Dederich became an AA favorite speaker and went to an AA meeting every day. He was saved from meningitis in the l940s by the discovery of penicillin. Ofshe, Richard. It is claimed that Dederich, after taking LSD,[7] (Dave Mitchell, The Light on Synanon). The police told Synanon the kids were coming with them; the only question was how? According to court records, the cult formed a militant branch, known as the "Imperial Marines," to inflict violence against opponents of the organization. Its a feeling of closeness to each other we are after, the death of the ego. He feared that Marines otherwise would have to work with untrained and undisciplined . It can also make dangerous criminals out of good people, also subject to it. Dederich bought and sold real estate. Then it went to war. Casriel went on to found Day Top in New York and thus came the birth of modern day drug rehabs (Casriel, So Fair a House). Dederich was arrested while drunk on December 2, 1978. 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. The group is featured in the 2021 book Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by American linguist Amanda Montell. The medical board was to establish rules for Synanon but never did. [22] During this practice, members were encouraged to be critical of everything, using harsh and profane language. Morantz and Synanon locked horns for 8 years. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Recovering alcoholic Charles 'Chuck' Dederich founded Synanon in 1958 to provide substance abuse reform to drug users as well as alcoholics in Santa Monica, California. All thought the experience was beautiful. Sternberg, David. 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. Synanon expanded an old Trans-Pacific Marconi RCA radio station in Tomales Bay now Marconi Conference Center State Historical Park. Information from former members of the cult quickly identified two of Synanons Imperial Marines as suspects in the snake-attack. Dederich placed them in a 72 hour game (stew) and harangued them for not seeing his vision. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. : todayilearned Disoriented by lack of sleep, each was moved to the point of intense disillusionment. Synanon would possess its own fleet of trucks and automobiles, hundreds of motorcycles, a mini-armada of 21 boats, a squadron of ten airplanes and its own airstrip. (Dederich, The Graduate Question). The result was implantation of a common bond and sense of ideals, all identified with Synanon. [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. So did Synanon member Steve Simon in his Harvard dissertation (the danger of being a participant observer is that you may be converted). The 1984 TV movie Attack on Fear, directed by Mel Damski, written by T.S. Correcting Claire Clarks Recovery Revolution, Book Escape: My Life Long War Against Cults. ", Los Angeles police officer Richard Grotsley holds the rattlesnake that bit attorney Paul Morantz. The main character discusses a drug rehabilitation cult "The Church of Niebor," which is based on Synanon.[46]. He was found passed out on a kitchen floor and was told, "Fatso," if you . Because there was no hierarchy in The Game, members could freely criticize Synanon's highest leadership, who would then take member concerns into consideration when deciding policy. Legal problems continued, despite this change. Dederich officially declared it a Holy War. (Dederich letter to Mike Garrett, Synanon Holy War file, 1978 Board minutes of SynanonJady Dederich, Morantz vs Synanon, IRS vs. Synanon. ; [14] (Tony Lang, Synanon, Morantz archives on Synanon). So, Lance Kenton and Joe Musico thought up this plan, and they went and found a rattlesnake," Aron said. On June 13, 1977 it was decided that the Imperial Marines would help teach doctors martial arts. Finally, during the third stage, members both worked and lived outside of the community, but still attended regular meetings. The cult required mandatory abortions and vasectomies for its members, and married couples would accept new partners selected by Synanon every three years. Soon, Synanon owned properties across America; at Tomales Bay, it had a fleet of ships, and at the Badger property hundreds of motorbikes and trucks, not to mention an airstrip and a private plane. A hoop-a-la began (Synanons dance). George Orwells l984 had arrived early. Ultimately, it purchased an arsenal of high-powered weapons, developed its own security force and in an isolated concealed valley across its airfield called Depot Flats, it set up camp to train the Imperial Marines. Childbirth said Dederich, was no more important than squeezing out a football. 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. He decided to move to Santa Monica and become a beach bum. 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. Dederich declared when he moved to The Home Place in Badger he did not want ex dope fiends around him (Gerstel, Paradise Inc.). Yes, it is all true. (Dederich tape: The Freebies are Over; Arizona vs. Home Place Inc., Morantz archives on Synanon. Newcomers were first interviewed by Synanon leadership to gain entrance into the community. But it was something much deadlier - the rattlesnake lashed out too quickly for Morantz to react, and its fangs sank into his wrist. IMPERIAL MARINES, AND DOPE FIENDS by George Pendle, Cabinet Magazine, Winter 2012-2013 . Escape From Cielo Drive (A Tale of Three Charlies) 0 December 26, 2010. 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). (Tony Lang, Synanon). It will produce a new breed of human beings with greatly expanded potentials. As a condition of probation, he was disallowed from taking part in managing Synanon. In the 1970s, two men were run off the road near one of their properties. 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. 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]. That is the end of that lawyer. The squares were pushed to confess their prior loneliness and despair. Synanons ultimate biggest critic was Dederich himself. This included taking vengeance against. 