Bangkok: Dan Glavin’s Story Seems Fishy; Keep Exposing Laura Hoeppner

I just wanted to add an additional comment here.

Of all the people that are part of this story, Dan Glavin and Jessica Stirton are probably the least of ‘victims’ —– and I don’t see how they’ll gain much fame or sympathy trying to weave themselves into the ‘victimhood’ narrative.

Let’s examine their short story.

While reading Jessica Stirton’s first interview with Frank, I noticed that her only FACTUAL claim to victimhood is that she claims Shoemaker kissed her in public one time (while also admitting that she never told him ‘no’ and never pulled away or told him afterward that it was not okay to do that again).

Likewise, Dan Glavin never said or did anything —- after witnessing this alleged kiss.

Why did they both fail to do anything? Based on their own SELF-SERVING explanations, it was because they both would have been homeless if they said anything.

What the fuck? I call bullshit.

They both claim that they had nowhere else to go.

This was a COUPLE and BOTH OF THEM could have worked full-time, even while attending school, if necessary, to pay the rent for a cheap apartment —- just like millions of other poor people do every day in America.

They were not ‘helpless’ —- like they claim.

They were LAZY and enjoyed living cheaply at the compound.

Anyway, that single ‘public kiss’ is the only FACTUAL claim that Dan and Jessica have to victimhood here.

Let’s examine the rest of their story.

The rest of their story involves Shoemaker offering to let Jessica go to gemology school —— which she and Dan automatically ‘assume’ or ‘interpret’ (with no direct proof) that he intended to sexually abuse her in the future (sexually assault her without consent).

While it’s true that Shoemaker is no saint, there’s just no ‘facts’ to prove that offering her the chance to go to ‘gemology school’ is an act of planned sexual abuse —- mostly because Shoemaker had other women at the compound (that he never sexually assaulted) whom he also helped financially.

The act of sending her to gemology school, for the sole purpose of getting laid one day, seems a bit too extravagant of a theory —– since there are tons of local escorts more attractive than Stirton who can be hired INSTANTLY, for peanuts, instead of having to shell out tens of thousands of dollars on gemology school & living expenses, and then waiting months or years to maybe get laid one day. LOL.

The claim (by Dan) that his wife is ‘extremely attractive’ (and therefore Shoemaker could not have had any other motives in helping her) is a little speculative —- mostly because I don’t find Jessica Stirton to be more than mildly attractive, at least by Southern California standards.

I’m just not buying that story. It’s clear that Shoemaker has some type of business involving gemology and was looking to recruit loyal followers to aid him in that business.

Stirton had just graduated with a bachelor’s degree and was asking him for future guidance with her career —- so I don’t see the issue with him guiding her towards gemology school to eventually work for him one day, to aid in his gemology dealings.

Is it possible he hoped that she’d consent to having sex with him one day, as a secondary reason?

Sure, anything’s possible. But I seriously doubt that he’d shell out that kinda money, and wait months or years, for the SOLE purpose of MAYBE getting laid by a mildly attractive woman (this isn’t Miss Universe we’re talking about).

If that’s their story of victimhood, I don’t see how that plays out for much sympathy.

What I do see is this… Dan is hiding much of his activity from us while trying to downplay his role at the ashram.

In my own opinion, I’d say that their combined story is lacking in ‘victimhood’ elements —– while containing many more elements of culpability. Especially in light of the fact that Dan admits to basically being the ashram’s inhouse drug dealer for a while, among other things.

There were legit victims at the ashram who were taken advantage of for years —— but Dan Glavin and Jessica Stirton were not really victims IMO.

Have a good day.

Bangkok, your assessment is logical from an outsider’s perspective… as someone who has no firsthand knowledge of Shoemaker or the Movement Center. I was a member for more than a decade. I was gone before Dan arrived… so I don’t know Dan or his circumstances, but I do know Shoemaker and the Movement Center community and both the dynamics and the deceit that existed there. Dan’s account is completely believable to me.

Firstly, the only people who know about Shoemaker’s drug use are those he wants to know. Only a handful of very close committed students in the inner circle know. Certainly no “new student” would ever know. People there thirty years didn’t know. It is how Shoemaker was able to keep the group together as a going concern. Every new student came to the center hoping for something better and generally that meant opening up about what they have been dealing with and where they are coming from. You are encouraged to trust the group and particularly Shoemaker. “He is there to help you… that is his one goal… he needs nothing from you. Bla, bla, bla.” Everyone opens up about their past because they feel they are accepted and they can be helped. It is kind of like releasing a burden.

So it is very believable to me that Shoemaker saw an opportunity when he learned that Dan had an issue with drugs. The community is very insulated and Shoemaker has complete control of everything that goes (or went) on there. So Dan didn’t orchestrate anything. He was manipulated. Also, you have to appreciate what a mind fuck it would be to see this person you believe (and has been proposed as) an enlightened renunciate “all powerful” being (who acts selflessly and beyond your comprehension) suddenly kisses your girlfriend. Deer in headlights moment. You would be stunned as your mind tried to process, “What the hell just happened?” There were husbands and boyfriends who discovered that Shoemaker was sleeping with their wives or girlfriends and who didn’t dare to do anything about it. So, again. You have to experience that environment and the kind of control that is exerted on the members to understand any of it. Yes… it makes no sense to someone who hasn’t experienced it. That environment is not the reality of the “outside” world. The fact that Dan can open up about how he experienced it (inclusive of his own transgressions) is no small feat. Right Ruth? And about the text messages between Dan and Shoemaker. Shoemaker will always be your “innocent” best friend when communicating with you, in order to get what he wants (“Hey buddy… I’m your trusted friend and I don’t understand what’s going on here… Can you help me?”). Look at the text messages that he sent Jessica about her mother… Such bullshit gaslighting.

Finally, Frank… you have done a yeoman’s task in helping to expose Shoemaker… but you are also using victims and their stories; and as far as I am aware, you aren’t paying anyone anything. You benefit from these victims telling their stories on your site. Okay, you provide a vehicle for them. But you have also doxed innocents who left the center (in some cases) decades earlier. Naming people who probably don’t want to be named and certainly haven’t given you permission to do so. So, perhaps Laura Hoeppner is taking advantage and making money (it is her job… right?) from film making a documentary on this subject. I don’t know the woman. Certainly a good idea for everyone to be careful and protect themselves and how their stories are told…. But the story should be told and profiting from telling one’s story is up to the individual. Maybe it is enough to tell one’s story… which I assume is why people are doing exactly that here without getting paid.

My two cents…