Recently, some of you readers noticed that I removed River of Joy’s series on “school” “experiments”. Your concern is duly noted, as “school” appears to be monitoring this blog and adopting a tactic of harassing those around me. The evolved institution’s legal arm sent a cease and desist letter demanding that those posts be removed.
Many cults use legal bullying to silence criticism; after all, anyone can file a lawsuit — the stated claims don’t have to be true to file. Scientology is famous for this tactic as outlined here:
https://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Scientology_and_the_legal_system.html
Last spring, I spoke with a couple who were sued by a cult named The Gentle Wind (I’m trying not to make fun of that name, The Gentle Wind). The cult lost. You can read about that case here:
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/wg_home/clinical/gwp
By the way, for a general compare and contrast between The Gentle Wind, and “School”, visit this couple’s website: http://www.windofchanges.org/index.html.
Is “school” following the lead of those larger, more successful cults? You have all had your own experiences of “school” and can come to your own conclusions based on those experiences.
Meanwhile, I have taken the “offending posts” down — for now — while I consult with various lawyers.
Stay tuned.
If you don’t know about SLAPP lawsuits, you should. SLAPP stands for strategic lawsuits (or litigation) against public participation. It’s a tool available to people who find that someone or something is suing them to keep them from speaking out. A SLAPP suit lets the person being targeted fight back and stop the initial suit(s). Massachusetts (http://www.lawlib.state.ma.us/subject/about/slapp.html) has a reasonably broad one. So, the barrier to filing and maintaining a lawsuit in a case like this might be higher than you realize.
Thank you for the info and the link, HDT! I will look into SLAPP.
Thank you so much for the update.
I know that there have been some legal actions taken by the “group” against former members who have “dared” to speak out against them.
I also know how difficult it has been for those people who are undergoing this harassment from the group (GSR included). I think it is really important for us all to support them in the courageous way that they have stood up against them for the benefit of all of us. They are standing up for all of us and not just those who have been hurt by “school”.
“Freedom means the supremacy of human rights everywhere. Our support goes to those who struggle to gain those rights or keep them. Our strength is our unity of purpose. To that high concept there can be no end save victory.”
—Franklin Delano Roosevelt
CarnationLilyLilyRose,
Thanks so much for your comment and your support. Yep, I am familiar with “school’s” evolved harassment through the court system. It’s so ironic, isn’t it? I once was so duped, so drunk, so swooned by this group, that I saw it, and the people running it, as somehow floating high above the fray … almost God-like … let’s just say the institution and the people in it have fallen off the pedestal and tumbled into the lowest crevices of society. More on that another time.
Dear Fred and Bob, Jeannine and Kathleen,
Almost 70 years ago, when I was born in Dallas, my maternal grandparents and most of the Truelock family members resided in Earth, Texas – a small farm community – naturally assuming they lived in a free country where everybody had certain human rights and freedoms.
If you’re free to examine your assumptions, or a few “School” perps and their assumptions, take a look at Q&A Cult Leaders, Dictators and Predators, on A little Survivor’s Handbook in progress, created and updated for current and former cult victims, trauma and abuse victims, incest and rape victims, around the world.
(Apparently, Alex and Sharon were both ignorant and unaware of the fact that abuse is a crime and crying shame – esp. rape – in every case, time and place, way, shape and form it takes.)
For a breath of fresh air, well-chosen analogy and Ancient Way to New Freedom, see Human Evolution and pages from Diffusion of Sufi Ideas in the West.
With love and best wishes,
Linda (and Sam)
The apple does not fall far from the tree:
For Immediate Release: February 5, 2009
Self-proclaimed Spiritual Advisor Convicted of Domestic Violence
Santa Rosa, CA (February 5, 2009) – District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced that Benjamin Anthony Horn, age 39, of Santa Rosa, was convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence on Wednesday, February 4, 2009. The jury deliberated for just over 2 hours before returning a guilty verdict on the lone count. Today, the Honorable Rene Chouteau sentenced Horn to serve 1 year in county jail with credit for time served, placed him on 3 years of formal supervised probation and referred him to Domestic Violence Court for monitoring and reviews.
The charges in this case arose out of an investigation which began when the victim arrived at the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Roseland substation on December 23, 2008. The victim told deputies that she previously had a romantic relationship with Horn, who was living in a barn on her property, and that he was currently acting as her spiritual advisor. She explained that on December 21, 2008, Horn used a pitchfork to “beat the evil” out of her. Horn repeatedly struck her with the pitchfork about the shoulders, hips and buttocks while she kneeled on the floor. He said she had been using her negative energies to attack him and he had to “correct” her. Before she came into the Sheriff’s substation, the defendant had threatened to beat her again. The victim had several large bruises on her shoulders, hips and buttocks.
On January 6, 2009, after the evidence was presented at a preliminary hearing, Sonoma County Court Judge Lawrence Antolini reduced the felony charge to a misdemeanor.
Deputy District Attorney Mark Urioste was the prosecutor assigned to the case.
