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Children working in "the pit"

Emma

Con te partirò
Administrator
This story was posted by "exstaff" to OCMB. I'm reposting it here so it can be archived.

http://ocmb.xenu.net/ocmb/viewtopic.php?t=25886

What you are about to read is a real account... this is not a joke, not a prank and most definately is not humor...

This is a real person, devastated and destroyed by the Church of Scientology...

"This is a true story. I almost find it comical, though the meaning of it is a bad omen. Years ago, I was a member of the EPF. It's been a while. This all happened at the PAC base, in Hollywood, California. I was having to be re-indoctrinated by superiors due to my "misuse of study time". This meant little to me, because I was studying things of little real use to me. Instead, because I was struggling, like any normal child does while studying, and because I could not get anyone to help me (Another problem they commonly have), I decided to do some real learning while I waited. So I started reading an Encyclopidia. They sent me to do "ethics" because of this, and this is how I came to the situation in question.

It started with a punishment. There were a group of roughly six children in the same boat as me, for one reason or another, and the man in charge of the EPF felt we needed a break from our indocrination. So he proposed we do some labor. The labor was easily accepted over the torturous hours telling our superiors what they wanted to hear so we could get out of the place. He sent us to clean a place he called "the Pit". Now that right there was a sign to me. Another was going to the Kitchens and getting on rubber boots and aprons. But it wasn't until we actually got down to the basement that I decided to clean something else. The entrance was a large hole in the celling, and you could only see some rusted pipes from where you stand, but it was the smell that got me. Such a nasty smell. I told my fellow EPFers that I'd just sweep the floor just outside, and that I didn't want to go into 'the pit'. They were so excited, and I still to this day don't know why. But the second you jump through that hole, you're waist deep.... in Shit. I'm not being figuritve, I'm being literal. In the Pit, a sewage pipe had busted, and filled the locality with sewage. 'cleaning the pit' meant cleaning the broken pipes of this section. Now, as I was standing there, doing my sweeping, there was no sound but my fellows talking as they cleaned. Then came the scream. When one of them got out, she had what I can only consider a wound around her eye. The superiors did not take her to the hospital, no, that would bring up questions. instead, she went to the sci-doctor they had on the base, who cleared her to work the next day! And she did, with a puffy, infected looking eye. The other children simply hit the showers, and none of us questioned why children were stuck cleaning up broken pipes in sewage so high that you had to wash for 45 mins. We never worried about the injured girl, we had been told not to. We never thought anything was wrong.


Shortly afterward, I had a 'friend' finish the EPF. We'd gone through the same harsh times, but something had to have been different for him. He sat down, first morning, and when he ate breakfast with us just once, and only once, I noticed something quite unnerving. He had no empathetic emotions left. Something had changed about him, he had a clear sense of arrogance, and he actually seemed to think we were suddenly beneath him. His demeanor gave him away.


I'm not sure what the people in Scientology are doing to children, but it is definitely not a good thing. If any of you have children you've entrusted to 'superiors', I'd suggest you take a renewed interest in them. And most importantly, those of you that have entrusted your fellows so, remember: You made someone their guardian while they are not with you when they left your care, most likely legally. Why aren't those guardians doing anything? And of course, the more unnerving question, what rights does that give them over your child? I'd look into that subject a bit harder, because something is very wrong with how those children are being brought up in your abscence.


I will not sign my name to this for fear of what the scientologists will do to me if I do. I've witnessed their tactics firsthand, and I know what they do to their enemies. I will remain anonymous, and I will never forgive what they did to me and my family, nor will I ever forget my outrage over their actions."

This video says it all...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9njhcQUlXc

I make a point to watch Schindler's List every year...The little boy in the outhouse in order to survive...

This is the life that Scientology promises to your children...
 

Bea Kiddo

Crusader
I am racking my brain trying to think where the pit is. I dont know that place. I know about rats alley, which is what it sounds like they are talking about. Because to access it you have to go in a hole that is on the upper part of the wall in the basement of the main building. I spent many months there. Yes, I was underage.

I was 16 and 17, I think.
 

Giuseppe

Patron with Honors
This story was posted by "exstaff" to OCMB. I'm reposting it here so it can be archived.

Giuseppe spends many months in Rats alley, which is what you are talking about. Giuseppe used to play in there as a kid also.
 

Fancy

Patron Meritorious
And to think when I was there I thought it heaven on earth. Paradise. So fooled I was. Sad I was like that.

Even though I had my upset it was nothing like most went through. My was my own ignorance and being gullible.

Barb
 

Bea Kiddo

Crusader
well, if the pit is the same as rats alley, I can describe it:

The entrance to it is 6 or 7 feet off the ground. It is a level below the ground floor of the complex (big blue on Sunset and LRH Way). It is directly below the galley/kitchen, which takes up approximately 1/2 of the floor on the ground level.

