Reader Marti Heath was one of the main agitators who shut down the Sarasota, FL branch of Straight, Incorporated (click here for an introduction to the Straight, Inc. fiasco). He sends along a transcript of an interview he conducted with Gary Polland, director of the Florida Holocaust Musuem, where current Ambassador to Italy and Straight, Incorporated founder Mel Sembler sits on the board of directors. Here are a few excerpts:

Polland: I don’t believe that it [Straight, Inc.] was as bad as that group makes it out to be. If you all need to be angry at someone, you should be angry at your parents for putting you in there.”

Heath: Am I to understand then that you believe that Mel Sembler should hold no responsbility for anything that happened in Straight, and that it is the parents’ fault?

Polland: Yes. I don’t believe that the kids ended up any worse when they got out. And their parents did have the freedom to put their kids in there or not. So they should accept the responsibility for what happened instead of targeting the Semblers. There was choice and freedom on the parents’ part.

Heath: If the parents were lied to, and even once they turned 18, children were held against their will, then you’re mistaken about “choice.”

Polland: Well, I don’t have any proof that all the abuse is true.

Heath: You can find all the documented proof located at www.thestraights.com.

Polland: I don’t need to look at that.

Heath: So, you’re not interested as a member of the Holocaust Musuem in even determining whether these acts took place?’

Polland: Fine. If I get time, Ill look it over.

Heath: Do you not find it ironic that Sembler is on the board of a holocaust musuem given his program’s horrific past?

Polland: Again, I think the people to focus on and blame are the parents who put them in there. What is it you want?

Heath: We would like you look at less controversial options for Sembler’s place on the board.

Polland: Well, I know all about your group. We answer to other people, like our board of directors.

Heath: Thank you for your time.

This entry was posted on Saturday, December 7th, 2002 at 10:47 am by Radley Balko and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.