A couple of recent articles in the Tampa Bay Times: Scientology leader to visit Clearwater officials a week before vote on property purchase and Dynamic of City Council meetings with Scientology leader a rarity, and an analysis of the property situation in Clearwater yesterday on Tony Ortega’s blog make for interesting reading.
I cannot help but draw parallels between what is happening with downtown Clearwater and David Miscavige’s history as the supreme leader of scientology.
Miscavige has long prided himself in his ability to “get things done” that others believed impossible. He began building his mystique when he removed all competitors to his dictatorship after the untimely death of L. Ron Hubbard. Though he was NOT the anointed successor to Hubbard, he assumed power and ruthlessly got rid of anyone he saw as a potential threat to his throne. He then cemented his undisputed position with the 1993 IRS ruling that scientology is tax exempt and money given to its organizations is deductible as a charitable donation despite a US Supreme Court ruling to the contrary. In the wake of Lisa McPherson’s death he moved to Clearwater to direct the defense of scientology against charges brought by the States Attorney. Miscavige personally met with Bernie McCabe and the lawyer for County Medical Examiner Joan Wood and successfully convinced them to drop the criminal charges against the church. At that time, he wooed City Attorney Pam Aiken and City Manager Mike Roberto (who resigned amidst scandal in mid 2000, replaced by Bill Horne who became the new pet target of Miscavige’s affections). He plays the long game, and in person can be charming and solicitous. But only as long as he thinks you are moving in accordance with his plans.
Perhaps the greatest insight into where Miscavige’s relationship with the City of Clearwater is heading comes from his actions within scientology. In 2003 he began selling a plan to scientologists to buy new buildings all over the world to “make planetary clearing possible.” He called these “ideal orgs.” It sounds wonderful on the surface, but the net result has been disaster.
The beauty of his “ideal org” plan was twofold:
1. He convinced scientologists to raise massive amounts of money to purchase and expensively renovate buildings using the concept from Field of Dreams — “if you build it they will come.” 13 years later, hundreds of millions of dollars worth of property has been purchased and refurbished, yet scientology is smaller than ever. Many of those who handed over the money and enthusiastically supported his grand scheme now look like fools — yet refuse to acknowledge the reality as it would be too painful to admit they have been “taken.” Miscavige has told them (and the world) that these buildings are “proof” that he is guiding scientology through a period of “unprecedented” expansion. In truth, scientology is shrinking at a rapid rate. They have not opened a single NEW church of scientology for decades, in fact they have shuttered quite a number in the last couple of decades. In the United States – despite this proclaimed “massive expansion” there are still 27 states that don’t have a single official church of scientology organization. The same 27 states as 25 years ago.
2. This scheme has helped solve a problem of scientology accumulating excessive liquid assets — thus running afoul of IRS rules. Though there is no “public benefit test” for exempt organizations in the US as there is in so many other countries, there is a general rule that such organizations should SPEND the money they make on things to contribute to society. Scientology doesn’t like to spend anything that reduces its total assets. Ever. The assumption is that buildings serve the community so the IRS generally treats buildings as “charitable spending” as normal people would not buy hundreds of millions of dollars worth of buildings that sit empty. These buildings keep the balance sheet flush with assets.
In truth, the big promises and huge claims Miscavige makes are empty.
He routinely stands on stage and proclaims not only that this is an “era of unprecedented”, “straight up and vertical”, “monumental” and “epic” scientology expansion, he also asserts that scientology is “the largest private relief force on earth” (of course it is not) and it has “the most effective drug rehabilitation program on earth with unprecedented recidivism rates” (though his twin sister tends to put the lie to this claim). Scientologists don’t read the media — they get their news from Miscavige. Of course, nobody who is not an authorized, card carrying scientologist — let alone a member of the media — is allowed to attend these events. So his big lies are never challenged internally.
The point is, big claims and grand schemes are his stock in trade. And he is an effective salesman. He makes people believe, and more importantly, want to believe and invest in his “vision.”
But one must never lose sight of the reality.
Less than a month ago, when the Tampa Bay Times began reporting speculation that recent property purchases in downtown were being done on behalf of scientology, scientology spokesman Ben Shaw was quoted as having told the Times that “the church has no further plans to expand our campus downtown.” It was not even a month before this was exposed as a study in semantic shape shifting, if not an outright lie. Clearly, this was a Clintonian “definition of ‘is'” style response. In this case, the definition of “our campus” being the key: scientology would define their “campus” as their “church facilities” not a downtown development plan. But City Manager Bill Horne had been briefed about that plan in October 2016 and apparently he did not see fit to alert the TBT what was going on or clarify the sleazy answer even though he knew the truth and the intent of the inquiry was clear. Is scientology buying more property — including the Atrium building? And the answer was at best evasive and at worst, a lie.
They would of course say it was only to protect them from being gouged when they sought to buy property because people know the church has a lot of money. That excuse works for a profit making entity like Disney. It’s way harder to justify for a tax exempt “religion.” And if the prices are higher, isn’t this what scientology claims to want by revitalizing downtown?
One thing you can be certain: whatever plan Miscavige presents will be full of promises. And they may even sound appealing. No doubt he will cite the “Florida State University Economic Impact Study” to the City Commissioners who respond to his summons to appear before him at the Ft Harrison hotel. That study was horrendously flawed – based on false and unverified information provided by scientology for the study they commissioned and paid for (I spent some time debunking this study in my blog post “Scientology Takes Clearwater For Suckers”).
Remember, Miscavige has sold his scientology “ideal orgs” grand scheme — but virtually every one of those buildings is EMPTY.
Same thing with Clearwater. Promise the moon, gobble up every lot and create an even greater buffer of emptiness to protect the “Spiritual Mecca” of scientology from the outside world encroaching on their bubble. This is the ONLY reason for wanting to control the downtown area. There is never ANYTHING altruistic about the motives of Miscavige and scientology. He will sound sincere in his private one-on-one meetings, but you can study his track record and know that unless something serves HIS interests FIRST, it receives no attention or support. One need only glance back to recent history. The ONE thing that might have attracted people to downtown Clearwater would be an Aquarium on the Bluff. Yet scientology vehemently opposed this idea and wanted to purchase the land for themselves.
You can be certain that if Miscavige and scientology wanted to be PART of the development of downtown, they would have all their buildings open and accessible — not protected by Security Guards, cameras, Private Investigators and frosted glass windows you cannot see in. Their buildings are forbidding and somewhat creepy and it makes all of downtown Clearwater dark and creepy. You cannot see ANY activities of scientology in Clearwater — except their isolated “PR office” designed to present props and stage dressing as “good works” in the lobby of the old Clearwater Bank building — about 500 sq ft. And the empty Potemkin Village storefronts along N. Ft Harrison. That is it. You cannot enter or see in the Super Power Building. The Ft Harrison. The Oak Cover. The Sandcastle. The old Lee Arnold building. The Coachman. The WestCoast Building. Or ANYWHERE else that is a scientology property.
