From: jensting@imaginet.fr (Jens Tingleff)
Subject: Picket Report, London 7 Feb -98 [Xenu]
Date: 1998/02/08
Message-ID: <jensting-ya02408000R0802981309310001@snews2.zippo.com>
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Hi There!
After a much needed break (skipped January), the arscc (tinarscc) - UK swooped down on the much-beleagured London org again.
For the first time, we had the sound system (Xemu's boombox from hell) fully operational, microphone-stand and everything. Even though I do say so myself (having put the thing together), the sound system is very nice indeed! Nice crisp sound, wide coverage, reaches far. The look is firmly "black with white decoration" with a bold[1] name on the back (which is to be turned towards the org when picketing) saying "Xemu & the Markabs".[2]
We experimented with doing a brief demo around 12:00 when the students are supposed to come out for lunch. Either they had all skipped out at 12:00:00 (we were perhaps one or two minutes late), or there are no students to speak of in the London org this day. There was a tape which repeated two El Wrong tape extracts, and this was played under Roland's bellowing about getting information about $cientology. After we broke for our lunch, Jacques Vollet came 'round to the pub where we were hanging out, and talked to Martin. It turned out that although Jacques claimed that we were improving their stats[3], they had other ways to do that, so could we plase stop? <snigger>.
After a lunch (and much folding of leaflets, a nice person had brought some 1500 leaflets), we went back and hit them from 13:30 to 16:15. This time, I was simply loitering in the background with my camera at the ready, not doing any shouting or leafletting. I also managed to sneak in a coffee run to get people some much-needed refreshment/heat in the cold (but nice) weather.
The clams came out leafletting. Almost every clam who stayed out were known to us. Paul "Coco" arrived some 1.5 hours into the protest, I'm sure he was just as pleased as can be at having to spend his Saturday afternoon scowling by the org ;-)
Coco and Jacques Vollet tried to enturbulate Dave while he was preaching to the public. Since Dave never even took a break to acknowledge their idiotic remarks, and continued non-stop for quite a while after this, I can only assume that the awesome anti-SP tech of the Co$ was somewhat lacking in effectiveness.
The police were called in around 14:45 - 15:00. Same as usual (wow, the clams must have been pleased with that ;-) ). It would be kind of fun to read the logs at the police station - again and again they are called out on occasion of a picket in front of the Co$ shop, and again and again they see no problem[4].
Jacques suddenly knew my name, he-he! (I always refused to give out my name, preferring them to either have to go look it up, and/or acknowledge that they have known pretty much all along - what with my posting under my own name - so it's been an implied "I know that you know, but I ain't telling" game from my end). I had a long talk with Jacques (continued in the pub afterwards), and we agreed to differ in our opinions ;-) He said that my viewpoint was necessarily incomplete (if not - gasp! - biased) by virtue on being founded on discussions with ex-members who left on bad terms. I agreed, and asked if I should join $cientology to find out what people inside thought. Well, no, we agreed, that wouldn't work, because people inside are not allowed to talk about much. Natch. We got into a much longer talk about $cientology beliefs than I usually do, but it was interesting to hear a reasonably intelligent and articulate $cientologist try to explain why the view from the outside was so very wrong. For all I know, Jacques is perfectly sincere, it's just a pity that his sincerity doesn't convince me at all.
Rumour has it that Jacques is high-up in OSA (and former GO), and he certainly is *very* good at holding an interesting conversation. We also discussed France, some French court cases, the French Co$ infiltration of the Mitterand government to try to prevent Judge Fenech in Lyon from being really effective, the case of J-J Mazier, and many other things. Jacques even tried a little tech joke. When we critics were making fun of the way in which varying types of BTs were removed at various OT levels, ("and then you find out that you have to remove BTs which had been drugged in a previous life, or were sleeping or something, bwahahahaa!"), Jacques said "if the BTs aren't listening, it must be because your TRs aren't good enough". Once the critics found out that this was intended as a joke, we had much fun ;-)
All in all a nice demo. We handed out scores of leaflets, and I'm still kind of curious about the clam who very carefully read a Xenu leaflet[5], then stormed into the org, hovered at the reception desk and then left, seemingly in a huff. Then again, I've never seen this one with a cheerful expression on his face, so maybe nothing ontowards had gone down. One can't help but wonder, though, at the effect on low-level staffers of listening for 1/2 hour to Hubbard saying "The man on the cross, there was no Christ" and going "Vroooouuom! (laughter)" on the tape.
The clam presence on the pavement[6] was in steady decline thoughout the picket. Some picket signs were spotted insode the org, but never brought out to play.
That was fun, we *must* do that again, sometime ;-) Jens
[1] Postscript font Helvetica Bold, to be precise
[2] I'm told that not only can one spell "Xemu" in two different ways, one can also spell "Markab" with either "c" or "k". Grr!! I picked one of the four combinations, others can pick different versions ;-)
[3] Dunno. Maybe he's counting DM's new "negative press is a positive stat" thingine...
