To anyone who has been regged to pay a penny (or millions of dollars) for IAS, Idle Orgs, Super Power, or any other “project” that was touted as more important than paying for auditing and training services, I highly recommend that you read Int Management Bulletin 116R. Just press the link here for a pdf copy.
Twenty-one years ago when there was such a thing called “International Management” and ED Int’s Int Management Exec Committee, there was semblance of consideration for LRH policy. This issue was written by one Jens Urskov as Gross Income Exec Int. He may have been holding that position from above. For many years Jens was D/ED Int. That was because the guy knew policy cold, and was deft at applying it to situations. In fact, I believe he was the one constant holding IMEC together performing the irreducible minimum through a perpetual and sadistic game of Musical Chairs DM played for twenty years with IMEC. Just about anything relatively sensible Guillaume ever issued in his own name was more than likely written by Jens.
Jens therefore was hated by DM. He was belittled into horrible health and a state of spiritual invalidation. I’d like others who were familiar with IMEC and Jens to weigh in here. These are my impressions, and I spent more time away from the base than ever did at the base. I also find it interesting the date of the revised issue coincides with a small minority of International Management executives attempting to nip the incipient, fledgling IAS crim regging in the bud. Paul Grady – who I believe was Action Chief CMO INT – went down about this time for objecting to IAS crashing FSO gross income.
In either event, here is an International Management Bulletin that explicitly makes the same policy argument we’ve been making for a year as to the criminal and off source nature of “straight donos”. It was not issued once. It was issued twice, in 1987 and 1989.
For anyone trying to sober up a severe kool-aid case, you should be able to go to town with this issue.
I was overwhelmed by all of your comments to my confession post. Individually and cumulatively it was like I received the most appropriate acknowledgement I’d ever received – certainly more powerful and more appropriate than anything anyone could pay big bucks for in the church.
I was reminded of a passage in the State of Man series:
All right. If we’re going to have anything connected whatsoever with a third dynamic, then it must be that the people in Scientology will have to have both the technology and the opportunity to be Clear, and should get there. But there’s evidently now something new about clearing. There is a stage of clearing, of getting Clear, which is getting Clear on the third dynamic before they get Clear on the first.
Now, I’ve told you for a long time that auditing was a third dynamic situation. And sure enough, we have to clear somebody on the third dynamic before we clear him on the first. And all those case failures that we have had to this time have been because we’ve been trying to clear people on the first before we cleared them on the third. Do you see that?
An auditor-preclear situation is a third dynamic situation. That’s a third dynamic situation. And clearing a person starts right there in that auditing session. Now, any HCA can tell you better than I can – I think the number of the Auditor’s Code is 9, though, isn’ it? Isn’t that it? Whichever one it is. It’s “two-way comm must be established.” It’s a breach of the Auditor’s Code actually. We’ve had it with us for years. But what did this mean?
Well, this meant, essentially, that the preclear had to be willing to talk to the auditor. Well now, several things have to be guaranteed before this takes place. And one of the things that has to be guaranteed is that the preclear has some security in talking to the auditor that the information will not be falsely used. Isn’t that right?
audience: Yes.
So this leaves us with an organizational responsibility heavier and bigger than we have ever had in the past. We’ve now got to go all out and make sure that a certificate means, wherever it is to be found, that confidence can be reposed in the person as a confidant. Isn’t that right?
audience: Yes. Uh-huh.
That organizationally, the information passing over organizational channels and so forth is inviolate — we have to be able to guarantee that, right?
audience: Right.
Of course, as we all know by now, the C of M has reversed that concept right around to where institutionally the church is programmed to use information falsely against its own people.
And then came the realization that, notwithstanding lack of structure or seniors and juniors, we have a third dynamic as the Old Man envisaged. We have people connected around the world who understand what it takes to create as-isness, who understand and live the Auditor’s Code (without effort), and who in fact constitute a third dynamic that makes Clearing possible and consequently has infinitely more potential than the MEST-laden, money motivated house of extortion.
