rented a small store in seedy Venice. On Oct. 10, 1978, Morantz was bitten by a rattlesnake left in his Pacific Palisades home mailbox by two members of the Synanon Imperial Marines. Some believe Bettys Death unleashed Dederichs fury. Its ultimate doom came when Dederich and members tried to kill by means of a de-rattled rattlesnake in the mailbox, Pacific Palisades lawyer Paul Morantz who was battling Synanon in the court and trying to expose the Foundation for criminal conspiracies. Bombs, he would say in l978 to news reporter Connie Chung (CBS NEWS l978), could go off in homes of critics (Deposition of Dederich, Synanon vs. Time, Inc.; Synanon vs. ABC). He existed on a $35 unemployment check and charity from others. Convicted, rather than move as condition of probation he chose to go to jail. Morantz had successfully brought suit on behalf of a woman abducted by Synanon, winning a $300,000 judgment, obtained release of children, gave information to the press and lobbied (defeating) another Synanon bill written by Herschel Rosenthal. Dederich is credited with coining the phrase Today is the First Day of the Rest of Your Life. (Casriel, So Fair a House, Yablonski, The Tunnel Back: Guy Endore, Synanon; Charles Dederich tapes on history of Synanon). All three minors were then returned to Ms. White. Control over members occurred through the Synanon Game. The Game could be considered a therapeutic tool, likened to group therapy; or a social control, in which members humiliated one another and encouraged the exposure of ones innermost weaknesses, or both. Members were brainwashed, tortured mentally and barred from leaving the communityescaped members were subject to beatings. Then it went to war. (Tony Lang, Synanon). (Yablonski, The Tunnel Back: Guy Endore, Synanon; Charles Dederich tapes on history of Synanon). [14][22], The game turned into a 72-hour version and was admitted by Dederich to be brainwashing. Synanon Imperial Marines. "Synanon: Toward Building a Humanistic Organization". Many young teenagers who got too close to Synanon property were beaten brutally by Synanon mobs. Dederich preached Act as If which meant do not try to reason as to what Synanon asks they do; as thinking got them there, just trust what they were told and act as if it is right. (Robson letters, crime reports, Synanon memos on each event, Synanon Holy War file, Depostions of ex-Synanon member, Morantz vs. Synanon; IRS vs. Synanon). The group said that was a lie, and denied kids were being held prisoner. On October 10, 1978, Morantz was bitten by a rattlesnake which had been placed in his Pacific Palisades home mailbox by two members of the Synanon Imperial Marines, Lance Kenton and Joe Musico. The original name was The Tender Loving Care Club. View our online Press Pack. Brainwashing is powerful enough to cure drug addiction while members remain subject to it. (Dave Mitchell, The Light on Synanon; Gerstel, Paradise Inc.: Letter from Dederich to Mike Garrett. Before the incident, Synanon investigator Chris Reynolds wrote a memo on Morantz, giving his home address to Synanon legal department. He would never bond with kids again, including his own until they became adults. [47] Throughout the series, one of the show's hosts, Brace Belden, talks about his childhood experience in a correctional, co-ed private facility called the Monarch School, which has been closed due to allegations of widespread abuse under the watch of its founder, Patrick McKenna, a Synanon disciple. Ron Eidson, after a road skirmish, and refusing Dr. Robsons demand for apology, was pistol whipped and hospitalized while shotguns were held on his watching family. But he nearly lost his life as a result of his investigation into Synanon. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. When one woman successfully fled and managed to get a lawyer to aid her legal case against the organization, that lawyer found himself the victim of a rattlesnake that had been placed in . Monetary donations came in from the rich and Hollywood, as guys like Robert Wagner, Leonard Nimoy and Ben Gazzra came to Synanon to play the game with ex-addicts and ex-hookers. XHTML: You can use these tags:

