Kashi spokespeople are clearly trying to sell something these days with their careful quotes. Not a product, just smoke and mirrors.
After the recent Conference on Cults in Orlando, Sita Ganga dismissed abuse stories from Kashi survivors, saying they're just "disgruntled and disillusioned with their own choices." This was their choice, she's saying; don't blame Ma.
But that same logic applies to anyone victimized by false ministers in any church. That tells Catholics it was their fault if they chose to trust that their priest was a true servant of God.
But are victims really to blame? For Rosanne Henry, Harry Brodie and me, Ma manipulated us into giving her our children along with our trust and our innocence.
Sure, we were naïve, overly trusting and made mistakes. But we were victims in my opinion of fraud, deceit, manipulation and abuse. No amount of smoke and mirrors excuses that.
In a guest column, Kashi's administrator, Krishnapriya, said categorically, "There have been no civil or criminal charges against Kashi" for 25 years.
It's true the Kashi cult itself hasn't yet been indicted. But Ma herself was convicted in 1983 on three counts of battery and one each of disorderly conduct and criminal mischief in connection with a fracas at an Albertsons supermarket in Stuart.
So when some local politicians proclaim Ma and Kashi are paragons of virtue, watch out for falling mirrors and for smoke clogging your lungs.
Richard Rosenkranz Sebastian
