Emancipation Proclamation for Scientology

From: bob@minton.org (Robert S. Minton)
Date: 1998/02/05
Message-ID: <B0FF6EF896681E3BB@bobsbarn.tiac.net>

More leaflets keep getting passed out in our neighborhood in Boston, including during lunch hour Monday in time to greet a Boston Globe reporter who is doing another story.

More phone calls by Eugene Ingram to friends and former colleagues, e-mail from David Lee while in Seattle disturbing Vaughn, Stacy, the cats and Vashon Island generally.

OSA keeps saying that Minton money is no big deal. Why then do they keep bothering with me? Pickets, private detectives, Dead Agent packs to NBC, CBS, ABC and any place else they think I'm going?

I'll tell you WHY! I'm CRAZY! I'm crazy about what scientology does to decent human beings, like depriving them of basic human, civil and legal rights. Using coercive mind control on them. Using, in strict adherence to the current policy of 'Fair Game', harassment and intimidation to deprive critics of their rights to free speech. Using totalitarian methods generally to abrogate the abilities of their members to think critically. The extensive use of fear and heavy ethics on members, especially in the Sea Org, to control them.

Drawing attention to these evil and vile practices strikes at the very evil heart of Scientology's management tactics and policies. But most of all management of Scientology fears that drawing attention to these things will strike a cord in the heart of Scientologists--- who have no voice, no human rights, no civil rights, no legal rights, no free speech, no free thought. In other words, NO CHANCE, until they can break the chains that THE Church of Scientology chooses to bind them in.

In other words, it is telling the truth about how Miscavige runs Scientology that he fears the most. That is why he bothers will all of us critics. This is why he is afraid of ARS. That is why he is increasingly desperate.

He only knows one way to run Scientology and he is about to be fired for doing it.

The internet is the last, and now the best chance for Scientologists to have total freedom, to have a voice, to reform Scientology and thereby make this a better world. But Scientologists you must help do this--- Ron Newman's Web site, Andreas' Operation Clambake, Marina's entheta.net and ARS web page summary, Rod's ARS Week in Review, Dave Touretzky's NOT's Scholars page, Ray Randolf's Scientology-kills site, Chris Owen's incredibly informative information, Martin Hunt's storehouse of info, Tilman's personal histories and all the other people and organizations who collectively make your freedom attainable cannot do it for you. It is time for Scientologists to hold Miscavige accountable for his failed leadership. Find new leadership from within who are capable of letting you become a member of an organization that you can be proud of rather than one that is the scourge of freedom loving people all over the world.

To support your cause, critics can and will help you. We are not here to destroy you but to help you make Scientology better able to adapt to the realities of a changing world. We are here to help you regain the dignity you once had. We try and help your cause in many ways and one such way can be illustrated from this United Nation's Press Release that can be found at:

http://www.unog.ch/news/documents/newsen/hr982e.html Start of Press Release

01/08/1998 SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE
TO VISIT THE UNITED STATES The Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia) will visit the United States at the invitation of the Government from 22 January to 6 February 1998.
The position of Special Rapporteur on Religious Intolerance was established by the 53-member Commission on Human Rights in 1986. Mr. Amor was appointed by the Chairman of the Commission in 1993 as the second Special Rapporteur for this mandate.
Mr. Amor is the Dean Emeritus of the Faculty of Juridical, Political and Social Sciences at Tunis University and President of the International Academy of Constitutional Law. He will be accompanied in the United States by a human rights officer from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and by United Nations interpreters.
The role of the Special Rapporteur is to examine incidents and governmental action in all parts of the world inconsistent with the provisions of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, and to recommend remedial measures for such situations. The Special Rapporteur reports to the United Nations General Assembly in October each year and to the Commission on Human Rights in March/April each year.
The Declaration was adopted without dissent by the General Assembly in 1981. While non-binding on States, such Declarations are recognized as important sources of customary international law. The first article of the Declaration states:
1. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have a religion or whatever belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching.
2. No one shall be subject to coercion which would impair his freedom to have a religion or belief of his choice.
3. Freedom to manifest one's religion or belief may be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary to protect public safety, order, health or morals or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others.
During his two weeks in the United States, the Special Rapporteur will visit Washington DC, Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles and Arizona. Mr. Amor has asked to meet senior leaders of the major Christian denominations; leaders of Jewish groups, various Muslim organisations and representatives of minority religious organisations. As well there will be opportunities for other groups and individuals to bring matters to the attention of the Special Rapporteur. In Washington DC, Mr.
Amor hopes to meet senior officials of the Administration and members of the United States Congress.
In Atlanta, Georgia on 29 January, Mr. Amor will participate in a public forum organised by Emory University on the theme.

End of Press Release
I met privately with Professor Amor in New York on January 27 and attended meetings on the 28th hosted by The International League for Human Rights and the NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief--- both of which are organizations that really care about freedom, human rights, free thought and free choice. They don't pay hypocritical homage to these ideals like the current leadership of Scientology.