. After litigation over the tax assessment, which in the end it could not pay, Synanon doors finally closed for good in 1991. Morantz did and the bill was defeated by one vote. Your IP: He received an. At 7 p.m. on Friday the chosen Trippers, around 50 in number, of all ages, were met in the Del Mar lobby by people dressed in long white robes and yellow silk scarves. Dan Garrett ordered a kidnapping and then changed the order to beating the person on the spot. Synanon leaders and members have been linked with a large number of beatings and other acts of physical violence, and some have been convicted. [42], The author, journalist and activist Maia Szalavitz claims to chart the influence of Synanon in other programs including Phoenix House, Straight, Incorporated and Boot Camps in addition to those mentioned above. Mr. Dederich even kept an elite squad of enforcers that he called the Imperial Marines. This became a successful enterprise that for a time generated roughly $10 million per year.[13]. (Marin Grand Jury Report on Synanon l978). He volunteered for a Dr. Keith Ditman LSD experiment and felt he had a cathartic break through and now understood the world and that good and bad were the same. Abused Children assigned to Synanon began running away, helped by an underground railroad, led by neighboring rancher Alvin Gambonini, who sought to return them to their parents. [7][32][33] This incident, along with the press coverage, prompted an investigation by the police and government into Synanon. As a condition of probation, he was disallowed from taking part in managing Synanon. When all were exhausted Dederich returned and offered forgiveness for surrender. The organization developed a business that sold promotional items, a successful enterprise that eventually generated roughly $10 million per year of revenue. 'I want you to take these two, I want that one's legs broken, I want this one's legs broken, and I want you to shove him into the back of his car, and run it off the pier'. Inside were Synanon members and Imperial Marines Joe Musico and Lance Kenton, and they were held on suspicion of involvement in the rattlesnake attack. By BRANDON MESSICK Bmessick@havasunews.com Dec 9, 2018 Updated Aug 21, 2022 2 Stay Informed.. Morantz had prepared for that. Later the flies (Dederich trained youngsters) took over the attack. In lessons, children were taught how to fight the Holy War" to defend their leader. Deborah Swisher, a former Synanon member, recounts her experiences growing up in several Synanon communes in her one-woman show Hundreds of Sisters and One Big Brother.[45]. Synanon claimed it had cured thousands but by 1967 Dederich turned the organization into a "lifestyle" by recruiting non-addicts ("Squares") and building cities in Marin County, then Tulare County and eventually Lake Havasu. Remain forever and they could build a Utopian world designed by Dederich. Legal problems continued, despite this change. Synanon is referred to in Bob Dylan's song "Lenny Bruce", from his album Shot of Love (Bruce "never made it to Synanon"). 40 years ago, Synanon, a cult with a violent past, moved into Havasu. He and his family were represented by Paul Morantz and Ed Martin in a civil suit. For a shower, a hose ran through a window (Casriel, So Fair a House, Yablonski, The Tunnel Back: Guy Endore, Synanon; Charles Dederich tapes on history of Synanon). It became the format of destructive cults. [7] A state Grand Jury in Marin County issued a scathing report in 1978 that attacked Synanon for the very strong evidence of its child abuse, and also for the monetary profits that flowed to Dederich. Dederich appeared at a press conference and declared the city had fallen into the hands of Mad Dogs and Synanon would sue them all. The program was based on testimony of fellow group members about their tribulations and urges of relapsing, and their journeys to recovery. Despite the Trip conversion success, the old-timers, the Retired Dope Fiends, aka The Walking Dead, remained a problem. [20], Entrance into the Synanon community required a strong initial commitment. Though many San Francisco area newspapers and broadcasters covered the Synanon case, they were largely silenced by legal action from Synanon's lawyers[citation needed], who made claims of libel. Knowing away from the environment people were using, he closed the doors in l967 and ended the idea anyone should ever leave. The psychotic leader of Synanon, Charles Dederich, features in a new series of Oxygens Deadly Cults which examines how this tyrant wielded so much deadly power over his many besotted followers. [36], Synanon struggled to survive without its leader, and also with a severely tarnished reputation. [26] Over 80 violent acts were committed, including mass beatings that hospitalized teenagers and ranchers who were beaten in front of their families. According to Department of Justice records, Dederich discussed the possibility of Morantzs assassination with Synanon Imperial Marines leader Doug Robson. Hollywood Park: A Memoir, by Mikel Jollett (founder of The Airborne Toxic Event) was published in May 2020 and describes Jollett's life in, and escape from Synanon. It left a droopy eye and a facial tick. Synanon fought and lost the action on summary judgment based on their own admissions in their internal records. He is known for taking legal cases alleging brainwashing by cults, self-help groups and for sexual misconduct by psychotherapists. [12], One of the most