Picket reports
... or no blue tarps at Jernbanegade.
I and Ake left Sweden in heavy rain, but it eased off when we arrived in Denmark, and we only had occasional showers during the rest of the day, temperature a reasonably mild 12C.
Our first stop was the local police station, to let them know what we were up to. No problems there, and before our picket last month Ake had called the main police office to inquire about permits, and had been told that no formal permit was needed if we were no more than 3 people. This was not quite true, as we later found out...
About 13.30 we got to the AOSH in Jernbanegade, and to our surprise and delight Karin had decided to join our little picket. It was definitely an asset to have a Danish speaking person there. The window cleaner was already outside! Maybe he does that every Saturday, even when it's raining? It was only a matter of minutes before a couple of handlers came out to stand in front of us, and they also quickly put people on either side of us to give out "Think for yourself" fliers and Danish "Freedom" magazines. They started parading people around the block to ask for our fliers (one Lisa, one Xenu/$cn associated crimes - it was just the ones we happened to have left from last time) though not as many different people as last time. I had gone to this picket with the intention to be nice and open to staff who came up, but must admit that this resolution soon failed. After pointless questioning such as "where do you come from?" (hey, they knew very well who we were) and remarks about my sign (Is 2,000,000 DKR the price of spiritual freedom?) like "what do you mean 2 million?" (that's an advanced org in there, remember, the ones who peddle stuff like NOTs) I preferred to just ignore the handlers and concentrate on handing out fliers. They went out reasonably well, considering that we were surrounded by scientologists.
One of our main handlers from last time, Julia, came up but with a more aggressive attitude this time. She said to me "Is this the only way you think you can create an effect?", and it's funny because I really do think it's strange the way three people with a few pieces of paper did affect this organization. Staff rushing back and forth, up to ten people at a time out in the street with us, some OT public coming up, people following everywhere we walked in the city - they really seem to hate being picketed. I wonder if it even matters much to them what signs and fliers you have.
Ake went for a walk around the block (you just can't keep that guy in one place) while Karin and I stayed in front of the org. Now, in a weird repetition of the events of the last picket, a young guy came up to Karin and tried to forcefully grab her pile of fliers, though she held on hard and he backed off again when she said she would call the police. But soon he stepped in front of me and started shoving me backwards. Then he was called by one of the other staff. It is of course quite possible that this was just somebody loosing his cool, I just don't understand why the other staff remain so passive about it if that's the case, nobody came up to us to apologize or anything like that. This was not the same guy as last time, this one spoke Swedish.
We were getting a bit scared and Karin called the police. After some confused calls back and forth (thank heaven she speaks Danish) it turned out that this cop did not want to come unless we did have a formal picket permit - which of course we did not have as we had been told it was not necessary. Now was definitely the time to take a break for coffee and plans. We could have just left for the day, as we had anyway only planned a shorter picket this time, but that could have made it look as if we did not want to straighten things out properly with the police. So instead we walked over to the local police station and got a thorough briefing on how they wanted things done. It's true they often don't bother with permits when it's just some odd small picket, but when there is a risk of trouble they really do want a 24 hr notice, as they have lots of other things to worry about apart from scientologists who don't like pickets. Fair enough. Normally, picket permits are issued by a special unit that is closed weekends, but we did get a formal permit for picketing the rest of the saturday anyway, on the condition that we stayed on the other side of the street from the orgs (the AOSH, and the Cl V org at Gl Kongensvej - we did not go to New Era Pubs/CLO this time).
Julia and the dark young guard had been following us to the police station and they of course complained. From what I could understand it had something to do with that we were forcing their members to read secret copyrighted material (hello, Xenu leaflet!), but since we were really just giving out fliers to those who asked for one, and anyone who did not want to read it could just decline to take one, there wasn't much substance to it. (To think that only a few days ago, a Stockholm org staff member was telling me and Ake that we were too inefficient when giving out fliers, since we didn't slam it into the hands of people... :-) )
So, instead of going home at 16.00 we were back at the AOSH, though now on the other side of the street. Interestingly enough, from there you could see that a lot of people inside the building were in the windows and the court yard looking at us. I had believed they would be much better at protecting the members from our enturbulating presence, but no pulled blinds or blue tarps at Jernbanegade.
