Wayne Whitney's One-man Picket -- 1996:H1
Wayne Whitney - Picket Report, AUG 18, 96
[20 Aug 1996]
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From: wwhit71151@aol.com (WWhit71151)
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Subject: Wayne Whitney - Picket Report, AUG 18, 96
Date: 20 Aug 1996 09:16:31 -0400
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Picket Report - San Francisco Org, 83 McAllister Street, AUG 18, 96
Hi Everyone,
Some of you may know that I have been picketing the S.F. mission for some
time now. This past Sunday I decided to start picketing the S.F. ORG at
83 McAllister Street instead. I thought some of you might be interested in
what happens out there. For those of you who would like to read my
previous picket reports they are posted by Marina Chong on her web site.
The URL is "http://www.icon.fi/~marina/1stpersn/". I post these reports so
that you can see what I do and the kinds of things I run into. This way
you can see what I try and what works and what doesn't work.
It's kind of interesting how I ALWAYS get "stage fright" as I approach my
destination. However, once I see Scientology staff members notice me and I
get a reaction out of them the fear magically fades and I instantly take
on this "picketing" persona. If I were to listen to my initial fear, I
would probably end up never picketing.
Anyway, this Sunday I arrived just after 12:00 noon. A lot of staff and
paying public were out in front on their lunch break. I was carrying my
usual fluorescent green sign which reads "in my opinion SCIENTOLOGY IS A
SCAM".
One woman was perhaps taken by surprise when I suddenly showed up and she
became quite upset. She came rushing over and asked in a very emotional
tone of voice, "Have you even read any of Hubbard's books, have you even
taken any of his courses? She points to my sign and says, " I am really
offended by this." I just calmly looked straight at her and said, "You
have every right to experience your reaction towards me. I'm here just
peacefully voicing my opinion." I waited for a response from her but she
just kind of fizzled out and had nothing more to say. She just turned
around and went back to the group that she was with.
Within two minutes several staff members came out and started taking
pictures of me. I was a bit surprised since they already know who I am and
they already have pictures and videos of me because of the March 9th
protest. Anyway, I posed for the first picture because I wanted them to
have a clear view of the sign I was carrying. They took another profile
shot of me a few minutes later. I didn't really appreciate that one
because I don't really like my profile but I guess if that's what their
supposed to do then I can deal with that. To me taking these pictures
seemed kind of silly since they already know who I am, they know where I
work and they know where I live.
I started pacing back and forth out on the front sidewalk. Within a couple
of minutes I heard one of the staff members say out loud, "This guy must
think he's really somebody special."
OOH, an ego hit! My ego's been bruised. I kind of expect comments like
this every once in awhile so I quickly reminded myself that I'm not out
there to have my ego stroked. I have a very clear intention for being out
there. Within a few minutes I regain my focus and all is well again.
A short while later one of the group members starts telling funny stories
because they all started laughing really loud. They appeared to be
ignoring me or at least were trying to give me the impression that they
were. If they think they can drive me away by doing some kind of an ego
trip on me -- they're wrong. THEY are not my target audience so I really
don't give a damn if they ignore me or if they think evil things about
me. My target audience has always been the people on the street, the
people who are interested in my sign and what my experiences of
Scientology have been. I've made it a policy of mine to never talk to
anyone unless THEY come up to me first. This approach has proven VERY
effective for me. This way I don't end up harassing anyone and instead I
can spend my time on the people who are really interested in what I have
to say.
At the ORG there is a little less foot traffic than at the mission but
there is definitely a lot more room. At the ORG a hundred people could
picket without disturbing anyone. At the mission I discouraged quite a few
from joining me because of the disruption that it might cause to
surrounding businesses and the bus stop. A one-person picket is perfect
outside the mission. The ORG, on the other hand, is perfect for a large
picket. Besides, the police department is virtually across the street.
Those guys at the police department know me very well. Those guys are
the greatest. We've had many talks over the past few months because I
wanted them to know who I was, why I was out there and to make sure that I
wasn't inadvertently doing anything illegal.
Some of my experiences outside the ORG were quite a bit different than
they were outside the mission. Some things, however, don't change.
Fortunately so many people have already heard of Scientology. Just like at
the mission drivers would honk their horns and give me the thumbs-up sign
or shout out their window their support. I did have one car go by where a
young girl inside saw my sign and then shouted out her window, "SHUT UP."
Sometimes out on the street things happen so sudden and fast that it's
difficult to really know for sure what happened. I figure in this one case
it was a family that was involved in Scientology and the little girl in
the back seat wanted to express her opinion to me. That's cool. I'm out
there to communicate and communication certainly happens out there on the
street.