Before the St Pete Times ever ran, and I first heard of DM’s absurd “deny everything” defense, I mentioned to Mike Rinder that the only way out for Miscavige was for him to take a measure of responsibility for the felonious conduct we were attempting to have ceased. I also mentioned it to Anderson Cooper in a segment that didn’t make the cut. I told Anderson that the prediction was based on a fundamental Scientology principle, a principle that Kentucky basketball coach Rick Pitino had then-recently very succinctly stated in layman terms. Pitino was accused of having an affair. Rather than deny it, he held a press conference and made a clean breast of it. He said “if you tell the truth, it becomes your past; if you lie, it becomes your future.”
I think we are hurtling into the future , while those behind the wall cling to the past.
All because you cats know your stuff and live by it.
Against the advice of several close friends and in agreement with the advice of several other close friends, and with the blessings of all of them, I have decided to go to public confession.
After Independents’ weekend, a beautiful wedding, another wonderful wedding in New York for family, Mosey and I stole off for some private time at our favorite steam-release venue, the Big Easy.
I tend to work hard, fight hard, and will most likely die hard. Problem is, I tend also to play hard.
For the past several months I’ve created quite a bit of pressure for myself. The past two months have been particularly intense. I have not been able to schedule a day for delivery since the day in April when JB arrived at the shack. The church’s response was well chronicled at the outset. We have been busy since along a justice line of endevour; while batting away DM’s agents like an unending swarm of mosquitoes.
The pressure came to a head in my universe last weekend. I had been working on a declaration in the Headley case. I knew once I signed it and it was filed, the game would take on a whole new dimension. I would be subjected to a new array of harassment techniques, right at the time I need to be settling down and producing a living. I was wrestling with ideas of how to gracefully bow out of entering the legal arena.
Last Friday, the night before I put my name in ink on the declarations, was our last night in New Orleans. I decided to go for broke in releasing steam. I knew it would be my last chance for many months to come.
We found ourselves the perfect r&b venue deep down Bourbon Street. We knocked back Hurricanes till we had the whole place doing the Electric Slide and Cupid’s Shuffle. Then the shots came. I did not know they were 180 proof till the next day when I tracked down the waitress to ask what it was that blindsided me.
At one point I bolted for the door for some air and space; unfortunately without informing the love of my life, who never would have allowed the following to happen. A kid was dribbling a basketball down the crowded street. You may have heard the racist joke about what happens when you roll a basketball down the street in certain neighborhoods. Well, I am the living proof it is not a race thing. I was raised on hoops and instinctively went and checked the kid. We both put on ball handling displays while checking one another, and of course talking a lot of trash.
Some horseback cops showed up and told me it was time to go home. I told them I had to fetch my wife first and headed back for the club. The doorman wouldn’t let me in with no shirt (which I stripped for the hoopless basketball contest). The cops didn’t appreciate my pit stop and pinned me against the wall with their horses. I didn’t tamely submit, though I never laid a hand on anyone.
I spent the next fourteen hours in the Hole at the Orleans Parish Prison. Ultimately, I learned quite a lot in the OPP Hole.
I had approximately 50 cell mates. Most were in for far more serious raps than the drunk and disorderly misdemeanors I was booked on.
I annoyed and entertained for the first few hours while I was still high as a kite. When it sunk in that I didn’t know where Mosey was and she didn’t know where I was I snapped into sobriety and anxiety.
And this lead to the lessons. First, the OPP Hole was a far more humane environment than the DM Hole at Int. In OPP, the First Amendment right to freedom of expression was not suppressed, not by the authorities nor by the prisoners. Even when my speech offended some no one resorted to nor even threatened violence.