Scientology is a secret kingdom that wants no outsiders seeing what is happening. From scientology’s perspective, the less “wogs” (non-scientologists) there are in downtown Clearwater, the better. This “Redevelopment Plan” is heading in the direction of guaranteeing that. Scientology ONLY wants scientologists in downtown Clearwater. While Miscavige has plenty of money to buy everything within 5 miles of the Ft Harrison hotel — there are not enough scientologists within 50 miles to keep two restaurants busy, let alone an entire downtown retail district. In case nobody has noticed — most scientologists in downtown Clearwater stay INSIDE the scientology buildings. And the majority of them are scientology staff with no disposable income.
And finally, why are these meetings being conducted without the citizens of Clearwater being able to participate in the fact-finding and decision making process of their city? The Tampa Bay Times recent editorial (Scientology should discuss Clearwater plans in public) made this point eloquently.
Why doesn’t Miscavige show up and make his presentation before the City Commission meeting in City Hall, broadcast on cable access TV so everyone gets to see what is being offered and hear his sales pitch? Just like everyone else. Because he is afraid of appearing before the public and media and being asked questions he cannot answer. So, he avoids public appearances of any sort, instead summoning city officials to his turf to ‘splain things to them.
Why is the City Manager participating in this behind-closed-doors “planning” — reportedly accompanying each of the Commissioners who are planning to go forth and kiss Miscavige’s ring?
If you are a citizen of Clearwater and you wish to express your views, here is the information from the City of Clearwater website:
Send comments directly to City Manager’s Office
Mailing Address:
William Horne, City Manager
Clearwater City Hall, 3rd Floor
112 S. Osceola Ave. P.O. Box 4748
Clearwater, FL 33756
Location Address:
Clearwater City Hall, 3rd Floor
112 S. Osceola Ave.
Clearwater, FL 33756
Telephone:
(727) 562-4040
Fax:
(727) 562-4052
Mike, at the City Council meeting last week, councilman Cundiff made a statement that “10-11% of you (residents of Clearwater) are Scientologists.”
That has to be an absurdly high number, probably told to him by DM at their clandestine meeting. Any idea what a more accurate number might be?
I forgot to add that there are approximately 110,000 total permanent residents of Clearwater.
Maybe 3 or 4% of Clearwater. But 1 or maybe 2% of N Pinellas. Including Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor, Largo etc
If they are even 3 or 4% of the Clearwater population of around 1110,000, it seems to me that would have to include all the staff and Sea Org, or else a lot of members who are not very active. I don’t see much sign of local activity, and they use Ruth Eckerd Hall for their big must-attend events, which only has seating for a little more than 2,000.
I think the crux of this all may be that it has come out that the CofS wants the parcel of land next to the Oak Cove for a luxury hotel, presumably another “build it and they will come” project they hope will serve new whales and celebrities.
Are there any relatively recent reports, about just how much they are utilizing the Oak Cove and their hotel/motel properties in Clearwater? I’ve seen claims that the Oak Cove is mostly empty, which would be expected if traffic is falling of as everything else declines, but I wonder if there are any firsthand accounts available. I have also wondered if Scientology provides Clearwater or the state of Florida with guest occupancy information or at least gross lodging revenues when they pay taxes on their commercial operations, and what those numbers look like over the last few years.
Wait, wait wait…hold the phones…”though his twin sister tends to…”
I was unaware of this. A few questions:
1. Are the Identical or Fraternal?
2. If fraternal…is she hot?
3. What is her relationship like with DM and Scientology?
Look up the stories about her in the Tampa Bay Times — Denise Miscavige/Licciardi/Gentile
Gah!
Man, a warning would have been nice Mike. What has been seen cannot be unseen.
Truly, I’ve had some good times in Clearwater, as well as sad, but the most soul soothing experience was while napping on a vacant lot under a tree. I was broke, on an Ls review, camping homeless. And for some reason, be it the cool breeze, favorable humidity, the plant life under my head, or the ants that crawled around me, I felt rejuvinated and heart-filled.
Nicely written article.
Downtown Clearwater seems like a ghost town. In the area today and at 5pm, there are a ton of parking spaces available on Fort Harrison, most city parking spaces would be full. A few weeks ago I was going through on a Saturday night (8PM) and same thing, not busy at all. It was bizarre to say the least. By all appearances CofS has already taken over downtown but there certainly weren’t people walking the streets going into business’s. It’s surprising that the city would agree to a private meeting.
With all that $$$$ Diamond Dave could easily feed the Sea Org tip-top Steak and Lobster 5 times a week throughout their billion year contract. Instead, it’s beans and rice. What a prick.
This thread has been educational for non-Americans but it also invokes a feeling of dread for the local Govt and residents of Clearwater. Money does talk and the arrogance it festers can do a lot of harm to one’s neighborhood. Good luck to the people of Clearwater, I really hope your local council members have a bit of backbone and can see what their vote actually means for their future, not just a, “money buys all.”
This subject did make me gag at some of my own thoughts though. Perhaps Miscavige should think about buying up some spots in Vegas and really get into it there. The CC Hollywood does look a little like a casino, so they have a starting point to copy. A Scientology Casino would be a novel idea. You know… single deck blackjack with only 3 aces and two jacks in the deck and slots with a eternity guaranteed as jackpot. They could gives the game ‘Craps’ a whole new meaning.
Lol (about the craps that is)!!
Actually as a non-American I’m dismayed at the *very* shady processes available to local government WRT infrastructure & development … and that the legislation has been written in a way so as to make it *nearly obviously* open to corruption, or at thevery least, abuse by officials? It always amazes me that many of these ‘councillor’s’ seem to be able to get away with it! I’m not suggesting corruption doesn’t occur in my neck of the woods (Australia), its just the process is a little more regulated & (mostly) transparent.
But especially for new & existing waterfront location developments in a city – regulations etc here are essentially about attracting busineses to lease space (absolutely crucial to have as close to 100%), creating local employment & providing a social space for all, even if ultimately the developers are aiming at the rich end of town (& cashed up tourists). But they are still required by law to provide certain amenities for all socio-economic groups (this also includes accommodation & state housing mininum percentage requirements) and I can’t believe the inference is that a large swathe of that pretty prime real estate *may* become an exclusive enclave for one, single group or organisation? With the explicit purpose of restricting access to everyone not part of that group/organisation? W.O.W!
