Amway charges exorbitantly to scuttle complaints

Shyam

I observe that the unmasked 'Amway' Squealer, Mr. David J. Steadson, has again abandoned his intellectually-feeble sophistry, in favour of his transparent and puerile provocation tactics. Despite what he now steadfastly pretends to be reality, what more pretentious name could any vile American racketeers seek to hide behind, than 'Amway' (a corruption of 'The American Way')?

However, the power of co-ordinated devious techniques of social and psychological persuasion variously described as: 'neuro-linguistic programming', 'covert hypnosis', 'group pressure', 'thought reform', 'ego-destruction', 'mind control', 'brainwashing', 'coercive behaviour modification', 'love bombing', etc., is truly frightening. Even when the minority core-victims of pernicious (blame-the-victim) closed-market swindles (arbitrarily defined by their perpetrators as 'MLM Business Opportunities') cease their unpaid recruitment activities and face the awful reality that they were being deceived and exploited, almost without exception, they unconsciously continue to describe their experience using the arbitrary 'commercial' terminology which was constantly drilled into their minds. Indeed, I have only encountered one former core-'Amway' adherent who (by reading extensively about the cult phenomenon) was able fully to comprehend that (at a time of emotional and financial vulnerability), she was targeted by a pernicious cultic group that employed well-known techniques designed to fulfil the hidden criminal objectives of its leaders by provoking in its adherents an infantile total dependence on the group to the detriment of themselves and of their existing family, and/or other, relationships.

One of the questions which I am always asked about 'Amway'is: If tens of millions of people have been defrauded, how is it possible that virtually none have complained? In reality, each time 'Amway/Quixtar has been exposed by the US media, significant numbers of victims have tried to come forward, but virtually none have approached the police or the FBI. Even if they had, because of their use of 'commercial' terminology, they would have been immediately redirected to civil regulators at the FTC, but senior FTC officials (who in recent years have been de facto agents of the 'Amway/Quixtar' mob) have done (effectively) nothing, other than protect the racketeers whom they should have been protecting the American public from. In the end, determined American'Amway/Quixtar' victims have been obliged to try to take legal action themselves, but this has been like entering a minefield.

Before becoming de facto slaves of the billionaire bosses of the'Amway Quixtar' mob, individuals have been obliged to sign a Kafkaesque document arbitrarily defined as a 'Registration Agreement.' Hidden in this intimidating, and lengthy, nonsense was what was arbitrarily defined as an 'Arbitration Provision' (offered on a 'take-it-or-leave-it' basis which could not be negotiated). The so-called 'Arbitration Provision' itself incorporated 'Amway/Quixtar's' arbitrary 'Rules of Conduct' which gave the organization power unilaterally to modify the so-called 'Arbitration Provision' at anytime. Thus, rendering it effectively meaningless. Furthermore, 'Amway/Quixtar’s' so-called 'Arbitration Provision' itself obliged any signatory with an unresolved dispute, to pay significant sums of money to the organization, arbitrarily defined as 'Arbitration Fees' and 'Location Fees,' before what was arbitarily defined as the 'Arbitration and Hearing' could take place. These arbitrary charges totalled $18 000 for what was arbitrarily defined as a 'Three Day Trial,' but then, any 'decision' was itself arbitrary, because it rested entirely with the organization. Not only that, but the so-called 'Amway/Quixtar Arbitration Agreement' arbitrarily applied a two year limit to any claims brought by its signatories against the organization.

The intimidating nonsense arbitrarily defined as the'Amway/Quixtar Arbitration Agreement' is quite obviously designed to obstruct justice. As such, it is part of a pattern of major racketeering activity (as defined by the federal Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act). The Kafkaesque document has recently been declared invalid by a Californian court, but where are senior FBI agents who should have been investigating the 'Amway' mob decades ago.

David Brear (copyright 2010)