When I was quietly lamenting about having no means to find Mosey, a particularly scary looking twenty-something kid with dreds approached me. He was up on his third drug charge (guaranteeing hard time in Angola and guaranteeing disqualification for any meaningful employment for the rest of his life). He gently took me aside and two-way commed me into some rationality. I then took interest in his story and those of others similarly situated. I returned the favor that had been done for me to several others. There wasn’t a single criminal in that cell whom I did not get along with and find something to like about. Every conversation I had was deeper and more meaningful and more caring than any conversation that was ever permitted in DM’s Hole.
Other Hole comparisons:
There were no attempted, let alone coerced, confessions in the OPP.
There was air conditioning in the OPP, something sometimes cut off as punishment in DM’s Hole.
There were some tough guards in the OPP, but never were they cruel or abusive as is required in DM’s Hole. And even one of them took interest in my personal dilemna.
There was no requirement to salute anyone, much less dogs.
There were no humiliating games like “musical chairs.”
There was no talk about people’s mothers – in fact, I got the distinct impression that was the one thing that would permit unbridled violence in OPP. I compared that to DM’s obsession to slander my mother who passed away nearly fifty years ago.
By mid afternoon on Saturday, Mosey and Jason Beghe had arranged my release. As I walked through the ghetto shirtless, and after receiving a couple other small acts of kindness from perfect down-and-out strangers, and then contemplating the OPP vs DM’s Hole, any doubts about what I would do with the Headley declaration dissolved.
Mosey and I returned to Bourbon Street, located some eye witnesses, debriefed them, and hired an inexpensive attorney. When the attorney briefed the City Attorney on what my witnesses had to say they dropped the charges as long as I forfeited my $300 bond which I did.
I have a motion pending to expunge the record in the case. It was done for the SOLE purpose of preventing the church from using it in court in its inimitable, sleazy style to divert attention from more serious matters at hand. Having publicly exposed the matter myself, I might well have wasted several hundred dollars on that motion. But, I felt compelled to speak now for two reasons:
First, because of recent developments, I am about to be disclosing some information about the dictator and his organization that is going to cause an incredible urge on his part to speed the arrival of my demise. I need a clean heart to withstand what I anticipate will be coming.
Second, recently there have been many what I consider to be over-the-top comments on this blog praising my character. If I’ve put forth my good side that much, you are entitled to know about the other side of me too. I have said it before that I am no angel and this movement is not about following some leader. I do not seek to be a leader. I have drawn inspiration from a wide variety of sources. One of them is social activist and rapper Chuck D of Public Enemy. He very effectively used the rap genre to help African-Americans raise their consciousness so as to erase slavery and colonialism mindsets that had been carefully cultivated over generations.
Chuck D said early in his career that he did not seek to be a leader, but instead his aim was to help create 5,000 black leaders. That has been, and remains a goal of mine: to help create 5,000 independent Scientologist leaders.
I went down for a spell, but I am not out by any means.
Thank you all for listening.
Special thanks to my brothers and sisters Ann, Karen, Mike, Christie, Tiziano, Jamie, JB, and Michael to whom this is not news and who pushed me back in the ring after Mosey and Jason pulled my sorry ass off the canvas.
I think of all ya’ll every time I hear this song, which is a lot lately.