distinguishing practices of the Synanon community was a therapeutic practice commonly referred to as "The Game." Physically Dead. Morantzs name was mentioned in the tape along with threats to get the wives and children of adverse lawyers. Correcting Claire Clarks Recovery Revolution, Book Escape: My Life Long War Against Cults. Daniel Gumbiner refers to this cult in his National Book Award-longlisted, The Boatbuilder. Synanon A Los Angeles lawyer is attacked by a poisonous rattlesnake leading police to a bizarre cult veiled as a drug and alcohol rehab facility. Crying, Trippers embraced, feeling euphoria and transcending love. It can also make dangerous criminals out of good people, also subject to it. At eight a.m. Monday hand in hand the Trippers went down the corridor toward the sounds of band music. Did Synanon save my life? The couple claimed that the wife had been held captive by Synanon and that during her stay, leaders at Synanon had attempted to brainwash her. The Internal Revenue Service revoked the organization's tax-exempt status and ordered them to pay $17 million in back taxes. The Story of This Drug Rehab-Turned-Violent Cult Is Wild, Wild Country-Caliber Bizarre . Aids, who did their homework, provided ammunition to the Conductors on each Tripper. It even invited professionals including non-addicts to join. Some laughed, others howled and sobbed. But it was something much deadlier - the rattlesnake lashed out too quickly for Morantz to react, and its fangs sank into his wrist. All Rights Reserved. All thought the experience was beautiful. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. (Robert J. Lifton, Coercive Persuasion, The Psychology of Totalism; Dr. Edgar Friedman, The Nation 1965, a review of Yablonskis the Tunnel back The author fails to see the inhumanity he observesSynanon is a trade of one addiction for another..one day there will be a Synanon state of Mind more important than the club itself). ), On March 20, 1978, a former member of Synanon, Tom Cardineau was severely beaten (for being an alleged spy) while tied to a post during his honeymoon when he took his bride to show her where he had once lived on the Walker Creek Ranch. (Dederich, Act as If). In 1962 Dederich moved to an empty National Guard building on the beach in Santa Monica. He is considered an expert on these subjects. (Gerstel, Paradise Inc.) Beginning in 1974 the authorities began to question Synanons promises and practices. Synanon was a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center and movement-turned-cult in California that existed from 1958 to 1991. Males were forced in games to have vasectomies performed by Synanon doctors, and a few pregnant women were even required to have an abortion. [14] The practice has been charactized as a form of attack therapy. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Philip K. Dick makes several references to Synanon in his 1977 novel A Scanner Darkly and 1981 novel VALIS. In another terrifying experience, a former junkie wanted to visit the cult, but he took a personal security man, Jack Harding, in case things turned nasty. Violence was then permitted upon them, breaking for first time Synanons non violent rule. Children were struck across the face, knocked down, otherwise punished and then gamed. Soon the OK on violence would spread to splitees, suspected thieves and perceived spies and enemies. The Marines were led by Dr. Douglas Robson who would eventually flee in fear of arrest and set up practice in Seattle. The Guides, all experienced game players, turned each group from enthusiasm to a depression and defeat, wallowing in its collective shame. Start the ball rolling by posting a comment on this article! A Los Angeles District Attorney search warrant led to a discovery of an audio tape wherein Dederich bragged of beatings that had occurred, the Imperial Marine training, and said one day the message would be delivered to everyone Dont mess with Synanon. (People vs. Dederich, Synanon memos on incident). [21] After Synanon's transition into an alternate society in 1968, this program changed to a "lifetime rehabilitation" program, with the premise that drug addicts would never truly be well enough to return to society. Such acts comprised the bulk of a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation by Dave Mitchell, of the Point Reyes Light weekly newspaper. The name was chosen when a member slurred the words Symposium and Seminar. One of its early cardinal rules was no violence or threat of same. (West Magazine, l967, Morantz archives on Synanon) Subsequently, Synanon acquired a large industrial building in Oakland, California, transforming it into a residential facility for its members, outsiders were permitted to attend the Game there as well. Eventually followers took on the paranoia of its founder, Synanon developed the Imperial Marines and commenced a Holy War against its enemies. The 1984 TV movie Attack on Fear, directed by Mel Damski, written by T.S. So did Synanon member Steve Simon in his Harvard dissertation (the danger of being a participant observer is that you may be converted). They are draining lifes blood from us and expecting us to play by their silly rules. Synanon organized groups called the "Imperial Marines" and the "National Guard," and called for "Holy War" against its enemies. I really do want an ear in a glass of alcohol on my desk.