Category Archives: Arizona

Book Review: Vietnam – The Teenage Wasteland by Tom Martiniano.

Posted on September 8, 2012 by | 84 comments

When someone recommended Tom Martiniano’s (#119 on the Indie 500 list) book Vietnam – The Teenage Wasteland: A Hippie In A War Zone, I wasn’t real anxious to read it.  I felt like I had had my share of woe-be-me remembrances of a pointless and desctructive conflict that I was fortunate enough by virtue of my age to have avoided.   But, once I started reading, it was difficult to put it down.

Tom writes the book in speaking English. It is familiar, it is real, and it puts you right into his head as he’s being showered by AK-47 bullets, shooting dozens of combatants who are attempting to kill him, doing involuntary backflips in reaction to bomb strikes, and starving for three days while helping to lead a small, battered platoon out of a valley encircled by thousands of North Vietnamese troops closing in from all sides.   Tom paints with his words a multi-dimensional moving picture of the action that in my view is far more authentic than any movie I have seen on Vietnam, drama or documentary.

This is anything but a pro-war memoir or patriotic plug.  Nor is it an apologia for having had to kill fellow human beings or an anti-war rant.  Tom was not in Vietnam by choice, he was drafted.  Tom has viewpoints – and they are fascinating and shared – but he does not let them get in the way of putting you through what he – and presumably thousands like him – experienced.  He took no satisifaction in killing others.  But he had enough sense and will to survive to become better at killing than those who were there to kill him. You cannot help but feel the compassion that drove him to defend himself and his fellows who were similarly thrown into the purposeless killing fields. In the end, Vietnam – The Teenage Wasteland is an incredible commentary on human nature and character.

Some of the more troubling passages recount Tom’s return to the States where he is met with ridicule, harassment, discrimination and hate.  Notwithstanding that treatment, Tom doesn’t turn the reader off  – like many before him have – with self-pride, self-loathing, demands for pity or acknowledgment.   Though he does not preach it, he does mention that Scientology might have had something to do with the balance and equillibrium he ultimately found.

But the book is not about Scientology.  It is about an extraordinary man giving a factual account of one of the sorriest chapters in United States history.  He doesn’t argue for that description, he demonstrates it for the reader.

By the end of the book I felt like smelting my own medal of valor and  personally pinning it to this man’s uniform.  In my book Tom Martiniano deserves a hundred hero’s welcomes.  This is mine to him.

Buy the book to find out what makes me feel this way at Vietnam – The Teenage Wasteland – A Hippie In A War Zone.

See Tom’s Declaration of Independence, here.

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Posted in acknowledgments, Arizona, ethics, healing, independents, l. ron hubbard, politics, Scientology, the future, the world

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Meet the Editors – What Is Wrong With Scientology?

Posted on June 9, 2012 by | 299 comments

The book What Is Wrong With Scientology is likely to be rather controversial to Scientologists.  It addresses some Scientology sacred cows in a fashion that may cause some uneasiness, even among independent Scientologists.  Think of this old Zen proverb before shying away: Unless the medicine stuns you, it won’t cure the disease.

One of the reasons I asked a couple of  Scientology technical experts to serve as editors of the book was to function as a reality check that my radical-at-first-blush ideas were technically sound.  Another reason is because in describing what is wrong with Scientology, I tell what Scientology is, or what it was intended to be by L. Ron Hubbard.  As you can see below, nobody likely has a better reality on both scores than my two editors.

The Editors of What Is Wrong With Scientology?

Dan Koon

Dan was introduced to Scientology in 1969 at the Berkeley California Scientology Mission.  He joined staff there in 1971.  Between 1974 and 1976 he audited to the state of Clear and trained through the St Hill Special Briefing Course (an intensive two to three year study of all lectures and writings covering the entire development of Dianetics and Scientology) at an advanced Scientology organization in Los Angeles.  In 1977 Dan joined the Sea Organization (Scientology’s priesthood) and was stationed at Scientology’s international headquarters for the next twenty-seven years.  He worked directly with Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard on technical training films produced to help perfect the art and science of Scientology counseling. He spent thirteen years as a senior researcher and writer for the L Ron Hubbard Technical Compilations Unit. That group searched, organized and compiled Hubbard’s Scientology writings in accordance with Hubbard’s written wishes. Dan left the organization in December 2003 when after years of deteriorating liberties it had taken on the character of an insular cult.  Dan is a painter and writer.  He also continues to consult independent Scientology practitioners. He lives with his wife Mariette in her native Sweden.