During the three hours I was there quite a few people did stop me to ask
why I thought Scientology was a scam and to hear my story. One guy said he
saw my fluorescent green sign from across the street and said he just HAD
to come over and hear what I had to say. He said my sign really grabbed
his attention. It's quite amazing how much impact those couple of bucks I
spent on my sign a few months back are still making. Good investment.
As the afternoon progressed I noticed a pattern. I would pace for about 10
minutes and then a small group of 2 or 3 would gather around me. We would
talk for a while and then disband. Ten minutes later another group would
form. This continued all afternoon. It was great, especially since out
there I don't have to worry about blocking foot traffic like I did at the
mission. Now I can put all my attention on both what I and the other
person has to say.
If you see me out there I often look like I'm having fun (which I am).
Don't let that fool you though. After what happened to me and after
witnessing what happened to so many others -- I take my message VERY
SERIOUSLY. I learned very early on in my picketing that if I stay very
friendly (even joking around) -- but sincere -- that my message goes
across so much better. If I let myself get really serious or emotional I
just end up looking like a fanatic and most people get turned off.
At this posting time if any of you want to peacefully express your views
or experiences in Scientology you are certainly welcome to join me. Even
if you want to just stop by and say HI, that would be great. E-mail me and
I'll let you know when I plan my next picket. BART stops virtually at the
ORG's front door so that might make transportation even easier for some of
you. You don't really need to worry about any Scientologists retaliating
against you. Based on my experiences they won't. Anyway, if they go after
anyone it will be ME. You're safe! If you carry a picket sign they might
take your picture, but hey, it's just a picture. They've taken mine
several times and I'm still here.
Stay tuned. There's more to come. These guys REALLY don't want me out
there. They've certainly made that known to me.
Wayne Whitney
"Ex-Scientologists Speak"
Wayne Whitney - Picket Report Aug 25, 96
[30 Aug 1996]
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From: wwhit71151@aol.com (WWhit71151)
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Subject: Wayne Whitney - Picket Report Aug 25, 96
Date: 30 Aug 1996 09:07:01 -0400
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Picket Report - San Francisco Org, 83 McAllister Street, Aug 25, 96
Hi Everyone,
Sunday I arrived at the org at 12:00 noon. It was overcast, a bit cold and
windy. As expected there were several staff and public out front. A few
quickly put out their cigarettes and scrambled back inside when they saw
me. This time, however, no one came out to take my picture. I did see one
of the staff members immediately get on the phone and call someone
concerning my presence. I could tell he was talking about me because the
whole time he was on the phone he kept looking right at me.
As I was pacing one public guy walked passed and said, "You must think
you're real tough". One staff member walked passed and said in a very
derogatory tone of voice, "You're doing a great job Wayne." Some staff
members just walked passed completely ignoring me as if I wasn't even
there. Still others walked by looking down shaking their heads with sort
of a smile on their face. Whenever I observed this reaction I could almost
hear them saying to themselves something like, "What a suppressive person
this guy is".
I never respond to any of their "comments" because I see no point. I see
nothing to be gained by responding to idle comments like those above. I
know that I could NEVER get any of them to see what they were involved in
with just one or two sentences. I figure why bother even trying. Besides,
I have so much anger built up and so much to say that if I were to let my
"cork pop" and make just ONE comment who knows where it would lead? It
would probably lead into some kind of a mindless shouting match. What a
waste that would be. Because of these reasons I figure it's best to just
let them all go unacknowledged.
On the other hand if any of them were to come up to me and wanted to get
into a REAL dialog then that would be a whole different story.
While I was out there one particular staff member came out several times.
Each time he tried to convince me to go away. It didn't work. When one of
the public members became curious as to why I was there, came up to me
and started asking questions this staff member came rushing back out and
said in a stern voice to him, "I'm a staff member here. You are NOT
allowed to talk to this person". The public member immediately became
silent. He looked a bit confused and intimidated. After a few seconds he
just slowly backed away and went back into the building. When I saw this
happen I became outraged. I was just dying to shout out to him, "What
gives this guy the right to order you around like that! Can't you see how
they're trying to control you?" Instead I just held in all my anger and
frustration -- and said NOTHING.
Several times now while picketing I've had to suppress my frustration and
anger like this. I decided it was best to let the situation unfold while I
just stood there and said nothing. I do this because I have a definite
plan and I don't want to let my emotions or a momentary impulse become an
obstacle for me. If I were to try to interact directly with staff and
public then they might start whining to the police that I was "harassing"
them. That could become an obstacle for me. I think I have a better
approach.
