A double dose from yours truly today:
This week’s Justify Your Existence is an interview with a member of Anonymous, the anti-Scientology group. Though she’s unnamed, you’ll recognize her as the same young woman I made fun of talked about earlier when a video was posted on YouTube in which she said Scientology conspired to get her fired from her job. Though I suggested she was weird, to her credit, she was willing to sit down with me and explain herself. Reaction on their forums is starting to build here.
There’s also a protest today at 11 near Lafontaine Park, for anyone interested.
UPDATE: For those of you who are reading this article because it was posted on the Anonymous forums and have never read it before, Justify Your Existence by its very nature takes a tough stand against its interview subjects — part of the reason it’s tough getting interviews sometimes.
Also, from the Enterbulation forums:
NO WAY!!!!
His name is Steve Fagay?????
Actually, no it’s not. But I’m touched by the maturity.
Finally, I’ve already got hate mail. Sweet.
NFL vs. CFL
This week’s Bluffer’s Guide is about the Buffalo Bills game in Toronto this week, and what the NFL testing the waters in Canada could mean for our national football game. There’s suggestion that the Bills might move to Toronto after its current owner dies and the franchise is sold off. Such a move, worryers say, would spell the end to the Toronto Argonauts, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and probably even the CFL itself.
It comes the same day as this piece from The Gazette’s Herb Zurkowsky, quoting league officials worried about the NFL threat. He also has some interesting history in his notes that I wish I’d stolen from is useful for context.
UPDATE (Aug. 21): A reader points out that other NFL games have taken place on Canadian soil. This will be the first time that regular-season games take place in Canada, however.
I really don’t understand how people can get involved with Scientology. It such a blatant and obvious fraud that it should be laughable, not a growing organization with chapters all across North America.
LOL. Love the response to Anon. Nice to see you have a sense of humor and a thick skin when it comes to criticism. Although I think it’s unlikely you’ll get one, an interview with a scilon would be fun.
You’re just brimming with journalistic integrity, buddy! I hope your next interviewee knows that you’ll be making fun of them from the start.
I could get more “fair and balanced” information from fox news.
Hey Anonymous,
Journalists are not obligated to re-print your press releases. They are allowed to take present a story from different perspectives and make light of humourous situations. You should be happy that the issue is presented at all in a Canwest/Global newspaper. You may have noticed that CanWest/Global goes out of its way to avoid saying anything controversial that could land them in court (except maybe Quebec sovereintist politicians who regularly threaten to sue them)
I really liked the interview. Its good to present tough questions to people because it gives them a chance to present very good answers. In a way, it enhances the position of the interviewee as long as they aren’t being defensive. (okay, i’m not a journalist, don’t mean to comment on something I know little about, just though I’d throw a compliment in, ^_^ ). Anonymiss did very well presenting her opinions in being part of our protests.
“alleged criminal practices”? try doing some research. actually, since you are too lazy to do so, let me do it for you:
Operation Snow White was an infiltration of the US Government in the ’70s. several leaders of the Cult of Scientology, including Hubbard’s wife, served time in Federal prison.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_snow_white
Operation Freakout was a campaign of harassment aimed at Paulette Cooper, a investigative reporter and critic of the CoS in the ’70s. They paid her an out of court settlement.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Freakout
Larry Wollersheim was a former member of the Cult of Scientology. during his time there in the ’70s, he was the victim of abuse; when he left, he became ‘fair game’. in his civil case against the CoS, he was finally awarded $8,700,000 in damages and compensation in 2002.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Wollersheim
In their 1991 appeal, the CoS asserted that “Fair Game” was a “core practice of Scientology”, and therefore protected as “religious expression”.
John Sweeney, an investigative reporter for the BBC, was systematically stalked and harassed by the Cult of Scientology while filming a special report in 2007. they tracked him to his publicly undisclosed hotel, harassed him at his interviews of critics and hired private investigators to follow him:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwTDvfjcUJU
the CoS went on to accuse the BBC of making ‘terrorist death threats’. yes, they actually accused the BBC of terrorism.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2007/05/investigating_scientology_1.html
many countries, including Greece and Germany, have been taking action against the criminal actions of the Cult of Scientology.
http://unchain.gr/SCIENTOL.HTM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7133867.stm
these are just a sampling of the proven cases of criminal actions perpetrated by the Cult of Scientology. there’s plenty of unofficial claims as well, such as the cases of Lisa McPherson and Jeremy Perkins. while they are primarily conjecture, the evidence in these cases is more than suspect.
http://www.lisamcpherson.org/
http://www.scientomogy.com/jeremy_perkins.php
abusive and libelous questions are not ‘hard-hitting’ or ‘tough’. they are disrespectful and demonstrate a lack of critical analysis. one can be very direct and courteous at the same time.
you pick and choose the commentary made by individual members and Anonymous, spinning them to fashion the view of Anonymous to your opinion. you like to build ‘straw men’ as a target for your snarky commentary. looking at your previous writings about us, you made your decision on us long before. i would be very surprised if you actually respond to me.
we take the protests very seriously; this does not mean we have to be dour and angry. we aim to inform the public and to have a fun time doing so. we are non-violent and very approachable due to our sense of humor. ‘a spoonful of sugar’ and all that.
to find out more about Anonymous, check these resources:
http://www.whyweprotest.net/
http://www.enturb.org/
http://www.xenu.net/
http://www.exscientologykids.com/