We took a turn at one of the Cl V orgs, too, where there is also a PR office (the other Cl V is in the same place as New Era Pubs/CLO), then returned again to the AOSH.
A very disturbing incident followed. One of the things mentioned on our flier concerned the terrible story of two small children, the parents scientologists, who got murdered 2 years ago by their nanny who had a background of psychosis. According to the newspaper articles in Danish and Swedish press (such as in Aftonbladet), she was not recieving psychiatric care or medication at the time this happened, yet the Co$ has blamed the whole thing on psychiatry. (rant) Maybe it is an overly spectacular story to bring up, I'm not totally comfortable with sensationalism. At the same time, it's an example of one of the things I find most distasteful in the way the Co$ operates. I'm absolutely not a big fan of the way psychiatry often works today, where drugs are used instead of human care. But it's totally gross the way the Co$ and their front groups feign concern for the mentally unwell, as long as it assists them in their psych conspiracy theories, yet they have very little real love for these people - they are after all "downstats". To tell someone that they must not take psychiatric drugs without providing them with a workable alternative is incredibly irresponsible. While I was a staff member, on and off there would be people around who had a history of psychiatric treatment. Their money was of course as good as any money, so they were regged for courses, and sometimes also for auditing if they signed a note waiving their right to claim refunds. They were useful for parading around when CCHR wanted some publicity, but otherwise, who cared? If they got into trouble (vitamins do *not* cure schizophrenia) it was all psychiatry's fault. How convenient. Yes, I do take this personally, a friend of mine was convinced to stop taking medication by someone who "knew best" (not the Co$ org) and soon committed suicide. I don't like to see people drugged - but I don't think they are better off dead! (rant)
Marlene of OSA came over with a thin, visibly agitated woman. The woman said that she was the mother of the murdered children and that she was disgusted by us talking about this. What was there to say? Of course she must be devastated by what had happened. But then Marlene actually told us that *she* had gone to tell the poor woman about us! So they found it hard to get rid of us - intimidating us didn't work, "distributing copyrighted material" didn't work (we were not), "the truth about Lisa McPherson" didn't work (we read the logs) - but hey, let's go get this suffering woman and use her to get rid of our "enemies". How noble and compassionate. And it did work to some extent, there is no way that I will go on about that story in public knowing that OSA are prepared to use that woman's grief in this manner.
As time went on (and everyone was getting hungry, wet and tired) emotions on both sides calmed down a bit and with less people in the street (apart from scattered soccer fans in various stages of intoxication) we spent more time talking. Two teenage kids were curious about what was going on, and eventually one of the scientologists convinced them to go inside to check it out for themselves - big win! They came out again laughing within a few minutes - well, it was a good try anyway.
There was a colorful appearance of a passing American, who seemed to have quite a good idea of what Scientology was about and happily proceeded to lecture the handlers on it. Though when he started to recite our flier in a resounding voice and with excellent diction they started to walk in the opposite direction, especially when he was getting to the Xenu part.
A very nice Danish gentleman (OT public, I'd say) had joined the crowd (along with Marlene, the dark young guard who knew that everything we said was lies because we said it, and two-three others) and the last hour before leaving at 18.45 was mostly spent talking. That is, Ake and Karin kept the steam up, I'm not that much of a public talker. All of those scientologists (including Marlene) seemed like nice people when they dropped the "handling-the-enemy" attitude for a while, and sadly reminded me so much of some people I knew in Scientology who were also really nice but still got into trouble - hammered by Scientology "justice", family break-ups, emotional distress, financial ruin, even prison sentences or worse... The tech always works, yeah right. It's such a cold system.
Let me take this opportunity to say Hi OSA! Since I heard you people do read the picket reports, I'm sorry if my version of what happened doesn't conform with yours. I have far from perfect recall and do see things from my own particular point of view. That's why I sign it with my name - it's a personal commentary and there is no way I can be objective. You can tell your own version if you want, you know, I think people would be interested. Just a thought. Catarina
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Subject: Picket Report, Salt Lake City, October 10, 1998
From: mirele@newsguy.com (Deana Marie Holmes)
I went out to the bOrg on Saturday, just before 11 am and stayed for about one hour.