To help explain my plan I should expand upon and clarify what I said in my
last post. Last week I said that my target audience was the people on the
street. What I should have said was that my MAIN target audience was the
people on the street. With them I can interact freely and put my ACTIVE
attention on them. With them I get a more direct and immediate result. For
those people on the street who are interested in what I have to say I can
quickly inform them about my experiences. They are then able to make a
more informed decision about Scientology and come to their own
conclusions.
With public and staff on the other hand I'm using a more subtle approach
and so they are my INDIRECT target. For those involved in Scientology who
REALLY believe in what they are doing and who really believe that they are
getting something out of it I certainly don't want to take that away from
them. I figure, "Who the hell am *I* to force MY beliefs onto them." What
I AM trying to do, however, is reach the ones "on the fence", the ones who
have doubts, the ones who have questions, the ones who are wondering why
they are there and why they no longer have any money. I KNOW there are
many in there like that because when I was still involved I saw and heard
them. Unfortunately, at the time, I was prevented from communicating
with them and was unable to get them to share their thoughts, feelings and
concerns with me.
Now, fortunately, most (if not all) public and staff have or will see me
and read my sign. I am now able to communicate with them indirectly at
least. From the expression on some of their faces it looks like I'm
beginning to stir up doubts in some of their minds. It looks like some of
them are beginning to really wonder about Scientology. I don't think this
observation and conclusion is just wishful thinking on my part either. I
had one person E-mail me awhile back and tell me, "You know Wayne, if
someone like you had been out there when I was there I probably would not
have gotten out right away but I DEFINITELY would have started thinking
about what was going on A LOT sooner than I did". THAT'S the type of
response that I'm trying to get from public and staff members. I'm giving
them all PLENTY of space to come to their OWN conclusions about me and
ultimately Scientology. I'm not trying to cram my views down their throats
even though I feel very strongly about them.
By the way, I know that when I can't talk to someone directly that it's
impossible for me to know what they are really thinking and feeling. I can
only speculate. I realize this. I hope this fact comes across in my posts.
I'm telling you all these things so that you will learn a little
something about me and what my approach to this situation is. Whether it's
the best one or not I don't know. I DO KNOW that using this approach I
have gained the support of the local S.F. community and the S.F. police
department. I also know that so far no Scientologist has been able to
stop me from picketing. They've certainly "rattled their sabers" at me but
that's about it.
One last thing, Jeff Quiros has now informed me that he is going to get
his attorneys involved concerning my picketing outside the ORG. I don't
know what THEY can do about anything since I am NOT doing ANYTHING
illegal. I already made sure of that. It looks like they may be on the
verge of shooting themselves in the foot again. We'll see what happens.
Just remember, words are cheap, it's actions that count.
Wayne Whitney ( a concerned citizen )
"Ex-Scientologists Speak"
Wayne Whitney - Picket Report, Sunday Sept. 29, 96
[30 Sep 1996]
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From: wwhit71151@aol.com (WWhit71151)
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Subject: Wayne Whitney - Picket Report, Sunday Sept. 29, 96
Date: 30 Sep 1996 09:53:17 -0400
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Picket Report - San Francisco Org 83 Mcallister Street, Sunday Sept 29, 96
Hi Everyone,
I've been disturbed ever since that one public member a couple weeks back
came up to me and started asking questions and then was told by a staff
member that he was NOT allowed to talk to me. The look on that guys' face
that he gave me as he was walking away has been eating away at me ever
since. Partly because of that one incident I've finally decided to get a
little more "aggressive" with my picketing.
For one thing I've now decided to carry a second sign. This new sign
reads, "you have a RIGHT to talk to me. Call me at (510) -449-0332." I
keep this sign down at my side always facing toward the Org so that all
members in there can read it. For this sign I use plain white posterboard
backed by regular cardboard to give it extra strength. I cut out a little
handle for me because I figured keeping a sign squeezed between my fingers
for several hours at a time might make my fingers fatigued. It works
beautifully.
While I picket I've noticed that most staff members have now pretty much
settled in to their reactions towards me. Jim (one course supervisor)
always purposely avoids looking at me. He always looks straight ahead with
his chin held up in the air, sometimes shaking his head with a smirk on
his face. My other former course supervisor always looks at me with an
expression on his face as if he still can't believe it's ME out there
doing this. Janet Meinsma (the registrar), the queen bee of that hive,
always struts her stuff as if saying to herself, "Wayne YOU TRAITOR - and
after ALL I've done for YOU." The ethics officer has always managed to
look like she REALLY doesn't even see me. Damn she's good at it, but then
she's ALWAYS been talking to someone when she passes me so maybe that's
why she can pull it off. THEN - there are some of the paying public who
keep looking at me like they are just DYING to ask me SOMETHING.