Friends Lyrics: Nas & Damian Marley
[Sampled Vocal Intro]
[Chrous 1 ‐ Sample]
[Verse 1 ‐ JR. Gong]
These later days in Babylon
As I watch your children grow
And the years them carry on
And I miss you even more
Still I send them go to school
And tell them
What dem fi know
All of mi friend dem mi salute
Daddi gon and Lenny Screw
Another year has come and past
Man a drop like morning dew
Uncle Warrick sick and gone
When him couldn’t catch a flew
Picka T you a mi don
Respect long and overdue
When nothing never did a gwan
You still have on somethin’ new
Our friendship ever last
All when one minus from few
Yes we surely had a blast
We’re like family Me and you
A nuh every path you cross
Lead to somebody whe true
Of the many that are called
Only chosen is a few
[Chorus 2 – JR. Gong]
Of the real friends that serve you long
Your memories might fade
Your real friends will serve you long
Sunshine or rain
Your real friends will serve you long
Acquaintances will fade
Your real friends wont do you wrong
Real friend don’t change
[Verse 2 – Nas]
Only talking with winners
A loser or two
Got my number
Still they think they real
But they just really awfully bitter
Salty n-ggaz Hate the smarter ones
These are the doubters
Who s our ‘bout my run
I barely made it out the slums
My value high Cause I do more than
Rap about a gun
I made money for n-ggaz
Ya’ll never looking out for none
I helped millionaires get to that very position
Some real millionaires see that’s ill
Cause look at statistics
Real millionaires
And I ain’t talking ghetto riches
Thorough business
You mistreating n-ggaz
Heard your folks bleed in prison
You ain’t a G
And if you was
I don’t recall
Who would roll with ya’ll
Bunch a f-cking know it alls
Who’s dough is small
Look what’s it come to
Our rapport’s good no more
We was good before
Till I saw what type a dude you took me for
We had a chance to take paper down
What I took was more
Because of hatred
Opportunity wasted
[Chorus 3 – JR. Gong]
Your real friends will serve you long
Your car and clothes will fade
Your real friend wont do you wrong
Real friend don’t change Eh
[Verse 3 – JR. Gong]
Your real friend won’t run in war
Nuh care what the cost is
You real friends are in for all the wins and the losses
Fi Real!
No question at all
Them ready fi rise the tallest
Take to the enemies
All for one
And one for all this
Real friend will hear you out
No secret feelings
Real friends won’t sell you out
No bargain pleading
For real!
Always looking out
A meal!
When outside a drought
Your real!
Friend won’t hide you out
No
[Chorus 4 – JR. Gong]
Your real friends will serve you long
When all else fails
Your real friend wont do you wrong
Real friend don’t change
[Verse 4 – Nas]
May laughter
From backstabbers
Turn to tears faster
I wish for you
No snake shall slither past ya
You have to
Keep your vision clear
Cause only a coward lives in fear
My surroundings
Got only real powerful n-ggaz here
Real men we have a code of ethics
No question
No jealousies
No feminine tendencies
We expecting
No gossip
No phony logic
No counting your homey pocket
Spare no expense for legal defense
If your homey locked up
No keeping tabs
On who was the last who looked out
Selfishness
That’s a character flaw
No holding out
Yo what happened to the honor?
You’re dealing with
Sensitive Pre‐Madonna drama
Teflon love
For my dudes who solid
[Chorus 5 – JR. Gong]
Your real friends will serve you long
Your memories might fade
Your real friends will serve you long
Sunshine or rain, eh
Your real friends will serve you long, woe ya woe
When all else fails
Your real friends wont do you wrong
Real friend don’t change
My name is Jamie Sorrentini Lugli. My parents were on staff at the NY org in the early seventies and were disaffected for about 30 years. I got them back on the bridge when I discovered Scientology on my own in 2006. I also got my sister in around the same time.
I was always extremely close with both my parents. We had a very open communication line and they supported me in everything I did. And my father and I had a very special relationship – closer than most fathers and daughters I know. It was like we were telepathically and emotionally connected. Whenever my parents would fight I was there to listen to him. Whenever my Mom wasn’t around to make dinner, I would make dinner for him. And every night before bed we used to eat chocolate chip cookies together.
Jamie with her father
I got out of the church in January with my husband Tiziano. I was on OT Elig for a year and was not being accepted for unusual and invalid reasons. It all started when I refused to buy more Basic books after having already donated 25 libraries, and doing Patron with Honors. It then spiraled out of control when I got in Ethics trouble for buying a motorcycle (with money I “should have donated instead”) Also, as an actress, I played a stripper on a popular network TV show and I was told I was promoting myself as a “porn star” and I was not allowed to play characters below 2.0 on the tone scale. The list of insanity goes on and on but these are just a few highlights. In the end they gave me a program which was to train to Class 4 internship, do the complete Basics book and lectures line-up, redo the PTS/SP course ( because the entertainment industry is a “1.1. industry”) and to increase my “contributions”.