It’s FULL ON, just the thought of it. I hope the locals aren’t at the point of cynicism where they accept nothing they can do will change the outcome … even if previous experience has demonstrated that it probably won’t. But I bet it’s true … and that’s sad .. & wrong – but money talks, and that’s true everywhere ???
Or have I got the wrong end of the stick? ?
Yes, it bewilders the senses doesn’t it, that such a game is being played. Of all Mike Rinder does to expose & combat the abuses of Scientology, this exposure rates highly on the WTF scale!
I have commented on the state of downtown Clearwater several times before. It is a sad situation. There are no people to be found….except the Sea Org members….who stare at you like…..You don’t belong here….all with steely eyes….and the vagrants. No reason to go down there. The feeling is other-worldly. It made my stomach twist into knots. It’s like being on another planet. Go home Wog.
It had a chance at some revitalization with the new Aquarium……and Dave vehemently opposed it. Scientology freaked out.
I believe it’s too late for Clearwater already. Nothing good will come out of this. Miscavige has already created his Oasis. The fate of the city is sealed. ?
Mike….this is an excellent article…you have laid it all out on the table. All the information is there… people just have to seek it out
I have also said this before….Thank You for doing what you do.
BTW….Please help Mike continue his fight. On the right hand side of the page…..HIT CLICK TO DONATE!!!
Yours…. OverTheBridgeTPA
I mean … this is part of the property in question. It’s tiny at 1.4 acres. Be interesting to know what the zoning laws would even permit to be built, considering setbacks and any height restrictions.
http://www.tampabay.com/resources/images/dti/rendered/2017/03/502654644.1_18899799_8col.jpg
It’s considered waterfront property, so it must extend all the way to the bay. A developer had originally planned to build a condominium tower and a parking garage on it (which gives some idea of permissible uses), and then the aquarium was interested in using it in conjunction with the property across the street that is currently city hall. It adjoins Scientology’s Oak Cove property, and so would give them a lot of flexibility for expanding the that facility or building something new to share a larger parcel.
It would make sense for them Scientology to want it if they were actually growing, and their interest can be explained by current management’s obsession with reality-denying pipe dreams, but I would guess that if the City sells it will just become another of CofS’ abandoned projects awaiting some final reckoning. If Clearwater could pull off something like getting Scientology to consolidate on that property, and give the city the further out Sandcastle property that adjoins the tract that Clearwater wants to develop, then the public interest might come out ahead.
There’s a picture of the property looking towards the water, and some description of the land’s history, here: http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/clearwater-aquarium-buys-downtown-waterfront-property/1271971
For those interested in the details of the situation, I realized I should point out that the other part of this, is that Scientology has apparently surreptitiously bought a number of other properties including, most prominently, the Atrium building, a 158,000-square-foot 9-story high-rise office building in the middle of downtown. It’s a 1980s commercial structure with a dark glass covered exterior of the sort that was popular back then, rather ominous looking by today’s standards and compared to the rest of the town.
They also purchased an adjacent parking garage, and it seems like there might be something going on with another, smaller building next to the garage. That building is apparently owned by a scientologist and their business, and I’m wondering if they might have been talked into “donating” it.
I can’t figure out what Scientology would want with a commercial property like the Atrium, unless they are planning to consolidate operations, possibly even some of the management spread out across several buildings in LA. It could also be remodeled, or wrecked, and used for just about any purpose. It would certainly represent a new strategy if they were planning just to be a landlord, though it is also possible that a rich member was brought in to buy the property and hold it.
Things are certainly interesting, though unfortunately it is likely to have negative impacts on the actual lives of real people.
I think they also bought Scotty Chinchairs building. ” Scott Mortage” by the post office.
Yes, that is in one of the TBT articles.
It’s not so clear what is going on with that property – which is one of the reasons I wonder if the Scientologist owner hasn’t been “regged” to make a “donation” of it:
“And on Nov. 18, Edmister registered a business with the state called 700 Cleveland Street LLC, although the Clearwater Mortgage building at that address, directly behind the auto garage, has not been sold, according to public records.”
from http://web.tampabay.com/news/growth/mystery-property-buyer-in-downtown-clearwater-brings-questions-about/2313973
Unless I’ve missed something, the more recent article still shows the 700 Cleveland Street property in limbo, though it gives this additional detail:
“But since Jan. 31, businesses registered to Scientology attorney Robert Potter bought two blocks of vacant lots along Myrtle Avenue between Drew and Laura streets for $9 million; the Sage venue at 22 N Fort Harrison Ave. for $600,000; and the Trickels Jewelers building at 714 Cleveland St. for $1.9 million, according to property records.”
from http://web.tampabay.com/news/scientology/scientology-plans-control-of-downtown-clearwater-for-retail-makeover/2315501
Miscavige is stuck selling the unsellable Scientology. (Who wants Xenu’s “body-thetan” high volume exorcism for years and years anyways, now that the Xenu’s “body-thetans” cat is out of the bag?)
Source is to blame, it’s LRH’s products that are not attracting the bodies into the shops.
Scientology’s/Hubbard’s infinite science fiction mind Scientology religion isn’t getting any bites from the public.
That may be Chuck, however I think this is all about making the ideal city. I have my doubts it’s all for a Scientology buffer zone. But why then and for who?
Piece of cake really – finding a who and a why are relatively easy:
The Who is Tom Cruise
The Why is to make an ideal neighborhood for him to live in.
Remember the field of daisies for him and Nic to hold hands and stroll through at int?
Remember Tom complaining to David the orgs weren’t upstat enough for him to bring friends to?
That gave us the Ideal Orgs, my bosom buddies.
This, my dear friends, is 47X the field of daisies.
This is (drum-roll) The Ideal City of Clearwater. (Trumpets blaring)
Yes, Tom can jet in from a far flung movie set, with his Hollywood Honcho friends, go out on his double penthouse balcony, and look down on the sparkling lights of the Ideal City of Clearwater.
My, my, my. How sweet it is.
Mimsey
PS: I just finished reading the chapter on Tom and Nicole in the Fair Game book, and the lengths Miscavage goes to to cozy up to Tom are rather amazing. He has spent many thousands of dollars and SO staff manhours on Tom, catering to his wishes, cozying up to this most valuable big being.
So it is rather easy for him to pull this off – A) buy up all the property B) blow any needed smoke up the city’ official’s asses C) lease the properties at free or nominal costs to get businesses into down town CW, D) promote the heck out of this shopping mecca to southern Florida, and E) crow to the adoring crowds at the next IAS event about how CW is the first ideal city. Oh and, F) suck up to Tom.
My 2 cents for what it’s worth.
