======== Subject: "Tampa Tribune", 12/4/1999: Scientology foes gather for 5th annual meeting From: Xenubat@primenet.com (Bat Child (Sue M.)) Date: Sun, 05 Dec 1999 07:47:09 GMT Message-ID: <384e180a.29165636@news.primenet.com> Found at: http://www.tampatrib.com/news/satu100c.htm ==================== 12/4/99 -- 12:52 AM Scientology foes gather for 5th annual meeting By LESLEY COLLINS of The Tampa Tribune -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CLEARWATER - Scientology critics meet to protest the church and commemorate the death of a church member. An annual convention of sorts for Church of Scientology critics officially gets under way today. But that didn't stop a handful of ex-Scientologists and church foes from hoisting placards Friday outside the former Fort Harrison Hotel, Scientology's international retreat in downtown Clearwater. Even if it meant standing inches from busy Fort Harrison Avenue. The conference, now in its fifth year, has met with varied reaction from Scientology officials in the past - from angry confrontations to a counterpicket staged by Scientologists two years ago at the Clearwater Police Department. This year, the church's critics won't be able to protest anywhere around the perimeter of the hotel. Scaffolding and a green mesh curtain completely block the sidewalk directly in front of the hotel. A scaffold tunnel recently was erected across the street from the hotel to protect pedestrians walking alongside a six-story Scientology training complex under construction since February. An overhead walkway will link the hotel and training center. The timing of the work has nothing to do with the annual protest, Scientology spokesman Michael Rinder said Friday. Church foes, however, say the construction's timing is intended to shield Scientology members. Some 30 to 40 ex-Scientologists and church adversaries are expected to attend this weekend's events, which include a free public conference from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at the Holiday Inn at 20967 U.S. 19 N. in Clearwater, and a candlelight vigil at 7 tonight at Peace Memorial Presbyterian Church at 110 S. Fort Harrison Ave. The vigil honors church member Lisa McPherson, who died Dec. 5, 1995, after 17 days in the care of church staffers in their headquarters hotel. The church is facing charges of aggravated abuse of a disabled adult and practicing medicine without a license in McPherson's death. ==================== Sue, SP4(:), listed on the Scieno Sitter list 5 times! -- http://www.primenet.com/~xenubat "It will take a *long* time to find another enemy with the combination of evil and incompetence you see in Scientology."--Keith Henson ======== Subject: SPTimes-12-05: Co$ foe moves in, digs in for a long fight From: xenurules@hotmail.com Date: Sun, 05 Dec 1999 14:51:15 GMT Message-ID: <82du53$lck$1@nnrp1.deja.com> http://www.sptimes.com/News/120599/news_pf/TampaBay/Scientology_foe_move s.shtml Scientology foe moves in, digs in for a long fight A trust, organized to fight Scientology, will set up offices near the church in downtown Clearwater. By THOMAS C. TOBIN © St. Petersburg Times, published December 5, 1999 CLEARWATER -- An opposition group to the Church of Scientology said Saturday it is well-financed and "here to stay" with plans for a variety of activities, from speaking to school children and civic groups to counseling Scientologists about leaving their church. The group is called the Lisa McPherson Trust Inc., named for the 36- year-old Scientologist who died in 1995 while in the care of church staffers. Its intentions were made public during a "Scientology/Clearwater Relations Conference" at a local hotel. Also Saturday, about 40 anti-Scientology activists picketed in front of Scientology buildings in downtown. Later, more than 60 people, including McPherson's family from Texas, gathered to remember her at an evening vigil. Robert Minton, the New England millionaire who formed the new trust, said its offices would be a "safe zone" for Scientologists and others who find fault with the church or have questions that only its critics would answer. "We will be encouraging people to think for themselves, and we will be offering people any information they want to listen to," Minton said as he waved and held a picket sign at downtown's main crossroads, Cleveland Street and Fort Harrison Avenue. On his sign was a swastika with a Scientology cross at the center. It said: "Stop Scientology's Hate, Lies and Bigotry." Responding to Minton and the other pickets, Mike Rinder, a top Scientology official, said: "The only ones spreading fear and hate in Clearwater are those people." He called the Lisa McPherson Trust "a hate group set up for profit and for the personal benefit of Bob Minton." Rinder added, "I don't think anybody in this community wants them around." When the trust registered with the state in October as a for-profit corporation, church officials said it was a scheme by Minton to recoup the $2.5-million he has spent so far on anti-Scientology causes. But Minton, a 53-year-old retired investment banker, said Saturday that if his motivation was money, he wouldn't be giving it away so readily to anti-Scientology causes. He said he registered the group as a for- profit to avoid the open financial reporting requirements of non- profits and to prevent Scientology from harassing potential donors. A full-time staff of six will operate the trust in a building that Minton says he has contracted to buy in downtown. The building is said to be adjacent to church property, but Minton is waiting to disclose the location. At the anti-Scientology conference, a small audience of the activists heard from several speakers, including Peter Alexander and David Cecere. Cecere, a Scientologist from 1975 to 1992, will be the trust's executive director. "We're here to stay. We're here for the long haul. We're here to see the truth come out," Cecere told the group. "We're going to be busy." Alexander, a former Scientologist, said he spent $1-million on Scientology over 20 years and last year moved his business from Clearwater to Tampa to get away from the church. As one of the trust's 23 board members, he tried to find office space for the group but was met, he said, with resistance from downtown landlords fearful of Scientology. Alexander said the new trust would be "the force that people can get behind so they won't be afraid any more."