The Tampa Bay Times is reporting the latest tent problems today, as church spokespuppets Mansell and Heller try to shift the blame to “out-of-town workers” who “don’t know the rules.”
And City Manager Bill Horne says the church is complaining that they don’t like the way they are being portrayed….
Oh, let the persecution bleats begin. All the nasty SPs are mischaracterizing their wonderful efforts to spruce up downtown with a huge flappy tent with a big sign on it.
How could anyone possibly think they were doing anything other than what is best for the city?
Here is the headline and photo from the TBT:
Come on all you citizens of Clearwater, who could object to this architectural masterpiece gracing the downtown landscape?
They are REALLY pushing the city into a corner. This is typical Miscavige game playing. He is intent on dominating these people utterly and making them understand there is nothing they can do to stop anything He wants to do.
But you can only push people so far. They are not worried about being declared SP. They don’t think He holds their eternity in his palms and can snatch it away from them on a whim. They don’t have Scientologist family members who can be “disconnected” and they cannot be ordered to the Hole.
He may yet screw this whole thing up entirely.
The one skill He has perfected is making enemies….
Although I would like to see all the “hot air” get released and the event go on as scheduled and get it over with, part of me wants to see all the whales arrive only to find out that the event cannot be held due to permits and arrogance.
My hope is for the biggest mass exodus that the church has ever seen. I really want this to be the big “Wakeup Call” for those stuck in the bubble so that the lights truly come on for all of them. Now that would be achieving the goals of Scientology, “A church without insanity, without war, without crime,” because it has no parishioners.
“Right this way folks, to the egress!”
Is His Oiliness above doing this on purpose? Manipulating CW authorities to shut down the tent? That way, the SP building remains closed, and the Perpsqueak gets to blame it on unemployed bloggers or the Psychs or Suppressives or whatever.
He’s already cancelled one Grand Opening, for whatever reason (Keeping Pari$hioner$ at Flag, or perhaps the certain knowledge that, if/when it does open, there’s gonna be a fairly humongous communal WTF from the downshaken.) This’d be a way to kick the can further down the road with some impunity.
I’ve witnessed no indication that ol’ Voldemort* is that canny, but who knows?
Just speculakatin’….
* “Voldemort”. I appreciate the analogy, but really, he’s a lot more like one of Draco Malfoy’s dumbass posse, no?
Ann,
Not sure if I am totally correct, but I think just the chapel is tax exempt, as far as property taxes are concerned. They are fully tax exempt for income tax purposes. If I am wrong someone will be along shortly to correct me.
As far as this article, all I can say is that this is simply beyond belief! It is so far out there as far as rational thought is concerned, I have no way to make a sensible comment about it. I don’t even know where to begin to try to make sense out of it.
Simply Unbelievable!
Axiom — The “religious” areas are exempt from property tax. The “Hotel spaces” including restaurants etc are not. All Scientology churches are fully exempt from federal income taxes.
Mike,
Thanks for setting that straight for me. IIRC Florida does not have state income tax. They would probably be exempt from that due to the federal income tax exemption, if there was.
Ax — right on both counts.
I am a long time Scientology watcher from N.C. I sent an email to the Clearwater mayor’s office on Wednesday morning. I let him know that my family is originally from St. Pete, their neighbor. I also informed him that it was a shame that his town is sadly becoming a laughingstock all over the country due to favoritism shown to the Scientologists. I received a response in less than 4 hours! ( I did not expect any response). He said that although COS were large tax-payers in town, that they would not be treated any differently than other citizens. I don’t know how true that is, but receiving a response from his office so quickly makes me believe he is feeling pressure from people outside of COS. I believe that e-mails from other parts of the country may help the mayor see it may not be in his best interest to show any bias toward this hideous cult. Anyway, I thought “churches” were exempted from paying taxes. Thanks for all you do. Ann
I’m loving Miscavige’s brilliant negotiating style. Violate the rules. Violate more rules. Violate even more rules. Get fined. Lose permits. Lose more permits. Claim victim status. Sooo effective. LOL!
PoB has earned a new alias: CoV that is Chairman of the VOID!
In “Treasures of the Sierra Madres”
I love the scene where David Miscavige says
” Badges!, Badges!, I don’t have to show you no stinking Badges !
Good luck Cleawater
November 17 can’t get here quickly enough. Seriously.
It’s going to be a fuck-up of never-before-seen proportions.
David Miscavige must be sweating bullets. To quote Tory Magoo, tick tock, tick tock, time is on our side Davey boy.
More he will be attacked more it will prove that SPs and squirrels are going beserk because Scientology is making it.
With GAT2 and superpower being released, it is expected that the SPs goes in revolt. So any attack will prove him and the church right. Any failure will become a success “despite a heavy suppression”. And this will even give a reason for the IAS to reg more money…
The city officials of Clearwater are “making COB wrong”!
