Clearwater



Letters to the editor of the St. Petersburg Times on June 30th again

discussed the role of Scientology in downtown Clearwater.



"I am incensed over the Times' pointless attacks on my religion. I have

been a Scientologist for over 20 years.  I do not understand why you

continually print editorials or articles which portray Scientology in such

a negative light. I do not see any such treatment of Christianity or

Judaism.



"The Times has a constitutional right to print whatever it sees fit, just

as its readers have their right to express their opinions.  As a practical

matter, however, we see all around us examples of how exercise of these

rights can lead to prejudice, bigotry and even war. I feel it is the

responsibility of the Times in its exercise of its rights to be careful

not to promote an atmosphere where discrimination and mistrust can grow.



"Religious intolerance has been part of man's history since the dawn of

civilization. Your contribution to it by publishing inflammatory articles

and editorials on Scientology is irresponsible and brings your motives

into question. - John J. Beachy, Belleair



"Although I agree that past errors should not be a basis on which to judge

an organization for eternity, in this instance it is wise to remember.

When the FBI raided Scientology offices, some of the documents that they

recovered included plans to set up then-Clearwater mayor Gabe Cazares for

a staged hit-and-run accident; to infiltrate local newspaper offices; and

to set up a former Scientologist who had written a book on her

experiences. In fact, Scientology so successfully accused her of crimes

which she had never committed, that she was arrested until the truth came

out in those seized documents.



"This very paper ran a story in March of this year that included

information on Richard Weigand, who is still a very active member of the

church and who was convicted of one of those 'past mistakes.' The mistake

was conspiring to conceal theft of government documents. Mary Sue Hubbard,

wife of Scientology's founder, was also convicted. Has she been purged

from the church?



"I was a member of Scientology for 20 years. I have lived in the

Clearwater area since 1995 and have no intentions of leaving. I want to

say: Do not forget what happened in the past. Do not forget that all of

Scientology's activities are, per their own policies, geared only toward

forwarding their own aims and purposes.



"The people of Clearwater can see with their own eyes what Scientology has

contributed to them; we are not led by the nose by the St. Petersburg

Times. However, it is by remembering the past and keeping a keen eye on

the present that we will be able to embrace the future from a fully

educated viewpoint. - Teresa S. Summers, Dunedin



Message-ID: 1056968284.813717@newshost02.voicenet.com





Protest Summary



Dave Bird reported a protest at the London Scientology org on June 28th.



I arrived at the venue early before the others, but we soon had a good

crowd crowd comprising Dave, Jens, Hartley, Katie, Tony, SteveCT, plus

Andy and Pam.  The clams were quite snappy, but I was in remarkably good

voice and spirits. I did the mic 95% of the time. Tony went on the mic for

a few minutes too, and a guy came past who laid into the clams based on 20

or 30 years of experiencing them. We just gave him the mic and let him

rip!!



The police were there at the start of the start of the demo. They were

particularly concerned that the sidewalk south of the Org, which was

already narrowed by scaffolding, should not be further obstructed by

leafleters and we carefully complied with this by staying at least 5

meters north of there.



"The most notable feature for me was that I acquired a barnacle, who

persistently stood in front of me with his back to me. I responded by

using him as an example 'this is your mind on Scientology, staring with a

googly-eyed look and parroting his few set phrases. I couldn't see the

reaction on his face, but others tell me he was becoming a bit of a

steamed clam."



Message-ID: kHdr06ApLg$+Ewc4@xemu.demon.co.uk





Tax Exemption



The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on June 30th that Scientology is

appealing a decision by St. Louis County in Missouri that it is not

entitled to a tax exemption on the org building



"The Church of Scientology is fighting the decision by St.  Louis County

to deny tax-exempt status to the group's property at 6901 Delmar Boulevard

in U. City.  Armstrong Teasdale's Donald Beimdiek filed an appeal on

behalf of the Scientologists. The county Board of Equalization denied the

group's exemption, saying the property was not 'regularly used exclusively

for religious (or) charitable' purposes, as required. The Scientologists

have an identical appeal pending before the St. Louis County Council. The

county billed the building's former owner $10,277 in 2000, the last year

taxes were assessed on the building."