Mimsey
Yes Mimsey, good assessment. It’s probably as simple as you state. They really have no one else but each other and a whole lot of cash – expect the ridiculous!
I think you’re onto something there, Mimsey!
That sounds just perfect. Those two need to come out of the closet and just get married to each other for goodness’ sake. It would save a lot of hassle for the females in their orbit. And anywhere else that “bromance” would be an obvious euphemism.
If I had to use a reincarnation analogy, I’d say DM reminds me of Mad King Ludwig II – the Swan King – of Bavaria who built all those crazy castles – some said because he was besotted with Richard Wagner.
+1 yes… tee-hee. But I heard it was Louis XIV that King Ludwig was wild about. Rumored to have drowned before his wedding in Lake Chiemsee where his mini-Palace of Versailles is.
Time to reincarnate again… as a snake, Davey.
California has the Brown Act, which prevents any action taken in serial meetings, where action is decided in a series of individual meetings. I don’t know what Florida has to prevent an agreement being formed before a meeting. California has a referendum system, where members of the public can over-rule a decision by the Council and force a public vote. Then there are lawsuits that can be filed, usually over environmental impact concerns (CEQA), including “social and economic impacts to local communities, often including consideration of attributes such as impacts to available housing stock, economic impacts to businesses, property values, aesthetics and noise within the affected area.” Again, I don’t know what Florida has in the way of regulations.
Now that I’m a rich man
Daidle deedle daidle
Daidle daidle deedle daidle dumb
All day long I biddy-biddy-bum
Now that I’m a wealthy man
I never have to work hard
Daidle deedle daidle
Daidle daidle deedle daidle dumb
Now that I’m a biddy-biddy rich
Daidle deedle daidle daidle man
I built an awesome place with rooms by the dozen
Right in the middle of Gold Base
A fancy roof with real marble floors below
And there is one long staircase just going up
And one even longer coming down
And one more leading nowhere just for show
The most important men on Earth all come to fawn on me!
They ask me to advise them
Like that movie star Tom Cruise
“If you please, COB…”
“Pardon me, COB…”
Posing problems that would cross a great man’s eye
And it doesn’t make one bit of difference if I answer right or wrong
When you’re me they think you really know!
Now that I’m a rich man
Daidle deedle daidle
Daidle daidle deedle daidle dumb
All day long I biddy-biddy-bum
Now that I’m a wealthy man
I never have to work hard
Daidle deedle daidle
Daidle daidle deedle daidle dumb
Now that I’m a biddy-biddy rich
Daidle deedle daidle daidle man
“Why is the City Manager participating in this behind-closed-doors “planning” — reportedly accompanying each of the Commissioners who are planning to go forth and kiss Miscavige’s ring?”
Why indeed? Given the cult’s long history of attempting to surreptitiously influence or subvert every civil and criminal matter that it’s ever been involved in, it’s a very good possibility that the answer to that obvious question has everything to do with city manager Horne being bribed or blackmailed by the cult to carry water for it.
The TBT’s excellent staff of $cn watchdog reporters should be on this one like white on rice!
How often has Horne met privately with $cn personnel? When did those meetings take place and what was discussed during them. Has Horne received any kind of gifts, monetary inducements, promises of future benefit, etc. from the cult? Is Horne currently living a lifestyle that is beyond the means of regular city manager’s salary? Why did Horne not inform the entire city council of having been privately briefed by the cherch of its intentions regarding the redevelopment of downtown Clearwater at the time he became aware of them? Why is Horne present at every individual meeting with the cult’s leader? These questions and many more like them need to be explored in depth and in a timely fashion by the TBT, as well as other media organizations.
The whole thing stinks so badly that there’s got to be more than one dead body buried here! For those who live in and around Clearwater, a larger question frames the context of inquiry here: Has the cult EVER had the city’s best interests in mind?
As far as Scientology’s supposed “massive expansion,” it’s worth remembering that not only have the “churches” not grown in number, and had their actual membership and attendance collapse, but their once-extensive mission network has nearly vanished.
Reading the Tampa newspaper articles, I noticed that someone had posted a list of all of Scientology’s stalled projects that have left large historic buildings decaying in cities around the globe. I had only seen these referenced piecemeal, and hadn’t realized that there were a total of about two dozen of them, plus I think that this list may not even be complete:
UNITED STATES: Battle Creek, MI; Boston, MA (derelict historic property put back on market, bought newer office building that still sits empty); Chicago, IL; Detroit, MI; Kansas City, MO; New Haven, CT; Philadelphia, PA; San Diego, CA (abandoned historic property put back on market, renovated existing building); St. Louis, MO
CANADA: Toronto, Ontario (vacated existing building but have not renovated it); Montréal, Québec
ENGLAND: Birmingham; Manchester; Plymouth; Sunderland
SOUTH AFRICA and ZIMBABWE: About half a dozen abandoned major projects, not all historic downtown buildings.
It shows how bizarre and dysfunctional Scientology is, that having taken 15 years to complete the Super Power building after massive cost overruns, and with all these other long-unfinished building projects scattered around the world, they’re now focused on trying to promote this massive project in Clearwater.
One of the points of speculation that I saw, is that Miscavige may now be dangling the prospect of this large redevelopment project, in order to get the city to let them have the one particular large downtown parcel of land that they seem obsessed with acquiring for some reason. The new project may be something that they were considering anyway, but a vote on the land just happens to be this week, and the last (and I believe the only other) time that Miscavige came to meet with city officials was last year when the topic was just the parcel.
My guess would be that they want the property, which is next to the recently renovated (but reportedly almost empty) Oak Cove, either for something like a celebrity center to cater to wealthy members and prospects, or for some sort of attraction that they imagine is going to bring in the public and improve their image. And I suspect that the grandiose project shows an overreach by Scientology, at a time when they are faltering by all the other and more important measures, that may be a classic sign of the beginning of the end.
I sincerely hope that those appointed officials in Clearwater read your piece here Mike. Not because you are an ex Scientologist but because you have decades of experience working inside the bubble close to Dear Leader. As former Scientologist I would also like to add to your statement that Scientology only seeks to increase it’s footprint for one reason and that is to further insulate itself from the community. And also that David Miscavige only cares about the part of Clearwater that his properties are on. Thats it. My heart goes out to the good people of Clearwater.
If Clearwater wants to become a clear backwater they should allow David Miscavige to do what he wishes with their town.
However the civic leaders would be well advised to think about the consequences of becoming a one-industry town for example like Motown or coal mining or steel manufacturing based cities in the rust belt. Scientology relies on subsidies from members and taxpayers and unlike the industries just mentioned never pays a living wage so the general economy will be forever poor.
