The Marcab Invasion arrived in Los Angeles via Amtrak on Saturday. I was whisked away from Union Station by a space ship which closely resembled a Lincoln Town Car and delivered to The Sizzler, where we met up with an assembly of critics both local and from as far away as Las Vegas and Chicago. Following a lunch of rare bovine protein with a side of tuber, we convoyed on down to the L. Ron Hubbard Life Museum. Business wasn't booming by any means. I quickly pounced on the only customers as they left the building, and gave them Ron the War Zero fliers. Mostly, I had a stack of fliers which described Lisa McPherson's death at the hands of Scientology members. People were very willing to take fliers as they walked by the building under the watchful eyes of cult members huddled in the window. Our assigned observer for the day was not Elliot Abelson this time. This one was much more presentable and affable. He mostly stood in the doorway of the museum the whole time we were there. Unfortunately, he had not coordinated with our guys, and his blue shirt exactly matched that of one of the critics. Women hate it when that happens, but perhaps guys don't as much. We had the Xenu.net banner, Magoo's stop signs, a sign with Lisa's picture, and an excellent Hubbard sign which said "L. Ron Hubbard," followed by two pictures labelled THE LIE, and THE TRUTH. THE LIE showed Hubbard as depicted in cult promotional material. THE TRUTH was an old, degraded Hubbard, eyelids and face drooping and slack from substance abuse. Stoned to the gills.

As usual, we garnered many honks, waves, and thumbs up. Many people along the strip thanked us for being there and stopped to chat. A homeless man told us how he was pressured into signing the billion year contract of the Sea Org. A girl told of taking the free personality test and being told that, without starting courses, she would commit suicide within a year. Unlike the poor cult member at another picket who swallowed that line (Scientology saved my life, she said) this one walked out and won't be looking back.

The cult members were huddled around the counter inside. One painfully thin young girl was taking pictures through the window. This time, the culties pretty much stayed nonconfrontational, with the exception of Bennetta Slaughter, who tried to Tone 40 Jeff as he was holding the banner. Her approach was the "Did you know Lisa?" schtick, which I've always found peculiar. You have to know someone personally to have the right to protest their death? If I'd known at the time who she was, I'd have had a few things to say to her.

We then moved on to the testing center, where three women were handing out fliers. One of them asked me if I wanted to take a free personality test! I laughed and said, "No, believe me, you don't want that!" The L. Ron Hubbard's Winter Wonderland was in full spate. Cranky little teens dressed as elves flanked Theta Claus, who waved as I snapped his picture. It's just all a'twinkly with good cheer and fun, as you can see from the pictures posted to ABS. Santaclausogy has taken over!

It's interesting to note that I saw two people I'd spoken to at the last LA picket I attended. The mysterious man with wooley eyebrows was there. He put in several appearances, but didn't speak to us. Last time he was off on some riff about Jack Parsons dying in a car bomb incident. The other guy was an older Asian man who, last picket, started ranting about Scientology and somehow segued into the Hare Krishnas. He's still his cheerful self, happy and secure in Jesus and the Lord.

Birdwatchers would have been amused by the two redtailed hawks soaring over Hollywood Blvd. terrifying the pigeons.

Following a break at McDonalds, we started for the cars. Magoo and I noted that the Scientologists who know Magoo were not at the Wonderland at the moment. Santa wasn't there either. We took the opportunity to get a picture of us sitting on Santa's chair, a bench, actually. We tried to make it a fast op, but our lovely photographer had left the lens cap on, so we had to make another pass. We succeeded without being slapped with an injunction. The sign did say EVERYONE WELCOME.

We concluded the memorial with candle lighting outside the Life Museum. With the exception of an attention-seeking annoyance who has issues with his homosexuality, and the wind being determined to blow out our candles, this quiet rememberance was uninterrupted by the Scientologists, although our friend in the blue shirt was back in the doorway, watching.

We then proceeded to Magoo's, where her house mate had prepared a fabulous spread. I ate too much, drank too much, smoked too many cigarettes, talked at length, and realized that the trains had quit running. I took the tube back to Union Station the next day. My timing would have been perfect, had some transient not managed to get killed by a train that day. Having read the Ed McBain book on the way up, I had to get Harry Potter to help keep me occupied during the long wait.