[3]. by | May 25, 2022 | why does kelly wearstler wear a brace | diy nacho cheese dispenser | May 25, 2022 | why does kelly wearstler wear a brace | diy nacho cheese dispenser [14] Dederich was familiar with Waldens Pond and the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson and B. F. Skinner. Dederich concluded in l967 that the program was not a success, and ended the concept of graduation. Without continued peer pressure, most ex-addicts reverted on leaving, as did the Korean prisoners of War (giving up Communism) in 90-days. Several weeks later, October 10, 1978, two Synanon members placed a de-rattled rattlesnake in the mailbox of attorney Paul Morantz in Pacific Palisades, California. This included taking vengeance against former Synanon members. Outsiders were permitted to attend the "Synanon Game" there as well. Paul Robert Morantz (born August 16, 1945) is an American attorney and investigative journalist. He feared that Marines otherwise would have to work with untrained and undisciplined . (Berkeley Gazette l978, Mitchell, Light on Synanon). Both were members of Synanon's 'Imperial Marines,' a security group within the drug and alcohol rehabilition organization. According to court records, the group also formed a militant branch, known as the "Imperial Marines," to inflict violence against opponents of the organization - including former Synanon members. The Associate Press did a study of Synanons efforts to discourage the press (AP Study on Synanon Retraction Program). Dederich would elsewhere declare that if you kept people up long enough you can make them believe anything (Deposition of Charles Dederich, Morantz vs Synanon, Morantz archives on Synanon. He recalled: "Chuck Dederich walked in, and he said 'I'm tired of these guys coming in this place. . Men were given forced vasectomies, and a few pregnant women were forced to have abortions. "By July and August, I realized what Id stepped into, but it was too late to get out of it.. He decided to move to Santa Monica and become a beach bum. Synanon evicted by tossing people and belongings out of apartments (even off a roof). [14] Upon their arrival, those newcomers were forced to quit using drugs cold turkey, going through withdrawal for the first few days in the program. He was found passed out on a kitchen floor and was told, "Fatso," if you . 81.169.224.1 "Light to celebrate 25th anniversary of its Pulitzer", Marconi Conference Center State Historical Park, "The Story of This Drug Rehab-Turned-Violent Cult Is Wild, Wild Country-Caliber Bizarre", "A Violent, Deadly Cult With Forced Abortions and Shades of Scientology", The Cult That Spawned the Tough-Love Teen Industry, "The Man Who Fought the Synanon Cult and Won", "Synanon's Sober Utopia: How a Drug Rehab Program Became a Violent Cult", "Playing the Game: The Origins and Impact of Synanon", "The True History of Synanon Violence and How it Started", "The History of Synanon and Charles Dederich", "Charles Dederich, 83, Synanon Founder, Dies", "Synanon Founder Advocated Violence Against Opponents", "U.S. Indicts Nine From Synanon in Tax-Exemption Effort", "Ever unconventional, long controversial", "The Cult That Spawned the Tough-Love Teen Industry", "TrueAnon Presents: The Game -- First Episode drops September 26 on http://patreon.com/trueanonpod", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Synanon&oldid=1133004690, This page was last edited on 11 January 2023, at 20:24. The game took on each unbrokens dirty rotten story with great brutality. When they asked for friends they were hugged in mass. The "Game" was presented as a therapeutic tool, and likened to a form of group therapy; but it has been criticized as a form of a "social control", in which members humiliated one another and encouraged the exposure of one another's innermost weaknesses. Synanon began as an addiction support group that gathered in a grimy Californian flat in the late 1950s. They would adopt the Synanon family, said the board, or the fifth circle in Dantes hell, where tormented souls are terrorized and torn, awaited them. Synanon lawyer Howard Garfield ordered Marine head Dr. Douglas Robson to collect all Synanon memos describing their violence and transfer them to legal department so attorney client privilege