I’ve seen critical comments about Melinda Martin and her interview on ABC.
Some people feel she is grandstanding for her 15 minutes of fame. IMHO, I don’t think so. It seems Melinda’s personality type is one that has her need to be pleasant, agreeable and nice. Over a life time, she’s developed the ability to smile and be most pleasant during trying and stressful times.
I don’t know about you, but being interviewed on National TV about an event 2 months earlier where 3 people died would be stressful. If I have the facts right, Melinda is the only JRI employee giving CPR to the victims. Melinda assisted the victims while her boss, Megan Fredrickson and her boss’ boss James Ray stood around watching people die. Melinda Martin is a HERO. None of the other JAR drones had the moxie to do the right thing or go against the wishes of Ray.
James Ray’s obsession with death and his actions in Sedona remind me of the Queen song “Bohemian Rhapsody“:
Mama just killed a man
Put a gun against his head
Pulled my trigger, now he’s dead
Or “Folsom County Blues” by Johnny Cash “I shot a man in Reno/just to watch him die”.
I imagine Melinda Martin went public with her story to help her heal the Traumatic experiences of giving CPR to people who died. Very few people have faced death up close. Even fewer have tried to save the life of another human being… Holding a lifeless body while the person entrusted with their safety looks on with disdain and fascination is unimaginable to me. Melinda’s speaking out is an act of courage. Thank You Melinda for helping the victims in Sedona and being a compassionate, caring and courageous human being.
Another consideration about Melinda’s speaking out about James Arthur Ray and Sedona is the possible legal consequences for her actions. It’s common practice for employees to sign Non-Disclosure and Confidentiality agreements when working for Companies that have intellectual property to protect (like a seminar company). I’m sure JRI was no different. With everything I’ve heard and read about James Ray’s ego and self-importance, I’d bet money that his employee and contractor agreements are particularly nasty, one sided and punitive. While any such agreements may deemed unenforceable when/if criminal charges are filed against Ray, this has to be determined by the court and legal/court fees are quite expensive.
Again Melinda Martin, my heartfelt thanks for blowing the whistle on James Ray and the happenings in Sedona. BRAVO!
Terry, you make some good points about Melinda. As you well know, I was one of those who made a critical remark, but I’ve modified my opinion somewhat after watching the longer interview on Nightline. Here is the link to the page containing your comment on my blog as well as my response.
http://tinyurl.com/yhlnemx
Hi Cosmic Connie, Thanks for setting this straight…
Hi Terry. I have to comment about a few things pertaining to Melinda’s interview. While I empathize and understand the trauma she obviously suffered during this tragedy, if she were truly a hero, she would have called 911 anyway, regardless of what she had been told by the others in attendance. I am also unclear about why she waited so long to share facts that have already been revealed by others. And lastly, she stated that several weeks after this tragedy occurred, JRI stopped paying her. Why was she still working for James Arthur Ray?? Why didn’t she have the courage o resign? I worked with Melinda and saw first hand the hero worship she had for James and again, while it was a horrible thing for her to have been part of and yes, she did attempt to help all that she could, I am not convinced that this interview was so heroic on her part.
Hi Hope,
Your opinion is based on knowing and working with Melinda and therefore your personal experiences. Thanks for sharing your insights.
I’m not sure what hold Ray has over so many of his staff and customers but if Melinda was worshiping him, I don’t think she was alone in that camp… From what I understand, the line to kiss James Ray’s ass, exchange bodily fluids or have his babies was quite a long line indeed. I’m just saying…
I don’t believe I said Melinda’s interview was heroic, but rather her actions in Sedona were heroic when so few took action to help the victims.
I am of the opinion that far more people would be coming forward and sharing their stories about what happened in Sedona,if their motives and intentions weren’t instantly questioned and second guessed by anyone with a keyboard and internet connection, like myself.
On a personal note, about the only thing that I enjoy in the “self help” and “new age” movement and teachings is the practice of accepting people for who and what they are without judgment and/or condemnation. As we each are on our paths and doing the best we can.
Melinda Martin, James Ray and Hope Miller and Terry Hall are all exactly where we should be and doing our best. Except one of us has killed 4 people under his direct charge which has legal consequences. The rest of us are dealing with how the deaths effected us in our own way and with our own personal agenda and reasons.
Yeah, I never got the attraction to James either.
