Response from the Church of Scientology regarding Sunday's protest
Leader_of_Anonymous
Response from the Church of Scientology regarding Sunday's protest:
This weekend we do anticipate that some members of this group
"Anonymous" will turn up, as they have announced.
We take this seriously because of the nature of the threats this group
has made publicly. We will take every step necessary to protect our
parishioners and staff as well as members of the community, in
coordination with the local authorities.
As to our knowledge of the organizers of the event, they are
cyberterrorists who hide their identities behind masks and computer
anonymity.
Long before selecting Scientology as its latest target, "Anonymous"
hackers crashed the Fox Web site and issued a perverse manifesto in a
July 2007 video message on the Internet:
We are the face of chaos... We ruin the lives of other people simply
because we can ... Hundreds die in a plane crash. We laugh. The nation
mourns over school shooting, we laugh. We're the embodiment of
humanity with no remorse, no caring, no love, or no sense of morality.
"Anonymous" is perpetrating religious hate crimes against churches of
Scientology and individual Scientologists for no reason other than
religious bigotry. "Anonymous" initially justified its attacks by
claiming that the church's requests to some Web sites to remove a
stolen video of an internal church event somehow constituted an
affront to free speech. In fact, the church, as would any copyright
owner, had simply sent notices that the video constituted a copyright
violation. Similar notices are sent daily by the television and
recording industries, as well as the media to those who display
pirated, copyrighted works.
"Anonymous" alleged "free speech" justification is belied by the fact
that the video in question has been seen by millions. It is
"Anonymous" that has repeatedly attempted to suppress free speech
through illegal assaults on church Web sites so as to prevent Internet
users from obtaining information from the church. They have also
engaged in other harassment, including threats of violence in
telephone calls, fax transmissions and e-mails, not to mention the
Anonymous mailing of white powder to dozens of our churches, requiring
the services of law enforcement.
"Anonymous" claims of altruistic purposes are no different than those
heard from any terrorist or hate group. We are not the first to be
targeted. Using Scientology's prominence, "Anonymous" hopes to garner
more attention. "Anonymous" has publicly proclaimed its guiding
materials to be the Communist Manifesto and Mein Kampf. Quite
obviously, this group is not just anti-Scientology, it is anti-freedom
of religion, anti-free speech and anti-American.
Religious bigotry of any nature is deplorable and profoundly affects
the entire community. The hate crimes of "Anonymous" should be
condemned.
Anyone desiring information about the church of Scientology or the
context of the pirated video should visit the church Web site at
www.scientology.org to form their own opinions.
Leader_of_Anonymous
New foe emerges against Scientology
The youth-oriented group has organized protests, including one in
downtown Clearwater.
By JONATHAN ABEL, Times Staff Writer
Published February 8, 2008
CLEARWATER - A new Scientology opponent has arisen in the last few
weeks, composed of computer-savvy young people who accuse the church
of stifling free speech.
The group calls itself Anonymous. Its shadowy presence is so far
mostly manifest on the Internet in video addresses and endless message
board correspondence.
The group's stated goal, according to an introductory video that has
been viewed 2-million times on YouTube: "To expel you Scientology from
the Internet and systematically dismantle the Church of Scientology in
its present form."
The group plans a wave of protests at Scientology buildings around the
world, including one Sunday in downtown Clearwater, the home of
Scientology's spiritual headquarters.
The protests come on the heels of a pressure campaign that used
hacking attacks on Scientology computer servers, prank calls and faxes
to Scientology numbers and even fake anthrax mailings to intimidate
the church.
Because of the amorphous nature of Anonymous, it's hard to say to what
extent the group was involved in the harassment. But what's clear is a
major, coordinated day of protesting is planned for Sunday.
And church officials are taking it very seriously.
"We are dealing with a worldwide threat," said Pat Harney, spokeswoman
for the church in Clearwater. "This is not a light matter."
The church has hired 10 off-duty police officers for security Sunday
at a cost of $4,500. City officials are on notice, too, prepared to
deal with any vandalism or violence that erupts from the protest.
The big question, however, is whether the Internet furor will
translate into actual protesters.
- - -
Scientology is no stranger to enemies, but Anonymous has emerged
suddenly.
The group's animus toward Scientology began last month when an
unauthorized video of Tom Cruise speaking about Scientology was leaked
to YouTube. Scientology attorneys pressured the Web site and others to
remove the video, citing copyright law. Anonymous members viewed that
as an intrusion on the openness and freedom of the Internet.
Church properties in cities such as Orlando were picketed and 19
church buildings in California received fake anthrax mailings, causing
60 people to be evacuated from the buildings.
In a message to Scientology, the group says it is acting "for the good
of your followers, for the good of mankind and for our own enjoyment."
The message is delivered through a flat, computer voice against a
backdrop of ominous clouds.
It's threatening, to be sure, unless it's all tongue-in-cheek.
"There were always people protesting Scientology," said Joshua
Nussbaum, 19, an organizer of the Clearwater rally. "But the Tom
Cruise video being leaked and then subsequently being pulled off for a
copyright violation within 24 hours, that made a lot of people angry."