Russell Williams

Russ got involved in Scientology in 1974 in Phoenix Arizona. He joined the Sea Organization in early 1975 and served for the next thirty years.  For the first seven years Russ held a wide variety of posts directly involved with the delivery of Scientology training and auditing.  During the 80s and early 90s, Russ worked in the LRH Technical Compilations Unit – along with Dan Koon, for several of those years. During the early 80s Russ also corresponded regularly with L. Ron Hubbard, coordinating the compilations of Hubbard’s work into books, reference volumes, and course packs.  In the mid-90s, Russ worked for a stint in Scientology’s international management, as the highest authority over the delivery of Scientology services.  Finally, after spending several years in a Scientology concentration camp (described in more detail in this book) Russ decided his dignity and integrity required he break ties with Scientology Inc.  In 2004 he moved back to Phoenix, where he works as a freelance writer, editor and photographer, consults independent Scientologists, and enjoys life.

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Posted in acknowledgments, Arizona, healing, independents, int base, l. ron hubbard, tech, the future, the Reformation, Uncategorized

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Marilyn Brewer

Posted on May 25, 2012 by | 157 comments

THIS IS MY COMING OUT STORY

Marilyn Brewer

 

 I got into Scientology in summer of 1971 at the mission in Phoenix, AZ.  This was shortly after high school, did a little college in Tucson, AZ, and continued at the mission in Tucson, AZ where I received Standard Dianetics, objectives and ARC Straightwire.

I eventually ended up at the newly formed “CC Phoenix” under Doreen Casey, the ED and the org was a Sea Org org.  Joined the Sea Org and was sent to LA to train as a Flag Rep for Phoenix.  I was kept in LA and became the D/FR ASHO Day (under Val Mazzafari and Ingeborg Steinberg the FR WUS).

Then I was transferred to Sacramento org as FR Sacramento until went to Flag (RONY, Relay Office NY) where Flag management was while CW was being put together.  We were in Queens along with Jill Carlstrom, Alan Buchanan, Diana Hubbard, Roger Barnes, David Light, Grumps (Ron Gablehouse) and Liz Gablehouse, and George Cuthbertson (our famous cook).

I arrived by bus to Clearwater Nov ’75 just in time for Christmas. I was then the FR EU/UK, Org Manager EU/UK, Management Aide (all in the Flag Bureaux). I did lots of missions to EU/UK.

In 1977 I was on OEC/FEBC training Flag with Mike Rinder, Jens Bogvad, Hank Laarhus, Joyce Colt with Chuck Beatty supervising. In 1981 set up WISE, then off  to St. Hill to set up SMI Int.

Back to LA in 1982.  June ’82 my husband Ed Brewer was killed in a car accident in the hills of Glendale, CA.  (Certain amount of mystery around that still. Church management did not tell all on this. )

After Ed died, I went back to SMI Int in LA.  (was gone for the time period when de-dinging got its start in the mission network).  As a result of being gone and not getting “tainted” by the de-dinging, when I returned I was sent to the mission holders conference in San Francisco as the SMI rep.  The story of this infamous conference has been covered a thousand times.  It was a massacre and in my opinion the beginning of the end of Scientology as we knew it.

Back in LA I did an eval to “sort out the Bridge”.  Due to the success of that eval I got pulled to Int as D/ED Int for Establishment.  (Marilyn omitted here that LRH was impressed by her eval on the bridge sort out and it was a wildly effective eval). At the time there were 4 people in Exec Strata, (ED Int-Guillaume Leserve, Jens Urshkov-D/ED Int Production, Peter Specker-Qual Exec Int and myself).  It was my job to man it up and get everyone hatted.  So I began the process.  It took me over a year to get all the posts filled but I did it with lots of missions out around the world.

