Lulu Belle
Moonbat
Interesting article from ARS. This is something apparently posted by a non-Scientologist local in Clearwater.
http://tinyurl.com/2lzgdx
I am retired and have lived in Clearwater, Fl off and on all my life. I returned here in 2001 after retiring from the merchant marine. I am not and have never been a member of Scientology. Over the last few years I have been increasingly concerned with the way Scientology has systematically taken over control of Clearwater, particularly the downtown area. The more I learned about Scientology, (hereafter referred to as the COS), the more concerned I have become.
The CoS has slowly but surely rehabilitated itself politically since its low point at the time of the Lisa McPherson case. By donating large amounts of money to local politicians, using their large number of supporters to help them in elections, joining other civic organizations in local improvement and social programs, and involving themselves in promoting Clearwater nationally they have reached the point where many local politicians are giving positive public statements about the CoS. (The "can't we all just get along?" theory.)
They have slowly but surely placed their own members in all types of jobs in local government and law enforcement. Not in leadership roles so much as various clerical positions that allow them to know everything that's going on locally. Since the law prevents anyone asking about religion when hiring there is no way of telling how many total jobs they hold but it's safe to assume they have ears everywhere. I have been told by one local that she was told not to let anyone at the government office she works in know she is a COS member and not to discuss COS at work.
The huge investment in the down town area, both by the COS as well as private developers who are COS members, and the increasing number of scientologist owned businesses (some 250 at last count), has been going on for some time. With the recently opened Memorial Causeway Bridge, which routs Clearwater Beach bound traffic around the down town area, it is fast becoming a COS campus. Cleveland St. is currently closed while they spend millions of tax payer's money in "beautification". This consists of putting a decorated median with benches and planters designed to make the area friendlier to foot traffic and limited to local vehicular traffic only. There have been a number of attempts by Clearwater to develop the down town bay front area. They have all been turned down by the voters, most of who feel that the only ones who would benefit would be the COS. Oddly enough, the one place you won't be approached to "take a test" is down town Clearwater. On the beach, St. Pete. And Tampa, but not down town Clearwater. (Even a raccoon knows you don't crap where you eat!)
On the other hand their $25 million "super power building", now over $40 million, stands as an empty shell. The city forced them to finish the outside and do the landscaping, but nothing has been done inside for months. There is also a lot less scientology activity down town. Most of the old motels the church owns for visiting "raw meat" are almost vacant and foot traffic between COS buildings is way down. This is partly due to the fact that they have opened a staff dining room in the old bank building for everyone north of Cleveland. Also, there are more people taking courses on the Freewinds but even so, things are a lot slower than they were a year or two ago.
The other interesting issue is the tens of millions poured into the down town area by developers who are CoS members. All around the area are unfinished condos and apartments that are being completed in the worst housing market in living memory. I'm sure the developers had some pre-construction sales to CoS members but, in this market, they are bound to lose their asses. Keep in mind that the CoS also has millions invested along the bay front and this type of property is not tax exempt.
In any case the CoS will not be going anywhere anytime soon even if recruits are getting a lot harder to find. They have hundreds of millions of dollars in assets, they have at least tens of thousands of loyal members and thousands of staff working for little or nothing plus the outrageous cost of their products is almost all profit. They have tamed their biggest enemies up to and including the IRS. The real danger they face is internal.
The leadership history of the CoS since the death of LRH reminds one very much of the Soviet Union under Stalin. Total paranoia resulting in purge after purge until the leader is surrounded by people who don't like him very much. The leader's paranoia is transferred into reality by his own actions! Sooner or later there is likely to be an internal power struggle and the whole phony corporate structure will start to fall apart. One group or another in the structure will assert their independence from DM, probably on the advice of some lawyer, and they will end up suing each other to death. "Those who live by the sword," ect.
Due to the work of former members they have become far less of a threat than they once were. Due to their own hysterical overreaction to their critics, their illegal tactics, and their inability to control the internet they have a largely negative image with the vast majority of people. This is of utmost importance! There is no way to "outlaw" any group without infringing on the rights of everyone else. The best that can be hoped for is that people who do become interested in CoS have the truth available before they are indoctrinated.
On the news front:
The CoS members on the board of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium have left. There is still no action around the super power building and a friend of mine who works for one of the contractors says they haven't even been given a heads up yet. Since it will take several weeks just to move all the support equipment, trailers, ECT. Into place before they can get started there is no way in hell they will make the 2008 opening date they promised the city. They have managed to finish the parking garage next door.
