Picket reports

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(two reports)
Subject: Picket report SF May 1st
From: taniwha taniwha@taniwha.com

3 of us (Jour, Peaches and myself) went on a May day picket at the SF org today.
The day started out with a fun piece on the radio, I was in the car taking the kids to school surfing the radio looking for somewhere that didn't have traffic or ads when I came upon KLLC which had a comedian who is in town playing at a local club (I forget her name, sorry) - somehow scientology came up and she waded in - "I had a friend who was in for a year she completely disappeared ..... they make you only marry other scientologists ..... they have these therapy sessions where they record all your darkest thoughts .... when you try and leave the bring them out and use them to blackmail you .... Travolta and Cruise are gay, have scientology marriages and are being blackmailed .... etc" - it was enough to warm the cockles of an old SP's heart (wait "cockles" are what they call "clams" in England, well whatever)
There another 100,000 people who won't get sucked in ....

Anyway I drove up to SF to picket over lunch, it was cold and windy - but Jour's SP powerz kept the rain off until after we were done - the 'stress test' people (wisely) stayed inside - but we did pick up our usual OSA photographer (I guess taking the same photos week after week still counts as being upstat) Taniwha
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Subject: Picket Report, San Francisco, May 1
From: jour0@aol.com (http://members.aol.com/jour0/)(Jour0)

Picket Report, Friday, May 1, San Francisco org, about 1 hour
$cn officials might find it hard to believe that I have a life, but I do. That's why I didn't post this report immediately after the picket, and that's also why I wanted to start picketing a little early. I had other things I wanted to do in the afternoon.

It had been raining in the morning, but I used my non-existent Gnarly Suppressive Person Oat Tee powerz (SPOTs) to keep the rain from falling during the picket. (I find they're also helpful on the bus. As I approach my stop, I just use my SPOTs to get someone else to pull the cord for me.)

I arrived at about 11:35 and began picketing solo. I had already had a brief conversation at the bus stop with someone who asked about my sign, and I'd already given fliers to two people. I probably reach as many drivers and pedestrians on my way to and from the org as I do walking around in front of it.

When I got there, a gentleman was standing outside smoking. It was the same gentleman who, on my first picket, had told me I should get my facts straight about $cn being anti-feminist and that the ED of the SF org was a woman. I had hoped to see him. I had brought a letter with me, asking $cn executives for information confirming that $cn is not anti-feminist. If they can demonstrate to me that that's true, I want to change my sign.

I asked the man if I could give him a letter. He said no! I told him I wanted to have $cn convince me that $cn is not anti-feminist. He gestured toward the door. I told him I didn't want to go inside for fear that I would be called a trespasser.

The foot traffic was much better than last week, and I had lots more takers for my fliers. Many of the people who declined to take a flier said they already knew that $cn was a scam. I suggested that they tell their friends or tell their congressperson.

Shortly after I started, Peaches and Taniwha arrived. Peaches looked smart as usual in her professional business attire. (I was wearing my BRIGHT RED ensemble from last week.) We did a pretty good job of not clumping up in one place this week, and I think we covered the passersby quite well.

I tried out some Trade Show Tech. I tried to make eye contact with pedestrians and, if I caught their eye, I said, "Would you like a flier?" A lot of people were standing a little ways off, eyeing our picket signs. I don't think they would have asked for a flier, but a lot of them took one when I offered it.

We had a few interesting conversations. One gentleman took a flier and said he was aware of the problems $cn causes, and that they were having a lot of problems with $cn in his home country of France. Another gentleman told Peaches and me that he had a friend who had "escaped" from $cn. He had been in for about two years, about two years ago, at the San Francisco org. He thanked Peaches and me for picketing.

A gentleman in a blue suit, with a camera, came out and watched us and started taking our pictures. Peaches and I were talking with a woman who had stopped to ask us for more information and to tell us about a friend who had taken some $cn courses, after which the friend had become "more selfish". While we were talking, Peaches said to me "Jour, we're having our picture taken", so we turned around to the Blue Suit gentleman and posed. I wasn't sure if he actually snapped a shot or not. We went back to talking, and our pedestrian friend learned that the photographer was from $cn, not a reporter. She was NOT pleased. She said she came from El Salvador and it's not safe to have people taking your picture. She went over to the Blue Suit gentleman and had a conversation with him about the photos. (Peaches later told me that he told the woman he was taking the photos to give to the police department's hate crimes division.) Later, I saw him aiming the camera at me again, so I posed, smiled, and waved. That didn't seem to be what he wanted, because he lowered the camera. I grinned and said, "I'm sorry - are we not looking angry enough for you?" He looked frustrated. I thought he was being very silly.