Is “What’s good for Scientology is good for Clearwater” a suitable mantra for a stable future of their otherwise pleasant town? As pointed out in comments here Miscavige wants nothing more than to turn this place into the equivalent of a walled medieval state where he is the supreme ruler with his own private police, army, and laws and his own uber menschen (aristocracy) and unter menschen (slaves).
Of course he will say that’s not what he wants – trust him. Like the sweet talk that was done when he promised that the Superpower Mausoleum would be open to everybody when completed!
In the rise and decline of the scientology empire it is well documented that it is already skidding down the decline if not falling over the cliff.
If the city was serious about urban renewal they should read Jane Jacobs books particularly The Death and Life of Great American Cities. An observation she made is that bodies and eyes on the streets and a variety of mixed town uses at the pedestrian level prevents flight to the suburbs or surrounding smaller places and the town centre becoming a crime ridden ghost town. I would argue Clearwater is already the latter but the crimes are committed out of public view. Most of the victims are herded from barracks lodgings to the factory and back by bus, too exhausted from long days and not allowed to interact with the real world.
As Doug says here My heart goes out to the good people of Clearwater.
The TBT has drawn the battle lines by describing the CoS, in effect, as a ruinous presence who wants not to be a major player in controlling the destiny of Clearwater but wants to be the ONLY player! Scientology is the named enemy of the city and it’s more than safe to presume the readership is in full agreement.
The paper is clearly poised to disgrace any public officials who collude with David Miscavige. It has already delivered a good finger-shaking to the City Manager and the Community Redevelopment Agency Director. That is reassuring. The paper is keeping an eye on this matter and it appears to be willing to turn it into a cause celebre. This is a matter of on-going interest in my opinion.
Do you think Elron would have wanted this when he bought the Fort Harrison hotel way back when? What’s next? They will want to close off Fort Harrison Avenue to traffic!
Oh yes, Miscavige would LOVE that. He has been trying to get Highway 79 closed off at Gold for decades. Ken Hoden was shipped to the PAC RPF for failing to pull that off. The ideal scene for Miscavige would be the entirety of downtown Clearwater walled off with entrance only to those with scientology ID cards and OSA Clearance. Security Guards would be at the entrances to the compound like they are at the doors of the buildings now (and are at the gate at Gold). It would keep the riff-raff (wogs) well out of earshot and sight.
Wow! Clearly, insanity abounds here.
Insanity is woven into their DNA. Insanity is as insanity does. Those people don’t have a choice…
Good point, Mike. It would keep the riff raff wogs out as well as the ex Scns and SP’s out. It means no outside influence will pierce the bubble veil. I feel sorry for the fine citizens of Clearwater. DM is going in one on one, individually with EACH city council member to reg them to get on board with him. Only one brave council member stood up to him by refusing to come unless he opened it up to ALL citizens to know what his plans are. Great article Mike! One of your best. Thank you for bringing this out in the open as it needs to be known by all.
Great article Mike which exposes the truth.
A stigma that continues to rear it’s ugly head.
Interesting paradox.
Today, Scio seeks the city commissioner’s cooperation in it’s efforts to “revitalize” the downtown area when back in 1978 their Info Bu reported that it was the city commissioners who were the reason the downtown area was so degraded business-wise. It had been discovered that the commissioners had been driving businesses out of the downtown for years before Scio moved in. They did so by approving only locations for new businesses far away from the downtown area out on the city’s periphery. This was done so land values would plummet in the downtown and they could later personally snatch up properties at greatly reduced prices. Imagine their surprise when Scio moved in and secretly began to buy up large properties (Ft Harrison, etc) and took advantage of the Commissioner’s years of diligent efforts. And now today Scio solicits the commissioner’s partnership?
A side note. In 1979 or thereabouts, Hubbard issued orders to do something to revitalize the downtown area but nothing effective was actually done. Well other than rent out a vacant storefront and put some sign in the window. It was obvious it was merely a PR move and nothing of any real value. Unfortunately the girl who tried to carry out that order is deceased and the facts went with her. But the point is even Hubbard wasn’t really interested in revitalizing downtown Clearwater.
Mike. You likely know about this and can expand a bit.
Interesting… I was staff at Flag in ’81-’83. There was not much going on in the downtown area for sure.
I was there in ’81 too, Jaye. And, you’re absolutely right about not much going on. There were a few people in cars that flipped us off, but, that’s about it. I did a skit there that almost got declared.
Two items:
Thought weasel/lying words were also in the phrase: “the church has no further plans to expand.” Cannot know what would be “further” if you don’t know what their current secret master plan is, which they will always keep to themselves.
Second, I think you should also link to the some of the decade-long eyesores Scientology has not developed in cities from Chicago to Philadelphia (and Boston, until they sold to a true developer).
Not sure, but I think I spotted Nancy Cartwright celebrating LRH’s birthday last night by bellying up to the bar at Sea Sea Riders in Dunedin and proceeding to get trashed. If this plan goes through as planned, at least Dunedin will benefit from not having Scilon-Celeb-Minions making asses of themselves.
Oh, c’mon, Lisa! Let ’em make asses of themselves! That’s what they do best! They’re constantly shooting them selves in both feet! They’re like a perverted circus….
This clown posse of demon-possessed thetabators have gone so far beyond merely shooting themselves in both feet that we’re really in need of a new superlative to describe the effect. $cilons are not just Olympic gold medalists in foot bullet marksmanship, they’ve risen well beyond that to become masters at the perverse art of self-donkey punching!
+1! Absolutely right, Harpoona! Well said…
If that was a few weeks ago, I’d say that was me. I may have even sounded like Bart. They make strong drinks at Sea Sea Riders. LOL
A bit off topic, but wanted to share this: ON CBS, (Channel 2 where I live), last night in prime time, the church had an ad. I saw an emeter and perked up and looked at the commercial and sure enough it was the C of S. So the fact that DM would spend the big huge bucks for a major station (CBS) at a prime time slot shows how worried he is about all the bad publicity he is getting from Leah and others. I talked to a never in Non Scn yesterday (I refuse to use the word “wog”), and he said he never knew about Scn until he saw that Southpark episode about Scn. Then he realized how crazy Scn is. And from that he decided to watch all the Leah Remini shows and other exposes. So it goes to show that the speaking out that is being done, as well as the Southpark episode, is harming the church’s image, and that to counter it, DM is spending big bucks on commercials to try to look mainstream. He’s on the ropes.
By speaking to Clearwater city officials one at a time, I believe Miscavige is cleverly circumventing the Florida “Sunshine Laws”.
