This I understand. Perception is everything. The mindset of
de-programming allows one to see more or less ordinary occurances in
very stark B&W terms.

I hate to split hairs, but it's my specialty. I'll acknowledge that some
in the GO/OSA power circle may have culled data from folders. By
pointing out that professionals have been accused and found guilty in
other arenas of similar breaches in confidence I'm not attempting to
lessen what may have been done by GO people. In either instance it's
contemptable. But a mental health professional or attorney who violates
confidentiality doesn't make all his/her peers guilty by association.
Nor does the random act by a GO/OSA member. *Scientology* doesn't use pc
folders to blackmail anymore than *psychiatry* uses session notes to
blackmail.

My mother - who is an ex-Scn - had a visit 18 months ago from OSA
people. They were looking for an individual who shared her residence and
had been involved with some German reporters. How to interpret that
visit? Harrassment? Covert Ops? Intimidation? I don't know... how about
2 people who represented the CofS knocking on a door and asking
questions about a matter that concerned their group? The freedom of
movement and speech that we still have in this country does not exclude
CofS and they have the same right to move about, ask questions and
investigate matters they deem of significance as ARS'ers have to picket
or drop into an org and ask some 17 year old receptionist about BT's.
My mother was initially perurbed by the visit, but after to speaking to
her at length and asking her exactly what the people asked and their
manner she concluded that she had overreacted. Was this reaction due, in
part, to her occassional ARS lurking and the spin of this group?
Certainly. She has not since heard a word from OSA... even though they
are well aware she is a highly trained auditor who remains critical of
the CofS mngmnt.

I have other friends who have experienced visits from OSA people and who
didn't define those visits as harrassment. Why should I take Grady
Ward's mother's assessment over the assessment of my own mother or
people I know well who are highly critical of Scn? My aim here is to at
least suggest that some of the emotional heat pumped into the alleged
harrassment may be bs.  ARS hard-liners call that the act of an
'apologist'. Personally I see it more as adding a little sense to the
issue.

Lisa McPherson apparently died while on the introspection R/D. That
disregard for her health and even malicious mistreatment was rendered by
the three main players in this sad occurance seems obvious. Are they
guilty of manslaughter? That's for the courts to decide. Do I think so.
Yes. Based upon what I have heard and seen this seems to be the case.
Asserting that she was killed by the introspection rundown is the worst
sort of demonization and proves nothing about Scn. More to the point, it
proves that many critics are full of hype, bigotry and prejudice which
they hide under the fuzzy blanket of concern about the evil cult.

First we have the 'witch' problem, now we're relying on karmic wheels.
Might I point out gently Starshadow that belief in such things is as
weird as belief in BT's and evil SF space empires?

Ouch! That hurt. Where's that freedom of speech and adherence to the
laws, not to mention the loathing of secret cult power structures you
all claim to have? Despite my non-participation in the non-existant
mngmnt of ARS, shouldn't I also be allowed to examine it's workings? Or
are the non-members worried about what prying eyes may discover? ;)

Stupid people don't rake in hundreds of millions of dollars per year.
Nor do they allegedly coerce the largest gov't agency we have into
giving them a break. Nor do they have international operations of an
impressive scope. What stupid people do is consistently underestimate
their opponents and when faced with one defeat after another, re-spin
the experiences into a false win over the *stupid* opponent.
Competitively speaking, my current business has survived 16 years of
assualts by better financed, better schooled and better located
opponents. They're gone. I'm thriving. To the man, each one of them
figured they could whip me because they viewed my style of operating as
stupid and old-fashioned. In my defense, I restrained myself from a
malicious grin and evil peal of laughter when I cut their fucking hearts
out. I am a compassionate and caring soul.....

Huh? Did you snooze through history class? I'm not suggesting ARS isn't
a threat. What I _am_ suggesting is that CofS doesn't see it as a great
threat right now. You'll know whn they do, of that you can be sure.

If you and I keep up this way we'll find we're in agreement on way too
many things to be sworn enemies. I'm an advocate of the high value of
J&D. As for the assertion that Goddesses are large... well.... I
consider that a delicate subject so I'll refrain from comment.

I noticed that a long time ago. Now if I just just figure out how the
hell to flatter Dave Bird......

Wolf