would attach. It went from the first ever no doctor involved self help drug rehab (Synanon I), to a building of a new society in Synanon cities to lead the world into the 21st Century (Synanon II), to becoming a self-claimed religion (Synanon III). (Morantz archives on Synanon, People vs Dederich, IRS vs. Synanon). This included taking vengeance against former Synanon members. Synanon emphasized tough love and a cold turkey approach to rehabilitation for substance abusers. While he was in a rush one day, he arrived home, "put my Synanon evidence books on the kitchen counter", when he noticed "something dark and elongated through the grill of my mail chute". While his associates went to jail, Dederich received probation because his doctors claimed that due to ill health he would most likely die in prison. It was read on the Synanon wire while Dederich would bellow when will one of you have the guts to go to LA and do something about him, break his knees. They acted as "the punch" of the Imperial Starfleet. (IRS vs. Synanon) Before the attack on Morantz, Synanon had opened a new private corporation city in Lake Havasu which was a plan to send Synanon money to the private corporation and then into the hands of Synanon leaders through salaries. "One big dysfunctional family: A former member of the Synanon cult recalls the 'alternative lifestyle' that shaped her, for better and worse". Yet the Imperial Marines were named officially Her Majestys Imperial Marines, and she was often at their training and spoke of a militant Synanon (Wendell Stamps Imperial Marine diary). [15], Control over members occurred through the "Game". In the 1970s, two men were run off the road near one of their properties. Vile Dederich declared that, "having an abortion is like squeezing a boil, nothing more.". People originally inspired by their CEDU experience developed or strongly influenced a significant number of the schools in the therapeutic boarding school industry. These changes led Synanon to its then certain fate. IMPERIAL MARINES, AND DOPE FIENDS by George Pendle, Cabinet Magazine, Winter 2012-2013 . By 1991 the community had essentially folded. By the late 1970s, he'd formed a small army called the Imperial Marines, which committed dozens of heinous crimes, like mass beatings against defectors, whom Dederich called "splittees." The school attracted lawyers, screenwriters, and business executives, all wanting to educate their children in a progressive environment. He flunked out of Notre Dame for lack of effort and worked for the Mellon family. Synanon is a word of his own invention integrating togetherness (syn) with the unknown (anon). One, Richard Marino, said they were handcuffed and beaten, and their heads were shaved. Morantz said: I had my first case in court involving them in June 1977. In 1974 Synanon declared itself a religion and centered on middle-class searching for utopia rather than addict curing. Synanons ultimate biggest critic was Dederich himself. It was first offered to the selected few as an honor, but the entire population was eventually targeted. The snake did bite Attorney Paul Morantz, but he survived and went on to prosecute Synanon, as well as Church of Scientology, Hare Krishnas, and more. (Synanon Holy War file, Robson letters, IRS vs. Synanon). Curing dope fiends was what they wanted. Believed trespassers were taken into the basements of Santa Monica Del Mar building and worked over on directions of Dr. Robson. decided to create his own program to respond to their needs. Two members of a Synanon security force known as the "Imperial Marines," Lance Kenton and. Yes. The group attracted thousands of drug addicts and eventually accepted juvenile delinquents who were ordered by the courts to receive Synanon's services - for a fee of course. Other journalists who took on Synanon were LA Times reporter Narda Zuchinno and CBSs Connie Chung. Originally a nonviolent group, Diedrich created the "Imperial Marines" to maintain orderwithin and outside of the community. The Point Reyes Light, a small-circulation weekly newspaper in Marin County, would later receive the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for their covering Synanon at a time when other news agencies avoided reporting. Finally, during the third stage, members both worked and lived outside of the community, but still attended regular meetings. Originally established as a drug rehabilitation program, by the early 1960s, Synanon became an alternative community centered on group truth-telling sessions that came to be known as the "Synanon Game," a form of attack therapy. Addicts behaviors and past lives were attacked viciously in games, members were told their lives depended on staying, contacts with family were prohibited, and a system of rewards and punishments was applied. (Tony