From a family in Australia: "This group cons young people into devoting their lives to a worthless cause. They prevent family contact--a normal political party does not prevent families from interacting with its members."
Parents from several countries who have sons or daughters trapped in the LaRouche sect prepared statements to be read at the international forum that was held in Berlin, Oct. 17, 2008, to raise public consciousness about the dangers posed by the sect. This was the first time that parents of LaRouche recruits have ever joined together to make their voices heard, although most chose to participate anonymously out of fear that the sect would retaliate by ordering their loved ones to break off all contact with them.
From the parents of a German LaRouche follower: "Members are placed in a situation of credulity and dependence, which we would not have thought possible in our son, and which rules out an independent life. A member 'in service' comes across to others as a robot rattling off prescribed slogans."
Statement by Jeremiah Duggan's mother: "If they [the LaRouchians] have the well-being of their members in mind [they should] welcome transparency and be most eager to thoroughly examine any practices that may be harmful to the lives of their members. Instead...they threaten legal action, conduct smear campaigns and attempt to intimidate the Press in an attempt to shut down open debate..."
"Ada Waterford" about her son: "At around the same time as he came into contact with the LaRouche organization my son had suffered a major traumatic event...I believe that he was recruited by the LaRouche organization at this time. Shortly after...he started to talk about all sorts of conspiracy theories...I started to make attempts to talk to him about his involvement with [the LaRouchians]. These attempts were met with anger and an almost hysterical response as to why couldn't I understand that these people were saving civilization from destruction."
Collective statement by French parents: "A few weeks after they met LaRouche Youth Movement members in the street or nearby campuses, we were all stricken by the dramatic changes in our children's behavior...[They] have abandoned their studies or their jobs, some before the age of eighteen. They have absolutely no income. And...they are obviously isolated from society."
Statement by a French family: "In a couple of weeks after our son's recruitment, we realized the dramatic changes in his personality and in our relations. During discussions we had with him, we hardly recognized him. Abruptly, he rejected everything which characterized him before encountering this movement...He abandoned all the activities he had before, to fulfill, on a full-time basis, the recruitment and fund-raising activities...on behalf of Mr. LaRouche."
From a family in Australia: "This group cons young people into devoting their lives to a worthless cause. They prevent family contact--a normal political party does not prevent families from interacting with its members."