Not long after that, the Blue Suit gentleman started walking next to Taniwha, talking to him. He stayed with Taniwha the whole time! Poor Tani.

I saw Our Lady of the Stress Test Table (no, no Stress Test Table was set up today) walking toward the org about a half block away. Suddenly, she disappeared. I asked Peaches if she had seen her, and she said she had ducked into a pastry shop. A few minutes later she did walk past us into the org. I asked her if I could give her my letter. She laughed and said no. I am amazed that Scientologists are so unwilling to receive my communication. I'm doing my best to be as polite and considerate as I can be.

After we'd been there for about an hour, we left. I had a few more conversations on the way back, including one on a crowded bus, which I'm sure others heard. The questions I was asked gave me a chance to talk about the recorded confessionals and criminal convictions, among other things.

I thought this was a great picket. We got lots of information across and had a good response from passersby (lots of supportive comments). Jour

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From: "Karsten Lorenzen" ingolf77@hotmail.com
Subject: Picket Report - Aarhus, Denmark, 1 May 1998

on the first, in Denmark there was a picket in AArhus, which is the second largest city here. We where supposed to be thirty but due to the major conflict that has caused every thing to close. Only two picketeers where there. Susanne Elleby and I had a sign saying Scientology Destroys famalies. Is yours the next ? We had only just arrived, when scios came. they where 8, four of them taking pictures and one of them where taping it with his camcorde. The other three stood talking in their cellular phones. Then the danish tv came. And started to make interview with me. At that moment it was an open war, but unfortunantly, for the scios, The television crew had enough, and started to interview them: why are you sabotaging our interview, why do you take pictures, they asked the scios.

A couple of minuttes later my interview was made, and then it was Susannes turn. Scios tried once more to ruin it, but as the first time they did not succeed. Then they left, and I started to hand out the Xemu leeflet, which I have translated into danish. The young people in Aarhus that day, shouted Yes finally somebody who stands up against them. And I guess we handed out 75 leeflets within 20 min. It was a very succesfull picket. Susanne had promissed the scios. a copy of the leeflet, so she went up Aarhus org, handing them a leeflet, while I stood outside shouting: 10 danish famalies during the last 6 months, is yours the next one, stop Scientology, Stop their mind conrol. Then we left them. And they had, as far as my information is true, a crises meeting friday evening. I guess we ruined their day in a very high rate. This was the first picket ever held against Co$ But a very big succes, and defenently not the last one.

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Subject: Picket report San Jose/Santa Claras, 2 May 1998
From: hkhenson@netcom.com (Keith Henson)

I was up that direction today so I put in a 20 minute picket at the org on Winchester Blvd. just north of Heading. Looks like a downstat feeder org, no larger than the one in Mt. View.

Took them 10 minutes to notice they were being picketed! When they did, the woman inside ran out and *locked the door.* Only thing this did was to make it hard for some dude who arrived in a taxie to get in.

Automobile traffic is high this location, many thumbs up and honks, but foot traffic is low. Gave out maybe a dozen flyers in spite of the low traffic. Keith Henson

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Subject: Picket Report, Mesa AZ, 5/2/98
From: bpetty@primenet.com (BP)

As the summer progresses, our pickets will tend to be in the morning or evening hours, except when we show up at he hottest parts of the day. Expect us when you see us, OSA.

There were 5 cars in the lot at 9:15, 2 more arrived by 10:30. We had the usual honks of approval from traffic, and no appearance from inside the mission today. I have not seen Leslie Dohrman since I videotaped her in LA when we shut down LRH Way. Maybe the Mesa site no longer HAS a resident OSA level person. In fact, the personnel that I DO see these days is completely different than the ones who were ubiquitous just a year ago. I think that the turnover is constant (or increasing ). Bye bye, cult.

