I’ve been asked (along with other bloggers, local media and left-wing conspiracy rags) to write about this video, in which an anonymous person in sunglasses and a tie rants about being “fair gamed” by the Church of Scientology and its minions (in the same way that someone rants about her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend).
I guess I’m just supposed to assume that everything this person said actually happened, and for the reasons given.
All I know for sure is that the anti-Scientologists seem just as weird as the people they’re protesting against.
UPDATE (July 17): I knew from the moment I posted this It’d get undue attention, and comments like this:
Title: Fagstein is gay | URL: http://fagsteinsuckscock | email: fagsteinisafag@fag.fag
Read about Scientology before you take a shit on the internet you dumb fuck
Fagstein is gay
Xenu got to you didn’t he?
She doesn’t sound like a nut case, but would this organization (Charch?) really go to the trouble of following and harassing a protestor. What could they possibly gain from this type of publicity? She certainly does not sound humbled or deterred.
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Y’know, doing a little research into the topic might help. Instead of uninformedly saying you think it’s a load of bull, maybe look into it to some kind of degree. It will definitely help your credibility to know what you’re talking about instead of saying without facts you think she’s just wierd.
really, you think that? just as weird?
I don’t think talking about Scientology, pro or con, helps anyone’s credibility.
I’d hit it.
Hello!
I’m the person behind the camera (and the YouTube poster) in this particular video, and I noticed your post from the list of pages linking to the video.
I just thought I’d throw a comment in to let you know that I understand your skepticism completely. Coming from a third-party point of view with no experience or in-depth knowledge of the Cult of Scientology, it’s understandable how this would sound overly paranoid.
However, I would like to ask that you take the time to learn about the cult and how it operates. How it exploits the gullibility or emotional fragility of people to draw them into the cult, relieve them of their money while making impossible promises, and brainwash them. Its policy of disconnection from non-Scientologist friends and family members, its policy of fair game against anyone who dares criticize or even leave the cult. Its policy against any form of psychological help. Reading about Lisa McPherson is a good start if you want to get an idea of the disastrous results of that. The way they treat addiction to drugs (megadoses of vitamins that destroy your liver). Its policy on slave labour, including child labour. Reading about the Sea Org’s Rehabilitation Project Force, and the statements made by the women who run http://www.exscientologykids.org.
Although Anonymous may seem just as weird as the cult on the surface, once you delve deeper into the issues, it’s easy to see how Scientology quickly becomes absolutely bizarre. You may also consider this: Anonymous is strange, but our mission is to help. Scientology is strange, but they’re also a malicious, dangerous cult.
Why doesn’t Fagstein offer to interview the young lady, and perhaps ask the Church why they are persuing her?
Anyone who doesn’t fall into lockstep agreement with the paranoid Anonymous freaks does so at their own peril.
If you don’t believe, as they do, that Scientology is the most dangerous, planet-threatening thing since Nazism or the last ice age, then you’re considered “the enemy” and probably even a secret agent working for Scientology itself.
Even if Scientology really was doing all the stuff they claim, I just don’t give a fuck. Do you hear me? I’ll say it again. I just don’t give a fuck. And anyone who does has WAY too much free time, imho.
I’d love to interview her, but she’s anonymous.
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“Fagstein
Posted July 16, 2008 at 1:31 am | Permalink
I’d love to interview her, but she’s anonymous.”
i c wut u did thar. The funny thing is, the person that posted above -actually filmed the video- and I’m going to take a guess that, he does indeed know how to contact her.
You’re so silly.
Super Nostril is obviously the type of person that Anonymous will never reach. SN is probably one of those self-centered “it is all about me and what I can get out of it” type of people. Someone who doesn’t see the value of just wanting to help people in need. His little rant is filled with so much ignorance it is laughable. Choose to believe the ramblings of the uniformed or find out for yourself.
In a nutshell the Anonymous movement basically says, read what $cientology says then read the information that we have and decide for yourself. The information that we have is free to get on the internet and is not the opinion of Anonymous but facts. Documents showing just what $cientology really is. There is so much that I can’t even begin to scratch the surface, you’ll just have to find out for yourself.