Lang, Synanon, Morantz archives on Synanon). Synanon is mentioned in Joan Didion's 1979 essay The White Album. Several weeks after NBC began receiving threats, on October 10, 1978, two Synanon members placed a de-rattled rattlesnake in the mailbox of attorney Paul Morantz of Pacific Palisades, California. Aired: 06/14/2020 TV-14 | 2 years left Season 2 - Episodes 43:49 S2 - E1 Spiritual Warriors 43:49 (Synanon board minutesJady Dederich, Wendall Stamps Imperial Marine diary, People vs. Dederich, IRS vs, Synanon). In this chapter: After building a small fortune, Synanon's megalomaniac leader turns the revolutionary rehab into a violent cult, with mass sterilization, a paramilitary group and a rattlesnake in a mailbox. Robson wrote back the mission was accomplished (Garfield-Robson letters). Synanon members were instructed in writing to physically harm others, take responsibility for it and never reveal Synanons involvement. Professionals, even those without drug addictions, were invited to join Synanon. Cole had received a court order to enroll in Synanon before she disappeared. They weren't welcomed. The new drug rehabs that came afterwards followed the advice of Dr. Dan Casriel who wrote the first book on Synanon. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Dederich also created an armed wing within Synanon called the Imperial Marines, and ordered those within the unit to prevent any of the residents from leaving. I am quite willing to break some lawyer's legs, and next break his wife's legs, and threaten to cut their child's arm off. Local authorities refused to investigate after the Gran Jury report issued and this caught the attention of Dave Mitchell who ran a small weekly, The Point Reyes Light. Mitchell found the report rejection was led by Sheriff Lou Montanos who turned out to have been nominated for Sherriff with Synanon help and who had given gun permits to Dederich and second in command Dan Garrett. Synanon Holy War file memos on beating). imperial marines 1978 - It's Time for Morning Meeting Sharing our Synanon Stories Visit the post for more. The two other Synanon Imperial Marines, one of whom was Lance Kenton, son of musician Stan Kenton, pleaded no contest to charges of assault and conspiracy to commit murder. Though local newspapers and broadcast media covered the case, they were largely silenced by lawsuits from Synanon lawyers charging libel. Following its broadcast, executives of the network and its corporate chairman received hundreds of threats from Synanon members and supporters, including letters that said, Your actions place you in legal and physical peril and We are going to teach you a lesson you will never forget.. By then Synanon's assets, including real estate, ten aircraft, 400 cars, trucks and motorcycles, totaled around $33 million. Imperial Marines were shock troopers that primarily served on Imperial-class Star Destroyers as defence provided by the Stormtrooper Corps. Baby among 6 festival-goers sliced to death by glass-encrusted kite strings, BBC1's live FA Cup coverage hit by porn noises from mobile hidden by prankster, Three major energy suppliers paying you to turn off appliances tonight, Putin to make very important announcement on Ukraine war today', News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Synanon disbanded in 1991[6] due to members being convicted of criminal activities (including attempted murder) and retroactive loss of its tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) due to financial misdeeds, destruction of evidence, and terrorism. (Reynolds memo, People vs. Dederich; IRS vs. Synanon). Several of the famous jazz musicians credited with cure returned to drugs. If you do your best, you cant fail. (Tony Lang, Synanon, Morantz archives on Synanon). While in The Game, members criticized each other, but left as friends and supportive community members. That is a very satisfactory, humane way of transmitting information. Dederich bought and sold real estate. Through dissipation, or long hours of activity without very much sleep, we hope to bring about in you a conscious state of inebriation we want to get you loaded without acid. Journal of Humanistic Psychology 18.3 (1978): 320. (Robson) suggested blowing me away with a shotgun, Morantz said. Learn: American Rehab resources Morantz's website says that babies were taken from their parents and raised in the so-called hatchery., Moms who wanted to spend time with their own kids were callously dubbed head suckers.. Hang Tough and Dederich pulled on everyone to stay, promising that a great future would emerge. When members kicked and their shakes disappeared many were told their problems were they still loved their mothers and were given suggested mates for holding power. California donated a block long building in San Francisco. Let your ego golet things