November 25, 1998 - Wulfen

Dedication:

I dedicate this picket to wgert, a Scientologist. He knows why.

Quick note:

I love living in Toronto. I can picket at a moment's notice. And the Scientologists are always so happy to see me. ;->

Report:

Yes, cold weather doesn't deter the Toronto branch of the ARSCC. Myself and Android Cat did a half-hour quickie in the cold Canadian November. The signs were:

(Me:)
$cientology: BAIT AND SWITCH "Church"
http://WWW.XENU.NET

(Android Cat:)
$cientology: The Gerbil Wheel to Total Freedom
Staff members get a 10% commission on sales: Is this a church?

We also handed out a few leaflets.. Not that many, though. But don't worry, there's plenty more where those came from. :-)

Well, we showed up almost on the dot of 6:00 PM (again), and raised our signs.. Mario saw us, and zapped inside the Org, to make another "the SP's are here!" phone call or something. There were some other people on the sidewalk, too.. They were apparently Scientologists, because within 30 or 40 seconds, the previously populated sidewalk was empty. Why did all these Scientologists go inside? We didn't mind sharing the sidewalk..

Well, got a few smiles, and one wink. My sign seems to work, as far as getting peoples' attention. "BAIT AND SWITCH" really gets people thinking, it seems.

We also had a police presence! After maybe ten minutes, I noticed a police car parked up the side street right by the Org. The officers were watching us, I'm pretty sure. After a while they took off.. No interest in watching Android Cat and me walk up and down, I suppose.

I wonder if this counts as a false alarm by the cult?

Also, it obviously wasn't Word Clearing Time at the Hubbard Dianetics Foundation. As per last time we did this, Mario (HDF Missionholder) was body routing us by himself. He was going on about "religious prosecution". I was always under the assumption that Scientology's PR said it was "persecuted". Hmm.. Here's what an online dictionary (http://www.m-w.com/dictionary.htm) has to say about this:

Main Entry: per·se·cu·tion
Pronunciation: "p&r-si-'kyü-sh&n
Function: noun
Date: 14th century
1 : the act or practice of persecuting especially those who differ in origin, religion, or social outlook
2 : the condition of being persecuted, harassed, or annoyed

Main Entry: pros·e·cu·tion
Pronunciation: "prä-si-'kyü-sh&n
Function: noun
Date: 1567
1 : the act or process of prosecuting; specifically : the institution and continuance of a criminal suit involving the process of pursuing formal charges against an offender to final judgment
2 : the party by whom criminal proceedings are instituted or conducted
3 obsolete : PURSUIT

Do some word-clearing next time, Mario. ;-)

There were also some cult kids in the lobby of the Scientology building. They came into the lobby, headed for the door, saw me with my sign, and then headed for the back door. Poor bloody kids.. I hope their mother is taking good note of the Lisa McPherson case. Think Scientology would notify the mother if either of them were on the Introspection Rundown? Not a chance..

Well, finally the picket was over, and we took off. Not a bad evening's enturbulation. :-)

Until next time, cult.