Unfortunately as far as I know they may be just trying to let me know
that I am not affecting them in the slightest. I can't really tell WHAT
they are thinking unless I can actually talk to them to find out.
This is the purpose of my second sign, to give them a channel to discuss
what's REALLY on their minds if they want to. My new sign accomplishes
this purpose without anyone being able to accuse me of harassing them. I
need to feel that I am doing everything possible to give them all the
chance to make an INFORMED decision about what they are doing in
Scientology. I feel like I really let that one guy down when I remained
silent as he was forced to walk away from me. I need to make up for my
failure. I'm hoping my additional sign will give me the chance to do that.
One thing I found surprising and very encouraging was that this weekend I
WAS able to talk to several of their members. Unfortunately I didn't know
they were members when I was talking with them. They seemed like regular
pedestrians who were just curious about my sign and why I was out there.
It wasn't until they walked into the building that I realized who they
were. If only I had known I would have held on to them a little bit longer
and also supplied them with some of my hand-outs. I'm pleasantly surprised
because I thought for sure that the staff would have already warned
everyone by now that they were not allowed to talk to me. Apparently not.
Maybe they're trying to keep me a secret. Cool! Hopefully if I just keep
showing up that I'll continue to get lucky like this.
Besides my new sign there's one more thing that I'm doing differently.
I've noticed that almost every week one of their recruiters comes out a
little before 3:00 and goes around the building to the plaza in front of
the subway station. As much as I would like to stay out in front of THEIR
building I've decided that I could probably do more good by following this
guy and picketing right where he is. It's times like this that I wish I
could clone myself so that I could be in several places at once.
When I started pacing in front of the subway I quickly discover that I
got A LOT more attention than out front. In front of the subway there is a
lot more foot traffic. Out in front of the Org I 'd sometimes have to wait
perhaps 10 - 15 minutes before someone would approach me to ask questions
or make a comment. Drivers or passengers in cars would sometimes fill in
the gaps. Out in front of the subway, however, it only took at most 30
seconds between each encounter.
It was interesting to observe that not one person went up to this
recruiter to ask him what HE was doing there. He was always the one to
choose who he talked to. On the other hand my sign seemed to attract
people to me like a magnet. In front of the subway I got a rapid
succession of people coming up to me. Out back I got few responses from
people in cars but a lot more direct personal interactions - A LOT MORE.
With so many more interactions I've also encountered many more who have
gotten hostile to me. Some seemed so friendly for the first few minutes
and then suddenly turned on me. They'd suddenly became antagonistic and
started grilling me with all kinds of hostile questions, comments or
gestures. I guess I should expect this since the subway is so much closer
to the seedier part of town than the mission was.
The more I picket the more I've noticed that I'm slowly changing inside.
I'm learning what my buttons are. When I first started picketing I was so
afraid to encounter hostility from ANYONE. When I first started picketing
I was so unsure of myself, I had no idea what to say or how I should
handle ANY situation, let alone a hostile one. The S.F. mission was a good
training ground for learning to deal with strangers and staff members.
Because of the neighborhood at Sutter and Stockton most people were
receptive and friendly to me. In front of the subway on Market Street I've
lost that safety net. If I am to keep informing potential victims about
the dangers of Scientology then I need to learn to be able to deal with
all types of situations out there on the street.
In a strange kind of way the more I picket the more of a "thrill" I get
from hostile encounters. All the positive responses I get certainly
encourage me but it's all my successful dealings with hostile people that
are building my confidence and are giving me a feeling of immense
satisfaction. I walk away feeling like, "Hey, I CAN do this picketing
thing." It's so satisfying to have some stranger suddenly turn hostile on
me and then within 5 - 10 minutes for me to be able to get them to calm
down enough so that they just walk away. Even if they're still cursing at
me I know that I've successfully dealt with the situation and that now I
can continue my picket. People still need to be informed about
Scientology. This shouldn't preclude me from having fun while doing it.
Over the months I've learned a few things about picketing. When dealing
with a hostile person NEVER PANIC. To panic could invite disaster. The
last thing I'm prepared to deal with is a disaster. Also, I ALWAYS
maintain direct eye contact with the person no matter how hostile they
become. If the situation seems to be getting out of control I always
IMMEDIATELY lower my sign. Not only does this allow ME to concentrate more
on them but, strangely enough, it seems to have a calming affect on them.
