In Reply to: Re: I disagree with this posted by Alan on September 10, 2003 at 01:32:56:
Alan:
I completely agree that, in the early years, there was a huge difference between what the Letters said and real life for, as you put it, rank and file Family members. I did not join until 1974, shortly before the King Arthur series came out, and I also remember an almost puritannical prohibition on any kind of romance, etc. On the babes' ranch in France I got into all kinds of trouble for falling for another babe, holding hands, a little kissing, etc. when they sent us out on a "graduation road trip" together. I, being a naive babe, did not try to hide these activities, and was quite surprised by the vehemence with which they were condemned. After all, we had read Revolutionary Sex, etc. etc. !
For me, this dichotomy continued. I witnessed FFing and sexual sharing, etc. However, I never personally knew of or witnessed or heard of any specific acts of adult/child sex, child abuse, etc. I am not denying the content of the Letters on these subjects was horrific. Somehow I managed to just shrug it off as "Dad is so revolutionary, he goes way overboard and to the extreme in order to pull us somewhere in the middle" and other blah blah excuses. This ability of mine to sweep things under the rug is something I am very UN-proud of and the biggest thing I have a hard time forgiving myself for.
But that's a whole 'nother subject.
- Laura