I was going to request a Board of Review but then I saw the St. Pete Times video interviews with Marty Rathbun and others who had left the church. Suddenly it all made sense and I knew there was no point in trying to fight this any longer. I could not support David Miscavige and his criminal activities anymore.
My mother left the church immediately as soon as she found out the truth about what was happening at the top. My father and sister still remain in the church and of course have disconnected from us. My mother is now seeking a divorce from my father for obvious reasons.
* *
On July 2nd Tiziano and I went to Clearwater for the Independents’ weekend and had a blast.
Jackson with Jamie and Tiziano
After the inaugural Independent’s Deep Sea Fishing Tournament, Tiziano, Gary Jackson Moorehead and myself decided to swing by the Oak Cove and try to see Flavio, Tiziano’s brother who is an auditor. We knew we wouldn’t be able to “trespass” and go inside the parking lot to get to the actual building, but we thought maybe if we stood on the curb, we would be able to see him getting on the bus to go to dinner.
So we stood outside yelling “FLAVIO FLAVIO!” Security guards were watching us and anyone who recognized us and attempted to communicate were told, “Don’t talk to them. They are declared Suppressives.” We knew there was no way they were going to let Flavio out of that building. As it was, SO members had to run out of the side door and jump onto the bus one at a time, to keep them sheltered from the EVIL SPs that were outside on the street “attacking the church.”
Tiziano and Flavio when they were younger
After about an hour of trying to get Flavio’s attention, we decide to leave and go back to Mike and Christie’s. Since my father lives at 500 Osceola (the apartment building just next door to the Sandcastle) I say to Tiziano, “Let’s drive by there and just see if my father’s scooter is there.” (He drives around on a red scooter because he gave all his money to the church and cannot afford to buy himself a car.) We pull up in our convertible and in that moment I see my father on his red scooter about to exit the parking lot. I tell Tiziano, “Stop the car!” and I jump out and run towards him. I had not planned to even try to talk to him on this trip but when I saw him, it was like something overcame me and I just knew I had to get to him.
Funny thing is, I had been wearing my flip flops every day that we had been in Clearwater, but that morning I had put my running shoes on. I hadn’t felt like wearing them, but something had told me to put them on. I had no idea that I would be sprinting through a parking lot in them, in a desperate attempt to reconnect with my father.
So, I am running towards him, shouting “DAD, DAD!!!” And he turns the scooter around and heads to the opposite side of the parking lot. He’s trying to get away from me! OMG! I can’t believe it. So I break into a full sprint running as fast as I can, yelling for him. I see him park the scooter and take off running around the back of the building. I am in shock, with adrenaline pumping through me. I run through the building and see him come up the back stairs, heading towards a glass door that leads to the lobby. I yell at him, “Dad, don’t you run from me. Don’t do this. I’m your fucking daughter!” As I run down the hallway, I see him open the door and yell at the security guard in a panicked voice, “Lock the door, don’t let her in!” I try to run past the guard but she grabs my arm and stops me. I lose him. I was seconds away.
In my mind, I just wanted to jump on him and hug him, thinking that once he felt my arms around him he would give up and just hug me back. But I was horrified at his reaction, to have my own father who I was so close with my whole life, who once looked at me with love and affection now looking at me and running from me like I was a murderer chasing him with a gun.
The guard locks the door and won’t let me in. I break into sobs and beg her to let me in to talk to him. I explain that he is my father and that he won’t talk to me because he was told by the church that he is not allowed to have any communication with me. She says she will go talk to him.
