Napalm sticks to kids

Re: Newspaper is stuck in past over Scientology, letter by Steve Sigal, June 24.


Mr. Sigal and others complain that some who dislike Scientology after all these years are "stuck in the past." The issue is Scientology being stuck in unacceptable policies.

Scientology sneaked into Clearwater and immediately started infiltrating agents into government and newspapers and started harassing critics. It never apologized for these actions. And later the same infiltration tactics popped up again in Canada and Greece. In Greece, it got Scientology shut down.

The same "fair game" tactics are still used. Critics are swarmed with private investigators, harassing lawsuits, libels, smears and dirty tricks to this day.

To get over the past problems, Scientology needs to change. It needs to openly cancel "fair game" and similar policies loudly and openly - not for public consumption, but to set an example and new course for Scientology and Scientologists. It needs to implement new guidelines and policies.

Scientology never apologized for its bizarre "fair game" tactics against people like former Clearwater Mayor Gabe Cazares or author Paulette Cooper.

This is an organization that has argued in two major court cases that "fair game" polices are a core practice and should be constitutionally protected. (These cases were Scientology vs. Lawrence Wollersheim , 1989, and Scientology vs. Gerald Armstrong , 1984.)

An organization with that outrageous attitude and its history is an organization that is not trustworthy. You cannot trust its good judgment, goodwill or intentions. It would be foolish to trust it in anything until major changes are made in management and real policy changes are implemented.

Until changes are made, the attitude of government and government personnel should be that Scientology is just a dangerous cult and any dealings with it should be at arm's length - not as punishment, but to force real and deep change on Scientology. Make Scientologists change, not governments or communities, and let them know that without change they will never be acceptable.


-- William C. Barwell, Houston, Texas

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Two Sarasota teens accused of burning six American flags have been charged with arson and manufacturing a firebomb.

Scott A. Baber and Brian A. Richard III, both 18, told deputies they burned the flags because they are anarchists and disagree with the war in Iraq and other U.S. government policies.

Baber and Richard burned about five flags at homes in the Bent Tree subdivision, where they live with Baber's parents, then set fire to a flag at its clubhouse, said Lt. Chuck Lesaltato, a spokesman for the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office.

A group billing itself as a “psychiatric watchdog” is backing up Tom Cruise’s controversial comments to Matt Lauer about psychiatry and psychiatric drugs. Oh, and by the way, the “watchdog” group was formed by the Church of Scientology.

On a recent “Today Show” appearance, the “War of the Worlds” star angrily blasted the use of drugs such as Ritalin, and told Lauer that there’s no such thing as a chemical imbalance that leads to maladies such as depression.

On Monday, the Citizens Commission on Human Rights issued a statement saying that the high-profile Scientologist was right on with his diagnosis.