When I first got there, a guy in a cap and sweats, with a mustache (not fat mustache man, though) was sitting on a chair in the downstairs hall, facing towards the back of the bOrg. As there's a sign that obscures the view of the downstairs hall, I couldn't see what he was doing. When Phil showed up, I asked him about that, and he said they were doing "50 foot TRs." These 50 foot TRs are done to (as far as I can figure out) manipulate emotions of people who are stubbornly refusing to let them be manipulated.
Oh yeah, and Phil was there as well. He showed up about halfway through. I asked him about OT committee and he pretty much confirmed that Yes, I was being discussed in OT committee. He said that anyone in the bOrg could go to OT committee meeting (is that true, Charlotte?).
Phil went through this long (apparently thought-out) spiel about how I could tell him anything and everything about the evils done in Scientology, but it still wouldn't affect him, because what was important to me was the Tech. Now, this, I will confess, is the weakness of my approach. I refuse to bash Scn because their beliefs are silly. Any religion's beliefs can be made to look silly, and I refuse to attack Scn for the silliness of their beliefs. Now I will point out where beliefs as to the efficacy of some action (i.e., the Introspection Rundown) will cause harm to a person, but to be perfectly blunt, criticising the myth of Scientology is not helpful. I prefer to stay with the criminal and immoral actions of Scn.
But this is Phil's armor. I can tell him about the evils of Scn, and he can say things like, where will you find the most insanity? at the doorstep of the most sane place in the world (the org). He just doesn't get it, because he's told himself over and over and over again that "it's the Tech, stupid." I see the same thing among Christians who say the same thing about Jesus...and that Jesus is more important than the innumerable sleazebag stuff that his followers have perpetrated over the last 2000 years.
"It's the Tech, stupid"--how do I penetrate that? Should I point out over and over again to Phil that Standard Tech Killed Lisa McPherson? I don't think he gets it. Or what? Please let me know what you think.
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Cazart! I forgot to mention a couple of things!
Phil knew Alan Walters, and didn't think very well of him, either. Phil said that Alan was one of those people who wanted to take Scn away from Hubbard. I mentioned Mayo, and repeated Yet Again that NOTS had been a work for hire done by Mayo for CoS. Phil seems to want to believe that NOTS was not done by Mayo.
Oh yeah, and I mentioned Monica Pignotti's name, and he knew who she was, and knew that she was an SP. Then, for some strange reason, Quentin Hubbard's name came up, and Phil wanted to know what happened to him. I told him bluntly, "Quentin was gay and he committed suicide." Phil was astonished. He didn't want to believe it.
OK, folks, I need the dope on Quentin. Please email me URLs and information. This may be a chink in Phil's armor.
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(multiple reports)
Subject: Picket Report: 10/11/98, Boston, MA
From: scully3428@aol.com (Scully3428)
The 1st Annual Columbus Day Picket was a success. Small gruop this time (myself, DW, Martin and his brother), but it took 9 of them to handle us, which we found amusing.
I got a little taken aback when I got there and Maureen O'Keefe came up to me and said, "Hi, Lori Ann." First of all, I prefer Lori over Lori Ann unless there's more than one Lori in the area. Second, I didn't think they were going to get my name. But I wasn't daunted. I had a sign (sans post -- long, LONG story about getting lost in Boston and finding a parking space) that read, "It costs HOW MUCH for Total Freedom?" DW had one that read, "Free Minton" on one side and "First Lisa, then Bob, Who's Next?" on the other. Martin videotaped, and his brother handed out flyers.
As soon as we started handing those out the Italian Stallion and a few other Scientologists took flyers from us, then he started screaming "copyright infringement" (I don't know whether it was over the now infamous Xenu flyer, the Boston flyer, the L. Ron Hubbard Quotes or all three). Then they got excited over the fact that Martin's brother was a MINOR helping us, saying I was participating in a "crime". A crime to help us hand out flyers? I don't think so. Two of those flyers were the same ones we handed out at the last picket....they didn't bring up a stink over that last time.
