CommunicatorIC
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David Braverman has been Declared a Suppressive Person by the Church of Scientology.
The post is long, and cannot adequately be summarized nor excerpted -- though that of course won't stop me from attempting the latter.
The article is well worth reading in full.
Mike Rinder: David Braverman — A Too Familiar Story
http://www.mikerindersblog.org/david-braverman-a-too-familiar-story/
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As for raising money, we were 1.2 million short the night before the so-called deadline. So two OT committed members, Chuck Simon and Michael Holstein, gathered about 15 of us together around midnight, and said that they would get a bank loan for the 1.2M balance the next day if we each would sign an agreement to pay back our share, which came to $76,000 each, with interest, at the rate of $1000 per month for the next bunch of years till it was paid off. Some of the guys refused, the rest of us signed. Later the Org knighted us the “Legion of Heroes.”
* * * * END EXCERPT * * * * *
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Anyhow as you can imagine the conversation didn’t go well, and after a few minutes I began to let him know that I didn’t like the way Int Management was running the Church, specifically the excruciating regging, the catastrophically stupid Ideal Org program, the cruel realities of disconnection, and the fear Scientologists had of seeking information or speaking their mind, among other things. I asked him if he had received Debbie Cook’s email and he said he had. I asked him what he thought of it and he looked at me like I was an idiot and said “well I didn’t read it,” you know, once he realized that the contents were critical. I said “OK, let’s get this straight: Debbie Cook, CO of Flag for 13 years, who had gotten more people up the bridge than you’ll ever even meet, has something to say and you are not even interested?” He muttered something about how some enemy line had gotten to her. And not only that, but he also said that I must be a “borderline” SP.
Well, I had never heard of a “borderline” SP, but I figured a sharp guy like Frank would know one when he saw one. At any rate, I saw no reason to continue the conversation so I got up and began to make my way to the exit, with Frank yelling across Starbucks at me that I had “evil purposes”, and now even the baristas knew. The man was a total robotic bubble-dwelling tape-loop. No room for conflict in his life.
I guess it took about 2 or 3 months before the envelope arrived from the International Justice Chief informing me that I was now an SP, just like Marc Headley.…maybe even worse! (Only kidding Marc, if you’re reading this. I’m sure you’re much worse.) There was no inquiry, no committee of Evidence, not even a request for a meeting or a phone conversation or any clarification on my part (just in case maybe Frank had misunderstood). The declare itself was not in the envelope, just a letter and the suppressive acts policy with all the bad stuff I had done highlighted.
* * * * END EXCERPT * * * * *
* * * * * BEGIN EXCERPT * * * * *
After my declare I was still paying off the $1000 per month “Legion of Heroes” money, which had dragged on for reasons I won’t get into. Of course, I had no interest in the Ideal Org, but the money at this point was a debt I agreed to pay Chuck Simon and Michael Holstein as individuals, and I didn’t want to not pay them.
* * * * END EXCERPT * * * * *
* * * * * BEGIN EXCERPT * * * * *
Then on a hunch I went on the “Philly Freedom” Ideal Org website to find my name on the donors list. I figured I was at least in some upper status like “Super Emeritus” or something.
Surprise, surprise! My name was not on the list at all.
Now, don’t misunderstand, I could give a shit whether my name is on the Ideal Org donors list. But this pissed me off. I mean, I gave a lot of money (not to mention the catering, and my supporting role in the Golden-Era-productions-Philly-Ideal-Org feature). So I wrote a letter, a real letter, on real paper, explaining that I know I’m an SP and all, but nevertheless I donated to the Ideal Org with a sincere desire to help, a LOT of money, and therefore why was my name removed from the donors list? I sent the letter to Chuck, Michael, Steve Oleck (the ED of the Org), and the chairman of the OT committee. Of course I had no expectations of actually having my name put back on the donors list, but I thought they should at least be made aware of their hypocrisy.
I sent each person the hard copy of the letter, and emailed it to each of them as well, twice. I got no response from anyone, except Chuck. He told me he would look into it. This went on for several months, during which time I sent him reminders every couple of weeks. Finally he sent an email back saying why didn’t I contact the people in charge myself. Well, I thought I had done that, but I asked him who he suggested I contact who would communicate with me. He said he would get back to me on that, and a couple of days later he sent me email which said I should contact the International Justice Chief, and he conveniently provided me with the address.
So I wrote back to Steve, explaining to him that if my name was to be put back on the list, the decision would have to be made on a local level, by individuals choosing to actually do the right thing, defying whatever policy they thought they were following. I told him that if I contacted the IJC as he suggested there were two possible outcomes. Outcome #1: (most likely) no response at all, or outcome #2: I would be told to do A to E, which was not going to happen.
By that time I had finished paying Steve the money, and I haven’t heard from him since. I haven’t written either. I suppose I could pursue this matter more vigorously, but life’s too short.
I have to say my life since being declared just gets better and better.
