19 Aug 2000

"Oxford Systems" <oxfordsystems@removetoreply.usa.net>

This will be a short report as I am running on borrowed energy. (All hail the caffeine tech!)

I left Alabama just before 6 a.m. CST to make the Atlanta Org picket. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity at long last to meet Ethercat, Wynot and Mad Kow.

I arrived at the Atlanta Org (1611 Mt. Vernon Road in Dunwoody) at about 10:40 a.m. EST but I spent at least fifteen minutes in the bread/coffee shop trying to get an iced cafe latte.

Starting just before 11 a.m. I joined the above mentioned ARSCC-ATL crowd on the front lines with picket sign held high. I will admit that I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of positive reaction we received from passing traffic. Various gestures of support like raised thumbs, shouted encouragement etc. totaled well over 100 in only about 9o minutes of active picketing.

Susan from the org came out and after she had finished speaking with Ethercat I introduced myself and asked if Yogi Berger (my initial contact with the Co$ back in 1995) was around. He wasn't. I shared an abbreviated version of my story of becoming a critic (http://www.arscc-atl.com/personal/alan-story.html) with her and when I came to the part about having used antidepressants for a short time after my divorce she sort of just shrugged and agreed that the church which had convinced me that they could help anyone had no choice but to show me the door. (In retrospect very lucky for me!)

Susan was cordial and shook my hand when I offered. I relayed to her that I was of the opinion that the minor local orgs such as that in Atlanta were not directly responsible for the more heinous actions of the church and of course she agreed that this was so. But surprisingly, to me anyway, she also agreed with me when I asked her if she was aware of some of the problems at Flag (Lisa McPherson) and Hemet (Stacy Moxon Meyer) and whether or not there were abuses at the higher levels of the church.

I was very surprised to see an honest to goodness Associated Press reporter and photog show up. Chad was the reporter (sorry to say that I did not get the photog's name) and he interviewed each of us and took copious notes. He also interviewed Susan from the org briefly. I look forward to his article. He mentioned a September time frame. I relayed to him my opinion of the "bait and switch" scheme of $cientology where they use the lower levels of auditing to condition your mind to accept the absurd prior to "revealing" the upper levels and the "fact" that you are no more than a "meat body" or "GE" infested with dead space aliens.

Towards the end of the picket after Wynot and Ethercat had made their exit there was some foot traffic including two women, one a devout Christian and the other a Swedish woman of unknown faith, that came up and expressed an interest in knowing more. Wynot and I both took the opportunity to explain Hubbard's cosmology ("There was no man on the cross...") to the Christian. The Swede knew about $cientology first hand as she had a sister that had lost a year of her life to the cult but who was now out after working that year for basically no pay.

All in all it was a very enjoyable event save for the heat from the blazing sun. After finishing the picket we all met at Mellow Mushroom pizza to cool off, break bread and share in some friendly fellowship. Mad Kow had a few musical instruments of a most interesting nature including what I will call a "thumb piano" and another that caused me to utter aloud "Mama has a squeeze box, daddy never sleeps at night". Ask Mad Kow if you want to know the particulars. :)

One last thing that I feel needs to be mentioned is that Mad Kow was the one carrying the sensitive electronics on his belt that seemingly went without notice by Susan or anyone at the org. I wonder if they know that they really need to be calling the "Orkin man" for a thorough inspection.

Next picket...when it's a little cooler. :)