In the meantime, Tiziano and Jackon show up and I fill them in. The guard comes back down and says that my father is very upset and that he said he does not want to talk to me and that I need to leave because I am on private property. Jackson explains about disconnection and how all I want to do is see my father and within a few minutes she is crying herself. I keep begging her to let me go up to his apartment door, but she says she can’t allow me to do that. At this point, I think all four of us have tears coming down our cheeks.
Tiziano’s brother disconnected from him, Jackson was torn apart from his wife; we had all felt the pain of the COS-enforced-disconnection. And now this naïve security guard, who could not believe what she had witnessed, knew this pain. It reinforced our individual losses in the shared experience, and it was pretty intense.
* *
Isn’t it ironic how Scientology is supposed to teach people how to communicate and help them to be able to confront things yet these “dedicated Scientologists” can do nothing but run ?
It took me a bit to get over the shock of what transpired. But I know that as bad as I feel about it, he feels worse. I knew that I was upholding my integrity and doing what was right. He can’t say the same. Deep down he knows it’s wrong to abandon his flesh and blood. And he’s missing out on sharing my milestones, my wins.
soul mates
I am living my life now. The one I want to live, not the one the church thinks I should live. My life is fantastic. I am married to my soul mate. We just bought a house and are creating on our life together. My career is moving forward and I am living my dream.
My father has lost everything he has worked for his whole life- his wife, his daughter, his future. He has given every cent he has to the church. He has 80,000 dollars of debt, he drives a scooter because he can’t afford to buy a car and even worse, he is living alone after 34 years of marriage. It makes me wonder, how far will one go to keep making themselves right?
jamie@jamiesorrentini.com
Dad, if you are listening, I love you and I am here for you as always. You will always be a part of my life and whenever you choose to come back to me I will have your glass of milk and some chocolate chip cookies ready to share with you like the good old days.
I had the privilege of spending a couple days as a guest at Claire’s and Marc’s home not too long ago. I got to spend some quality time with them and other friends. I learned something that I did not know before. After talking to a number of people I learned that Claire and Marc only ever got into a confict with DM’s organization because of an RTC retaliation campaign conducted against them. Their crime? Assisting a friend to escape from imprisonment where she received some of the worst kind of mind manipulation I have ever heard of Miscavige performing. Once again, DM created a state of mind in others that the only way to survive his persecution and harrassment was to turn to the courts. I generally advise people to stay away from the courts if they can avoid it; it is too costly and has uncertain results, particularly when one is up against a corporation with unlimited financial resources and run by a sociopath.
Accordingly, I did some study on their legal case. I saw the most patent, wall of sworn falsehoods being thrown at them by an army of well-heeled lawyers (and perjury-willing church “witnesses”). I decided to do what I could to help counter-balance the fraud RTC is attempting to pass off on the court. The link below is a copy of the declaration I drafted and later signed in support of a critical legal issue being litigated at the moment.
I suggest to anyone who knew Marc or Claire during their years in the church to contact them to share any facts that might be relevant to their case. They stood up alone and have sacrificed much to stay standing as long as they have.
We had an incredible week. Independents’ weekend, the Florida wedding, then another wedding in New York for family. Then off for time alone. Thanks to all who passed on good wishes.
We are on the eve of the mid-July time period that I earlier predicted would mark the beginning of one long, hot – and sometimes ugly – summer.
As a short calm before the storm, Il Maestro – by popular demand – produced a video of the wedding. So, for those who couldn’t attend here you go. Then, fasten your safety belts.
The first annual Independent’s Weekend was a smashing success. About 65 Independents gathered for a host of activities over the July 4th weekend. We wish to thank everyone who came and made this such a memorable weekend – the friendship and camaraderie was beyond wonderful.