From the Florida Attorney General’s web site, Open Government FAQ page:
“The law, in essence, is applicable to any gathering, whether formal or casual, of two or more members of the same board or commission to discuss some matter on which foreseeable action will be taken by the public board or commission.”
http://www.myflsunshine.com/pages.nsf/Main/321B47083D80C4CD8525791B006A54E3#7
The City Manager is not part of the City Council, so by meeting with him and one Council member at a time Miscavige is able to subvert the “Sunshine Law” because their are not “…two or more members of the same board or commission…” present. It stinks to high heaven, and if I lived in Clearwater I be raising a major stink about it.
Since 1989 on my last visit to Clearwater as a Scientologist, I have had the idea that the city needs a very large anti-cult building. I think that the same amount of square feet that Scientology owns, should be allocated to fighting cults. This would really re-vitalize downtown. There is no future in selling trinkets and T-shirts in the downtown area for either Scientology or Clearwater. Flag is not going away. It is foolish to make the area around flag into shops. Clearwater face the facts. The Clearwater Library can be tripled in square feet and turned into a repository on the truth. Coachman park can be expanded to memorials for those injured by Scientology. Tour buses can look at the space alien monkeys.
Great ideas! Given how far Clearwater has already gone down the road to becoming infamous as Cult City USA, about the only real choice that they have now if they wish to reverse that odious title is to take a vocal and determined stand against all things cultish!
In order to avoid the appearance that the Co$ is being singled out for special attention, the anti-cult movement in Clearwater should focus in on not just the Co$, but on every other high-demand, high-control group that exists in the country and raise public awareness of the commonality of mind control methods and conditions that they share.
Trying to place nice with the cult is like trying to reason with a pack of wild hyenas…they just see you as as their next meal no matter what you say!
I would even put some of my own money into such a venture because I think it would have real value to the public. You get new members going to Flag for
training and there are anti-cult symbols all over the city. It would be a great place to center the anti-cult movement. It would trash Clearwater for tourists but that is going to happen anyway. They all go to the beach which is a few miles away. There could be all sorts of activities for those in opposition to different cults. I looked up cults the other day and the newest one was the transhumanist movement. This fits in with computer technology which is in demand.
Mike, do you think that the Office of Special Affaires/ PR department has collected information/files on the City Commissioners and are these meetings getting secretly recorded?
Does Miscavige usally drill for such meetings?
Absolutely they have collected info on City personnel.
Unlikely the meetings are being recorded.
YEs, Miscavige plans out and drills exactly what he wants to say.
Even though this is more geared towards Miscavige’s handling of the media, I would assume it also applies to dealing with political leaders. There are some really good videos that were made years ago with Mike and Marty Rathbun (while they were relaxing and fishing), one of which discusses how Miscavige handles the media and how he micromanages others, which also includes just how fanatically he drills on presentations. He actually drilled for 9 months just for his early ’90’s Koppel interview alone. That particular video (and there are several of them discussing various things) is here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99-CeOxemS4
These videos were hilarious, and they also offered a lot of insight into some of the craziness that people experience in the SO, especially at Int in their dealings with DM. I also couldn’t help but notice that here are two guys (Mike and Marty), who for many years had spent practically every waking moment working their asses off for DM, who were now able to just chill out at their leisure and do a bit of fishing…..without hardly a care in the world. Quite a contrast from what I imagine their life was like at Int. I wish every SO member could see these videos as well to see that contrast.
Mike,
I’ve been wondering for some time about the endgame for the COS. I know there are many who focus on the diminutive one and punishment or revenge; however, my interest is in the Public, SO, and the money. These latest maneuvers in Clearwater may increase the net worth of the COS but in an endgame I wonder how they would be valued.
For example: will the COS one day decide to pack it in, and divvy up the property to a handful of its very loyal Public? These buildings would have a lower value if that happened because a glut of property would be available to lease or buy in Clearwater at one time. The same would be true if the diminutive one decided to dump and run – dimes on the dollar for the Clearwater property.
I have seen other churches struggle in their endgame as small rural churches shuttered due to the remaining congregants being interred. The assets were auctioned and went to the denominations coffers instead of the community who funded the assets in the first place. So what are the possible endgame scenarios for COS assets that you have imagined?
The more important endgame is that for the men, women and children in SO or Public who must begin a journey that you have already made.
The only endgame of Miscavige is accumulating assets. Money and property. This is a reflection of his success in his view. And it is especially true when he is able to accumulate wealth from others when it is against their best interest to do so as this is a reflection of his power to dominate them.
But he doesn’t actually OWN anything personally, correct? In the end, when he dies (like we all will) what will he have to show in STUFF?
This is just a “mine is bigger than yours” game.
I just can’t imagine who is is proving his girth to.
OutOfCult, Mike has given you a pretty succinct answer based on inside knowledge.
I have a bit more of a historical perspective on organizations, and would add that I think Miscavige is following the classic Hubbard (and cult diehard) philosophy, “the way out is the way through,” and believe that if they just keep at with all they have, that ultimately something will happen to change their fortunes, and the masses really will come flowing through their doors. I don’t think that there is any backup plan (Miscavige doesn’t even have a designated successor), or that they will ever give up until forced to by something beyond their control, likely coming from outside. Scientology has accumulated enough wealth to be able to keep all of the grand buildings open even if they’re empty and there are no members, though as the situation gets more untenable they will have trouble justifying their current tax exempt status with the IRS.
That said, I think we’re seeing some strategic retrenchment into bastions like Clearwater, positioned as “expansion.” I would not be surprised if they also eventually did some consolidation of their widely spread properties in LA, reducing their number but building up something grand so that they could claim not to have shrunk.
It’s a mistake to apply our normal presumptions about how organizations and churches operate, to Scientology. Even the corporate world is not always rationally driven, and there are many famous examples of CEOs who went on binges of empire-building only to have the venture collapse; even today, for instance, we’re still seeing the unraveling and fallout of the AOL – Time Warner merger.
A video from the ‘future’ showing the Yanker in Chief at the “Grand Opening”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6KSfCxO8jA
Under the veneer of corporate PR, lies a narcissistic, anti-social organization, with only one purpose – self-preservation. Public scnists are expendable, their staff are expendable, the truth is expendable, the people of Clearwater aren’t even on the radar. The church will do whatever it takes to ensure its own survival. If that means deceiving the public or local government, so be it. Nothing is more important in the ENTIRE universe.
