Melbourne demo: 11am Sat 9/9

David Gerard, Fri 08 Sep 1995

Subject: Melbourne demo: 11am Sat 9/9
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology,melb.general
From: gerdw@cougar.vut.edu.au (David Gerard)



For people in melb.general: go to

http://www.cybercom.net/~rnewman/scientology/home.html

for information. You'll be glad you did ...



OK ... I just spoke on the phone to Cyril Vosper. You may remember that
Cyril was extensively dead-agented by Andrew Milne on this very newsgroup.
I take that as a cast-iron character reference. (Cyril was quite pleased.)



The Melbourne demo is firmly set for SATURDAY 9th SEPTEMBER, 11 a.m.,
OUTSIDE THE ORG on RUSSELL STREET. We expect to be there till 2pm or
3pm.

[note: in Australia, a 'picket' is more usually called a 'demo' or
'demonstration'.]

My estimated numbers so far are about twenty ... lurkers are welcome, of
course.

And BRING YOUR FRIENDS! Everyone who did a personality test 'as a joke'
and now hate the CoS forever ...

We will have at least one video camera there (mounted above the scene,
out of reach of violent CoS individuals), but we would like more. Bring
your own!

All lurkers are encouraged to bring their OWN handbills for the demo. We
have a good pile on hand ... I'm a fan of individual variety, so *get*
*creative*, y'all.



If you have friends in the media, GET THEM ON THE CASE. Cyril will be
interviewed on RRR on Sunday morning about the demo ... I'll be listening.
10am, 'Liar's Club'. They hate Scientology too ...



Hey, CoS -- we'll be handing out publicity for the Free Zone. Don't let
your members near us ... you never know if they'll blow for something
cheaper. Run by nicer people. Heh.



That's all the info at hand for now, but further lurkers are welcome to
email me here (gerdw@cougar.vut.edu.au) AND at my other address
(fun@suburbia.apana.org.au) (just for redundancy).

Updates as they happen.

And I swear to God I'll get a 'defensive demo' FAQ together tomorrow ...
even a simple one ...




--
Reverend Doctor David Gerard, KoX, SP4.02
Prestige Elite(tm) Research Church of the SubGenius
"Servicing the Prestige Elite(tm) since 1985!"
OK, clams. You want war? You've got war.
--
Please email important followups (crappy and constipated newsfeed).
Personal visits from Scientologists will be greeted with extreme hostility
  and the vigilant attention of VUT Security, but personal physical violence
  *only* when appropriate, legal and called-for.
Rev Dr David Gerard, VUT SRC Footscray NoName.
gerdw@cougar.vut.edu.au (preferred); fun@suburbia.apana.org.au
July 5, 1998, 7 AM. Saucers. End of the world. Your US$30 is your trip ticket.

Subject: Melbourne 9/9 11am: Internet vs Scientology demo: official announcement
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology,melb.general,aus.religion,alt.activism
From: gerdw@cougar.vut.edu.au (David Gerard)


1. Intro
2. Info on this demo
3. Press release
4. WWW sites


1. Intro

This is the official announcement of the Melbourne 'awareness' demonstration
against the Church of Scientology.

If you are unaware of the issues involved here and wish to know more, there
is a list of World Wide Web pages at the end, both pro- and anti-CoS.
I particularly advise:

http://www.cybercom.net/~rnewman/scientology/home.html

-- if you wish to get up to speed quickly.

I've put myself as contact for the non-Net types who the press release is
intended for; if you're reading this Usenet notice, you should be able
to go to the Web pages first. If anything doesn't make sense after that,
feel free to e-mail me.

This isn't some centralised, organised invite-only thing -- feel free to
show up.


2. Info on this demo


THE PURPOSE of the world-wide demonstration is to *politely* and *calmly*
inform people of our concern at the Church's actions -- copyright
terrorism -- on and off the Net.

We will be bringing along assorted leaflets to hand out to passers-by,
and will have signs. ("WAR on the INTERNET" has been found to be pretty
eye-catching.)

