Chris Schafmeister (schaf@cgl.ucsf.edu) wrote:

> This is freakin' fascinating Robert,
> how do you think these sorts of Training Routines, "TRs",
> would work against someone who knows them and knows what to expect?

Then the TRs are basically useless. They do give the PR the experience in knowing how to reply, not unlike a political candidate who - after months of interviews on the campaign trail - comes to know how to reply. It is then up to the journalist/voter to see that they are getting canned replies and punch through it.

If you want to see someone who's "TRs" went out the bottom, watch Lisa Goodman on that MTV segment when Kurt Louder asked her about Xenu.* Her, "I don't know what you are talking about" clearly sent her back to drill that question about 300 times! (LOL)

> It seems to me that if I was a reporter and
> I knew that a Scientologist that I was interviewing
> might try to "cave me in" that it wouldn't be effective.

No, it is not.

> Would you be able to come up with a few guidelines
> on how a reporter might "handle" "Reporter TRs"?

That was one of the points of the article I wrote for QUILL that some people have webbed, to alert the media that this is done. As I said, it is really not much different than politicos except that Scn PRs _really_ train in it. Look at Heber Jentzsch's delivery. The man has been doing TRs for so long he can't do anything else.

And you know where they get this? A major source is the LRH interview film, the one by Tony Hitchman, which has to be one of the worst and the corniest interviews ever made of anyone. The fact that Hubbard approved it and that it is sold in Scientology bookstores and given to libraries is difficult to believe. I strongly urge journalists to watch it! Watch these "TRs" of L. Ron Hubbard as he gives these little disarming chuckles and these _horrible_ answers. (And don't think for a minute the interview was spontaneous. It wasn't. It was completely canned, which makes it even worse.)

Compere it to the interview on the Apollo, the one where LRH is asked if he ever thinks he's crazy. LRH gives his little (the same one as in the Hitchman interview) chuckle that is one of the worst acting jobs you'll see and then says, "Oh, yes, because the only man who thinks he is sane is the insane man," or some such quote. There is a good reason why TV have pulled this part up: because the man is completely faking it to the point that you believe he might really _be_ insane.

And this is "source" for "Reporter TRs," the one who is studied! That's where Heber gets his little disarming chuckle! From LRH!

The PRs also study the few times LRH responed in print. One was some telexed answers he sent to the _Sun_ newspaper in the UK. Another is a reply to a UK magazine article written by William Burroughs which is classic "no answer."

Which reminds me: I failed to mention that one of the "Reporter TRs" drills is specifically "no answer." This is where you avoid the question and divert it when the question is too hot or too difficult. Some examples from LRH are found in HCOPL 21 Nov 72 PR Series 18, "How To Handle Black Propaganda." This policy has two purposes: to teach the PR how to deal with "enemy" questions and also (when you link it up to the "Targets, Defense" policy of doing what the "enemy" does but only better) teaches how to DO "black PR." Here's an example from L. Ron Hubbard of how to move from the subject:

--start LRH quote:

Don't stay on the same subject that you are being attacked on.

An example of speaking up without denying and thus confirming might be:

STATEMENT: "I read your company went broke last month."

REBUTTAL: "My God. You're telling me! If we hadn't got out of that contract we really would have gone broke. There was a hell of a row in the board room. But McLinty won. Scotch to the core. He said, 'I won't sign it' Like to have tore the president's head off. Hell of a row. Seems like we got 80 million buried somewhere and McLinty is in charge of it and he won't _move an inch_ on it."

The Interrogator's conclusion is you're not broke. He's got data. The vacuum is filled with a story of board rows and 80 million mysterious reserves.

--end LRH quote.

Here's another example. The person asks if you are hippis and is coaxed to say who said that, a local minister. The suggested LRH reply, "(Sob.) (Kleenex) What an awful thing to say. Just because we found him dead drunk and took him home to sleep it off and he said if we ever told he'd say we're hippies."

Here's another, where the dock master's son said some people (presumbedly Scientologists) stole some rowbots. The suggested LRH rebuttal, "Oh, him. Gets things wrong. _Our_ rowboat was stolen! With all the gear in it. We were out fishing and . . . say, you don't suppose HE stole it do ou? Did you ever hear of him stealing anything? Has he got a record?" Hubbard then adds, "Well this doc master's son will now 'have a record in the stater's tales."

Is it sounding familiar?

These are all part of seven steps that Hubbard gives on handling the "enemy" PR line. Here's #6:

"6. Use the knowledge of source to impede or destroy the source of Black Propaganda by non-criminal means."

The #6 rule is repeated later as merely, "6. Impede or destroy."

Here's another from the man Scientology says is "the greatest friend mankind has ever had." L. Ron Hubbard said, "Statements one makes can be curved. 'She had a birthday party' becomes 'The delinquents in her circle gathered yesterday for a sex orgy and pretended to the police it was a birthday party. No one was jailed.'"

Anyone seen anything like this on ARS? (laughing)

> It might be useful to have up on the web where
> reporters doing pre-interview research could find it.

The above cited policy is one of the best. Every reporter - every person who wants to know how Scientology "PR" works - should study it, alongside "Targets, Defense," where LRH says to do what the "enemy" does, only better.

As far as "Reporter TRs," the best way to know them is to read and watch an LRH inteview, believe it or not. Watch or read the man who is "source" for these PRs and how Scientology handles any criticism.

Here's the start of an antidote to these methods, if someone ever webbed them or gave them to the media:

1. RVY QUILL article
2. LRH HCOPL "Targets, Defense"
3. LRH HCOPL "How to handle Black Propaganda"
4. LRH's answer to the Sun (if someone ever found them)
5. LRH filmed interviews (or sound bits - transcripts of him are weak)

Hey, who says I don't recommend Hubbard as "source" material for Scientology?

Robert Vaughn Young writer@eskimo.com

* I want to thank RTC President McShane for testifying in a federal court - with a straight face - that none of that OT III Xenu body thetan stuff was _ever_ secret.