Message-ID: 1057054467.571071@newshost02.voicenet.com





Tampa



The St. Petersburg Times reported on July 6th that Scientology has bought

another cigar factory building in Tampa, Florida, and plans more expansion

in the area.



"A group of high-ranking Scientologists, concerned the church's Tampa

facilities aren't up to snuff, is investing more than $2.5 million to buy

a second cigar factory in West Tampa and to lease and renovate a two-story

building on one of the hottest corners in Ybor City. The church's three

properties, staffed by nearly 100 people, will be the base for

Scientology's most aggressive appeal for members to the Tampa Bay

community.



"This 'dissemination' campaign, primarily focused on Tampa, often comes in

the form of an invitation to take a personality or aptitude test.  It will

be bolstered by television advertising and taking to the street to spread

the word.



"The remarkable growth spurt for the Church of Scientology in Tampa began

this spring with the grand opening of the newly renovated Andres Diaz

building. It was purchased last year for $1.2-million. The church then

moved to acquire a smaller cigar factory next door, for use as a community

center. Now under lease, the church plans to buy the building in September

for $425,000. The church spent $500,000 renovating this second cigar

factory and its newly opened Life Improvement Center in a leased brick

building on Eighth Avenue, in the heart of the Ybor entertainment

district. Well-dressed staff members fan out in the crowded streets

nightly to offer free 'Scientometric Testing.'



"'We want to make ourselves more known,' said Wayne Fuller, a

Scientologist for 31 years and executive director of the Tampa church.

Fuller is one of an elite group of Scientologists who have completed the

highest levels of Scientology training, called OT ambassadors. The OT

ambassadors living in the Clearwater area had talked for years about

upgrading the Tampa church, he said.



"Clearwater Scientologists played a key role. Fuller, the Tampa church's

executive director, Louise Cournoyer, who runs the community center in the

recently opened second cigar factory, and Peggy Guigon, who runs the Life

Improvement Center in Ybor, all commute to the Tampa church from

Clearwater.



"The church estimates it has 12,000 members in the Tampa Bay area;  5,000

in Tampa. Fuller said about 800 of the Tampa parishioners are active

members, who are taking courses or participating in church services.



"Personality tests, a popular tool used by the church to introduce

Scientology to the uninitiated, are showing up on windshields at hockey

games. Cards inviting residents to Scientology Sunday services can be

found on countertops of diners and delis around town. Newspaper

advertisements tout the benefits of the church's 'purification rundowns.'

What's more, the publishers of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's book

Dianetics have begun making an area push with television ads and a

campaign to place Dianetics books in prominent displays at local

large-chain bookstores, Shaw said.



"A team of some 200 field staff members of the church also spreads the

word about Scientology at flea markets and other events throughout the

region. Field staff members are not employees of the church, but make

commissions on what the people they bring to the church spend on

materials, courses and services. Some make a living out of it.



"The Tampa church also plans to add another 20 to 30 employees. The 93

employees of the church are paid based on a percentage of what the church

collects in fees for services during a given week. General, full-time

staffers typically earn about $200 per week, Fuller said.  Unlike

employees at Clearwater's Flag, called Sea Org members, Tampa staffers pay

for their own living arrangements.



"The church has also begun reaching out to its neighbors in West Tampa.

During walks around the predominantly Hispanic West Tampa neighborhood,

church spokeswoman Ana Tirabassi said she was told by many that they would

like help learning English. So the church offers English as a Second

Language courses on Monday and Tuesday nights in its community center. 'We

want to be part of the community,' Tirabassi said."



Message-ID: MKXPHR9E37808.2966319444@anonymous.poster