Frightening and shocking Mike. Is there any way to get the Supreme Court to take another look because their ruling wasn’t upheld and it all went down questionably? Frankly, I’m watching the same thing happen with the GOP and I can’t believe my eyes. Their leaders are telling everyone that only they speak the truth-sometimes in the same sentence with lies. They opening discourage seeking knowledge and news is taunted as the enemy (unless it’s from people in your pocket), avoid naysayers, etc. It’s the same as you experienced. No one who is legitimate needs to do that. That method is used by con artists. Meanwhile, their deals and scandals are so obvious a teenager could see them all. Some are very serious. I think you called it on the head that people are unwilling to admit they’ve been fooled for a long time and to make any effort to do something about it. It’s easier to stay blind. How can we help?
Kim, if you read the US Constitution you will see that the SCotUS has no authority to make changes to regulations written by Exec Branch Officials. They COULD look at it again but the IRS would just ignore them. Like they did last time.
Thanks again Mike. I’ve done no research into it, so I appreciate very much that you have. I’ll be watching along with others, keep letting us know how to help.
sorry, answered fast from email. didn’t catch the sender name fully. Thanks Mike Wynski!
Don’t let it happen again, Kim, otherwise you’ll have to answer to the all powerful dwarf. He might bite your kneecaps.
Maybe we should make a unique move, and invite the city planners/board/managers on a guided tour of Scientology buildings, and explain to them the emptiness, the darkness, the off-limits sense that this will perpetrate throughout downtown CW. Give them a forecast of what it will really be like. Or maybe we could just drive through and do a video, that we would provide to them. At least we could say we made an effort to dissuade them. Sad thing is, Miscavige’s pile of money invested in CW will speak highly to the board regardless of what he stands for. that’s the most distressing thing to me–they don’t seem to care.
The City of Clearwater is screwed – no matter who buys what at this point. It could have been a neat little boutique area with shops and ferries that fed into the some of the best beaches in the world.
Instead it’s a ghost town which hosts one of the cruelest cults in the world.
Having said that, thanks for the address and phone numbers.
You got that right, Mary! The cult seems to have taken over. Clearwater was such a nice town before the cult came in under false pretenses…
Must be like you’ve just discovered a heavy infestation of termites being a Clearwater resident when you wake up to what Scientology actually is and is doing to your home town.
Maybe it’ll become Cult City…
Cultstown, or maybe Cultsville. Such a good spot too, right on the waterfront. Even caught some decent fish in those nearby waters when I spent a week with relatives would lived near there once. When you are away from Scientology that area is pretty nice, filled with sun, sand and seaside living. I’ll never feed the pelicans there again though, damned things ripped me to pieces trying to get at the food!
Typos by this damned tablet thingo, spell check does weird things and I can’t see for crap with such a tiny screen. Modern tech is only as good as you can see the thing.
I know… I know… I hear you! But being old is the pits!
Wow…if CoS pulls this off – they could have a huge steady flow of income to fill their coffers…wow…wonder if CoS is embedded in the Clearwater city council or other departments of Clearwater…?
“…they could have a huge steady flow of income to fill their coffers.” From who?
No. No chance that Miscavige profits from this deal (unless he turns it over in a sale to other private interests, which is very unlikely given the devaluation of the property due to its placement vis-à-vis Scientology Vatican).
Already Clearwater is a blighted downtown. What is Scientology going to do to make this area attractive to the point of being profitable to them on a land purchase deal? If Miscavige wanted a viable public district in that zone, then he would not have opposed the aquarium. Clearly he wants an extension of the ghost town COS has already created.
For the love of Xenu, the city council should emerge from their ring-kissing sessions with Miscavige not only voting to purchase this property, but also ready to fire their city manager who arranged the shakedown attempt. Why is Bill Horne personally shepherding these council members to meet Miscavige? Is it even possible he’s not on two payrolls at once?
If Miscavige pulls this off there will be no winners. Scientology is dead and sinking with Miscavige handcuffed to its fate. Nobody is going to want to be in downtown clearwater so no businesses are going to survive. The city will just deteriorate and the city officials who went in cahoots with Miscavige will be defamed and it will all be a big sorry mess. David Miscavige has the anti-Midas touch. He turns everything to shit.
People need to observe, question and vote for their representation. We get the government we deserve based on out willingness to be informed and act.
Wisely said Wynski!
If they grant the Tiny Tater Tot Tyrant what he wishes then the officals there deserve whatever they get. Let them make a deal with the devil and see what happens.
Could you ever picture McSavage at a Town Hall answering questions from the locals? He would look like a bigger fool than he already does by hiding.
“Tiny Tater Tot Tyrant.” ROTFLMAO! Now THAT’S some funny shit! Well done, Peter S!
We already have one “Fantasyland” in Florida! We do not need another one in Clearwater! Miscavige is “Dopey” and the citizens of Clearwater should not be “Sleepy”! Clearwater citizens cannot even walk the streets in the downtown area of their own City without security guards and cameras watching! What religion needs security guards and cameras? What are they hiding? What would happen to someone if they walked into the Ft. Harrison Hotel not knowing it was the Pope’s headquarters and were just looking to book a room?
Now you¨ve done it, Mike. If even a single city commissioner reads this it will be all over for DM’s personal agenda. Great work. And, oh, happy birthday, LRH!
Flag is a cold and forbidding place. But to scientologists it a re-inforces the bubble mentality; that the world is insane and we are only safe in our Hubbard built cocoons.
I hope that the city council takes courage from all the exposure of the cults lies. Thank you Mike.
We shall see. Miscavige has 24/7 stress going on so he will continue to make mistakes.
Per definition he is extremely PTS. It’s only a matter of time till he crashes and burns.
This is clearly a divide and conquer strategy by SOB. Meet the commissioners one by one so they have no safety in numbers, no chance to hear how their colleagues are reacting, and likely, will be turned against each other by SOB saying slightly different things to each one. They will fight each other over trivia when they should be unified, fighting SOB.
It is March 13, 2017 and with this piece Mike shows the full hand of blackness foisted on more people by dm to continue his March of money madness and plain power madness. Gato, what a stellar comment about Clearwater in 79-80. I have not physically been there but your comment resonated with me. Same game plan, just more bucks to establish another failing mission of the cult. Yes they can buy all they can handle but dms wretched nightmare will be melted into the morning sun. Clearwater will exchange what will be a dream of glory to empty stores, course rooms and empty hearts and minds. XO Mike,soar on. ????
“Why doesn’t Miscavige show up and make his presentation before the City Commission meeting in City Hall, broadcast on cable access TV so everyone gets to see what is being offered and hear his sales pitch?”
The usual thing for a supposedly major organisation to do, would be to send along a fully briefed deputy. Not an option for paranoid Slappy Dave as he’s imprisoned or driven away all his management talent and [probably rightly] doesn’t trust anybody left not to mess it up. He’s created a world in which he really does have to do everything himself.