More specifically, we are not here to:

* restrain any person from leaving or entering the Church buildings,
    or block entrances or exits at all
* harass any person for being a Scientologist (they have the firm right
    to believe whatever they wish to)
* generally cause trouble or breach public order.

We fully expect Church of Scientology members to be planted in an
attempt to make the protestors look like troublemakers. The police are
expected to be present and will deal appropriately with anyone who does
so. Remember: we are not there to breach public order, but to state
our case.


THE CHURCH representatives are expected to:

* photograph all demonstrators
* question demonstrators on why they are there and who they are representing
    (Church doctrine is that all anti-CoS activity is centralised; they don't
    understand the concept of the concerned individual citizen)
* attempt to intimidate demonstrators.

Violence from Church representatives is not expected.

At least two VIDEO CAMERAS will be present to record the demonstration,
in case of trouble; additional cameras are welcomed. Bring spare batteries,
for others too if possible.


SUITABLE CLOTHING for the demo: Anything you like. I'll be wearing a suit
and tie, 'cos I'm so darned respectable. T-shirts with the letters 'SP'
on the back are suitable. You are not advised to wear a 'Ron Is Xenu'
T-shirt or carry a similar sign unless there's a bunch of you; CoS reps
apparently beat up someone wearing such a shirt at an American demo earlier
this year. 'A.R.S Central Committee' shirts are cute and stylish. The official
Dennis Erlich Fund T-shirt is, of course, the most stylish thing one could
wear to these events.


3. Press release

-----begin press release-----


              W A R    O N    T H E    I N T E R N E T

                        SCIENTOLOGY TERRORISM

                           LEGAL THUGGERY


For years, the Church of Scientology has spied on, terrorised and
attempted to discredit critics of the Church, particularly
ex-Scientologists or those who choose to follow their own version of the
church's teachings. Recently they have tried to control the activities of
respondents of the Internet newsgroup <alt.religion.scientology>, by
harrassing firstly the individual respondents, then their system
administrators, in an attempt to have the critics removed from the
Internet entirely. 

The harassment often consists of making unfounded accusations against
their critics ('dead agenting'), forcing them to defend themselves, and
even making threats to the person's safety. In one case, an anonymous
writer on the newsgroup had her real name, home address and phone number
published by the Church -- information that could only have been
obtained by spying on her activities. 

Other tactics include 'copyright terrorism' -- frivolous copyright
lawsuits (unwinnable, but designed to ruin the respondent financially),
threats of such lawsuits and even raiding people's homes and seizing their
actual computers to obtain the information thereon. This is designed to
intimidate others from questioning or criticising the Church of Scientology
in any way. 

This is not an issue of the teachings of the Church of Scientology; but
rather, of a systematic attempt by a large and powerful organisation, with
considerable resources at hand, to eliminate criticism of itself through
any means possible, and to prevent members of the Church from discussing
the Church's teachings. If the Church of Scientology is permitted to get
away with this sort of harassment, it sets a precedent for any
organisation to prevent dissemination of publicly available information. 


A protest will be held outside the Church's Russell St headquarters
(corner of Russell St and Flinders Lane) on the 9th of September. This is
the Scientologist holiday 'Auditor's Day'. The rally, one of many to be
held across the world, is being organised through the Internet and media
campaigns. 


For more information, contact David Gerard on (03) 9688 4856 or
(03) 9688 4071; Fax (03) 9688 4604; e-mail gerdw@cougar.vut.edu.au


On the Internet, go to World Wide Web page

http://www.cybercom.net/~rnewman/scientology/home.html

or the centre of the action, newsgroup <alt.religion.scientology>,
for a more detailed discussion of the above issues. 