At one point Martin and his brother were talking to this guy and what appeared to be his 2 sons over the information on the flyers, and then I went to talk to them myself for a little bit. That's when Italian Stallion brought out the latest judgement in the Keith Henson case, and then started building a record on tape of us doing "illegal activities". I told Martin to put the camera on me and said into the camera, "It is now 4:40pm, as what that guy said. Bullshit! Total bullshit!"
DW and I either had a handler, on just one of us or both of us at some point. For the most part I refused to speak to them. One who told me her name was Maria was calling me "Honey" and "Sweetie". That's when I said to her, "Don't call me Sweetie or Honey. My name is Lori." At one point DW told this one that calling anyone that when it isn't welcome was borderline sexual harassment, and she stopped right away.
What we found interesting was that with me and DW they kept switching off, even going inside for a break and coming out with renewed vigor. On Martin and his brother they had five people on them at all times talking with them. In the meantime they're giving us articles from FREEDOM Magazine and from the local newspaper where a sherriff committed suicide in Bob Minton's field like it had anything to do with anything.
Meantime, the whole time they're making a big deal over the flyers, which were pretty much abandoned at this point. Even videotaping the Italian Stallion getting excited over them on tape waiting for me to pick up the flyers.
When we were about to leave, he was like, "Ooh, ooh, here it comes! Here it comes!" At that point I decided to get melodramatic and shouted, "Attention everyone! I'm picking up flyers now! This is the big event! I'm picking up flyers now!" I ended up not picking them up, DW did. But I took them from him and put them in my bag for next time.
We had drinks at the Other Side Cafe afterwards and talked about it. It was pretty cool all around.
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Subject: picket report- Boston 10/11/98
From: martyo@tiac.net (Martin O'Brien)
Since Lori/Scully already posted a report, I can be brief since nothing much happened.
It took twice as many of them to handle us, and was quite a hoot to see a guy with a video camera standing next to a teenage kid (my brother), while 2 people walked to and fro with picket signs; at the same time about 8 other people ran around us like hens, poking and prodding around! It was my first picket, and it went mostly along what I had read in other picket reports, but it was pretty strange at the same time. Half of the questions asked of me sounded like they were being read off a mental checklist. A good example, when one of my handlers, in nearly mid-sentence, said "wait. Let's go back to the constitution question." She then asked me if I believed in the constitution. I said "yes, I believe in it 100%."
"Then why are you here?"
"Because this is one of the rights that it gives me."
"And what right is that?"
"Freedom of speech."
"You aren't speaking very much!"
"Okay, freedom of expression, then."
"(grumble)"
The tall, thin guy that talked to me through at least ½ of our 1.5 hour picket just kept going and going and going, and upon watching my video of it afterwards, realized that I didn't even remember much of what we said to each other I managed to talk off the top of my head for an hour!. He wanted me to tell him what I didn't like about the church. I told him I could easily go home and compile a good, comprehensive list and give it to him some other time. He would rather that I give it to him right there on the corner. I brought up abuse of pc folders. "Oh! Those are confidential. Like a lawyer or a priest!" I told them I had read of people that had had their folders used for nefarious purposes. He said it was just hearsay, just shit from the net. He didn't care that I pointed out that the PERSON claiming the abuse of the folder was the one making the statement. I guess he considers anything not uttered by the Cof$ to be bullshit (what a surprise). After at least a ½ hour, he didn't even ask me what my name was! "Rick from Boston" had to call me "Fu Manchu"!!!
After talking about pc folders, and ethics folders, and what is or isn't confidential, he brought up auditing. I told him that, from what I had read and been told, auditing is just counseling with a funky gadget to add some mumbo-jumbo to it. Of course, he guffawed at that. I said that the e-meter was just something that measured electrical responses in the skin, along the lines of a lie detector. I had even read about people refurbishing Hubbard meters and building their own! "Nonsense, it's much more than that" He wanted me to run inside with him and get on the cans right then so he could show me what it was all about. I told him I was busy (picketing.) and I would have no problem coming back some other time, so he could show me what it was all about. I told him over and over and over that I wasn't bullshitting him, and that I would indeed come back in the future.