Worse still for lil davey the despotic, he can no longer appear anywhere in public without substantial security forces to physically protect him and a large perimeter cordoned off around him so that no PR flaps occur. So, appearing in an open-to-the-public city council meeting is completely out of the question.
The fear, dread and paranoid anxiety that envelopes him wherever he goes like a super BT cluster would be even more exacerbated in Clearwater, where he managed to escape justice for his direct role in Lisa McPherson’s negligent homicide.
Like every high-ranking Nazi who managed to escape justice at the close of WW11, there’s never going to be a moment in the rest of lil davey the sadistic’s life where he doesn’t have to be looking over his shoulder or a time where he’s free of the fear that he’s just about to get what he so richly deserves.
I went to Google Street view to look around the streets of downtown Clearwater. The $cientology buildings are definitely creepy. And seeing those poor souls in their $cientology suits walking to and fro makes me want to weep for them, it is THAT depressing. What are those poor people getting out of this sham of a cult? Anyway, if downtown Clearwater is the future vision of a $cientology world, book me a ticket to Mars please. Citizens of Clearwater, please resist Miscavige and his schemes.
Funny, I had just finished doing the same thing when I came across your comment.
Dead Downtown
http://bit.ly/2nhuiCy
Closeup – even Peter Gilham’s is closed!
http://bit.ly/2nylvIh
I sorta wish all of hem would just go purchase a. Much of land in Guyana or something. They can call it Davidtown and all make kool-aid together.
Yep! When a leader like Jim Jones tells you that you have to give poison to your child…and you do it, it doesn’t get any darker than that. That’s super Kool-Aid they were drinking.
Other cult leaders like “Heaven’s Gate” have encourage their followers to do the same. I remember decades ago when Clearwater was a lovely place to visit. I find it ironic that it is the town of choice for “the organization”…but then the name “CLEARwater”….well maybe that is the reason for it’s choice as his epicenter as in “clearing Clearwater”…….
Even with all that’s been put out there, it still seems like they are not going to be circling the drain anytime soon and will literally fight to the death any changes to the current tax exempt IRS Policy they were given.
I feel like I should move to Clearwater just to vote against this group of City snivelers who are willing to bow and scrape at Miscavige’s bidding. (Doreen Caudell excepted, since it appears she refused the invitation.)
If Miscavige had any forethought or business acumen, he would have pulled a Disney decades ago and bought X acres of undeveloped inland property. Built whatever pretty buildings he desired and pulled up the drawbridges. It’s not as if Scientologists go to Clearwater for the views or beach access.
But he’s in too deep now and as usual, is content to mislead and lie, engendering more bad press and ill will in the process.
I haven’t been to Clearwater in many years, but when I was an outer org trainee in 1979-1980 we were encouraged not to socialize with locals or patronize local establishments. We supposedly had all the food and supplies necessary at the Flag Land Base. Over practically a year? Sooooo boring! Practically a prison. And we had so little time to walk (run!) between buildings and classes and lunch and dinner…we’d literally have to run past and dodge around seniors trying to make their way peacefully along the sidewalk. That’s not being friendly to the locals.
Can’t tell you how many times I wanted to take a Saturday or Sunday morning off and go to that big department store a few blocks away. But that was “out-ethics” and “off purpose” to do anything else but be on your courses day in and day out, every day of the week. I remember getting out for a lunch hour (actually more like a half-hour) and running out to a little shop for a fresh fruit smoothie. Some students got up earlier so they could go to that little breakfast place that rocked, if they could afford it and could get back in time for roll call. (Tells you what the food was like for the students.)
It’s very true that scientology is USING the city of Clearwater for their own gain, making it look all wonderful for the town. I hope the city officials don’t buy into this. It’s been going on for many years. With scientology’s tax-exempt status they don’t have to give the city much of anything and they can just buy up more property and stash away their millions of dollars gotten by high-pressure sales and lies to their loyal servants. And take all the city’s services for free–police, fire department, safety…everything!
This has been going on for almost 30 years! The people in those scientology buildings don’t give a hoot about Clearwater–they never did. I’m talking from first hand experience. All they want is for the city to bend over and let them do whatever they want—like they do everywhere else with everyone else.
The CO S needs city of Clearwater to support it. For tourist traffic. To help it cover up their members’ ( and leader’s) crimes. To pervert the judicial process.
Basically, to turn the other cheek.
In one of Leah Remini’s shows she was walking on the beach in Clearwater. That was the first time she had ever walked on the beach there in all the time she had been in Clearwater over the years. She spent a lot of time at Flag. That goes to show that people at CoS are virtual prisoners when in Clearwater, even celebrities. The people going to Clearwater CoS are not spending leisurely time nor money in the city therefore not contributing to the success of the city.
During that walk a young woman approached Leah saying the food they had (pizza?) smelled good. She then asked if Leah if she had any marijuana. Leah was clearly shocked and told the young lady she shouldn’t be doing drugs. I don’t think Leah knew that there were people right there in Clearwater that really need help. That is the bubble CoS puts their members in.
That encounter showed that the largest concentration of CoS in the world doesn’t reach out with social programs to help the homeless (which the young lady probably was) and the hungry. Which is probably a good thing for those who are needing help because they would be vunerable to the lies of CoS. Why help a poor person when they can take thousands of dollars and trick an unsuspecting person into Narconon? A good social program or church would be out there trying to help those in need. CoS only wants people with money and to hell with the rest. Good churches give, not take or ignore, those who need help.
I spent around 8 or 9 months in Clearwater at the Fort Harrison and later Grey Moss. I never visited the beach once however I was pretty sure it was downhill from wherever I was working/sleeping. This was in 75/76 and later in ’82. The only money I spent on the local businesses was for toiletries and the occasional 6 pack of donuts. I think I went out to dinner once at a local restaurant in that time period. CW has nothing to gain cooperating with DM.
YEP!!
Flag makes you stay in their hotels and expects you to eat in their restaurants. If you’re from out of town, this is all very expensive, you want to get through and get home. The course room schedule is 7 days a week, 9 AM to 10 or 11 PM. Who has TIME to go spend money on touristy things?
Nobody goes to the beach! haha. The very idea. Oh, that’s a good one. Can you imagine CSWing off course to take in the aquarium? Ride that tour bus? Or how about going to the theatre?
What happened if you missed roll call?
Clearwater allowed this to happen..
One-on-one meetings, not on City property, or on City surveillance. Hmm.
You can be sure CO$ will be recording it, except the parts where Tiny informs them what his people have dug up on them.
Yeah thats what I was thinkin.
Depressing. Have no idea why the city doesn’t fight this. If they are going to be taken over, the citizens should at least be able to vote as to if they want the invasion.