One of the last posts to be filled was a major post turnover cycle that started at the mission level, progressed to and through a Cl IV org, to AOSHEU and finally arriving at Flag.  This turned into a 6 month job to get Freddie Hunsicker, the last person to fill the last post, properly replaced.  As soon as he arrived ED Int got prompt orders from Vicki Aznaran to turn Freddie over to man up CST. Guillaume landed more bricks on me.  I screamed and yelled it was “off policy”.  His response was “If we didn’t do it, then Vicki would take Jens Urshkov (our only real evaluator at the time).  My heart was broken and I just thought there was no way to enforce policy.

Then along came DM (David Miscavige).  Every week we had to write up a “Weekly Report” for our area to be forwarded to seniors ultimately landing with DM for final summary to LRH.  We as Int Execs never got to see the outgoing summary, but always saw the incoming letter from LRH.  I concluded by the responses coming in that LRH was being lied to by DM.  I concluded that based on the fact that LRH’s response did not fit “the scene” at Int Mgmt.  With only a single viewpoint to operate from, the multiple viewpoint system was lost.  The odds were not too good.  That was all in 1984.

Finally left the Sea Org because David Miscaviage kept coming down to see ED Int and telling him of certain celebrities 2D peccadilloes after he read reports and worksheets of these celebrities.  This was gross.

By the beginning of 1985, I was gone to Canada to see Ed’s family. Now out of the SO  I stayed 2 years then came back to the states, ending up in Portland, OR with a large Scientology field.  I went back to med school, only this time for Chinese Medicine/ Acupuncture.  I just celebrated my 20th year reunion last year since graduating. I have been a practicing acupuncturist/Chinese herbalist and Dr. of Chinese Medicine for that period of time.

When landing in Portland I got back on lines at CC Ptld.  (Too much story to go into)  Mid 90s was ready for some L’s and took off to Flag for L11/12.  I was training as an auditor at Ptld when along came GAT.  I was at the end of the rope.  I slowly drifted away and moved back to Phoenix to be closer to family.

Closer to PT in 2009 I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  I became an Indie (in my mind, unofficially) but due to all the time devoted from me to fight this, I didn’t need any outside distractions.  So now my fight is nearly up and I have nothing to lose and wanted to officialize my Indie status.

Last year I found out that Tom Martiniano (who I hadn’t known before) and Linda McCarthy were in Phoenix.  I was so thrilled to meet up again, especially Linda because we were roomies back in the early days at the FH (Fort Harrison hotel, at Flag in Clearwater).  She has always been a good friend – but now she is a sister to me.  Tom is my fantastic auditor.  I don’t know if you can imagine someone with a heart so big to do all that was necessary on me to get me onto NOTs.  We had planned to do a 3-way round robin on NOTS, but it didn’t work out on my end….but no worries because Hayden James and Lucy have picked up the slack.

I’m telling you all of this now because in the RCS I would never have had the opportunity to receive this auditing.  As usual when you apply standard tech you get amazing results.  I would have awful pain and go into session only to come out with no pain.  After many months with Tom, it really is a miracle:  I have no pain.  My nurses and even my family can’t believe it. And while the cancer is not cured this lifetime, I’m 100% sure that I will never see the likes of breast cancer ever again.  Tom and Linda were there for me on more than one occasion to pull me out of some real rough situations.  Tom and I finished a few weeks ago and I’m spiritually in the best place I’ve ever been.  This current body has a lot of difficulty breathing and so it will be cast away for new shiny model.  I’m looking very forward to it and plan to be heading to Italy and wine country!  If you have any suggestions, let me know.

It’s been such an honor and pleasure to hear the stories of the ex-SO/RCSers; both Indies and non-Indies alike.  Old kindred spirits.  I thank you all in advance for the fabulous support and until the next time… Bon Voyage.

Marilyn Brewer

OT III

OEC/DSEC

Cl II

SO Mgmt 11 yrs

Special kiss to Alex Castillo, my buddy

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Posted in acknowledgments, Arizona, celebrities, FLAG, independents, int base, italy, tech, the future, the Reformation, Uncategorized

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