The thin (somewhat attractive) blonde with thin guy didn't like to hear that. She wanted me to do it then! She told me that she had better things to do than be standing there talking to me, and that she had a busy life. (Then why was she there in the first place)
All along, older-smoking-blonde(cranky-annoying) woman was standing nearby, to the other side of me from tall-thin guy and young blonde. She is the one that brought up the constitutionshe wasn't in a good mood at all. Very crabby.
They got all bent out of shape when they found out that the "poor young" boy that we had dragged along with us was not only MY BROTHER, but only SIXTEEN years old! The didn't wasn't to accept (from his own mouth) that he wanted to be there, and wasn't there against his will. When he was handing out flyers, they kept on his case about being a copyright infringer. I told them to bring out some notarized document, and that we would surrender the flyers to them and stop giving them out. The Itallion Stallion kept saying stuff like "that's for the courts" hint: it's much easier and cheaper to hand me a notarized doc than to take me to court (but then you couldn't issue a big press release!)
They made a big show (they being Maureen and the Stallion) out of my brother giving flyers to passers-by. "(looking at watch) It is now 4:40 pm, and he is handing the infringing materials to these people.no no.him and him aren't part of the group. him and him and her are the picketers" Stuff like that, while Maureen video tapes it. I'm sure those 3 guys we talked to for a while were totally freaked out by that!
About 15 minutes before we planned to end it, it started to drizzle, so I moved over to the other side of the building under a tree (and in front of the MIT frat building). Tall thing guy followed me and tried to convince me to leave early since I admited to him that it is a possibility that everything I had read may be bullshit, and I only have one side of the story. (I guess I yupped him a little more than I realized at the time! LOL)
I certainly didn't want to give him anything remotely looking like a 'win', so we stuck it out (LOL) for another ten minutes until 5:30 hit. When Lori went to the corner to pick up her box of flyers, she decided to make a show of it by yelling and waving her arms, "I'M PICKING UP THE FLYERS NOW"
cranky-blonde woman commented that she must be really crazy to be acting like that. I just laughed in her face, "That's called theatrics.you need to get a sense of humor."
All along, tall thing guy tried to play "sane picketer/crazy picketer" with me by playing up my apparent sanity against Lori and DW's apparent looniness. Didn't work.I guess he didn't realize that I'd rather hang out with some spirited people with character; than to be with a bunch of robotic goons.
If I find later that I forgot anything noteworthy, I'll post itand I guess I was wrong when I said that I would be brief! Well, curse me for being verbose! Martin O'B
http://www.tiac.net/users/martyo/
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Subject: Headless Boston Org Routed by Jesse & Stacy
From: bob@minton.org (Bob Minton)
Today, 12:30 to 1:10pm Picket at Boston Org.
Jesse and Stacy arrive by Limo from NH, get out and do their brand of picket tech. Police presence was arranged in advance. No Sceino response.
10 minutes into picket, a guy come out and ask why they are doing this and what do they know about Scientology. What a fun question for the pair. He liked what they said and listened intently until a tall guy came from the org to pull him back in by the arm. He jerked away from the tall guy and said he was not ready and would come in when he finished talking. Oh shit! Lower condition.
Frank "Slugger" Ofman peeked out of the glass doors of the org but would not come out to play with the police there. Generally, Stacy said the org was "headless" and no one would make a decision on what to do. No sign of my groupies, Maureen and Gerard today. A Scientology org with no one in charge, afraid to fuck-up, hiding--that's the Scientology we're used to! Headless chickens.
Anyway, the tall guy came out again and persuaded the guy talking to Stacy and Jesse to come in. Some doubt was sown.
A Beacon Hill lady in a Volvo stopped to talk with Stacy about a friend who had a son who spent a lot of money and time on the Freewinds. Supportive honks, thumbs up, etc.
Another tall guy comes out 20 minutes into the picket, crosses the street and starts to try and give out flyers--nobody takes one. However, Stacy wants one but he will not give her one. Then the driver of the limo tries to get one--no luck either. The limo driver goes into the org and asks for a flyer--no luck there. However, they try to persuade him for 8 minutes to take a personality test.