I've also learned to try to never listen to my internal reactions but to
always put my FULL attention on the other person. I can always deal with
my reactions later. Most of the time the "hostile" person just wants to
feel heard. As soon as I give them THAT they just turn around and walk
away. It is SO COOL watching this happen. This approach has served me very
well every time so far.
Other people have E-mailed me additional advice which I ALWAYS keep in my
"tool belt" just in case these usual methods don't work. Thank you
everyone for your input. I'm always looking for good ideas to use during
my picketing. I want to be an EFFECTIVE picketer not a public nuisance.
When I'm out there on the street I have a VERY specific agenda. My purpose
is to inform as many people as possible about Scientology so that they
can make an informed decision about it. I see myself as sort of a "truth
in advertising" label. People who agree with me already certainly give me
encouragement but it doesn't accomplish my purpose. People who become
hostile may help me develop confidence but still it doesn't achieve my
purpose. When someone walks away from me knowing more than they did before
then THAT DOES achieve my purpose and gives me a lot of satisfaction. This
Sunday was certainly informative, thrilling, productive, and satisfying.
I'm gonna have to do this again soon. Say next weekend. Hey, I'm there!
Wayne Whitney
"Ex-Scientologists Speak"
Wayne Whitney - Picket Report Oct 6, 96
[07 Oct 1996]
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From: wwhit71151@aol.com (WWhit71151)
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Subject: Wayne Whitney - Picket Report Oct 6, 96
Date: 7 Oct 1996 09:02:50 -0400
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Picket Report - San Francisco Org, 83 McAllister Street, Oct 6, 96
Hi Everyone,
As soon as I appeared out front these two guys from France immediately
approached me and asked if they could take my picture standing in front of
the Org. They told me that Scientology is so hated over in France that
they just HAD to have a picture of someone picketing an Org. They wanted
to be able to show it to their friends back home. What a fun way to start
the afternoon!
Strangely, not more than 60 seconds later two staff members came out, both
with cameras, and they too started taking pictures of me. I'm watching
this spectacle and thinking, "The novelty of this picture taking thing has
certainly worn thin. I wonder what they're up to now. Maybe I'm just
having a really good hair day." God only knows why they have this sudden
renewed interest in taking my picture again. It couldn't be because there
were Sea Ogres inside and they were trying to make a good impression on
them. I often see Sea Ogres in there. Sometimes they even stand at the
door watching me all the while taking notes on a clip board. The only
thing I can think of is that they must have kind of freaked out when they
saw those two guys taking my picture in front of THEIR building.
Anyway, once this "photo shoot" ended I resumed my normal picketing mode.
Right around 1:00 P.M. I noticed this guy approaching me who was wearing a
T-shirt that read "PSYCHIATRY KILLS". When we were about ten feet apart he
looks me right in the eye and then spits on the sidewalk right in front of
my feet. He looks me right in the eye again and then turned and walked
straight into the Org without ever saying a word. I guess he was just
expressing his opinion to me.
Last post I mentioned how Janet Meinsma (the registrar ) always looks
like she really despises me as if she sees me as a traitor. Well today she
just happened to be coming out of the bakery next door just as I was
approaching it. We suddenly ended up face to face for the first time.
There was no possible way for her to avoid me this time. In that situation
she suddenly turned on the charm, put a big smile on her face and
responded to me as if we were the best of friends. THAT'S a skill she uses
to get money out of people. She pretends to be their best friend. I was
not surprised by this sudden chameleon-like change because I've watched
several staff members get put through the "tone scale drill". That's a
drill where the member is trained to be able to express any emotion at
will. They're trained to be able do this so that they can manipulate the
other person. The staff tried it on me when I first started picketing the
mission. Jeff Quiros tried it on me when I first started picketing the
Org. Now Janet tried it on me when it was impossible for her to ignore me.
It's what these guys do. I'm not falling for it anymore. I've been duped
enough times by technique.
A short while later this guy was sitting on their planter by their front
door. He calls me over because he has a few questions for me. Within two
minutes this staff member comes out and says to me in a stern voice, "I'm
going to have to ask you to step back out there on the sidewalk". This was
the same person who told one of their members that he was not allowed to
talk to me and sent him back inside. He's also the one that took pictures
of me earlier in the day. Since I don't know his name I'll just call him
"this staff member". Anyway, I got a bit angry by this because I don't
like being ordered around like that. Fortunately I had already answered
all the guys questions so that was taken care of. Secondly, I much prefer
the sidewalk because out there I'm A LOT more visible and I get a lot more
attention. Because of those two reasons I decided it was in MY best
interest to go back on the sidewalk. This confrontation resolved without
escalating. It does, however, show how "reactive" they are and how low
their "confront" is. These are conditions that LRH says Scientology is
suppose to improve. Here was an example that clearly shows the tech
DOESN'T work.