Birdwatchers will be amazed. As I was sitting in an outdoor plaza reading, I kept hearing falcons. I finally spotted a pair of peregrines cussing and divebombing something unseen on a nearby building.

A man who spotted my Scientology Kills shirt stopped to ask me about it. I gave him a quick rundown of the early deaths, the suicides, and Lisa McPherson. A science fiction fan, he knew of Hubbard's work and didn't think very highly of it. I gave him a War Zero flier, which he read on the spot. He then asked if I had any more, as he is staying in a veteran's facility while awaiting knee surgery. I gave him all I had to distribute at the veteran's center.

Got home tired, grubby, and hungry. Train snacks like the microwaved shrivelly jalapeno burger I ordered just don't cut it. Then I had to download the photos and start writing this KR. It was a real pleasure to finally meet some of the other critics I've only enjoyed reading on ARS. I'm not sure they want to be named, but they know who they are. I hope you guys who had to travel far to get here had a safe trip home! Hope we meet up again. The borg neighbors on Hollywood Blvd. are right. We do need to do this more often.

This is true, -- Rev. Barb Church of Xenu, San Diego Chaplain, ARSCC http://members.cox.net/bwarr1/index.htm

"$cientology sees the world this way: One man with a picket sign: terrorism. Five thousand people dead in a deliberate inferno: business opportunity.

$cientology oozes _under_ terrorists to hide." -Chris Leithiser

From: "Richard Maggini" <rmaggini@pe.net>
Subject: Re: Picket report, Los Angeles 7 Dec
X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 Message-ID: <5o5J9.4056$nlV.86245500@news2.randori.com>
Organization: Randori News - http://www.randori.com - Try our New Gallery!
Date: Mon, 09 Dec 2002 18:35:45 GMT

Calling the CO$ "observers" non-confrontationalis an understatement. I spoke with each of them and they were both friendly and conversational about non-CO$ issues. Strange behavior when you consider we had an accused terrorist among who was allegedly plotting to blow up a CO$ facility (church).

From: Jeff Jacobsen <cultxpt@primenet.com>
Subject: anon picket report from LA, Dec. 7, 2002
Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2002 07:44:35 -0700
Message-ID: <mbvbvu4rhe3au68q80l7318u6v6lc5571m@4ax.com>

At L. Ron Hubbard Life Center three young men started to question a picketer about Scientology. They were taking pictures of other picketers at the same time. They said "we are not Scientologists." After while they disappeared across the street and into a building.

In the life center upstairs in the Sea Org Headquarters people stood looking at us, all on the phone. What's with all the picture taking from inside? Is this a first step to becoming an OT? Is excercising our right to gather and assemble peacefully being portrayed as if we need to have picture taken? After while, it looks like a cell phone and camera commercial!

A policeman did come to check the cars parked right out front. Too bad, we had all parked legally.

Before Bennetta Slaughter came, she stood with about 6 people across the street by Sea Org building. I didn't recognize her. She was thin with heavy makeup. She stormed back across the street after confronting Jeff and walked away with the others. With a long coat and swift departure, she carried herself like Cruella DeVille.

A man shared that his brothers girlfriend joined Scientology and now she does not allow the brother to speak to the family anymore.

Quite a look befalls people who hear about Xenu for the first time.

The response of passerbys was overwhelming. As we walked to our cars a long plain van marked with L Ron Hubbard Life Center was just unloading a family with kids who were whisked into the Sea Org entrance.

The life center building is very tall. Behind the building by the Sea Org door was a fence with a locked gate and rolling barbed wire across the top.

The testing center is on the same block as Ripleys Believe it or Not. Wax Museum across the street. Birds of a feather... The music from the Winter Wonderland is loud to attract attention.

A man appeared at the candle vigil agitated and intrusive. He demanded answers like he had his shoulder chipped. How do those strangers know trs out of the blue is amazing.

A kind elderly man stood listening to our words as we lit candles for Lisa McPherson in front of the Hubbard Life Center building.

In memory of Lisa McPherson, the day was well worth the effort. Freedom of speech cannot be reduced or removed to cover up injustice. Removal of freedom of speech is a form of enslavement. People should not be led to pay for that form of freedom in the guise of a democratic society much less under religious umbrella. The baited paradox of it all.

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