Originally, I believed there was nothing to be concerned about if Eureka allowed the controversial Teen Challenge organization to build its Wabash facility, on the condition that they begin with 10 beds instead of 50 and report to the City Council once or twice a year regarding any stressed neighbor issues. But after reading the “Former member talks about abusive ministry” letter in your June 26 edition, I’m having second thoughts.

Pardon me for continuing to refer to our long-lost Constitution, but doesn’t the 13th Amendment say something about U.S. citizens being protected from slavery and involuntary servitude, “except as a punishment for crime”? However, Michael Kincheloe states, “If you cannot make money for the (Teen Challenge) ministry, you are dumped at the bus station”? Nice.

It might be helpful to point out that this money-making business arrangement is the complete opposite of the well-managed Arcata and Multiple Assistance Center House transitional housing programs. Clients there are required to have a paying job or a steady Supplemental Security Income prior to moving in, and they save their money. Counseling is also mandatory and, along with participating in community activities, members are frequently encouraged to get involved in religious/spiritual programs of their choice.

In comparison, if Teen Challenge doesn’t permit its members to keep 90 percent or more of their earnings, and desires to force its neocon style of Christianity onto its participants — well, I’d have to say, as Michael explained, its administration is mostly in it for “the almighty dollar.”

The idea of “breaking” (basically, lowering a person’s self-esteem until they have to agree, or confusing them until they can’t comprehend right from wrong) members into conforming to the Teen Challenge agenda doesn’t sound all that great either. It’s too symptomatic of the world’s overly oppressive, out-of-control military-industrial complex.

And a police state, coupled with industrial domination of commerce and politics, doesn’t belong in any sustainable and just community, state or country. While thwarting democracy, the arrangement continues making our world violent and volatile. And who wants that?

One last point for the City Council: In Eureka and America, the majority is supposed to be in charge of law and regulation making, not only special interests. And particularly not only wealthy special interests who have acquired their money by, along with private donations, exploiting and manipulating indigents or the less fortunate into providing Teen Challenge’s financial stability.

Except for the amazingly wise for his age Councilmember Chris Kerrigan, y’all are walking a fine line here ethically. I mean, didn’t you take an oath to uphold the Constitution, and didn’t our supposed leader, “mission-accomplished” George, say he’s “spreading democracy” as he prolongs his barbaric Iraqi petro-war?

Kudos to Sue Brandenburg, Ann White and the many other concerned citizens for speaking out at the council meeting and looking into the legality of all this stressful stuff. Maybe there are other former Teen Challengers out there willing to write a letter to the editor?