Today I heard the first real "horror" story about Scientology outside the
Org. So far most people have told me how they've just nibbled on the clam
bait and then spit it back out. Outside the mission I heard horror stories
all the time. This one girl came up behind me and started clapping for me.
She said she was so happy to see me out there. She had seen what happened
to her grandmother after she had gotten involved in the cult. This girl
told me that her grandmother eventually died blind and with cancer and
that right to the very end she absolutely refused to go to a doctor
because she was so convinced that Scientology would heal her of all her
ills. When I meet real people with stories like this it makes me wish that
I could be out there every single day.
Wayne Whitney
"Ex-Scientologists Speak"
Wayne Whitney - Picket Report Oct 11, 96
[14 Oct 1996]
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From: wwhit71151@aol.com (WWhit71151)
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Subject: Wayne Whitney - Picket Report Oct 11, 96
Date: 14 Oct 1996 09:34:00 -0400
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Picket Report - San Francisco Org 83 McAllister Street, Oct 11,96
HI Everyone,
I read a few postings of some guys who were sort of tossing around the
idea of picketing the London ORG on Thursdays. I thought, "What a bloody
good idea." Because of those posts I decided to add an extra picket
Wednesday to see if staff still went into there "feeding frenzy" the way
they did when I was there. Unfortunately, as I was getting ready to go I
developed a case of the hiccups so I had to postpone it until Friday.
I arrived shortly after 2:00 PM and began my usual pacing. I didn't really
see anyone out there so I thought it would probably be pretty dead since
it was a weekday. Around 3:00 PM a few staff and public came out for their
break. Then more and more and more came out. I finally realized I was
outnumbered almost twenty to 1. I quickly became quite uncomfortable and
self-conscious. I thought, "Oh my God, don't look at the crowd Wayne,
don't look at the crowd". Because of that I redirected my attention to
the drivers of the cars passing by. After about five minutes I extroverted
enough to calm down and was able to get myself re-focused. At that point I
remembered I had my second sign at my side which reads, "You have a right
to talk to me. Call me at (510)-449-0332." I figured what better way to
open up a channel for communication than to make eye contact and point out
my sign. Besides, I had a golden opportunity. It looked like almost all of
them were out there. From that point on every time I would change
direction I would quickly scan the crowd to see if anyone was looking at
me. If someone was I would make eye contact and then hold up my sign so
that I was sure they could see it. After a few seconds I would look away
and lower my sign again. It's times like that when I really wish I could
read minds so I could tell what kind of impact I'm making.
I've been encountering a new type of situation outside the ORG. Sometimes
when a group forms around me there's a sudden clash between two people in
the group. One person will suddenly turn on another and become verbally
abusive to them, just like what happens to me sometimes. One guy I had
been talking to became so disgusted when this happened that he just walked
away. He came back later and we talked about what had happened and
smoothed things out. Friday a woman who came up to me was suddenly
insulted by the guy I was talking to. She became a bit frustrated but I
was really impressed by how she held her own with this guy. She didn't let
the guy get to her but handled the situation beautifully. She didn't
resort to becoming abusive in return. After all was said and done I don't
think this guy meant any harm. Sometimes people say things that can be so
insensitive without realizing it.
This type of situation never happened outside the mission. The Org is in a
completely different neighborhood so it shouldn't be surprising that
totally new situations would develop out there. When hostility arises I
immediately think, "Oh my God. What should I do now?" So far when the
hostility has been directed at others I've just stood there and let the
situation take it course. If the situation were to start getting out of
control I was prepared to step in and sort of act as a moderator. I feel a
sense of responsibility for maintaining the peace out there since these
people never would have gotten together if I hadn't been out there with my
picket sign. After having dealt with so many types of people and so many
different situations I feel fairly confident that I could defuse almost
any situation that may arise. I'm keeping my fingers crossed of course.
While I was pacing these two guys walked by. One of them said to me in a
very negative tone of voice, "Haven't you got anything better to do with
your life?" That little zinger really let the air out of me. My first
reaction was to just go home right then. Instead (after a few minutes of
mumbling to myself about what an idiot the guy was) I tried to pump myself
back up by remembering all the reasons I was out there. It's incredible
how one little comment like that can have such an impact on me.