OMG – don’t they know that this is a “high crime”. Inside the “Church” this is enough reason to get sent to the “Rehabilitation Project Force” (voluntary prison camp).
Remember that HCO PL ‘First Policy’ in Vol 7?
“The first policy of a Scientology Org laid down on about 8 or 10 March 1950, is:
“MAINTAIN FRIENDLY RELATIONS WITH THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE PUBLIC.”
Of course, policy means nothing to Little Big Squirrel and all his robots.
The scriptures don´t apply to David Miscavige or The Church of Scientology. They just apply to everybody else.
Why all the tents in Scientology?
I read that Hubbard got his Business Management Tech from PT Barnum -as in the “circus”.
Think about it – “let’s get the show on the road”?
YELLOW TENTS for VM’S?
“Ladies and Gentlemen”~ Welcome to the greatest show ever to hit this galaxy!
Super Power – where you spend $35,000 for the “right” to get on a list to do Super Power, but you don’t know what Super Power is – just that it is going to “make planetary clearing” a reality…and you don’t know what “clearing” means in this context (bank accounts) and you are $OLD into believing for 20 plus years (after you gave the $35K) that it is okay to still NOT have Super Power available…and you don’t question anything about it.
Now – those are some Super Powers of propaganda and brainwa$hing!
Wogs call it fraud!
A shame some folks couldn’t have gotten proper permits in place and take over the streets and sidewalks around the Co$ event and just grind them hard. It would have been funny…mind you erecting a gigundo tent in a downtown core when you have perfectly good empty buildings sitting unused funny…but close.
I only have four words, “Too little, too late.”
“He may yet screw this whole thing up entirely.
The one skill He has perfected is making enemies….”
This you can count on. Thanks Mike.
Love the title, Mike. I laughed for 10 minutes.
Now is the winter of our discount-tent.
Also, the whole counter-in-tent-ion, SP contractor thing is a hoot!
DM needs a cover story for the modest attendance there will be,. I’m thinking something along the lines of: Clearwater SP’s withheld permits, so attendance will be limited to “invitation only” for the biggest donors. Then demand everyone see it on video – over and over again.
That probably is the plan…he can still hold the event, make it look full since it’ll be in a smaller space…and blame the awful SPs for their treachery. Then he can demand that people come to regge-a-thons at the orgs to watch it. Or maybe force them to come to the SP building sometime in the next year to watch it…that way he could keep some action ($) happening at his empty Death Star.
I think it will be as you said, Yvonne.
Right on Yvonne,
It is still ALL about DM looking good under the circumstances.
Greta
All that’s missing is agarn kicking the cannon and blowing up the guard tower.
The end of the Clear Water flap was near
When not quite accidentally,
A hero who fleeced but was never pleased
abruptly shouted “you’re a fucking God Damn SP!”
His Freedom Medal Of Valor pleased and thrilled
his proud little circle of dupes.
While pinning it on some cracker jacks were spilled
And so it was planned he’d command Tom Cruise.
When big beans fight it’s a colorful sight
and somebody’s ankle takes a lickin’
When TC and DM both cackle like chickens.
When regging and stats get them down,
They know their morale can’t droop.
They wish they could both romp in town
Before they resume with a bang to boom
the dupes!
I feel sorry for the church staffers whose job it is to pretend to the City of Clearwater that David Miscavige gives a shit and isn’t just playing his never-ending game of dominate, dominate, dominate. Can you imagine? Ummm, yes, well I know we did that but that was out of town workers who didn’t realize they couldn’t. Right, lots of rogue workers going around cutting trees down, hanging signs and erecting enormous tents – every church has this problem, right?
+1 Exactly ScnEthics. Doesn’t the tech teach that a person is fully responsible for his own condition? That he is total cause over his own world?
Gosh, if COB isn’t fully responsible for his own condition, what does that make him? Total effect.
Oh. I think I just had an epiphany. Didn’t you, little Dave? I see you there, lurking like Kilroy.
The one skill he has perfected is making enemies.
Sums up the scene. Even if David Miscavige handed out kittens to children on Cleveland street,
Stocked the CW food bank, served free turkey dinners on Thanksgiving, I think nobody would buy into D.M. he has branded himself too well as an A – Hole.
Right Jose! It’s the church of demanding donations for absolutely nothing! The church that never does anything charitable, unless it’s for faux PR, photoshoots representing no product, or other contrived aggrandizement.
I agree. Making enemies is one of the few things that he’s actually good at. I’m sure he’s the one that approved the term “Bitter defrocked apostates.” Your average person probably doesn’t have a good definition for the word “Apostate” so he’s giving M.U.’s to masses of non-scientologists. This is a PR disaster. It’s all about keeping the prisoners in line rather than creating a good public image for new parishioners to come on board. His complete failure in Div 6 assures that Scientology as the organization has little to no future. Scientology will never be as “Cool” as it once was.