[4] Well, apart from one memorable evening in -95 when Ralpj Hilton, Dave Bird and myself were instructed not to hang around in front of the shop at 22:30. Good fun, that was!
[5] Probably the same that Dave was talking about, but I think that this guy was actually out of "Freedom" magazines when this happened
[6] "sidewalk" to the 'mericans ;-)
=====
From: Dave Bird---St Hippo of Augustine <DevNull@xemu.demon.co.uk>
Subject: UK PICKET 1998#1, Feb 7th @ London.
Date: 1998/02/07
Message-ID: <abySoEAyAO30EwzE@xemu.demon.co.uk>#1/1
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
U.K. PICKET 98/1, London.
I had a morning meeting so I arrived just before 1pm at the pub, but I gather the others went to the Org at noon when the students came out. I got off at the nearest tube and looked in pointedly at the two people on the front desk, but they were talking to each other and did not notice me. Two new ars-uk people were there, and a contact from the uk computer papers dropped by before the demo; bit of a logistical problem with Duke the Dog, who was there in spirit, but not in the fur. Altogether me, Roland, Jens, John, Martin, another Bristol guy, two new people, two regulars from the families, I think it was just nine. Two more regulars away for specific reasons promised back in the spring, likewise RichardP, Richard and BonnieW.
We had the boombox, which was going great, and a mic stand for handsfree operation. Sadly I didn't have a songbook with me, and didn't really have the bottle to play the small keyboard in the street: the song material I did very softly, and speaking-in-pitch more than singing, it was a lot clearer and more in tune that way. Playing at the same timne adds to the strain, it's easier without. Hopefully next time we will have good pre-recorded music on tape or CD.
ENTERTAINMENTS
I had a go at "MarySue gets a phonecall"...too complicated for the street, I think. Jens swapped over to running Hubbard on tape, endless repeats of the sections on "there is no christ", "vroom". and so forth. The clams noticeably did not like this. With the tape running, I grabbed some leaflets and joined the main row of demonstrators. We also had the "$cientology $pace-alien $cam" leaflet, which went down very well. One of the others observed a staffer go back into the Org with our leaflet and his unused copies of Freedumb, which he slapped down then walked out. Draw yer own conclusions whether he will be back.
The police were called and had a word in the Org, then came out and asked "who is the organiser" (I was a bit miffed they went to Roland first). Inspector French has moved on from Holborn, this was a new guy Inspector Webb. Standard talk, you have a right to be here but don't cause violent disturbance will you. They were quite cool and laid back about the whole thing. Some long rants on the freezone, Lisa MacPherson, and so forth. Jacques from OSA was there and had a long talk with Jens there and in the pub later. Pretty mild weather, no rain wind or snow, though it got cold towards the end of the afternoon. A nice winter re-union, although London Org is pretty dim and downstat, there's not a lot there to attack.
=====
From: Roland <roland.rashleigh-berry@virgin.net>
Subject: London staff and space-aliens
Date: 1998/02/09
Message-ID: <34DF54D3.2EC9@virgin.net>#1/1
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
I wonder what is going through the minds of the staff at London org in Tottenham Court Road? There I was shouting "Scientology says you're full of dead space-aliens" for hours. To the majority of the staff I would have clearly been shouting something that is libellous and untrue. Maybe they will start discussing this among themselves and joking about it. They might wonder why nothing is being done about it. They may discuss it among themselves. They may go to their senior staff and ask why nothing is being done about it. The senior staff might be a little bit evasive. Then, hopefully, the seeds of doubt will begin to grow. Roland
===
From: Roland <roland.rashleigh-berry@virgin.net>
Subject: London picket - 07FEB98
Date: 1998/02/07
Message-ID: <34DCBAE7.2CDC@virgin.net>#1/1
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
We just held a picket of the London UK org on Tottenham Court Road. What a laugh. Pathetic Clams. I was shouting my head off saying "Scientology says you're full of dead space aliens". The public were smiling and taking leaflets. The main leaflet for today being the Scam leaflet. The three quotes were playing loud and cleer from Xemu's Boom-Box fron Hell. (I had a tape of the quotes).
The strange thing was, I was louder than the Boom-Box and I didn't run out of juice. It surprised a few people.
The Clams were R O U T E D !!!
Pathetic Clams!!
Scientology is Expanding!!
Roland
=====
From: Hartley Patterson <hpttrsn@vossnet.co.uk>
Subject: Re: London picket - 07FEB98
Date: 1998/02/07
Message-ID: <34DCEA09.5629@vossnet.co.uk>#1/1
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
My first Scientology demo, a sunny and not too cold day. Even the Scientologists were mostly looking cheerful! Sound system looping a tape of L Ron loud and clear. But where were Xemu and Duke the dog? Are they (gasp!) _warm_weather_ picketers?
Response to Roland (TM) leaflet huckstering:
"Read all about Scientology": blank stare
"Read all about the Space Aliens": smile
"Say No to Scientology": leaflet taken, and several 'well done, keep it up' comments.
Longer reports and photos will appear shortly from the usual suspects.