But ask yourself this, why would people- from all walks of life- spend their own time and money to protest, peacefully, against something like $cientology. I’ll tell you what, I’m 40+, couldn’t hack my way out of a paper bag, but after reading up on $cientology I can’t believe all the things they have been getting away with. I don’t use the word “evil” lightly but this organization is truly that. So, I protest to bring awareness to it, I protest to maybe prevent someone from being sucked into the cult and I protest to help get people out. This protest is not about “belief” it is about criminal activity, abuses and making people aware of those facts.
Fagstein, that is a cop-out and you know it. Did you ever ask? I can get you in contact with her. You started out this “blog” uninformed and just lazy “journalism” you could end it by doing just a little research. Go to xenu.net and enturbulation.org and just read a little. Do your blog readers a favour and at least try to be a little informed about the subjects you choose to blog about.
It’s great that you can get me in contact with her. Except you didn’t leave your email or other contact information, so I have no way of getting in touch with you.
Research tends to fail when it hits a brick wall.
Mart:
In the past, the cult’s tactics of fair game and harassment HAVE worked. Campaigning against the cult has existed long before Anonymous started our actions (Mark Bunker, one of the original activists, has many videos from previous protests available at http://www.xenutv.com ).
Anonymous is a phenomenon that Scientologists aren’t quite sure how to deal with. We have no leader. Our identities are hidden. They are now encountering a large amount of people rallying against them, and they are sticking to the same tactics they’ve always used to suppress those who speak out against them.
Fagstein:
I’ll speak with her and see if she would be interested in doing an interview with you.
Oh come on, just use a search engine peoples! Try searching for “fair game”, you’ll find several extensive write ups on it. If you don’t like that, try searching for Paulette Cooper, or Operation Snow White.
You’ll feel a little silly after you do. Fair game is unfair, and it HURTS people. But, that’s their “religion”. It simply causes damage.
The Church would be well advised to save their energies and just lay low. They may scare off a few critics with this type of tactic, but these young & righteous internet activists will only be encouraged by their attention. It must be an isolated local case. I can’t believe that the Church’s central organization is still encouraging this type of behaviour. It only further undermines their cause and opens them to even more criticism and attacks.
The cult of scientology also strongly opposes homosexuality and the rights of the LGTB community. The founder of scientology L Ron Hubbard himself is on record saying that homosexuality is a disease that must be cured by scientologists.
Hubbard is also on record for racist statements such as “The problem with China, see, is there is too many chinks” further comments include that all people of African-American decent belong in cotton fields.
Fagstein please do some research and uncover the truth about this vicious cult. Read the countless stories about critics being harassed tormented and sued just to intimidate them. Read about how scientology lead the largest infiltration of the Canadian and USA governments. (Operation Snow-White, wikipedia, other sources)
xenutv.com exscientologykids.org enturbulation.org
It should not surprise anyone that bloging about fringe cults will bring out more loonies (and viewers) than hard-hitting stories on ice cream kiosks or street fairs. Calling your blog “Fagstein” instead of maybe “BlogStein” or “Frustrated Copywriter Blog” may be further exacerbating the minds of your scatelogical spewing critics.
Mart I suggest you view the facts for yourself before suggesting that our statements are without merit. Quite ignorant of you.
Kirtaner – I am not denying that Scientology leadership has developed some serious anti-democratic and demogogic trends and has likely done more harm than good to society. However some people that have taken up the anti-Scientology and Anonymous banners seem to be as hard-headed.
Keep to the facts, there is no reason to question people’s intelligence, make fun of their names or sexuality. You aren’t going to win much support like this.
If you can’t make fun of people names, their sexuality or their intelligence what’s left to make fun of? They already took away making fun of their race and disabilities, what’s left?
Well I’m posting here a little late.
I know Anonymiss (somewhat) and could’ve gotten you in contact with her. but it seems that I have been beaten to that.
An intresting thing about $cientology in Canada though.
It actually does not have a Religious status here, nor does it meet the legal requirements to get one. Though it has somehow aquired a sort of charitable status along with a special religious status that differs from others.