People, sorry for all these grammar typos I’ve been making! I will henceforth be employing Edit Tech.
I just read this article. So glad you’re commenting on it, Mike. It is so obvious that He is thumbing his nose at the City of Clearwater. His contempt is for the officials is so plain. Good on CW for pointing out that how people judge an organization by its actions and not by what it says about itself.
+1
Sorry but the CoB head of the organization just thinks he can do whatever he wants. Citizens know they must abide by the rules. The Scientologista have been here long enough to know there are rules. They are slowly pushing the city to show their strength and who’s really boss.
Thank the city employees for standing up to this horrendous situation and what the majority of citizens want to see.
Wow those tents are so…so…the great depression chic.
Like you can expect the Bonus Army to arrive any time.
Wow! I knew nothing about the Bonus Army. Thanks for the education. 🙂
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonus_Army
Maybe if they’d go back and read some of their own scripture, they’d realize that they’re supposed to maintain good relations with their neighbors.
I’m not convinced that his aim isn’t to get it cancelled and cry “persecution!” It seems like it’s going to be an embarrassingly badly attended event.
Its possible that his aim is not to get it cancelled entirely but to limit it. In other words, if they permits don’t come thru, or if they come too late, He has a convenient excuse for what will assuredly be a rather small event, i.e. nowhere close to 10,000 people. I would say, optimistically, He will be lucky to get even 4000 which would be inclusive of the OOTs and the staff of Flag.
+1
Forgive me if I seem a little dense, but I just don’t get this whole “DM wants them to cancel so he can have a good reason to call off the events” theory. Knowing the church, I really don’t see how an excuse as lame as that would go down well or be deemed even vaguely plausible.
That’s my take on it too, deliberately antagonize CW in the last minute by refusing to comply with bylaws, agitate permit denials, then hold events in some smaller inside venue to hide the attendee count. I estimate no more than 2,500.
TBT needs to do a DM Clusterfuck Rundown, track record exposed.
“He is intent on dominating these people utterly and making them understand there is nothing they can do to stop anything He wants to do.”
That seems to be his game. And I agree with you… his delusion is causing him to think that no one in the world will stand up to him. I’m hoping that he does “screw this whole thing up entirely.”
Thanks for this fabulous blog, Mike!
Miscavige acts like a SPOILED CHILD.
Go fix your marriage, Dave. I’m talking about the one to Shelly, not Tom Cruise. And get a high school diploma. You might learn something in the process.
I can tell you that city manager, Bill Horne, is no pushover. He is a tall, African American with a strong build. He is a retired Army officer. He used to be the base commander of our largest base in Japan. He knows how to give orders and he knows how to deal with CI and he knows how to smell BS. He is a non-elected official that has been the city manager for approx 15 years. He does not have to worry about votes. He answers to the Mayor and City Counsel. He can also be a very friendly guy if your not trying to mess with him.
Check out the paragraph from the article:
“The city has received dozens of calls and emails from residents upset with the church and a smaller number supporting the church, said city spokeswoman Joelle Castelli.”
I’m sure many of these emails are from people reading Mike’s blog.
I wouldn’t be surprised if OSA tells some kool-aids to send some emails supporting the church. You can always keep the cards and letters coming as this thing isn’t over yet.
William.Horne@MyClearwater.com
People from Tony Ortega’s Blog have also been writing.
Given that there could very well be more ex-Scientologists on the voter rolls in Clearwater than of actual Scientologists, it seems entirely reasonable to believe that some enterprising ex has bent the ear of the right people on the city staff and pointed out that this time is different — these events are sufficiently important that the city has a lot of leverage to get the RCS to behave, probably more than at any time in the 40-year invasion of downtown Clearwater.
A strategy that depends on your opponent folding when you have more to lose is generally not considered terribly bright. If the city denies occupancy of the tents, the cult can sue but there is always some chance that the courts can get tangled up in the case and not rule against the city until after the date of the events.
That was exactly my thought, he is creating enemies left, right and center. As the Tampa Bay reports, some citizens are complaining on their lives being adversely affected by the Church’s flagrant violations of CW City Codes, not to mention the amount of PR being thrown down the drain by the Devil Moron and his insistence on being right.
Also, is too tight, the City will send this Friday its conditions and, in an attempt to make them wrong, he may end loosing all permits. Boy, no one wants to be Miscavige…what an awful way to ‘lead’.
Either way, the Church has lost any PR they may have had before all these occurrences came to happen.
Does he do anything that can not be predicted a mile ahead?
He seems to be taking his plays straight from your blog Mike.
If I was Miscavige I would let the tent thing run as a decoy. The SP building is pretty big and open on the bottom isn’t it? I don’t know the sq footage, but it seems like there is more space than that tent. I would have people gather there and then usher them across the walkway or over to the new building somehow.