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. [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. [20], Entrance into the Synanon community required a strong initial commitment. Neighbors complained fearing Synanon would unleash non-recovered addicts into Santa Monica who came from other areas. Cook, an account of the journalists who exposed the abuses; it starred Paul Michael Glaser, Linda Kelsey, and Barbara Babcock. Their armed security was known as the Imperial Marines. There was The Witching Hour which featured a Ouija Board to be operated by Witches, two women in black and white robes. [5] Outside of The Game, members were required to act civilly to each other. Men were given forced vasectomies, and a few pregnant women were forced to have abortions. Yes, it saved my life and I do not regret being there. During the second stage, members worked outside of the community but still resided within the community. Outsiders were permitted to attend the "Synanon Game" there as well. Synanon members were instructed in writing to physically harm others, take responsibility for it and never reveal Synanons involvement. 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. According to Department of Justice records, Dederich discussed the possibility of Morantzs assassination with Synanon Imperial Marines leader Doug Robson. 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. It left a droopy eye and a facial tick. Dederich and his wife sat on thrones and often wore robs. [40] The CEDU model was widely influential on the development of parent-choice, private-pay residential programs. During the first stage, members did community and housekeeping labor. The New York psychiatrist Daniel Casriel M.D. That is a very satisfactory, humane way of transmitting information. "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. Sitting in comfortable green armchairs, they made the dope fiends tell their tales of drugs, rape, crime and beatings. 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? [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. 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. (Dave Mitchell, Light on Synanon; Dave Gerstel, Paradise Inc.; Marin County crime report on Cardineau beating.). California donated a block long building in San Francisco. Babies were taken from the parents and raised in the Hatchery. Mothers who wanted to see their kids too much were called head suckers. Children were reared communally in the Synanon School where eventually they wrote essays on Dederich telling everyone what to do, Syndo (karate) changing partners, childliness, and fighting the Holy War. (Casriel, So Fair a House, Yablonski, The Tunnel Back: Guy Endore, Synanon; Charles Dederich tapes on history of Synanon; Dederich, Childiness; Time Magazine l977). He married, but drinking ended it. Morantz was bitten and hospitalized for 11 days. The founder, Charles Dederich, a recovering alcoholic. Originally a nonviolent group, Diedrich created the "Imperial Marines" to maintain orderwithin and outside of the community. [34][35] Dederich died on 28 February 1997, at age 83, after a series of strokes; the cause of death was cardiorespiratory failure. In 1974 Synanon declared itself a religion and centered on middle-class searching for utopia rather than addict curing. 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 . Dig Deeper Listen: The American Rehab podcast series Read: Reveal's reporting on All Work, No Pay. Children were often recruited from the Synaon schools and trained in military techniques with the growing stockpile of munitions Dederich had purchased. [14], During its first decade, Synanon members entered into a 12-year program in three stages aimed at preparing members to reenter greater society. Most of his remaining time he was segregated in Synanon, as the foundation tried to revert back to early images and goals. Dederich declared they were better than the world and through his experimentation Synanon would lead the human race into the 21st Century. 40 years ago, Synanon, a cult with a violent past, moved into Havasu. 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. "By July and August, I realized what Id stepped into, but it was too late to get out of it.. 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 [citation needed]. 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.. By then Synanon's assets, including real estate, ten aircraft, 400 cars, trucks and motorcycles, totaled around $33 million. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. 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). Their last hope. (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. Unsurprisingly, abused kids began running away, helped by an 'underground railroad', led by neighboring rancher Alvin Gambonini, who tried to reunite them with their parents. "One big dysfunctional family: A former member of the Synanon cult recalls the 'alternative lifestyle' that shaped her, for better and worse". put my Synanon evidence books on the kitchen counter", when he noticed "something dark and elongated through the grill of my mail chute". "But it wasn't too long before I knew it was true," Morantz says. At eight a.m. Monday hand in hand the Trippers went down the corridor toward the sounds of band music. A third defendant, Synanon founder Charles Dederich, earlier was put on . He aimed to ensnare patients to remain in Synanon forever, and create a utopian society of his own design. (Deposition of Charles Dederich, Morantz vs. Dederich; Morantz vs. Synanon, IRS vs. 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. You can get killed Dead. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. (Yablonski, The Tunnel Back: Guy Endore, Synanon; Charles Dederich tapes on history of Synanon). ", Private Investigator Jack Harding said: "They reminded me of a young Gestapo group.". Synanon is mentioned in Joan Didion's 1979 essay The White Album. 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. Beatings of opponents, alleged thieves and ex-members ( splittees) occurred across the country. Synanon Holy War file memos on beating). Males were forced in games to have vasectomies performed by Synanon doctors, and a few pregnant women were even required to have an abortion. On September 21, 2008, the Marines tried to murder ex-member Phil Ritter. Many young teenagers who got too close to Synanon property were beaten brutally by Synanon mobs. In 1977, a group of Synanon thugs pistol-whipped a truck driver who had cut off their vehicle on a highway. Its members believed in Synanon enemies and encroachment of spies, created their own words (synanese), sought isolation from outside contaminants and committed to its destiny. 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. 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