happen to you. The Trippers, many of whom had been awake for 65 or more hours, were hugged and cheered. It was alleged[by whom?] Dederich and his wife sat on thrones and often wore robs. With its sudden fame, by early 1964 Synanon had also become an alternative community, attracting people with its emphasis on living a self-examined life, as aided by group truth-telling sessions known as the Synanon Game. With its new wealth, they started building its first city in Marin County (Tomales Bay). Morantz was bitten and hospitalized for 11 days. She has not been seen or heard from since. You will learn more about yourself, your fellow man, the world, the nature of reality in one weekend than you would in four years. They played the game in which anyone was allowed to say anything, true or not, to someone to cause an effect. These lawsuits ultimately turned out to be a large part of Synanon's undoing, by giving journalists access to Synanon's own internal documents. During the second stage, members worked outside of the community but still resided within the community. [19] Robert Altman hired members of Synanon to be extras for the gambling scenes in his movie California Split. Children were reared communally in the Synanon School. A reference point for the rest of your life. CEDU's schools used the confrontation model of Synanon. The game was a session during which one member would talk about themselves and then endure intense criticism by their peers. The former compound of a notorious cult in the foothills of northeastern Tulare County will soon be vacation rentals. [citation needed]. ), he cut himself off from society, and instead of sending rehabilitated junkies back into the world, they were to stay in Synanon forever. Containment was instituted, which meant no contact with the outside world. Ten years after its founding,. The Imperial Marines was Synanon's private fighting force, trained inside the organization and heavily armed. Synanon was allowed to have members kick addiction cold turkey without drugs. [5] Outside of The Game, members were required to act civilly to each other. Remarkably, the authorities refused to intercede. Ofshe, Richard. Much of the violence by Synanon had been carried out by a group within Synanon called the "Imperial Marines". Given its growing popularity, it began to spread throughout California, and Synanon became a counter-culture community by 1964. Dederich became an AA favorite speaker and went to an AA meeting every day. The result was implantation of a common bond and sense of ideals, all identified with Synanon. Synanon became a Third sector within United States borders, seeking to have its Embassy in Washington, D.C. He had been trying to get his child out of the cult, and had gone to the authorities complaining of forced vasectomies in Synanon. Dederich designed an efficient program of individual emotional breakdowns followed by a mass group euphoria all designed to re-educate individuals into the Synanon II philosophy and lifestyle. Their armed security was known as the Imperial Marines. [16] The Foundation had the wire, an internal broadcasting system that played 24 hours with repeated talk of getting the enemies. Dederich was arrested while drunk on December 2, 1978. Morantz spent six days in a hospital, news of which made national headlines. One just had to surrender to Synanon. The name was chosen when a member slurred the words 'Symposium' and 'Seminar', explains Paul Morantz, an expert on the cult. The city claimed it owned the beach front and rather than take the issue to court it sent police officers and bulldozers across the sand knocking down cabanas and paved courts. Members were to confess in games and no secrets were allowed. Later on, Synanon acquired a large building that had been the home of the Athens Athletic Club, in Oakland, California, and then transformed it into a residential facility for Synanon's members. Mitchell had tried to warn authorities, without success, that Synanon was going to try to kill Morantz. The Imperial Marines had caught and caged rattlesnakes in training (Wendall Stamps, Imperial Marine diary) and the snake was from Visalia (expert testimony, People vs. Dederich). Publicly one was berated (haircut) for misdeeds and this was designed to carom off and affect behavior of those watching. Social scientists flocked to see for themselves, while Hollywood came out with the film Synanon in 1965, starring Edmond O'Brien as Charles and Eartha Kitt as Betty. Plus, control freak Dederich wanted even more power. As a rule, Synanon wasn't a violent place while my dad was there, but over time, Dederich grew crueler and more deranged. The broken joined the attack. The husband hired attorney Paul Morantz, who had recently finished a case against persons who had kidnapped skid row alcoholics and kept them