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Subject: San Jose 5/2/98 (picket)
From: bstone@kudonet.com (Brent Stone)

OK, I guess it's my turn to make the report, not that I can write or anything.
I got there around 11:00 to 'standard sprinkler tech' operating in the rain. It stopped raining just after I arrived. Kind of a boring start, everyone hiding inside (not even the normal smokers wandering out front).

Some time later, a Keith arrived, and a new picketer arrived shortly after that. The four of us (the new picketer brought a Duke stand in who loved playing in the sprinklers, but forgot to bring the water wings) had a nice time pretty much all to ourselves. Car count was 35 around 12:30.

Somewhere around 1:30 we decided to leave. I went over to our normal lunch spot (took my van this time for reasons I'll explain sometime later, and parked it with signs out on first street where lot's of people got to see it), and had a burger. After lunch, I decided to wander back -- sprinkler tech was turned off, but they decided that they needed to spray huge amounts of pesticides on their roses when I arrived. I stayed until about 3:00. The only interesting thing was when one of the body routers was bringing a man into the org. They had to pass me, so I offered a flyer, which the 'mark' seemed to want to take. The body router ripped it out of my hand, then tried to take my remaining flyers while pushing the 'mark' onto 'church' property. I don't wander over there, so I just pointed out to the 'mark' that this was the first intro he would be getting to their method of letting him 'think for himself'. I seriously doubt that he decided to become a victim. - Brent

PS: welcome new picketer -- Chester needs water wings if he's going to hang out around Co$.

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(three reports)
Subject: San Francisco Picket Report-May 6, 1998
From: realpch@aol.com (Realpch)

Another day, another picket. It was sprinkling, but Tani, Jour, Phr and myself turned up at the San Francisco Scientology Org with our picket signs and our fliers. Since it was sprinkling, the Stress Test table did not make an appearance. However, the lady who usually mans the table, joined us in handing out fliers. She took the corner so she could get the folks on their way to the open air market. She was very animated, and I almost felt like there was some kind of popularity contest going on. One man refused a Xenu flier because she was his friend. Indeed, she had many friends today.

Tani got some more personal attention from his Scientology "friend". The man really wants to talk, but apparently only to Tani.

I myself was chagrined and heartbroken; I'm pretty nearsighted, but I think the fellow who was flirting with me the last picket and asking the personal questions was one of the Scientologists hanging around the front of the Org! I squinted and squinted, and I think it was that heartless flirt. And I had even asked him if he were a Scientologist and he said no! What is this world coming to?

Due to a misaligned spine, I had to can the skirt and heels today. But my second-hand Saks jacket was fresh from the drycleaner. I didn't feel up to a hat either. I really must try harder. Jour was wearing her bright red picketing jammies. I must say, they are a hit. Even blind-as-a-bat Peaches couldn't miss Jour from a block away. I think I'm going to try some bright colors next time. I have found that I like presenting my sign to the traffic, especially buses as they slow to go around the corner, and a bright jacket might attract attention better.
The picketers repaired to a coffee shop after about an hour and discussed entheta.
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Subject: SF Picket 5/6/98
From: taniwha taniwha@taniwha.com

Four of us (Peaches, Jour, phr and myself) picketed the SF Org again this lunch time. It was a little drizzly but Jour used her SPOT powerz to keep off the rain.

I seem to have attracted my own personal handler - perhaps in the mistaken belief that I'm the leader (or herder of cats) of our little group of regulars - so far my leadership has extended to sometimes announcing "I'm free on Wed" - but I guess the tech sais you have to identify the SP and typical 50's sexism goes for the male in the group.

Again the knowledge of random people on the street about Co$ suprises me .... this time it was "you know Hubbard was a satanist before he started scientology?"
Anyway Keith - this one's for you - good luck in your trial!
Taniwha SP3+++++++++++++ (or maybe SP3+XIII)
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Subject: picket report, San Francisco, 5/6/98
From: jour0@aol.com (http://members.aol.com/jour0/)(Jour0)

Picket Report, Wednesday, May 6, San Francisco org, about 1 hour
Peaches, Taniwha, phr, and I put in an hour picket at the San Francisco org today.