Professor Amor chose to meet with me to hear another perspective on the Scientology issue. He heard it. Earlier this month I wrote to him and in part said the following:

---------- I am involved in a controversy with the Church of Scientology over the most fundamental right in a democracy--- the freedom to speak. Scientology cries that theirs is a persecuted religion attacked by bigoted critics. Today, Scientology claims that individuals and governments who dare criticize their anti-social goals, tactics as well as human and civil rights abuses of their own members are engaged in a grand conspiracy to destroy Scientology.

Nothing could be further from the truth. I am one of many persons working actively through the internet who wish to force Scientology reforms which will acknowledge that all of us, Scientologists especially, have an inalienable right to criticize, oppose or scrutinize practices and tactics used by their organization which we view as contrary to the respect and dignity required towards our fellow man. Without these most basic rights there cannot be freedom, religious or otherwise.

For many Scientologists, the quest for personal growth or spiritual fulfillment has resulted in an unmistakably traumatic experience that has often times had a disastrous impact on their lives. They have been subjected to highly manipulative mind control techniques, severe mental and physical degradation, forced labor camps for "rehabilitation" and the inability to leave Scientology without being subjected to their vicious policy of "Fair Game" if the former member is critical of Scientology or its' practices.

Clearly such behavior on the part of Scientology is contrary to UN Resolution 36/55 adopted by the General Assembly on 25 November 1981 entitled "Declaration on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief" as well as the UN's "Universal Declaration of Human Rights".

To further illustrate my point, I will quote from the conclusion of Professor Stephen Kent Ph.D., Department of Sociology, University of Alberta Report of December 3, 1997 entitled "BRAINWASHING IN SCIENTOLOGY'S REHABILITATION PROJECT FORCE (RPF)"

"Without question the RPF's operation violates a number of human rights statutes, probably involving such topics as freedom of religion and conscience, labour laws, arbitrary arrest, forcible confinement, and protection of the dignity of the human being (Kent, 1997: 39). The human right issues become even more significant if the accounts of children and teenagers on RPF programs are true (Jebson, 1997; Kent Interview with Dale, 1997: 4, 16; Kent Interview with Pat, 1997a: 32; Kent Interview with Pignotti, 1997: 30). Ironically, as the United States Department of State heightens its criticism against Germany's handling of the Scientology affair, at least three of these abusive programs continue to operate on American soil."

I welcome the opportunity to discuss these and other matters of mutual interest on January 27th in New York.

---------- In addition to the above matters and more, we also discussed:

A. That 1,000's of people are prohibited from practicing their beliefs--- Scientology--- in the Free Zone because the Church tries to suppress all adherence to Scientology outside of its copyrighted and trademarked enclaves.

B. The bizarre captivity and death of Lisa McPherson. C. The other mysterious deaths recently reported in the SP Times.

D. Stephen Kent's report on the RPF.

Professor Amor was not the first nor will he be the last that I speak with about these issues.

Now why would anybody listen to me--- Scientology DA material and all?

Could it be that I don't sound quite as rabid as Mad Dog Heber? Could it be that I sound sincere? Could it be that I am credible and Scientology management is not--- having raved and ranted just a few too many times?

Scientology and Scientologists have clearly felt the sting of discrimination, distrust and recrimination in many countries, including here in the United States. This hostility and, yes, even hatred has been directed by critics of Scientology at the management policies and tactics within Scientology that are harmful and destructive to current and former Scientologists and to critics of management practices. I share the belief with most critics and observers of the Church that the vast majority of Scientologists are good and decent people trying like most of us to find ways to make this world a better place in which to live.

The rank and file Scientologists is not my enemy and not the enemy of ARS. We are your friends and potential allies while you reclaim your church from Miscavige and the lawyers he hides behind. We have done kind and compassionate things to help former Scientologists on the road to recover from the barbaric policies carried out by your current Church management. I want all Scientologists to hear this message.

The very survival of your religion is at stake due to the void in leadership existing within your church. It is clear to many former Scientologists, critics of management policies, and some within your Church that David Miscavige is running your organization into history at an accelerating rate--- it is now the world's fastest dissolving religion. I am no expert on L. Ron Hubbard, I don't share your religious beliefs, in fact, I find them strange; as are my Christian beliefs, probably to you but certainly to a high percentage of the World's population.

Nevertheless, I respect the United States Constitution, your right to practice and believe in your own 'applied religious philosophy', human rights and civil rights for Scientologists and for all of us who share this space together.

The costs imposed on Scientologists today by Miscavige, his followers and lawyers are heavy, unsustainable and will ultimately be fatal to your organization if they are not stopped. These policies and practices are vicious, hurtful, debilitating and life threatening to you and our fellow human beings. They are not right. They are not just. They are not compassionate. They are designed to enslave minds. The price in human terms has already been far too heavy for many to take. The policies will be stopped. Now is your time to make reform happen within the Church of Scientology.

And, while you do, a group of the good and decent Scientologists will rise to the top of your Church as rightful, just and compassionate leaders. Then you will have saved your religion and started just reforms. Then, you will certainly have done something, like you set out to do, to make this world a better place in which to live.

I wish you good luck in your coming effort.

Bob Minton