----- end press release -----


4. WWW sites


Web sites focused on Scientology:

Pro-CoS:

Leisa Goodman        http://www.theta.com/goodman

Anti-CoS:

Ron Newman           http://www.cybercom.net/~rnewman/scientology/home.html
Dave Touretzky       http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Fishman/
FACTNet              http://www.lightlink.com/factnet1/
FACTNet archives     http://www.xs4all.nl/~fonss/
Bob "Sloth" Bingham  http://www.sky.net/~sloth/sci/sci_index.html
EFF                  http://www.eff.org/pub/EFF/Legal/Cases/CoS_v_the_Net/
Tilman Hausherr      http://www.snafu.de/~tilman
Modemac              http://www.tiac.net/users/modemac/cos.html
David Dennis         http://amazing.cinenet.net/scientology.html
Skeptic Magazine     http://www.skeptic.com/03.3.jl-jj-scientology.html
Daniel Tobias        http://www.webcom.com/~dtobias/sosueme.html
Jerod Pore           http://www.well.com/user/jerod23/clam.html
Steve A              http://www.demon.co.uk/castle/scientology.html
Martin Poulter       http://mail.bris.ac.uk/~plmlp/scum.html
Jeff Jacobsen        ftp://ftp.primenet.com/users/c/cultxpt


http://www.tiac.net/users/modemac/atack.html
   "The Total Freedom Trap: Scientology, Dianetics, and L.Ron Hubbard"
   by Jon Atack
       History of the CoS and its founder;
       Origins and evolution of doctrine and practice;
       Organizational structure of CoS and subsidiaries

http://www.cybercom.net/~rnewman/scientology/media/time-5.6.91
   "Thriving Cult of Greed and Power"
       Time Magazine cover article, May 6, 1991

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Fishman/Xenu/
  "The Road To Xenu" by Margery Wakefield.
       First-person accounts of security checks, bullbaiting, living
       conditions of Sea Org children, the OT3 "wall of fire", being put
       in an Ethics condition, the RPF, having to disconnect from her
       father.

http://www.demon.co.uk/castle/penny.html
  "Social Control Within Scientology" by FACTnet director Bob Penny
       Ever wonder how people get trapped by a cult like Scientology?
       A companion to Wakefield's "Road to Xenu", this book by an
       ex-Scientologist explains the mechanisms, explicit and subtle,
       by which Scientology subverts the independence of its members.

http://www.snafu.de/~tilman/mystory.html
   Anthology of stories by "ordinary" people
       In particular, read Kim Baker's detailed account of her
       induction into, involvement with, and escape from a South
       African Org.

http://gil.ipswichcity.qld.gov.au/~carterd/essaycos.html
  "An Essay on Scientology" by David Carter
       An overview of Scientology's doctrine and "ethical" worldview,
       written for the outsider.

ftp://ftp.primenet.com/users/c/cultxpt/andredec
   Affidavit of Andre Tabayoyon, filed as part of the "Fishman" case
       Longtime high-ranking Scientologist,
       explains how the Church deals with critics and apostates:
       humiliation, starvation, imprisonment, and worse.

http://nyx10.cs.du.edu:8001/~anon2c9e/scandal.txt
   "The Scandal of Scientology" by Paulette Cooper (1971; 315K).
       The Church of Scientology launched "Operation Freakout" against
       Ms. Cooper after her book was published.  Among other
       "dead-agenting" tactics, they forged a bomb threat on
       letterhead stolen from her office, which led to her criminal
       indictment in 1973 (charges dismissed, 1975).  Her reputation
       was not cleared, however, until an FBI raid in 1977 uncovered
       CoS documents detailing the campaign against her.


--
Scientology is attempting to destroy your freedom to post -- through forged
cancels, legal harassment and raids on posters' homes. Unbelievable? Come to
alt.religion.scientology; http://www.cybercom.net/~rnewman/scientology/home.html
--
Rev Dr David Gerard KoX SP4.02; VUT SRC NoName gerdw@cougar.vut.edu.au
Please email important followups (crappy and constipated newsfeed).
July 5, 1998, 7 AM. Saucers. End of the world. Your US$30 is your trip ticket.