TAKING RESPONSIBILITY

To the editor:

I am not surprised by the letter on June 14, Learn to take
responsibility. I agree with David Laird that he was on staff while I
was client in Straight and at one point he was also a client. In fact,
he has omitted his full role.

While in the "program" I was called on to give a confession by Mr.
Laird. I was giving a confession about being molested when I was 13
years old. I was describing the incident in detail and was very upset.
Mr. Laird interrupted and stated: If you leave the program all you'll
be is "gay," is that what you want? He continued, calling me a number
of other unprintable names and making unprintable statements, and then
he asked the group to confront me. He called on male and female
clients to continue this confrontation for several minutes and in the
same manner.

Why would Mr. Laird act this way? Because while a teenager in the
program, Mr. Laird was taught to treat the clients this way. Mr. Laird
was treated in this manner and in fact, worse while a client in the
Straight program. I witnessed the mistreatment of him.

While a staff member, Mr. Laird had no degree in counseling. His only
qualification to be a staff person was the fact that he graduated from
the program.

But I can understand Mr. Laird. I, too, was a staff member at Straight
and had no college degree. Why? Because after 17 months of being in
the Straight program and being beaten, sexually abused, and hardly
fed, I was convinced by them (i.e. staff, Mr. Laird) that I deserved
this treatment and that it was for my own good and that I should also
treat others this way because they need it too so they could get
"straight." Understand, I had no drug problem before being falsely
imprisoned at Straight. My life was good!

I worked hard for eight years and closed Straight because I do take
responsibility, not only for my own actions but also for those of
others. I used my own time and money to eliminate the Straight fraud
and child abuse centers. I am proud of my work.

I am not surprised that when I spoke of something in a personal nature
about myself that Mr. Laird would choose to attack me personally. It
is just the training he received while on staff.

RICHARD BRADBURY
Tampa