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I can assure you that fair game does exist. I have been protesting Scientology for a decade, and have my share of horror stories. Parents stalked. Friends followed.
I’ve been accused of domestic terrorism, drug sales and vandalism, resulting in police coming to my door.
You want to talk to someone about fair game? Drop me a line. Although I am in sunny California, this is a world wide issue. This kind of thing has happened to Scientology critics worldwide, and continues to this day.
This day, Aug. 16, Anonymous returns to the streets for another global picket.
We will be handing out information, dancing, and enjoying cake.
Expect us!
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You think her story is far-fetched? In the 70s there was a case that was simply shocking. The “Church” of Scientology went after an author who had written a critical book about them, they actually tried to frame her for making bomb threats, threats they actually made themselves. She was completely exonerated when the FBI raided Scientology offices and seized documents, including documents detailing “Operation Freakout” – Scientology’s codename for the ghastly operation.
The FBI raids were actually for a different reason – the largest domestic infiltration of the US Government in history was carried out by Scientologists in their “Operation Snow White”. Eleven high-level Scientologists were convicted. Kendrick L. Moxon was named as an unindicted co-conspirator and he submitted fake handwriting samples in response to a Grand Jury subpoena, yet he is still working today as Scientology’s lead in-house attorney.
There are two sides to Scientology, you see. There is the rank-and-file public Scientologist who just does a few courses ocassionally, then there is the staff and Sea Org who are deeper in. The Office of Special Affairs is the division responsible for public relations as well as the black ops – the modern day equivalent of Operation Snow White and Operation Freakout. I think they are more careful nowadays, and not as quick to engage in illegal activities. But they come close.
Dear Mr.Fagay,
I had the displeasure of reading your interview this morning and have sent a letter of to the Gazette (found below) documenting this disatisfaction. While I am aware you are not a ‘reputable’ journalist, for them to publish your opinion when it was so evident you never researched your subject matter was dissapointing. I was not looking for you to side with anonymous but to give them a fair hearing. I too was put off by some of their antics but after hearing , on Radio-Canada, about Narconon Trois-Riviers (a scientology front group) deceptively trying to enter our schools I took an hour out of my day to find the disturbing history of Scientology. While sites like Xenu.net might lead you to some trusted news sources a google will lead you to them without ever having to enter a site by ‘John-Doe’ etc. Nobody likes to have their time wasted and that is what your interview was, a waste of time. I entitled my letter “I don’t expect to do a journalists work for them” and unless you do the research you are just another crazy ranting their uninformed opinions (granted in your case they were uniformed and biased questions). I expect better from both the Gazette and any rational and fairminded human being.
-April Hart
Gatzette letters———————————————————————————————————-
I was shocked and embarassed for the Gazette after reading Steve Fagay’s article on your website. Living in NYC for the year I have counted on the Gazette to keep me in touch with the events of home but this article has made me question my decision. Mr. Fagay attempted to paint an anonymous protester as either crazy or bigoted in his article “Campaign of harassment or just a wild imagination” and his interview was so slanted my neck had a crick in it by the end. While there may well have been nothing to this womans particular claims his use of phrases such as “She’s been protesting against the Church of Scientology, and now she thinks its members are out to get her” while never providing the information that Scientology is famous for illegal means of silencing its critics is down right dishonest. I believe that to this day the largest Canadian libel award ever paid was by Scientology in the case Hill v. Church of Scientology of Toronto. There are numerous other examples of their harrasment of critics documented in such reputable media as Times Magazine, CNN and the BBC. As a designer with her morning coffee I was able to gather this info in less than an hour, as a journalist Mr.Fagay’s evident bias or laziness has done a disservice to both your readers and your reputation.
April Hart
April: I think the funniest thing about your comment is that you misspell my name while schooling me on how to do proper journalism.
If you see any factual errors in my article, I would be happy to alert my editor so the paper can run a correction. But the name of the column is “Justify your existence,” and the entire point is to ask tough questions of your subject.
I’m sorry you don’t think the article gave enough background on the evils of the Church of Scientology, but that wasn’t the point of it.