Nussbaum said he expects between 50 and 100 to gather with him in
downtown Clearwater on Sunday.
He found out about the group on the Internet. He said he wasn't
involved in forming the group's philosophy or any of its more militant
acts. But when he saw that no one was leading the Clearwater protest,
he decided to take the lead.
"We're not trying to scare people," he said. "We're just trying to
make our message known."
Nussbaum said the protesters will split into three groups Sunday.
Their identities will be concealed with sunglasses, hats and other
accessories.
Critics of Scientology say the church engages in harassment and
intimidation of its critics, which is why anonymity is important.
The protesters plan to picket and hand out fliers with the ultimate
goal of convincing some Scientology members to leave.
Between the protesters and the Scientologists will be the Clearwater
Police Department. Spokeswoman Elizabeth Daly-Watts said an
unspecified number of officers will be assigned to the downtown area.
The 10 off-duty officers hired by the church will be in place to make
sure protesters don't trespass on private property or violate laws,
Daly-Watts said, but they will at all times answer to police
supervisors - not Scientology officials.
- - -
Among the mottos of Anonymous is the declaration: "We are legion."
So who are they and how many strong?
In broad strokes, the participants are in their late teens and early
20s. They've found each other through videos and message boards - all
online. They estimate almost 4,000 people will be involved in protests
around the world.
The event is particularly well-timed, organizers say, because it is
the birthday of Lisa McPherson, a 36-year-old Scientologist who died
in 1995 while in the care of church staffers.
Sunday's protest follows in a tradition of demonstrations against
Scientology in Clearwater. One of the staunchest anti-Scientology
groups, the Lisa McPherson Trust, raised such ire with its
demonstrations that a judge issued an injunction specifying on which
parts of the street the protests could be held.
The church has held its own protests, mustering some 3,000 people to
march through downtown Clearwater past the Police Department and the
St. Petersburg Times office, protesting what it said was
discrimination against the church.
Old guard members of the anti-Scientology movement such as Arnie Lerma
say they're impressed by the potential the new blood brings.
"I think they're going to get a fairly big picket," said Lerma, 57,
who runs an anti-Scientology Web site and was impressed by a video of
the picket in Orlando. "I've never seen anything like that before.
This is incredible. I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it on
a Web cam."
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
Jonathan Abel can be reached at ja...@sptimes.com or (727) 445-4157.
Leader_of_Anonymous
cat...@gmail.com
> http://www.sptimes.com/2008/02/07/Southpinellas/Church_of_Scientology...
-"Anonymous" is perpetrating religious hate crimes against churches
of
Scientology and individual Scientologists for no reason other than
religious bigotry.
Bullshit.
-It is
"Anonymous" that has repeatedly attempted to suppress free speech
through illegal assaults on church Web sites so as to prevent
Internet
users from obtaining information from the church
More bullshit.
-"Anonymous" claims of altruistic purposes are no different than
those
heard from any terrorist or hate group.
Again more bullshit.
The Fox 11 fiasco was caused by Fox portraying them in a wrongful
light (as Fox always does to people who seek justice), sense Anonymous
has no leaders/organization its not like they could sue them so they
took down their website.
barb
> And the link:
>
> http://www.sptimes.com/2008/02/08/Northpinellas/New_foe_emerges_again.shtml
Scientology whines because the material on its internal DVDs, material
vital in showing the public what the true face of Scientology is like,
is now out where everyone can see it.
Violent imagery. Loaded quasi-military and violent language aimed
against psychiatry. Tom Cruise braying like a jackass as he imagines a
world without opposition to Scientology.
And in the latest release, the 2006 New Years event, a revelation!
Scientology brags about front groups leading people onto the bridge.
WISE, Criminon, Narconon, Applied Scholastics; all are used to suck
people into the cult through business management programs, criminal and
drug rehab programs, human rights programs and literacy programs...all
designed as clever traps meant to lure the unwary, naive and trusting
into Scientology, "up the Bridge" as they say.
Also, an admission that these front groups are, in fact, Scientology.
They have tried to claim all along that these groups are not associated
with the cult. The DVD reveals the truth.
The relationship between the front groups and Scientology are often
denied by representatives. But when you have these same representatives
boasting about how many people they funnel into Scientology through
their front groups, it's going to be harder to refute in the future.
This is the time of Scientology's Gotterdammerung. Twilight of the
Rondroids. These DVDs are vital for people seeking to understand the
cult and its intentions. They make it very clear that they intend to
impact our lives through government, society and educational venues.
No wonder they don't want anyone outside their alternate reality bubble
to see them!
Tick tock, tick tock, DM. Your own family is working to expose you now.
Sunday is coming fast.
Expect us.
--
barb
Chaplain, ARSCCwdne
buy my book!
http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=1198812
read my page! (thanks, R. Hill!)
http://www.xenu-directory.net/critics/graham1.html
visit my store!
http://www.cafepress.com/birdville