Jesse and Stacy took a few photos which they will post tonight after returning to Seattle. They also posed with the org's rapid response photo team who seemed to arrive at the end when they saw Stacy taking photos. They posed for the video cam operator and tried to for the Haselblad(sp) operator who had no idea how to work such a sophisticated piece of equipment. Try a Kodak, if your OT abilities are up to it.
The police were thanked and educated.
The ARSCC stealth picket team jumped into the waiting limo and will be in the air in a few minutes.
If needed, Stacy and/or Jesse will post more on this pathetic display of Scieno OT powers tonight. All the best, Bob Minton
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Subject: Picket report, Minneapolis, 10/13/98
From: Xenubat@primenet.com (Bat Child (Sue M.))
(Seeing that I still have my reactive mind and thus have a less than perfect memory, the events I describe may not be in exact chronological order, and any conversations described below are paraphrased.)
As I did before my last picket, I called the Minneapolis Police Department in advance and told them that I and another person would be picketing the Church of Scientology today from about 12:00 noon-1 pm, mentioning as I had before that two Scns tried to follow me home after a previous picket and that picketers had been attacked by Scn members in other cities, but that hopefully nothing like that would happen here.
I met Chris at our usual meeting spot at Peavey Plaza at 11:45 am. I had my usual sign ("SCIENTOLOGY: SPACE ALIEN SCAM" and "DOES THE BRIDGE REALLY COST $360,000?") and most of my usual flyers (Xemu, Lisa, Scam) but this time instead of bringing the Minneapolis/Poole "Nice Town: Shame About the Cult" flyers, I brought copies of the hot-off-the-presses "$cientology: Insane Cult" flyer. Chris had a sign saying, "SCIENTOLOGY HURTS PEOPLE" and (I think) "SCIENTOLOGY: RELIGION FOR THE RICH", and he had three different flyers: The "Why I'm Picketing $cientology" flyer; a flyer with the letter from Scn Reverend Andrew Bagley to the father of a Scn member who owed money to the church, featuring such lovely pious statements as, "Remember: I am not a mealy mouthed psalm chanting preacher. I am a minister of the Church of Scientology. I am able to heal the sick and I do. But I have other abilities which include a knowledge of men's minds that I will use to crush you to your knees. You or any other wretch that stands in our way.", as well as a flyer Chris wrote directed towards Scn members called, "Can You Save Scientology?" about how Miscavige and RTC were squirreling the tech and destroying Scientology. Seeing that it was rather cold today (about mid-40's F.), I had both a sweater and a jacket on, but kept them both open so people could still see my spiffy Weekly World News T-shirt saying "Rush Limbaugh Meets With Space Aliens!". And since jj_craig the Ronbot mentioned that he was surprised that I didn't mention what kind of underwear I was wearing on my last report, today I wore silk leopard print panties! ;-)
We started walking toward the org. As we were crossing 11th St., we saw a young Scn guy coming out of the org walking towards us. As soon as he saw us with our picket signs, he literally spun around and jogged back to the org and back inside! Wow, are we Wogs at Cause or what?! :-)
We went and stood in front of the org with our signs and I was bracing for a bunch of members to come out and handle us but they never did. One woman came up to us shortly after we got there and asked where we got our information and if we thought it was true, and we said yes, we thought it was. She said, "Well, I happen to be a Scientologist and I don't agree with you," and went on her way to lunch at the restaurant down the street; she wasn't nasty about it, though. Later on, another older woman said to us on her way into the org, "Do you have nothing else to do but stand here all day?"; she wasn't nasty about it, either, and we cheerfully replied that we had plenty of other things to do today. Several other Scn members went in and out of the org (I'm not sure how many); Chris offered them his "Can You Save Scientology?" flyer, saying "RTC is destroying your religion--find out how you can save Scientology," or something like that, but they ignored us.
Response from passersby was all favorable; we got quite a few thumbs-up and waves from people, including a cab driver, several bus drivers and bus passengers, and a guy driving a City of Minneapolis car working on the Target building across the street from the org (they finally have the sidewalk open again across the street and it looks like they're starting to move offices, etc. into the Target building as I saw what looked like employees standing outside the building having a cigarette).