Giving background on the church doesn’t have to be the point of your article. But the fact that you DIDN’T give facts is HER point. A journalist shouldn’t have a biased article. You’re the neutral third party. You don’t decide who’s ‘crazy’ and then do your inner workings and editing to make them look how you want, you take equal portions of both sides and mesh them together. You can’t say “Person A is harassing and sending death threats to Person B, but Person B just seems like the run of the mill looney crying wolf” without informing the public that “Person A is wanted in ten states for fifteen some-odd murders”. You were deceptive in your article. You did no research. It’s nothing more than your personal diary entry that has no business being in a journalists column.
Wow, way to give no background whatsoever and ask your questions in a way that insinuates the interviewee is nuts from the start. You flat out admitted you were making fun of them. I’ve canceled my subscription to the Gazette, contacted your editor regarding your complete lack of journalistic integrity and urge others to do the same.
I don’t even care about the bad coverage for Anonymous that came from this article, your “journalism” is a disgrace in and of itself. Way to be proud of misinforming the public, ya jerk.
HaHa! Xenu did get to you
Ok guys, the fact is the member of Anonymous just flat out give a bad interview. She should have taken the time to find out this is the interviewer’s style.
On the other hand, Fair Game is real and I would hope the reporter will take the time to learn more. Just Google Scientology and Fair Game.
Or visit Xenu.net
Okay Mr. Fagstein, now for you to justify your existence. When you are writing as a journalist you are expected to have integrity and to research a topic, thoroughly, before you print it or do an interview. If you do not you will find the people who did bother to inform themselves rather put out with you. They will be angry and they will say that they are angry. Do you really think that that paticular article was worthy of printing as a journalist? Think “If i were an award winning journalist known for his integrity and research abilities would i have ever admitted to writing this?” No probably not.
“Oh but it was a hard hitting piece with tough questions that i asked an anonymous person as a (insert lousy defence of lack of research here)”
Really how interesting, now show me the research. I want to know why the anonymous are interested in protesting scientology, not in a ‘journalist’ doing his best to make a protester look crazy. Why not talk to someone who has been protesting scientology a long time as well now. I’m sure they could give you very clear examples of exactly what kind of harrassment Scientology is capable of. Why not look for Paulette Cooper’s story aka operation freakout and flesh out your ‘gee aren’t i clever to make a protester look nutty’ angle.’ Or you could always google operation snow white or normandy. Hey you want to talk to people who have grown up in scientology and know it better than you or i ever will, talk to Jenna Miscaviege Hill on exscientologykids. Or astra woodcroft on the same site. Go to enturbulation as well, there are a ton of survivor stories. Or you could just go to xenu(dot)net and look at the link in the care package called ‘what scientology doesn’t want you to know.’
FYI, recieveing three complaints about you at your place of employment before you have even started working there is fishy at best, could be an immature prank but it could also be fairgame. Scientology has been known to do this kind of stuff and worse, a moment of research would have revealed this. There are recorded incidences of this. There are two court cases in california alone where they have tried to get fair game constitutionally protected under the freedom of religion. The most notable one is wollersheim vs. Scientology. You can find links to these court documents on pretty much any website regarding courtroom since they are public. You can also find links on almost any critics page.
Really the most i can say is that i am dissappointed in this article. If you want to make a protestor look nuts go for it but call it “Gee look at how clever i am” and put a big warning on it if you decide to just to cut and paste so that they will seem crazier than cruise. If you want to justify your existence why not write an article on scientology after you have thoroughly researched it both on the scientology approved webpages as well as on the critics pages. And by thoroughly research it i mean thoroughly research it. Don’t just glance at a page and call it a day. Documents, pictures, videos, court statments and rulings the whole nine yards. That is what you need to do to justify your existence.
LEAVE FAGSTEIN ALONE!!!
You’re all a bunch of morons. He didn’t make her look crazy, she made herself look crazy in her youtube video then the rest of you crazies demanded he interview her which he did and it turns out she really is crazy now you’ve all got your panties in a bunch.
Seriously, get a life.
Scientology FTW