PRE-PICKET ACTION - As usual, I had friendly inquiries at the bus stop and on the bus and was able to give out fliers before even arriving at the org. On my way over, a construction worker motioned for me to slow down so he could read my sign, then gave me a thumbs-up.

NO STRESS TEST TODAY - I happened to arrive first. When I got there, there was no sign of activity - no stress test table set up and no one handing out free "Orientation" tickets.

WHO'LL STOP THE RAIN? - It had been drizzling during the morning, but once again I used my GSPOTS (my non-existent Gnarly Suppressive Person Oat Tea powerz) (thanks, StarShadow! Bright Blessings!) to stave off the rain during the picket. (I also brought an umbrella, which helps keep it from raining.)

FASHION REPORT - Peaches and Taniwha showed up a few minutes after I got there. Peaches looked very professional, as usual. (It's almost a shame there's no longer a chance to picket closer to the Financial District. Peaches would fit right in.) I was in my eye catching BRIGHT RED outfit. (Do they really look like jammies?)

LOTS OF FLIERS DESPITE LIGHT FOOT TRAFFIC - Although foot traffic was lighter than last week, we still got a lot of supportive comments from passersby, and I gave out a lot of fliers - so many that I had to mooch some off Taniwha and phr. I guess I'll have to print up some more for next time.

Our-Lady-of-the-Stress-Test-Table came out and began giving away large brochures, which I think were advertising the "Orientation" movie along with general $cn info. She kept her back to us a lot of the time.
phr arrived a bit later with his brand new blank sign. He lettered it on the spot (one side was about medical fraud, the other about the Henson trial). With four of us, we covered the sidewalk quite well. There was very little clumping this time.

MR. BLUE SUIT WON'T TAKE MY LETTER - The Blue Suited Gentleman from last week spoke with Taniwha again today, but much more briefly this time. As I was passing, I asked him if he was a Scientologist. He said yes, and I asked him if I could give him a letter. (This, of course, is my letter asking $cn for concrete information on whether they're anti-feminist or not.) He said no, and that he'd already read it. ... If he's already read it, he knows it's simply a request for more information. I can't imagine why he wouldn't take it. I would think $cn would jump at the chance to correct me if I'm wrong.

READING MY FLIERS IN PLAIN SIGHT - There's a pastry shop on the corner, and at least a couple of times, people who had taken my fliers stood in the doorway of the pastry shop, reading over my information. One gentleman ran through my flier point by point with me. When he got to the "Don't take my word for it" item, he became very enthusiastic, and talked for several seconds about the importance of finding things out for yourself and reviewing the evidence before you make up your mind.

A TROLL? - Another gentleman stood by the crosswalk for quite a while. (He had a $cn brochure he had pulled out of a trash can.) He accepted a flier from me, and then kind of went off into a bunch of questions and commentary that I found difficult to follow. (For example, out of the blue, he asked me why it took me so long to wise up. He showed me a little business-card-sized piece of paper with a logo and a phone number on it, but I couldn't find out why he was showing it to me ... which he later seemed to think meant that I couldn't read it.) I spent a few minutes with him, then went back to picketing. Peaches and Taniwha ended up talking to him for a bit, as well. I don't think he was trolling, but I must say the thought that he might be crossed my mind.

A FRIENDLY FACE NEXT DOOR - A lady who works in the law office next door to the $cn org talked with me for a few minutes. She had read our picket reports (a friend had forwarded them to her) and mostly just wanted to say hello and be supportive. Apparently when the people in the law office are giving directions to new clients, they make a point of saying "it's the building NEXT DOOR" to $cn and making it very clear that they're not affiliated with $cn in any way. It was nice to meet her - I had heard about her from the friend who forwards her our picket reports.

CAFE ACTIVISM - Finally, we decided to leave. I wished OLotSTT a good afternoon as we passed her. (By the time we'd crossed the street and walked half a block, she'd gone back inside.) We went to a nearby cafe. Just like last time, when we went to sit down with our drinks, the couple at the next table asked for information. I gave them my "Why I Picket" flier, a Xenu, and a Lisa. As we were getting up to leave, they politely asked if we had a moment, then asked a number of good questions about $cn. They said they lived in the neighborhood. They seemed to appreciate the information we had. I'm sure we could have spent much more time answering their questions if we didn't all have other pressing business.
Another couple of fliers left my hands at the bus stop on the way back.