Are you sure that’s Alex’s son? If it is, Jesus.
I conducted a web search and found this: http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/weird/Spiritual-Advisor-Sentenced-for-Pitchfork-Beating.html
According to Wikipedia, Horn does have a son named Benjamin.
It is Wikipedia, but for what it’s worth: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Horn
First, I extend a huge debt of thanks to Linda Jo and others who bravely tell your stories. I am deeply sorry for what you have gone through and happy to see you strong.
Now imagine with me….
Imagine having a permanently searchable database that exposes in plain sight the history of abuse, lying, fraud, mind control, forced abortions, slave labor, children given up to other couples, the NAMES of everyone involved in the madness that is School! A permanently searchable database that is a government court document. Whew! the mind boggles….
At best, people regard others who belong to cults as lonely, strange, bizarre. At worst, downright damaged and dangerous. Can you imagine the embarrassing fallout if the cultural and professional organizations, the client list, reputable publishers and colleagues learned about the teachers’ deep involvement in this group through a court case, especially one reported in The Globe? A “reputation manager’s” nightmare, the ugly truth.
What a powerful precedent the Gentle Wind case has set!! Good to know help is available from Harvard (Michael C’s alma mater, no? What a tasty bit in the Harvard Alumni news, no? Or right there in The Crimson.)
Depose Linda Jo. Depose the parents who gave up children, who had abortions. Get Rosie O in there for some celebrity sizzle. Depose everyone who was under this spell and had the sense to get the hell out.
These people hate exposure that they can’t control. Give it to them.
And hey, legal dogs, be sure to charge Robt Klein/Sharon Gans through the nose. Ream them new ones. They’ve got TONS of cash. Spare no expense. And send copies of the invoices to GSR. Maybe we’ll see them posted here 😉
No, Michael C. went to Brandeis and Carleton (undergrad). He lives in Harvard. Neil D. actually went to Harvard. There are also several people who are Admins at Harvard…
So happy to hear from you, Blade, and imagine . . .
having a permanently searchable database that exposes in plain sight the history of abuse, lying, fraud, mind control, forced abortions, slave labor, children given up to other couples, the NAMES of everyone involved in the madness that is School! A permanently searchable database that is a government court document. Whew! the mind boggles….
Depose Linda Jo. Depose the parents who gave up children, who had abortions. Get Rosie O in there for some celebrity sizzle. Depose everyone who was under this spell and had the sense to get the hell out.
These people hate exposure that they can’t control. Give it to them.
After coming forward on the esoteric freedom blog and matter-of-factly stating: “Alex Horn was a deadly predator and psychopathic con man, anger rapist, power rapist, sadistic rapist, serial rapist, and spiritual rapist,” many Gans-Horn/Klein cult victims, exiles and escapees contacted, informed, and advised me. For example:
On 9/9/2011
As you know warriors study their enemy carefully and plan accordingly, and are not rash. They have utter resolve but are patient and have an end game. Sometimes it is just an issue of outlasting the enemy. So what efforts will reap the most benefit? What is the minimum amount of time and money necessary to incite the adversary to make a fatal error? These are questions I have not dwelt upon because I have been quite busy rebuilding my life from scratch. But it looks like now is the time for me to entertain them.
Obviously for Sharon the loss of money, the loss of power, and being brought to court to testify under oath, or having others in her circle being subpoenaed to do the same, i.e., exposure is what she fears most. And remember that she is now 76 years old, so energy is an issue, especially given the drugs and booze she indulges in. I do feel that no matter what, a full-on attack from one direction is too obvious and self-defeating. A slow and steady barrage from several or many different directions will disorient her and her minions, and lawyers will be charging plenty of billable hours to protect her interests.
As for “re-traumatizing” people: time is a healer and that is no platitude. Obviously it depends on how introspective and reflective one is willing to be. There is no telling how people will respond. Everyone’s tolerance for self-knowledge and hence pain is different. Your contributions are raw and powerful, and while some will welcome their rawness and power, for others it would be too much. That is why it is good you a have a pop-up warning on your website for people who want to go only so far.
The adversary has the benefit of solidarity and organization while we — whoever that is at this point — do not. If you are the person that can be the center of a cause around which people can rally, that would be great. As I said, it is clear that you are a warrior. But are you a leader as well?
If I remember correctly, Alex Horn had 5 children with his first wife (Anne Burrage/Anne Haas), Maurice, Elaine, Matthew, Mary Ellen and Benjamin.
There is another son of Alex’s who is close to Sharon named Michael (Bowen) Horn who runs The Michael Chekhov Theater Company in NY.
http://www.chekhovtheatre.com/index.html
Interesting website. Ann Bowen is involved in this theater.
I have never been able to sort out who is who in this family, how many children Alex Horn actually had and how many wives (all named Ann?) Bowen, Haas and Burrage. Are they the same person?
@CarnationLilyLilyRose…This is interesting coming across this.
For anyone still interested…As noted above Alex had 5 children with Anne Burrage.
Know the family a bit, and that’s accurate as far as I know.