The first celebrants rolled in Friday for an impromptu get-together. Sam’s arrival all the way from the UK and Jim Logan’s arrival from Nova Scotia created theta waves so real you could reach out and grab them! Saturday, everyone started gathering in the morning at our home and by 7pm a large crowd were in attendance for the wedding. Marty and Mosey vowed their love and the crowd rejoiced! There was singing, dancing, laughing, and more. The party continued until late, even after the newlyweds left for the resort nearby. It wasn’t long after the last people left that the first began arriving for the Sunday Independent’s Day barbecue. By mid-afternoon the head count was above 70 with conversations buzzing everywhere again until late into the night. Tiziano, Jamie and Safetyman Jackson conducted an impressive fireworks display (in spite of the DMbot PI who attempted to run over the fireworks in an extremely dangerous maneuver). We received a thank you card this morning from our next door neighbor stating the following: “Dear Neighbor: Thank you so much for the outstanding 4th fireworks! They were awesome and greatly enjoyed! Welcome to our area. Signed….” The young man who delivered the card told us that his elderly mother is not able to get out of her house much and she was so happy to be able to enjoy the show.
Monday morning, those who had not had to go home gathered at Starbucks in downtown Clearwater (right next to Flag) before heading out for the inaugural Independent’s Deep Sea Fishing Tournament. For anyone who has not visited downtown Clearwater for some time, the activity level is dead and the tone-level grim. The public and staff were being kept out of sight in case they came in contact with an SP, funny how Scientologists have come to literally fear communication – when the handling of comm is supposed to be the hallmark of the subject. That morning downtown Clearwater was abuzz due to the presence of the Independents and their unrelentless insouciance. And a couple of Scientologists that did happen to run the crowd were even uplifted by the infectious happiness that was present.
The Fishing Tournament, organized by the dedicated Shannon and Hiro Kimoto, was a joyous group extroversion. After the fishing trip those who were still here gathered once again at our house for dinner and a “fireside chat”. Stories were told and many, many more laughs were had.
Overall the weekend was a pleasure moment that will last a lifetime and more. Friends were reunited and purpose lit on fire. This is a true group.
Special thanks are in order for a number of people who went out of their way to help make the weekend a success (in no particular order): The James gang, Tiziano and Jamie Lugli, Karen DeLaCarriere, Michael Laws, Shannon and Hiro Kimoto, Just Me, Steve Hall (who designed the new logo for the Independents and two celebratory banners as well as being the “official” photographer), Jack Airey (for getting the banners and flag produced), Jan Weiss, Tom and Mary Jo DePhillips, Veritas, Bruce Pratt (and Bruce deserves a special nod for driving to and from Tampa airport a dozen times as the unofficial “official” driver), Silvia Kusada, Gary (Jackson) Moorehead, Natalie & Brad Hagemo, Alison Andrus and Tom Devocht, John Nunez (“Chief” official photographer), JB, Jim Logan, Sam Domingo, Jackie & Paul B and Sofie Lefebre.
We very much look forward to the next gathering, which will no doubt be exponentially bigger. See you there!
Our most sincere thanks to the Right Reverend Michael J Rinder and organizing wizard extraordinaire Christie King Collbran for pulling off a spectacular first Independent Scientologist wedding. You two are the best!
As you know, months ago I started keeping blog stats and offering observations about the social media phenomenon I saw your blog becoming. Yesterday, on the first anniversary of your first post, I sat down and recalled some of the events we’ve all shared here. This very special Fourth of July weekend, please take time to look back on this past year to appreciate and enjoy what you’ve accomplished. Here are some highlights of Year One of ‘Moving on Up a Little Higher.’
1 July – Following the publication of the St. Pete Times’ ‘Truth Rundown, Part One,’ Marty created his blog, ‘Moving on Up a Little Higher.’ He posted to it five times in July. A few people noticed and honored the blog with a total of 48 comments.
2 August – Marty got serious in August and put up 25 posts. The St. Pete Times published ‘Truth Rundown, Part Two.’ Comments that month were just shy of 600. It looked like his blog might have some legs.