DIVERSITY TECH - I've been thinking lately about different picketing styles and the different emphasis we have. Some protesters prefer to give out the Xenu fliers, while I prefer to give out the Lisa and my own "Why I Picket" flier, even though I've noticed that the Xenu flier seems to be very effective. The people who get it seem to find it funny, or alarming, or both. It's just not my particular point of emphasis (although I'm happy to give one out to people who seem like they'd be interested). Also, the four of us are rather quiet picketers (although phr was doing a nifty little dance today!), unlike Roland and some of the other protesters I've read about. (Are critics louder in England?)

I think this is a good thing. I think the diversity of approaches and viewpoints is a real strength. (Of course, I'm a Californian. I WOULD think that.) I'm glad we don't have a Tech we have to follow that stifles our individual methods of expressing our various criticisms of $cn. It sure beats playing follow the leader. Jour

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Subject: 5/7/98 San Jose Picket Report
From: SPAMBLOCKjwissick@pacbell.net (Jim Wissick)

Picketed the San Jose org at 80 Rosemary Jan jose today from 12 1:10pm. The carrot top body router and another female body router were patroling the local streets. Carrot top returned around 12:30 with a mark. When they were half way down the street, he sent the mark ahead of him to enter the org while he followed about 50 yards behind. I think he was tring to pull a fast one by tring to make me think she was a member already. Carrot top left again about 10 min later to return to the fresh meat hunt. He seemed to be concentrating on the local hotels in the area.

There were 35 cars in the lot when I arived. A number of cars driving by stopped to talk and take a flier. There was no sprinkler tech in use today.... a nice change. Jim
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Subject: San Jose picket, 7 May, (after trial)
From: hkhenson@netcom.com (Keith Henson)

After I dropped off Graham at the airport, I put in a short picket at the San Jose org on Rosemary. 3-3:15, 27 vehicles (though I think as many as three belong to next door.) I had one oriential looking guy stop his car and get copies of everything I had while nodding that he knew *all about* scientology.

Last night while Graham and I were having dinner at his hotel, we were overheard by a hotel employee who wanted to talk about his and his wife's experience (very bad) with scn. It is amazing to me how large a fraction of the population has a bad opinion. Keith Henson

PS, there have been unrelated newspaper articles in this area lately, perhaps they have been or will be posted.
PPS, others have been doing a fine job of reporting the trial, particularly Shelley Thomson.

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Subject: San Jose Picket 5/8/98
From: SPAMBLOCKjwissick@pacbell.net (Jim Wissick)

Again for two days in a row, there was no sprinkler tech... A nice chage. Picketed for 1.25 hours from 11:25am to 12:45pm. 28 cars in the lot.... Rather down-stat... Yeah... expanding my ass.

Still alot of honks and support from the public, considering that there is very little car or foot traffic in this area.
See ya tomarrow at the picket!

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(two reports)
Subject: Phoenix picket report, May 9, 1998
From: cultxpt@primenet.com

4 picketers, pretty quiet. I'm still amazed at how many people going by in cars honk and wave approval at us. There must have been about 2 dozen in an hour and a half!

Leslie came out and took our photos, and wrote down Bruce's license plate number for the 100th time. She didn't write down the plate number of my new car though :(

When I got home I was talking to a friend outside when a car pulled up and a guy got out with a lot of papers in his hand. I told my friend "wow, it looks like I'm going to be served" but it turned out to be a city council candidate. :)

I finally saw the broken window on the west side of the building. It's still broken and boarded up on the inside.
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Subject: Picket Report, Mesa AZ, 5/9/98
From: bpetty@primenet.com (BP)

Some of the Valley of the Sun SPs celebrated Dianetics Anniversary Day with a picket from 9:30 to 11:30 AM at the Mesa Mission, the only official Co$ presence in the semi-great and and mostly arid state of Arizona.

Kathy an I were the first on the scene, and I marked the solemn occasion by wearing my over-the-head Xenu mask for the first time. It seemed to draw the attention of the traffic. My sign read "Just Another UFO Cult".

Leslie Durhman, the OSA on site, walked across the street to get a photo of the license plate of our car. We videotaped her doing it, of course.