* * * * END EXCERPT * * * * *
The post is long, and cannot adequately be summarized nor excerpted -- though that of course won't stop me from attempting the latter.
The article is well worth reading in full.
Mike Rinder: David Braverman — A Too Familiar Story
http://www.mikerindersblog.org/david-braverman-a-too-familiar-story/
* * * * * BEGIN EXCERPT * * * * *
As for raising money, we were 1.2 million short the night before the so-called deadline. So two OT committed members, Chuck Simon and Michael Holstein, gathered about 15 of us together around midnight, and said that they would get a bank loan for the 1.2M balance the next day if we each would sign an agreement to pay back our share, which came to $76,000 each, with interest, at the rate of $1000 per month for the next bunch of years till it was paid off. Some of the guys refused, the rest of us signed. Later the Org knighted us the “Legion of Heroes.”
* * * * END EXCERPT * * * * *
* * * * * BEGIN EXCERPT * * * * *
Anyhow as you can imagine the conversation didn’t go well, and after a few minutes I began to let him know that I didn’t like the way Int Management was running the Church, specifically the excruciating regging, the catastrophically stupid Ideal Org program, the cruel realities of disconnection, and the fear Scientologists had of seeking information or speaking their mind, among other things. I asked him if he had received Debbie Cook’s email and he said he had. I asked him what he thought of it and he looked at me like I was an idiot and said “well I didn’t read it,” you know, once he realized that the contents were critical. I said “OK, let’s get this straight: Debbie Cook, CO of Flag for 13 years, who had gotten more people up the bridge than you’ll ever even meet, has something to say and you are not even interested?” He muttered something about how some enemy line had gotten to her. And not only that, but he also said that I must be a “borderline” SP.
Well, I had never heard of a “borderline” SP, but I figured a sharp guy like Frank would know one when he saw one. At any rate, I saw no reason to continue the conversation so I got up and began to make my way to the exit, with Frank yelling across Starbucks at me that I had “evil purposes”, and now even the baristas knew. The man was a total robotic bubble-dwelling tape-loop. No room for conflict in his life.
I guess it took about 2 or 3 months before the envelope arrived from the International Justice Chief informing me that I was now an SP, just like Marc Headley.…maybe even worse! (Only kidding Marc, if you’re reading this. I’m sure you’re much worse.) There was no inquiry, no committee of Evidence, not even a request for a meeting or a phone conversation or any clarification on my part (just in case maybe Frank had misunderstood). The declare itself was not in the envelope, just a letter and the suppressive acts policy with all the bad stuff I had done highlighted.
* * * * END EXCERPT * * * * *
* * * * * BEGIN EXCERPT * * * * *
After my declare I was still paying off the $1000 per month “Legion of Heroes” money, which had dragged on for reasons I won’t get into. Of course, I had no interest in the Ideal Org, but the money at this point was a debt I agreed to pay Chuck Simon and Michael Holstein as individuals, and I didn’t want to not pay them.
* * * * END EXCERPT * * * * *
* * * * * BEGIN EXCERPT * * * * *
Then on a hunch I went on the “Philly Freedom” Ideal Org website to find my name on the donors list. I figured I was at least in some upper status like “Super Emeritus” or something.
Surprise, surprise! My name was not on the list at all.
Now, don’t misunderstand, I could give a shit whether my name is on the Ideal Org donors list. But this pissed me off. I mean, I gave a lot of money (not to mention the catering, and my supporting role in the Golden-Era-productions-Philly-Ideal-Org feature). So I wrote a letter, a real letter, on real paper, explaining that I know I’m an SP and all, but nevertheless I donated to the Ideal Org with a sincere desire to help, a LOT of money, and therefore why was my name removed from the donors list? I sent the letter to Chuck, Michael, Steve Oleck (the ED of the Org), and the chairman of the OT committee. Of course I had no expectations of actually having my name put back on the donors list, but I thought they should at least be made aware of their hypocrisy.
I sent each person the hard copy of the letter, and emailed it to each of them as well, twice. I got no response from anyone, except Chuck. He told me he would look into it. This went on for several months, during which time I sent him reminders every couple of weeks. Finally he sent an email back saying why didn’t I contact the people in charge myself. Well, I thought I had done that, but I asked him who he suggested I contact who would communicate with me. He said he would get back to me on that, and a couple of days later he sent me email which said I should contact the International Justice Chief, and he conveniently provided me with the address.
So I wrote back to Steve, explaining to him that if my name was to be put back on the list, the decision would have to be made on a local level, by individuals choosing to actually do the right thing, defying whatever policy they thought they were following. I told him that if I contacted the IJC as he suggested there were two possible outcomes. Outcome #1: (most likely) no response at all, or outcome #2: I would be told to do A to E, which was not going to happen.
By that time I had finished paying Steve the money, and I haven’t heard from him since. I haven’t written either. I suppose I could pursue this matter more vigorously, but life’s too short.
I have to say my life since being declared just gets better and better.
* * * * END EXCERPT * * * * *