Guess that's all for now.
Uncle Bruce
http://tinyurl.com/2lzgdx
I am retired and have lived in Clearwater, Fl off and on all my life. I returned here in 2001 after retiring from the merchant marine. I am not and have never been a member of Scientology. Over the last few years I have been increasingly concerned with the way Scientology has systematically taken over control of Clearwater, particularly the downtown area. The more I learned about Scientology, (hereafter referred to as the COS), the more concerned I have become.
The CoS has slowly but surely rehabilitated itself politically since its low point at the time of the Lisa McPherson case. By donating large amounts of money to local politicians, using their large number of supporters to help them in elections, joining other civic organizations in local improvement and social programs, and involving themselves in promoting Clearwater nationally they have reached the point where many local politicians are giving positive public statements about the CoS. (The "can't we all just get along?" theory.)
They have slowly but surely placed their own members in all types of jobs in local government and law enforcement. Not in leadership roles so much as various clerical positions that allow them to know everything that's going on locally. Since the law prevents anyone asking about religion when hiring there is no way of telling how many total jobs they hold but it's safe to assume they have ears everywhere. I have been told by one local that she was told not to let anyone at the government office she works in know she is a COS member and not to discuss COS at work.
The huge investment in the down town area, both by the COS as well as private developers who are COS members, and the increasing number of scientologist owned businesses (some 250 at last count), has been going on for some time. With the recently opened Memorial Causeway Bridge, which routs Clearwater Beach bound traffic around the down town area, it is fast becoming a COS campus. Cleveland St. is currently closed while they spend millions of tax payer's money in "beautification". This consists of putting a decorated median with benches and planters designed to make the area friendlier to foot traffic and limited to local vehicular traffic only. There have been a number of attempts by Clearwater to develop the down town bay front area. They have all been turned down by the voters, most of who feel that the only ones who would benefit would be the COS. Oddly enough, the one place you won't be approached to "take a test" is down town Clearwater. On the beach, St. Pete. And Tampa, but not down town Clearwater. (Even a raccoon knows you don't crap where you eat!)
On the other hand their $25 million "super power building", now over $40 million, stands as an empty shell. The city forced them to finish the outside and do the landscaping, but nothing has been done inside for months. There is also a lot less scientology activity down town. Most of the old motels the church owns for visiting "raw meat" are almost vacant and foot traffic between COS buildings is way down. This is partly due to the fact that they have opened a staff dining room in the old bank building for everyone north of Cleveland. Also, there are more people taking courses on the Freewinds but even so, things are a lot slower than they were a year or two ago.
The other interesting issue is the tens of millions poured into the down town area by developers who are CoS members. All around the area are unfinished condos and apartments that are being completed in the worst housing market in living memory. I'm sure the developers had some pre-construction sales to CoS members but, in this market, they are bound to lose their asses. Keep in mind that the CoS also has millions invested along the bay front and this type of property is not tax exempt.
In any case the CoS will not be going anywhere anytime soon even if recruits are getting a lot harder to find. They have hundreds of millions of dollars in assets, they have at least tens of thousands of loyal members and thousands of staff working for little or nothing plus the outrageous cost of their products is almost all profit. They have tamed their biggest enemies up to and including the IRS. The real danger they face is internal.
The leadership history of the CoS since the death of LRH reminds one very much of the Soviet Union under Stalin. Total paranoia resulting in purge after purge until the leader is surrounded by people who don't like him very much. The leader's paranoia is transferred into reality by his own actions! Sooner or later there is likely to be an internal power struggle and the whole phony corporate structure will start to fall apart. One group or another in the structure will assert their independence from DM, probably on the advice of some lawyer, and they will end up suing each other to death. "Those who live by the sword," ect.
Due to the work of former members they have become far less of a threat than they once were. Due to their own hysterical overreaction to their critics, their illegal tactics, and their inability to control the internet they have a largely negative image with the vast majority of people. This is of utmost importance! There is no way to "outlaw" any group without infringing on the rights of everyone else. The best that can be hoped for is that people who do become interested in CoS have the truth available before they are indoctrinated.
On the news front:
The CoS members on the board of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium have left. There is still no action around the super power building and a friend of mine who works for one of the contractors says they haven't even been given a heads up yet. Since it will take several weeks just to move all the support equipment, trailers, ECT. Into place before they can get started there is no way in hell they will make the 2008 opening date they promised the city. They have managed to finish the parking garage next door.
Guess that's all for now.
Uncle Bruce