on thorazine in nursing homes in order to bill the State. It no longer obeyed zoning rules, sympathetic donations reheated and Synanon soon became Santa Monicas largest land owner. Synanon instituted containment which was disallowing contact with outsiders. [7], Dederich eventually changed his way of thinking about Synanon and transformed it into something resembling a human progressive group. that on remote properties in California such as at Marshall in Marin County and in Badger, Tulare County, Synanon had erected buildings without the legally-required permits, had created a trash dump, and built an airstrip. In June of l978 Ernestine White, a black grandmother was trying to get her three grand kids out. (Deposition of Paul Morantz, Morantz vs. Synanon; People vs. Dederich; IRS vs. Synanon. It is currently active in Germany. (Mitchell, Light on Synanon. It was just weeks after Morantz had won a $300,000 judgment against Synanon, a shady drug rehab facility that opened in Santa Monica in 1958. he rattlesnake lashed out too quickly for Morantz to react, and its fangs sank into his wrist. ; The concept of lifetime rehabilitation did not agree with therapeutic norms, and eventually in l977 attorney Paul Morantz would bring to the Health Depts attention that the group was running an unauthorized medical clinic and taking in people with medical needs Synanon had no license to treat. Childbirth said Dederich, was no more important than squeezing out a football. Eventually, on September 21, 2008 the Marines tried to murder ex-member Phil Ritter, who was trying to get his child out and had gone to the authorities complaining of forced vasectomies in Synanon, by clubbing him over the head (Berkely Gazette September 1978; Mitchell, the Light on Synanon). Its a feeling of closeness to each other we are after, the death of the ego. LOS ANGELES -- Thirteen past and present members of Synanon, the controversial drug and alcohol rehabilitation organization, surrendered in court Tuesday on two secret indictments charging them. On remote properties in California such as Tomales Bay in Marin County and Badger, Tulare County, the organization had built un-permitted buildings, a trash dump, and an airstrip. Synanon claimed it had cured thousands but by 1967 Dederich turned the organization into a "lifestyle" by recruiting non-addicts ("Squares") and building cities in Marin County, then Tulare County and eventually Lake Havasu. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. This made him a public hero and Governor Edmund Brown, Sr. signed a save Synanon bill giving Synanon an exemption from Health licensing laws. [10][11] [citation needed]. I see nothing frightening about it I am quite willing to break some lawyers legs and next break his wifes legs and threaten to cut their childs arm off. (Casriel, So Fair a House, Yablonski, The Tunnel Back: Guy Endore, Synanon; Charles Dederich tapes on history of Synanon, Columbia Pictures: Synanon). That is a very satisfactory, humane way of transmitting information. According to court records, the cult formed a militant branch, known as the Imperial Marines, to inflict violence against opponents of the organization. The squares were pushed to confess their prior loneliness and despair. He remarried, but alcohol did in that marriage, too. Six weeks later, the Los Angeles Police Department performed a search of the ranch in Badger that found a recorded speech by Dederich in which he said, "We're not going to mess with the old-time, turn-the-other-cheek religious postures Our religious posture is: Don't mess with us. The Galactic Empire trained these stormtroopers to board rebel warships. Everyone bonded. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. The board would spell out Emerson messages on self-reliance, but self-reliance was interpreted as the ability to make choices and the best way to end loneliness and suffering was through trusting in Synanon. Beatings occurred in Synanon basements. Much of the violence by Synanon had been carried out by a group within Synanon called the "Imperial Marines". Before the snake in the mailbox, Dederich, to escape a warrant for his arrest in Washington, D.C. fled to Europe where he returned to alcohol drinking. prescription hub acorn centre accrington, 13 reasons why tony and clay kiss, jay morton workouts, how to remove front cover of lg window air conditioner, cyberpunk you can't save right now pc, housing authority of the city of tulsa, pulte north river ranch, allenby pit disaster, duke energy lineman salary north carolina, lochnagar nz route, carson hunter massena, ny, university avenue parking garage morgantown wv, finra rules on paying referral fees, timothy patrick quill obituary, does highway patrol have jurisdiction on city streets,

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