One guy came up to us and said something about how Scn had him put in jail several years ago (?--he didn't elaborate) and then said something like, "They'll be taken care of. God bless you both!" and then left. I don't know what he meant by "They'll be taken care of," but I certainly hope he didn't mean committing violence against Scn and its members because that's the LAST thing Chris or I would want!
Another guy told Chris how a friend of his had a sister whose boyfriend (I think) applied for a job at the Minneapolis org and wound up being sent to California to some kind of camp (Hemet?--I didn't catch all of the story).
Two other guys asked us why we were picketing, were we ex-members? Chris said that he was never a member but knew people who had joined the cult; I said that I had almost joined Scn but was saved by the "Cult of Greed and Power" article in Time magazine. We told them we were basically out here to inform the public and try to inform the Scn members (I have no idea if I've been successful with informing any of the Scn members but hopefully I've had more success with warning the public).
Another guy asked us, "What happened, did you guys go in once and they wouldn't let you out? That's what happened to someone I know!" (presumably talking about someone taking a course and being pressured by the reg to sign up for more courses). Scn really seems to have a lousy reputation; I know one person told us to be careful picketing because of Scn's reputation for being such bullies!
We had more people say things like, "I agree with you," "I'm glad somebody's doing something like this," and "Thank you," as well as one person breaking out into applause! I'm not sure how many flyers Chris gave out but I gave away about 20 "Cult" flyers, 2 "Xemu" flyers and 2 "Scam" flyers.
About 12:50 we decided to call it quits. As we walked down Nicollet Mall, we managed to give out flyers to two more people. We then both went on our merry way. Sue Mullaney
(http://members.cox.net/batchild1/)
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Subject: Minneapolis picket - 10/13/98
From: spartakus@my-dejanews.com
Sue and I met at Peavey Plaza at 11:45 am. Sue brought her usual bag of tricks, plus copies of Roland's brand-new "$cientology: Insane Cult" flyer, the one with LRH auditing a tomato on the cover. This was a big hit with the public. Our usual output is 10-20 flyers for a weekday lunch picket. I think Sue handed out about 30 of the new ones. I had my sign saying, "SCIENTOLOGY HURTS PEOPLE" and "SCIENTOLOGY: RELIGION FOR THE WEALTHY". I also brought a modified version of the "Why I Picket Scientology" flyer.
You may recall that "Secret Squirrel" posted some good advice on how to reach scientologists and plant seeds of doubt based on what they knew to be wrong. I wrote a flyer based that post and called it "Can You Save Scientology?" My third flyer was based on "Reverend" Andrew Bagley's dunning letter which appears in Chapter 19 of "The Scandal of Scientology". Bagley's colorful threats were real eye-openers for the public. I gave out a lot of that one.
N.B. Andrew Bagley was deeply involved in the Co$'s assault on CAN; I'm sure "VP of CAN" Jean Horrnes is acquainted with him.
As mentioned earlier, I wore teal blue Jockey briefs. jj_craig can file his report now.
The big news in the Minneapolis org's neighborhood is the opening of Target Store's new corporate headquarters across the street from the "church". Accordingly, the "church" had big banners displayed, which said "Welcome Target Employees" and "Stop in for a free tour and a free book". There were no takers while we were there.
For the first time since I started picketing, no one in the org made a serious effort to handle us. It was non-confront all the way. We had a brief exchange with a scieno on her way to lunch, but that was about it. I wasn't impressed with their valence; a sort of clucking, tsk-tsking Mrs. Grundy persona. If you remember Leah Thompson playing George McFly's mom in "Back to the Future", you know what I'm talking about.
Since the scienos were so non-confront, I didn't hand out a single "Can You Save Scientology?" flyer, but I did make sure to let them know who the real enemy is (RTC). Sorry about the downstat; I hope this doesn't affect my ration of Prozac.