=====
From: plmlp@mail.bris.ac.uk (Martin Poulter)
Subject: Re: UK PICKET 1998#1, Feb 7th @ London.
Date: 1998/02/08
Message-ID: <Eo29G9.BMD@fsa.bris.ac.uk>#1/1
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
I'd just like to add a few comments rather than give a full report:
My day was made when a female passer-by shouted to us, just as she passed the scientologist counter-protestors:
"You tell them! David Miscavige SUCKS COCK!"
The picket was a surprise for the org both in that it was unannounced *and* that it started much earlier in the day than our previous pickets (there were essentially two pickets with a lunch break imbetween).
I was disappointed by the absence of the Sea Org people who gave us such amusement on our last visit to London. This time, the only scientologist to talk to us much was Jacques of OSA Invest. Jacques has gained more respect from us than any other scieno, I think, because he just does not look or talk like a cult victim. When I asked him how the stats were, he said that our protests are attracting attention to them and really boosting their stats, *but* that they had *other* ways in which they would prefer to boost their stats, so could we please stop.
A totally surreal aspect was given to the demonstration by the looped sound recording of LRH talking about R6. I just can't get over what a comical voice he had. Roland's vocal cords were also firing on all cylinders: between him and the sound system, we attracted a lot of attention. A large proportion of the people on the other side of the street stopped to look at what was going on.
It was great to see such a good turnout, including two ARS'ers who are new to the pickets and took to it very well. Since there were ten of us in total, we comfortably outnumbered the inevitable counter-picket.
My overall impression was that we are really hitting their morale and that this picket, like the previous ones, should be counted as a big success.
=====
From: Peter Harding <harding@ermine.ox.ac.uk>
Subject: London demo 7 Feb
Date: 1998/02/09
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.96.980209120426.17845A-100000@ermine.ox.ac.uk>#1/1
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Hey, that was fun. I got there late and had to leave early but I had lots of fun while I was there. I made it my business to try and make sure that anyone who took a copy of Freedom got one of the leaflets to go with it, usually with a "Here, this is the other side of the story" or something like that. Lots of people were openly grateful and/or amused by this; comments like "Ah, that's the one I want" were not uncommon.
A couple of the freedom-dishing clams didn't much like this and went further on down the street to get away. I followed them, so we ended up quite a way down the street just short of the tube station (name?). Isn't it annoying when someone else always gets the last word?
One of them was in excellent talkative spirits and we spoke a great deal. I explained all about OTIII and the dead space aliens to him; he didn't believe it. He asked me what the "dog thing or whatever it is" which wasn't there this time was, so I told him about Duke. He didn't believe that either. He told me he used to be a christian so I asked him what he thought of the tape blaring the "There was no christ" message. He didn't believe it was Ron. I told him about how OTVIIs and above can talk to plants. He didn't believe that either. After all this disbelieving he was still happy to call *me* closed-minded!!
He had a bit of a cough at one point, so I suggested he pop back into the Org for an assist or something. He explained that he had asthma, so I expressed my surprise that scientology can't cure this, given that it can cure cancer. He seemed surprised, and thought I was talking nonsense. I couldn't remember the exact quote, but someone had brought along a copy of History of Man so I was able to show him, in nice clear print, the phrase
"Cancer has been eradicated by auditing out conception and mitosis."
He asked me what mitosis meant, and I didn't know. "Aha! A mis-understood word!" Should have expected that one, really. I hazarded a guess which convinced him (the guess being based on that I know what the mitochondria in cells do) so after a bit of hesitation, he concluded that I was using the phrase out of context to warp its meaning!
Read it for yourself again and try to imagine a context where the phrase "Cancer has been eradicated" means that cancer has not been eradicated. I can't, he couldn't, so he dropped that one.
He kept asking me who the various critics were. I kept telling him to go and ask them for himself.
He was most interested to hear about my history in the "group" - when I joined it etc etc etc, but had real difficulty in believing that it wasn't an organisation of some kind. "Yes, but when did you join it?"
We spoke about Freemasonry in the USA and things like that. I know very little about this, so he assured me it was rife; especially in the field of money. "Oh, yes, their fingers are right up your arse!" he proclaimed. I asked him if he used a different currency to the rest of us. No answer.
"Why isn't that guy wearing any socks" he laughed out loud. "Because he hasn't got much money - is that how scientologists treat the poor then; as objects of ridicule?" No answer.
There was another guy with him, steadily doling out Freedoms to the (not many) people who would take one. He had a generally glum and I'd-rather-be-indoors look about him. I asked him where the other 7999990 scientologists were that day; he replied that they didn't know we were coming! Uh-huh.
I had to leave just after 3pm for my next appointment, but it was a grand day out. I can recommended it to any other critics who fancy seeing the blankly bemused expressions of unfortunate clams who suddenly find they have to spend all day standing on the pavement handing out Freedom to passers by. It was also nice for me to finally hear the "no christ" quotes since I don't have a soundcard.
Of course, I had my photo taken. I took theirs too. A nice souvenir.
"I'll be back."
