Re: Last night’s post, Scientology and Human Rights.
Tony Ortega at the Village Voice has posted a follow up article to one we linked to a few weeks ago about the Corporate Scientology sponsored Writers of The Future contest.
The new story is about a contest winner named Carl Frederick. Frederick has decided to cut ties with the contest. Tony’s reporting created the effect I was suggesting be created on the “church’s” Human Rights propaganda campaign front. The article gives an inside look at what goes through the mind of someone supporting a corporate Scientology public relations program when he is informed about the criminal activities such a program seeks to create a cover for.
Frederick speaks of the corporate Scientology love bombing:
“You’re never treated anywhere in your life as a writer better than you are there. Tuxedos, parties on rooftops — there were evenpapparazi. They give you the whole works,” he says.
Frederick speaks to the question of why continuing to engage in such an innocent sounding activity would be an unethical choice:
“I had blinders on. Self-fitted blinders. I didn’t want anything to get in the way of my appreciation of the contest,” he says. “I still think the contest is a good thing. But once you’ve gone through it, you should probably leave. It’s the long-term association that I have a problem with,” he says. “It implies an acceptance of everything.”
Of course in this case, “everything” would include the atrocities of David Miscavige. It would also indirectly support them by making his torture chamber matron, and Executive Director Author Services Barbara Ruiz – the sponsor of the contest, appear legitimate.
He also talks about the moral dilemma attached to such decision making:
“I feel good in my mind that I did turn this down, but I am conflicted about it,” he says. “They really do a lot for us. I’ve had nothing but niceness from these guys.”
Ortega’s article is your inside look at deconstruction of the propaganda front activity. A great primer for anyone inclined to do something about the Human Rights propaganda activity of Miscavige discussed in last night’s post.
Moving On Up a Little Higher 
Obviously, I have lots to say on this topic! Let me begin with this:
Carl was always one of my favorites, but I say this about all the winners on “my watch.” Much as the mother with all the children tells each one, “You were always my favorite.”
What I really like about Carl is his forthrightness. He is a life-experienced person and was even when his story was selected for the anthology. When he later won the Contest, he proved himself.
IF this is a correctly duplicated statement he has made:
“You’re never treated anywhere in your life as a writer better than you are there. Tuxedos, parties on rooftops — there were evenpapparazi. They give you the whole works,” he says.
THEN, he is only partially correct. He was treated very well because he was a winner in a long-standing, highly competitive, international writing contest in the science fiction/fantasy world. I don’t recall paparazzi at all and I was at that party. Yes, tuxedos, parties on rooftops, and most certainly well treated. He was and still is a winner of WOTF. He had quite a jump-start on his writing career – take a look at his website.
However, having said all that, Carl, due to his nature and his life experiences, has a conscience and has now spoken it. And, he remains one of my favorites.
I don’t think we can take the Contest to task, until the later years, i.e. when David Miscavige attended the anniversary event, 2004. Right there he provided a direct link to the Church and, from my experience and from what I’ve read, he doesn’t exactly sprinkle magic fairy dust on an activity but rather collapses it with dispatch. That’s when the “love bombing” starts, because look at DM’s image these days. It will take far more than a love bomb to restore it and it’s simply not going to happen.
I love people who can’t be bought cause they can LOOK at and SEE the buyer!
Great post Rachel. On papparazi (sp?) he may be referring to the ever-present photographer at such events, making everybody feel like a star by coming up and shooting them talking to another with drink in hand, etc.
You got it 🙂 Hope you are coming to Indie Day.
Good on Tony and you for reporting on this, Marty.
And speaking of atrocities, while the cycle that I went through has generated considerable interest from various media reporters, I’ve come to the conclusion that these terminals largely cannot confront the actuality of it and accurately report it.
And so far, your prediction that the ABC News series of investigative reports on this subject and other C of S malfeasance would never see the light of day has borne out to be true.
Regarding my story, so far only a few highly trained former Sea Org veterans have been able face (without flinching) hearing the entirety of the harrowing journey that I went through (after I made the the mistake of loudly protesting the major wrongnesses that I saw in Miscavige’s church).
At the time of course I realized (too late) that the problem went all the way to the top and had become systemic. In fact this was the data that was used in the initial Black Dianetics operation that was done on me. After that, I knew I had to go through whatever I had to in order to get out.
The one non-S.O. vet exception out of the above mentioned people who could confront it was Trey Lotz – but that cat’s got balls as big as church bells.
Otherwise, the media – upon discovering hearing of the depths that Miscavige and Co. will sink to in order to silence a critic, tend to edit out some of the details (such as who, what, where, when, how and why) when reporting on things like incarceration, mental and physical abuse, deprivation, physical restraint and assault, drugging, Black Dianetics and Reverse Scientology – even when corroborated by multiple eye witnesses.
So what is wrong with this picture? Nothing actually. It’s just an entirely predictable manifestation of the low confront of evil in the average person.
Thanks for helping to bring up the confront of the media, Marty.
Totally off topic insert here:
Scott## from the earlier thread, get a hold of me at momrath65@yahoo.com. I’m wending my way around, fixing things as I come to them and would like to help you out, if I can.
Sincerely,
Jim
L. Ron Hubbard set up the WOTF as a patron of the arts. David Miscavige attempts to usurp it as another means of sidetracking admiration to himself to try and deal with that ossified case he is in.
That yuck is repugnant. It’s no wonder it was found so by an artist, Mr. Frederick.
I’m wondering if the back room people who put on these extravaganzas are Sea Org folk working for $50 a week and feeding on rice and beans?
It is really a shame that so many rather noble causes like WTF; WTH; Narconon; Criminon; Applied Scholastics etc. have to be totally suppressed due to miscavige’s overts.
Imagine what could be done if the suppressive elements and associations were removed from some of these aultruistic activities.
I’m going to try-I would love to meet everyone!
I just realized that on this very day of March last year I came out on Marty’s blog. It has been the best year I have had in years. Many thanks to Marty for alot ie: I never got harassed by the crazies in RCS as he along with others were taking the HEAT; through this blog I have met incredible people; I have learned alot about the track of Scientology-actually, because there are very intelligent and well informed people on this blog I’ve learned alot about alot. I am also part of some great history making. DM -you are so over.
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As a side comment, I worked at Author Services, Inc. as part of the Pulp Fiction Series releases. It was a very exciting time and project. Had I known that Little Hitler would have used LRH’s life works as a writer to forward his insane agenda, I would have proudly walked out the door.
I also worked at Applied Scholastics in the 2000’s and that was the beginning of the end for me. Another gorgeous building, funded by the IAS, and a close friend of Little Hitler–the female version, Benetta Slaughter.
Well like her name, she slaughtered beings reaching for study tech, with her over-the- top arrogance and know-best. Repulsive.