To whom it may concern:
LGATs and other controversial groups and movements often attempt to create unreasonable fear through some sort of legal threat made against criics.
But typically they are bluffing.
It is not in the best interest of a controversial group to provide a platform for a former participant's complaints to be made public, such as a court of law.
This leads to further exposure and could hurt the LGATs business. The press often picks up the story and then of course the whole matter becomes public record.
See the following examples of controversial groups that sued former members and/or the Ross Institute:
Gentle Wind Project
[
www.culteducation.com]
The accompanying publicity destroyed Gentle Wind in Maine. Maine's Attorney General shut the group down and liquidated its assets.
Landmark Education
[
www.culteducation.com]
Landmark, probably the largest and richest LGAT company in the world, dismissed its own lawsuit, rather than submit to discovery, which would then become public record.
The Church of Immortal Consciousness
[
www.culteducation.com]
Ended up being ordered to pay the costs of the defendants it sued.
Pure Bride Ministries
[
www.culteducation.com]
NXIVM
[
www.culteducation.com]
Now the defendant in a countersuit for $1 million dollars.
Two of the groups, Church of Immortal Consciousness and NXIVM, appealed their claims all the way to the US Supreme Court and lost.
None of these cases ever went to trial.
The Ross Insitute was defended by large law firms pro bono.
Other resources have also been helpful in such situations.
Public Citizen of Washington D.C. and the Birkman Center at Harvard University have helped former members and/or the Ross Institute.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has also weighed in on occasion, regarding groups like Landmark Education.
A federal judge in New Jersey ruled that the identity of message board users is confidential and protected.
Landmark Education attempted pierce this protection to discover the identities of users of this board, but completely failed. A federal judge made it clear that the LGAT company would never receive that information.
Just thought this information might be useful at this juncture, since Impact supporters have so aggresively attempted to subvert this thread.
Please don't be taken in by bluffs in an effort to silence crtitics. Legally, it's a failed strategy, at least at this message board.