March 13, 1998
Picket report; Atlanta, Georgia
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Subject: Picket report; Atlanta, Georgia
From: wynot@mindspring.com (wynot)
Date: Fri, 13 Mar 1998 23:37:10 GMT
As Mad_Cow and I walked up thirteenth street to the org, who should we
see but Xenu himself, readying for the picket. Standing nearly seven
feet tall, wearing lovely purple robes to match his big purple eyes,
he was a symbol of Freedom to all of us picketers.
We arrived just after noon, and began marching. Present were Xenu,
Laudanum, Mad_Cow, Jeff Sinclair, and myself. We were joined a little
later by Slax, a former scientologist (OT1). Signs included 'Ask me
about Xenu', 'Cult of Greed', and 'Internet 2, Scientology 0'. We soon
had an audience of sorts; several scienos, including one very big guy
who came over and asked us what the signs meant, then could not seem
to understand our answers.
It was a little while before a handler was sent out. It turned out to
be Susan, the friendly one from weekend before last. Tone 40 /Diane
apparently was too busy. But a few minutes before she showed up,
several people came out of the building next door to the org to look
at Xenu, and read our signs. They began waving, and giving us thumbs
up. It really set up a tone for the picket!
Today there was lots of traffic, both foot and vehicular. We handed
out dozens of fliers; Xenu, LRH quotes, and a new one called '$360,000
for Salvation' (we'll send you a copy, Roland), which contained recent
price quotes for various books and courses, and the new Quantum
E-meter prices.
We had a new handler, a clear who apparently was hatted to deal with
us. A very nice lady named Linda, who attached herself to Slax. We
learned that Susan was DSA. After a while they were joined by an older
man in a really neat felt hat with a big feather in the brim. He was
introduced as Yogi. Laudanum spoke with him for a bit, but told us
later that his conversation consisted primarily of saying "Its all
lies, all hateful lies" in response to everything she said. After a
while she gave up, and returned to marching.
About twenty minutes after we began picketing, a police car pulled up.
The policeman got out, and asked to speak to Xenu. He politely let
Xenu know that this city has a mask law, that makes it illegal to go
about with one's face covered except on Halloween. When a couple of us
asked him (the officer) what was up, he told us that we had every
right to picket, but that Xenu must not continue masked. He said the
same to Susan, when she spoke to him after we did. It really did not
matter; Xenu had much work to, and was about to leave anyway...
The picketing continued, Susan talking to Mad_Cow, Linda marching
beside Slax, and Laudanum and me being mostly ignored. Mad decided
that he wanted to really push things a bit, and crossed the street to
march directly in front of the org. Susan followed him, and he will
have to tell what that conversation was like himself. People continued
to pass by, and we tried to give all of them fliers; some accepted, a
few did not. At one point a car pulling out of the parking lot rolled
down the window and asked Mad_Cow what it was all about. Mad handed
the guy a couple fliers, and Susan ran up to give him her flier
(something about the lies of the St. Petersburg Times). As she was
handing in her flier, she tried to snatch Mad's flier. Mad rested his
hand on her arm, and said "Now, now", and she let go.
A few minutes before two, a man came up to us, and introduced himself
as the owner of the parking lot. He asked us to stop picketing on his
parking lot; we weren't, but we were stepping into it, off the
sidewalk for a moment's foot resting now and then. We decided not to
push the matter; it had been a good, solid picket, and it was decided
to continue 'til two o'clock, then head on. Mad, Laud, Slax, and me
headed off for the one hour photo lab and a pleasant cafeteria lunch.
(Jeff had had to leave a little sooner than the rest of us, to deal
with the MEST universe.)
I believe it was a good picket. I hope all the other pickets today and
tomorrow are even better! You go, guys!
'Til next time
wynot
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"But regardless how hard the going is for us critics in the face
of entrenched evil, as Winston Churchill said once that these are
not the dark days, but rather the great days. They are great because
the cult is giving each of us an opportunity to find out the depth
of our love of freedom." - Grady Ward.
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