3 September – In September Tom Cruise’s lawyer wrote a letter, and Marty wrote one back. Familiar names and faces began to arrive here. Total comments to the blog that month neared 1,000. Marty’s post entitled ‘Mike Rinder’ was the first post to earn 100+ comments.
4 October – Marty soldiered on. He posted Paul Haggis’s resignation letter. ‘Nightline’ did its own series on the St. Pete Times’ ‘Truth Rundown’ series. Site traffic spiked. That month four posts earned 100+ comments, and total comments that month doubled to almost 2,000.
5 November – In November ‘Truth Rundown, Part Three’ was published. More Scientologists declared their independence, and a single post on Marty’s blog finally earned 200+ comments.
6 December – Mike, Marty and Mosey went to London. A good time was had by all. Then they came home for Christmas, and just before New Year’s all hell broke loose. The blog was hacked and down for a week. Isn’t life exciting?
7 January – Marty got the blog back up, posting 31 times in January. Total visitor comments that month hit 3,280, an 86% increase from the previous monthly high. Two posts earned 200+ comments, and 14 others earned 100+. And these don’t even count the ones lost when the blog went down. For the first time, average comments/day exceeded 100.
8 February – The short Valentine’s month managed to generate even more comments. Two posts (one by Mike, one by Marty) earned 300+ comments, four earned 200+, and 10 earned 100+. More about life at Int was revealed, harassment was discussed, Independents were honored, and Mosey had a birthday.
9 March – March winds blew in with the Sunday New York Times front-page article about the Church’s crimes against families (with a link to the blog) and Christie’s ‘Today Show’ appearance. We discussed the Second Dynamic, and Marty declared he was no angel (although not in the same post). March blew out like a lion in the middle of the Anderson Cooper 360 week-long series.
10 April – April saw the Church’s escalating over-reactions to Independents’ calls for justice. Marty called for DM to ‘Free Heber.’ Mike and friends tried to visit his son at Flag. Haydn called for an end to DM’s dictatorship. In response, DM sent a gang to assault Mike in a parking lot. By month’s end, JB came home, followed by 20 little friends and assorted PIs. Down at the blog, monthly comments rose 43% to another all-time high of 4,500. Mike’s April post detailing the parking lot encounter is still the all-time high-response post with nearly 800 comments.
11 May – In May the blog declared the church dead, called for IAS’s dissolution, described the Freewinds below-decks gulag, and cheered for a new long life for Scientology. Friends now gone were mourned and honored. Marty posted his first video briefing. JB teased his PIs. We learned that DM ridiculed Tom Cruise’s confidences by reading his session worksheets to cronies while drinking scotch. Again, site traffic soared. Four blog posts earned 300+ comments, ten earned 200+ and twelve earned 100+. Total comments in May totaled 5,900, up 30% over April.
12 June – Last month saw posts about children, family, community and reverse scientology. Tiziano and Jamie played games in the Hollywood Hills. Mosey blew off OSA-bots, and Marty loved his pride and joy. Rap and cowboy music rang in idle and idol orgs, while new independents showed up and said, ‘Boo!’ JB and Marty went a’traveling out West. Then Karen, Heber’s ex, came out and ended Year One with a ‘Hell, no!’ bang. Total comments in June were again highest ever at over 6,500.
Marty, in one year you have shouted out to thousands and heard many of them shout back. You, Mike and your friends have written and published 288 blog posts, elicited over 33,000 comments and invited 1.6 million site visits. You’ve attracted many lurkers—frightened, curious, critics, anons, bashers and probably DM, too. This is no longer a blog—as they say on the Web, with these metrics you’ve created an internet media outlet.
But much more importantly, this blog is a community we all built, we souls who are finding each other again, rekindling younger dreams, listening to each other, learning tolerance and respect, finding our respective paths. No one can predict exactly what will happen next, but I am betting it will be restorative and fascinating and fun. Thank you for this wonderful game!
Moving On Up a Little Higher 