Here is what you said that I disagree with: “Melinda’s speaking out is an act of courage”. What more people should be speaking out about is how things got to the point where James held such power over people that they would be willing to die to impress him. What people should be speaking out about is how he ran his business and whether or not he was fair to those he claimed to be helping….and I know you are proponent of these things. So, with the exception of the statement I quoted, we are in agreement. Uh-oh
Thanks!
Hmmm, I’m not sure I can say agreement over Melinda, you know her I don’t so I can neither agree or disagree with your comments and personal opinions.
I can say we are aligned in our views of James Arthur Ray and the way he has conducted his business @JRI. Which, with the exception of killing people, seems to be common Seminar Industry Practice: no refunds, jedi mind tricks during the seminars, conducting therapeutic techniques without licensing or supervision and using coaching as an advanced sales/persuasion technique.
Hell I’ve recently rumors about seminar companies NOT giving refunds to dead people after a car accident killed a customer who was fully paid for a seminar – instead refunding the payment the estate was given a “credit” which could be sold @ the estate’s time and expense.
Hope, if I’m missing something in your comments, please let me know. I am a web developer and can get quite literal at times ie “courage” vs “hero”.
I do have to make one correction. I am specifically talking about so called “transformational”, “personal growth” and “personal development” seminars which are which are intended to rewire brains, thinking, attitudes, beliefs and/or remove mental barriers. -These Seminars, Workshops and Coaching needs regulation.
Skills Improvement and Technique type seminars: Sales, Marketing, General Business, Networking, CEUs accredited seminars are not included in my campaign to reform and regulate the seminar industry.
Unfortunately I feel all seminars must have standards to identify exactly what they teach, how and the credentials and lack there of for the staff giving the seminar.
I applaud Melinda…whatever her motives. As far as I know, ABC does not pay for interviews like hers.
It’s about time someone from JRI spoke out. Perhaps—with international coverage (CNN & ABC)…there will increased pressure
to prosecute Ray.
I hope more people will have the courage & integrity to speak their truth. (note I said “their” not “the” truth). Each person can speak only from his or her individual perspective & experience.
From sources I have gathered, there wasn’t any cell phone service out in that area, the night of the tragic event at Sodona, AZ, Angel Valley. One person, had to drive to their respective home to use their land line to call 911. Melinda Martin and others were there at the site when the EMT services showed up and witnessed, most of the ill getting loaded into the helicopers and others into an ambulance. Melinda and a two other ladies, jumped into her rental car to find the area hospitals to check on the ill. I know Melinda stayed the night in the hospital’s intensive care praying for the ill and helped to locate their families. Many investigators and police came and interviewed Melinda and the others, that evening and the next day. Melinda, helped so many people outside of the sweat lodge, come back to reality by cooling them down with water and using CPR on many, many people wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for her, so she is a HERO, in more ways than one!!!!! When she called the office the next morning she was horrified of their greeting, which you know the rest from the interview. Melinda was horrified of the tragic event and of JRI’s response to the event she couldn’t bear to return to work and sought medical help for the depression she was now dealing with after the tragic event. After a couple of weeks they stopped paying her. Melinda has always coorperated with the investigators and will continue to do so, because it’s the right thing to do. She also has spent time with some that she saved, since that day and a couple of the fallen sister’s families to help console them, because she loved and cared for them. I know these things because Melinda is my sister and she called me on the way to the hospital to get map quest directions soon after she left the retreat and there was finally cell phone service. I am so proud of her!!!
Hi Laine,
Thank you for sharing this part of the story. Unfortunately, it’s seems to me that “the right thing” is today subjective and questioned by too many people…
I am trusting that Arizona Law Enforcement and Arizona Prosecutors are able to build a solid case against James Arthur Ray. The world needs to see that charlatans who kill 4 people for profit, Is NOT Right.
It’s my understanding that final coroner’s reports are due this week and criminal charges, if any will follow quickly.
I agree. I sometimes wonder if the media takes into consideration of the investigation underway, as to protect the case. Then also, you have to wonder if the investigation team is doing all they can to make the case a good solid one. This week should prove to be an interesting one.
Laine — what was Melinda’s role at JRI? Was she the event planner — hired full-time this past year? Thank you for speaking out and providing additional details — her interview was difficult to take information in…& to think she was providing CPR to Kirby when she was dying is beyond traumatic.
I agree with Hope — there needs to be discussion on how the business was running which led to the build-up leading such a large tragedy — there are liking many warning signals along the way — which I saw as a participant and spoke-out as a paying client — hypocrisy (sp?) pays a heavy price.