What made this picket worthwhile for me was that many passersby, at least one or two of them ex-scienos, stopped to talk to us. This was surprising, since the weather was brisk (mid 40s with a strong wind), and many people were in a hurry to get to where they were going. At times, I had two conversations going on at the same time; I sure hope I didn't offend anyone who didn't get my full attention.
One guy came up to us and said something about how Scientology had him put in jail several years ago, but he didn't offer any specifics. Then he said something like, "They'll be taken care of" and "God bless you both!" and left. Sue was worried that he was planning or hoping for some dark deed against the "church", but I think he was expressing his hope that the Co$ would someday pull in everything it deserves.
Another guy told me about his friend's sister's boyfriend, who got a job at the Minneapolis org and wound up being sent to California to some kind of camp. He didn't know if this person went to Hemet or LA, but he did know that this person was 17 at the time. His family had to use lawyers to get him back home. Anyone associated with CAN or FACTnet ever hear of this case?
As before, passersby were all favorable. We got quite a few thumbs-up and waves from people, including a cab driver, several bus drivers and bus passengers, and a City of Minneapolis employee who doing sidewalk work in front of the new Target building. At least one Target employee saw us from her window, and I'm sure the ones out front having a smoke break didn't miss us.
That's it for now. I hope the weather stays decent for a little while. I think our pickets are doing some good, especially with ex-scientologists.
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Subject: Salt Lake City: Picket & Revenge Picket, 12 October 1998
From: mirele@newsguy.com (Deana Marie Holmes)
It's a holiday today in the US and Canada, so today's picket is dedicated to the poor souls in the RPF, because there are no holidays in hell.
I went out to the bOrg about 4:40 pm. I didn't want to stay long, as I have other things going right now, but I thought I should put in a picket just to keep my hand in. Plus, since today's a holiday, the traffic was very light around the post office. So I'd made up my mind that if they dragged Phil out, I was going to stiff him.
I did give out three flyers today. I noticed that I had one very unhappy lady inside the org calling someone (I believe Phil) after I started picketing. He showed up about 20 minutes into it. I let him go into the org, let him get his picket signs and Way To Happiness, let him come back outside, and told him, with the biggest shit-eating grin on my face that I was leaving now.
"I'm leaving because today's a holiday, and since there are no holidays in hell, and I consider the RPF to be hell, I think I'll be leaving now."
I also told him that the reason I was leaving was because he needed a repeat lesson in how I, a wog, could yank his chain. "You are a monkey on a string."
Then I swung by the Golden Arches and picked up some dinner. When I drove up to my house, guess who was doing the back and forth dance? Marie, aka Cell Phone Woman. So I drove up, parked my car, left my food in the car, and got my picket sign out of the car. I wanted to try Henson Tech on her. She was NOT a happy camper. She didn't like the fact that she had an extraordinarily amused me capering around and talking to her in a VERY LOUD voice.
She really didn't like me telling her about Lisa. I was getting revved up for that, and she interrupted, saying she'd heard that dozens of times before (riiight, she's only been out there a few times). I could tell she was getting progressively more and more enturbulated as my declamation of the facts of the death of Lisa McPherson rolled past my lips. Her circle in front of my house became shorter and shorter as I switched from Lisa to asking her who her I/C was and whether she reported directly to Mike Rinder or not. I also had my mondo way kewl picket sign and I was waving it at the cars going by.
(Sidebar: wtf is the *deal* with Scn picket sign tech? Is the fact that they send out someone with an 8 X 11 flyer tacked to an 11 x 17 sign mean that they really don't think much of what they're doing? Far be it for *me* to say that Scientology picket tech sucks, but SHIT! it sucks.)
Well, after a few minutes I decided that I was going to liven things up a bit more, so I went back to my car to get my red book, with the juicy stuff like Lisa logs. At that point Marie decided to make a break for it. I was reaching in to get my book when she cut across the street, and I went out of my carport and shouted at her several times: "CHICKEN! CHICKEN! CHICKEN! I was going to read you OT 3!"
How non-confront can you get?
Anyway, Phil had told me on Saturday that he thought that they weren't going to picket my house again, but I guess the word didn't get down to Poor Marie, aka Cell Phone Woman. As far as I'm concerned, revenge picket tech is still the order of the day for the CoS.
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