We were joined at 10:00 by Jeff Jacobsen and a friend who is an ARS lurker.
After about an hour, I turned my Xemu head into a hand-puppet ("Hi there Mr. Hat") in order to allow my brain to cool off. The public attention did not seem to diminish, so this may be the modus operandi for the rest of the summer.
Bit by bit, the public is learning that $cientology is weird, bad, shit.

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Subject: Picket Report - San Jose Org, 5/9/98
From: seekon@spamblock.ix.netcom.com (Conner)

We should reduce this to a form:

Suppressives: Myself, Brent Stone
Date/Time: 5/9/98, 12:30 - 1:30
Cars in Lot: 40
Sprinkler Tech: Active
Foot Traffic: Almost none
Street Traffic: Light
Scn Response: Hiding
General Passerby Response: Favorable. mainly thumbs up, nods
Other Comment:
weeds in ivy, ivy smothering sprinkler tech
several new, expensive cars in lot
bright-red jaguar well-watered by tech
Brent had already picketed once before today

Brent told me a rather sobering story, but i'll let him tell the whole thing if he chooses to.

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Subject: Picket report, Minneapolis, 5/9/98, Saturday
From: Xenubat@primenet.com (Xenubat (Sue M.))

I took the bus downtown. I arranged to meet "Secret Squirrel" outside Peavey Plaza by Orchestra Hall around 4 pm; "Secret Squirrel" had a hard time finding a parking place nearby so was about 10-15 min late ("Secret Squirrel" was the observer/photographer for the picket). I got started around 4:25.

I had the same sign I used on my last few pickets (SCIENTOLOGY: SPACE ALIEN SCAM and DOES THE BRIDGE REALLY COST $360,000?) and decided to use the Xemu flyers this time since they went over so well at the last Minneapolis picket. I got a number of smiles and thumbs-up signs from people, and a few people started laughing when they saw my sign. One passerby declined my Xemu flyer saying "I already know they're full of shit!" No Scienos came out to confront me at all. I saw a middle-aged guy go in and out of the church a few times (I think he was the same guy who yelled "You guys are full of shit!" and later slammed the door shut at the earlier picket two weeks ago) but he didn't say anything to me.

I'm still not real swift at my flyer tech (I'm too timid yet to stand and yell, "I'm picketing AGAINST Scientology!", so instead I'd just hold them out to people as I walked by and ask, "Do you want a Xemu flyer?") but I still managed to hand out about 25 of them. It was funny, a number of people came up to ME and ASKED me for one of my Xemu flyers; some of them came over from the opposite side of Nicollet Mall! :) And there were two instances where, when I held out a flyer, the people would ask me "Are you a Scientologist?" (I imagine they didn't get a good look at my sign); when I told them "No, I'm AGAINST Scientology!", then they said, "Oh, OK, good! Let me have one of your flyers then!" (one person who said that mentioned that the Scienos often canvass Nicollet Mall at rush hour handing out flyers and that person seemed pretty annoyed with them). A few people asked me questions about the Xemu story so I got to inform them about how Scn believes we're possessed by dead space aliens, that they don't tell people that when they first join Scn, and that it costs about $150,000 to find that out. One guy thought the Xemu story was hilarious; he was standing there and laughing while he was reading the Xemu flyer.

"Secret Squirrel" had to take off so we quit at about 5:40. I went across to the other side of Nicollet Mall to wait for the bus. The Scienos had put a display table outside with copies of the "Dianetics" book and some magazines, and about 5:45 the middle-aged guy and another young guy went and carried the table back inside. I still kept my sign visible while I waited for the bus and managed to give out a few more flyers. One guy on a bike stopped and asked for a flyer and asked if I had any additional flyers; I gave him a Lisa and a Minneapolis/Poole flyer and he said he was gonna make copies; I said, "Great, be sure to pass them around to all your friends!" A lady and her daughter (who I think was maybe about 10 or 11 years old) walked by and when I offered a Xemu flyer, the lady said, "Oh, give it to my daughter, she loves reading stuff like that!" so I did; the girl was reading it as they walked away. Then the bus came and I went on my merry way. (http://members.cox.net/batchild1/) Sue (SP4)