Anyway on a happier note. There's one more oddity that I'm getting curious
about. Friday this one public member came outside and just stood there
silently watching me. Every time I looked right at him he would look down
at his feet. I kept watching this thinking, "Is he going to defect? Is he
going to ask me a question? What's going on here?" After about an hour
this staff member came out and brought him back in. At the time I figured
maybe he was just on a break and didn't want to hang out inside. Then it
happened again today (Sunday the 13th). This young woman (my former Key To
Life clay table auditor) was sitting on the couch by the window just
watching me. When I looked at her she would just keep watching me so I
would show her my sign. Any time someone would come up and start talking
to me she would call over this staff member and they would both watch me.
I guess I'm just going to have to picket more often so that I can hurry
up and find out what's going on in there. I just HAVE to satisfy my
curiosity about this new development.
Wayne Whitney ( a concerned citizen )
"Ex-Scientologists Speak"
Wayne Whitney - Picketing sign assembly instructions
[14 Nov 1996]
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From: wwhit71151@aol.com
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Subject: Wayne Whitney - Picketing sign assembly instructions
Date: 14 Nov 1996 06:26:15 GMT
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Hi Everyone,
I recently made a new and improved picketing sign. The last one was
effective but this one is SO much better. I made these modifications based
on weaknesses that I encountered with my old sign. I thought some of you
might be interested, especially if you plan to picket this December 7th.
This one is light weight but VERY strong and easy to handle. I can hold it
way up high for hours on end without getting tired or having it flop
around or bend in the wind.
MATERIALS:
* SUPPORT FOR WRITING SURFACES - corrugated cardboard ( 22"W x 14"H )
* HANDLE - corrugated cardboard ( 2 1/4"W x 22"H ) - 2 required
* WRITING SURFACES - light fluorescent green posterboard ( 14" x 22" ) -
2 required
* packaging tape ( the kind with fiber reinforcement ) - very strong and
doesn't get sticky
* magic marker ( with 'chisel' tip )
* pencil ( optional )
* elmers glue
* stapler
ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS: ( refer to diagram below )
1. Cut cardboard ( 22"W x 14"H) with the grain going horizontally.
2. Cut two strips of cardboard ( 2 1/4"W x 22"H ) with the grain vertical.
Width should be adjusted for YOUR particular grip.
3. Cut two pieces of posterboard for your actual writing surfaces.
4. Glue the handles onto each side of the 22" x 14" cardboard. Be sure
to glue the 'handle' parts together as well. I used rubber bands
around the handle part to keep them together while drying. Staple
handles to cardboard for extra strength. Let dry.
5. While your glue is drying write your message on your writing surfaces.
(I took my time with this part. I carefully planned, measured out
and then traced my lettering in pencil first. Once my lettering was
just the way I wanted it I darkened it all with my magic marker. I
wanted my sign to look neat but I think ANY dark lettering would be
just as effective.)
6. Pinch together the edges of the handle. This will make it easier and
much more comfortable to hold for long periods of time.
7. Wrap the handle with packaging tape making sure that the edges stay
pinched together. Wrap the upper part of the handle as well for extra
strength.
8. Staple the posterboards to your sign.
COMMENTS:
* This sign cost me about five dollars in materials and took only a couple
of hours to assemble.
* If the writing surfaces get dirty or I want to change my message all I
have to do is pull the posterboards off and replace them. Because of this
fact this sign should pretty much last me indefinitely.
* I stuck the handle slightly out the top because of one drawback that I
encountered with my old sign. When I was not actively picketing I would
often hold my sign by the handle down at my side but upside. Because of
this so many people would either ask me what my sign said or I would
observe them turning their heads upside-down so that they could read it
themselves. I eventually started to ALWAYS hold my sign right-side up even
when it was down at my side. Unfortunately, holding it this way got the
top of my sign all dirty and worn out. Now with the little bit of handle
sticking out the top I have something to hold on to so I can always keep
it upright without ruining it.
I HOPE THIS POST HELPS SOMEONE!
"Ex-Scientologists Speak"
Wayne Whitney - Picket Report Nov 30, 96
[04 Dec 1996]
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From: wwhit71151@aol.com
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Subject: Wayne Whitney - Picket Report Nov 30, 96
Date: 4 Dec 1996 09:37:31 GMT
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Picket Report - San Francisco Org 83 McAllister Street Nov 30, 96
Hi Everyone,
I wasn't able to picket for two weekends in a row because the weather has
been bad here in the S.F. bay area. By the 2nd weekend I was really
starting to get antsy to get out there again. I was having some serious
withdrawal symptoms. Fortunately this past Saturday I had a window of
opportunity and was able to make up for it. It looks like the rainy
season has finally arrived here in northern California. I guess this is
going to force me to go back to my original plan of being unpredictable in
my picketing.
