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from This is the time people Monday, January 17, 2005 - 09:07 (Agree/Disagree?) How many times have we felt and said, there was nothing or very little that could be done? Please lets all take this oportunity to speak out in whatever country your in. I saw an interview of survivers(woman and children) from the red party who were kidnapped, displaced, brainwashed and abused by the facists in Franco's Spain. One lady said of the horrors "No body has asked before and it's been 60 yrs and this is the first time I have spoken to the press, the world remains ignorant still of these atrocities." (reply to this comment)

From pookins Tuesday, January 18, 2005, 05:46 (Agree/Disagree?) Yes. This is what I'm talking about. You have the power to raise the awareness about your problem to the public via the press. Once that happens, a lazy prosecutor will have to listen, and if your story takes on a life of its own in the media, you might even get a famous lawyer to take your case pro bono. If not, public awareness will give you the opportunity to set up a legal fund that people will contribute to, I would. Furthermore, media attention will make it more likely lost evidence will be found through their investigations. You are also semi-organized through this website, so use that organization, raise some money (say $20 per person here) and hire a public spokesman to help you. Heck, one may even volunteer! There is an old saying, God can help you move a mountain, but you better bring a shovel. You might feel that the fight might be overwhelming, and you might be right. But no one is going to do it for you. I know by contacting a producer of a talk show may be intimidating, and telling the public of your old wounds will be painful. I know it is easier to take the path of least resistance which would be to do nothing. But by taking the offensive you will cease to be the victim in this story. Once you stop being the victim, the real healing can begin instead of what you are doing now - just coping. Don't let TF intimidate you. The public at large knows their practices are aberrant, otherwise their membership would number more than 8-10 thousand. That leads me to another point. When I read in the LA Times article posted here: "Borowik, the group's spokeswoman, said the organization believed there had been seven suicides of members and former members in the last 30 years. Former members place the number at 31." Well let me tell you all this: Even if the TF figure was correct, and "only seven" of you took their lives, that is way way WAY over the US national average of suicides, and I suspect those of all the other industrialized countries. That figure in and of itself shows there is a real problem here. And it shows that the likelihood of another Rodriguez tragedy is great. It is your responsibility to go out and educate the public. There are people out there willing to help you, but you need to ask for it. Creating awareness is a good first step, and by doing it now you have a running head start. (reply to this comment)

from challenger Sunday, January 16, 2005 - 23:52 (Agree/Disagree?) Thank you for writing this nice articele. It is nice to know that the word is getting out, and a new audience is logging on. If anyone would like to start by tracking down (Zerby -Smith) He/She should do it fast before she leaves the country unless she is gone already. I do not know if I can file a general complaint, or maybe we all should file complants. (reply to this comment)

from melzar Sunday, January 16, 2005 - 14:03 (Agree/Disagree?) Couldn't someone simply file a formal complaint, along with evidence and newspaper articles at the local Police Department to track down Zerby? I'd try to do this, but am living in Austria right now. A good way for the authorities to then do that might be to question her parents who should be able to be contacted at: http://www.hometown.aol.com/elderhaven/page1.html (reply to this comment)