When I first started picketing I had SO much to say to everyone out on the
street. I felt that in order to get my message about the dangers of
Scientology across effectively that I had to tell a person EVERYTHING that
I've experienced or knew about Scientology. After nine months of picketing
I've discovered that it's not necessary. All it usually takes for me now
is about one or two minutes to be effective. My sign REALLY DOES pull
people in and gets their attention focused on what I have to say. This
allows me to get right to the point. I know I've said this before but I'm
still amazed at how many people still comment to me something like, "Hey
man, I just HAD to come over and ask you about your sign." For those of
you who don't know already I carry a bright, fluorescent green sign which
reads "in my opinion SCIENTOLOGY IS A SCAM." This sign is VERY effective.
If you were out here with me you could see for yourself what kind of
attention it really pulls in. There are SO many things that I haven't
mentioned in any of my posts that you just have to see to believe.
This past Saturday there was one woman who stopped by and told me that she
had picked up one of their "free" personality tests. She said that staff
members have been calling her practically every day to come in and have it
evaluated but she kept putting it off. After listening to my story she
left saying, "When I get home I'm going to throw that damn thing out. Now
I'm glad I kept procrastinating. I had no idea that's what went on in
there."
A short while later I noticed this young woman kind of wander up to the
building. She looked at the Orgs front door and then up at the address
above it. Then she kind of loitered around the front, eating an apple,
reading all the posters that were on display. She had the look of someone
who had heard about Scientology and stopped by to find out more about it.
At one point she even stood right in front of the door reading a flyer
they had taped to the window. Whenever I see something like this I tense
up and practically bite my lip saying to myself, "Don't go in, don't go
in. What should I do? Should I say SOMETHING?" In this case I decided to
NOT say anything (right then) and just kind of watch what she did. Several
times as I was walking I observed her kind of glance at me and then back
at the posters again. After about ten minutes she turned around and
practically walked right up to me. She had the look on her face as if she
really wanted to ask me something. Instead she kept her gaze straight
ahead and just slowly walked past me. She just kept walking until she was
finally out of sight. I'll NEVER know but I sure would like to think that
my presence out there had something to do with her decision NOT to go
inside.
Later in the afternoon this couple was walking by. The guy glanced at me,
did a double-take and then said, "Hey, weren't you on TV a couple of weeks
ago? You're the guy that got scammed aren't you?" He gives the ORG a
once-over and says, "This the place?" I said, "Yep, that's the place". He
says, "I'll have to remember that, thanks for the warning." It was so
weird to be suddenly recognized like that. I was beginning to wonder if
anyone had the chance to see me since I wasn't on a major channel. Instead
I was on S.F. cable channel 53. Now I know at least ONE person saw me
there. I'm sure glad I didn't let my sister talk me out of doing that talk
show. I wonder how many others had the chance to see me. I was informed
that the channel has a veiwership of several thousand in the bay area so
I'm hoping many more saw it as well.
At break time (around 3:00 P.M.) this one guy that I've observed sort of
watching me for several months now went across the street for something.
Then, without any warning he came up behind me and asked me why I was out
there picketing. This took me totally by surprise. People on the street I
now have a lot of experience dealing with but public members like that I
don't. Since I was taken by surprise AND I knew that I only had seconds I
did the best I could in the given situation. After about a minute that one
staff member (the one that seems like he's sort of in charge during the
day) comes out, pats the guy on the shoulder and says to him, "Come on
buddy, let's go back inside now." With that he then guides the guy back
inside. This time the staff member wasn't as blunt as he was with that
other guy awhile back. Unfortunately, it still had the same effect of
keeping their members from talking to me. Was this guy trying to convince
me to go away OR was he starting to have doubts about Scientology and
wanted to hear what I had to say? I don't know. I didn't have time to find
out. Scientology staff can be very fast in cutting off communication. At
least they're still noticing me.
If the weather's favorable I plan to be at the picket on the 7th. I plan
to arrive at my usual time at 12:00 noon and picket until around 3:30PM. A
party afterwards would be great.
Oh, by the way, if some of my comments or references in my posts seem out
of the blue you can do a Deja News search to get copies of all my previous
posts. Those should fill in all the blanks for you.
Wayne Whitney
"Ex-Scientologists Speak"
Marina's Manor