In the late 80's and early 90's, the entire floor was covered with 3 inches of water. We use to roll around on dollys under there. We would get sent in to clean the pipes. The reason was I guess because it would attract cockroaches and they wanted us to prevent that. In the far right corner of the rats alley was a direct line to the LA sewer system. (The room, I would estimate, which is 4 feet high so you really cant stand there, you have to bend down to walk, or lay on your back on a dolly and roll around. I would say it is about 100 feet in width and 150 - 200 feet long. Maybe I am totally off - it was a huge space, just not very tall).

The wall furthest away was just moving with huge cockroaches. Thousands of them. Maybe millions. I dont know. Our target was to get rid of the bugs and clean the pipes.

---

I guess the name rats alley was because it used to have rats. Not ever when I was there. Only cockroaches.

I remember one time I was cleaning by one of the walls on the right and a pipe, which was open at one end, starting pouring out water, loaded with cockroaches. These were the BIG ones. All of them were.

----

Movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark never spooked me. Because I knew those bugs were fake. These in rats alley were very real and very gross.

----

One girl on the RPF went nuts (several times). Her name was Jean Bennick. She decided to live in rats alley for 6 weeks. They brought her food and she stayed in there day and night.

So gross.

Gawd I cant believe some of the stuff I used to put up with.
 

DartSmohen

Silver Meritorious Patron
Mistreatment of children didn't start there.

In 1968 on the Royal Scotsman, there was a 7yo kid, Derek Green. On reflection I think he suffered from ADD.

Hubbard said the kid was an SP and ordered him to be put in the chain locker.

I think everyone on board was sickened by that act, but no one said or did anything in case they followed. It was right after that that things began to go terribly wrong.
 

Bea Kiddo

Crusader
Mistreatment of children didn't start there.

In 1968 on the Royal Scotsman, there was a 7yo kid, Derek Green. On reflection I think he suffered from ADD.

Hubbard said the kid was an SP and ordered him to be put in the chain locker.

I think everyone on board was sickened by that act, but no one said or did anything in case they followed. It was right after that that things began to go terribly wrong.

I audited a PC who told me about being put in the chain locker on several occasions as a child on the ship. She was from South Africa. Maybe you know of her too.

She got sent to the Childrens RPF because she threw water over the ship ledge and some sprinkles get on LRH.

Errors are overts are evil are SP?

What kind of a church is that?
 

Zinjifar

Silver Meritorious Sponsor
Errors are overts are evil are SP?

What kind of a church is that?

One that adheres to its own self-serving-yet-bizarre 'dogma'?

After all, 'total responsibility' means responsibility for *everything*. There *are* no 'errors'.

Zinj
 

DartSmohen

Silver Meritorious Patron
I audited a PC who told me about being put in the chain locker on several occasions as a child on the ship. She was from South Africa. Maybe you know of her too.

She got sent to the Childrens RPF because she threw water over the ship ledge and some sprinkles get on LRH.

Errors are overts are evil are SP?

What kind of a church is that?

----------------------------------------------------------------------

This must have happened after I came off the ship in 1969. We had no RPF at that time. The lowest level was TPF, Tank Project Force where people were forced to chip out tanks, laying on their backs in very claustrophobic conditions.

We had pretty well lost most of the kids at the time. I remember a couple of scalliwags, Tyler "Tiger" Turley and Larry McDonald.

Tiger was always getting into trouble. We all liked him (except Hubbard). The kids must have been bored witless on the ship.

Larry, (Diane McDonald's son) was a real work of art. He was an out and out thief, forever breaking into people's cabins and raiding their ciggies and booze. But you couldn't help liking him. His mother (a real "lifer" in the cult) was the LRH Comm and was known among the guys as " Everybody's cleaning station". :omg: :coolwink:

The trouble was that the ship, the SO and all was Hubbard's game. He had no time for kids, especially his own. The kids were simply tolerated, an unavoidable interference. The families were moved off as quickly as convenient.

If the kids were teenagers, then they became absorbed into the CMO. On the ship the original group of Terri, Janis, Suzette and Ann were as bright as buttons. :happydance:

It was a Treason offence to impede their path if they were running somewhere on a message for Hubbard. :nazi: :nazi:

One night, I was off duty, I had taken a shower and got back to my cabin undressed and got into my bunk. There was knock on the door. I asked who was it. Suddenly the door opened and Suzette walked in. I had a portable record player and she put a record on, walked across to by bottle of Metaxa, poured herself a LARGE glass, helped herself to my ciggies and sat down cross legged on the floor, back against the door.

This was a bizarre sight. I am naked in my bunk, Suzette (13yo mind you!!) sitting on the floor smoking my fags, drinking my booze and grooving to my music! She is chatting away as if there wasn't a care in the world. At about 11;50pm she gets up, a bit unsteady, rinses out the glass and tells me she is now going on duty outside Hubbard's office! :omg: :omg: :omg:

You know that feeling when your life passes before your eyes?

The next morning I am sitting at the Officer's table and from across the room I can feel these eyes right on me. It was MSH. We all go up to leave (me right in the middle of the group) when MSH comes across and like a sheepdog sweeps into the pack, loops her arm through mine and sweetly asks if I have a minute!!! (A bit like when a shark is up up close smiling at you).

I tried explaining what had happened but MSH simply burst out laughing. Apparently Hubbard had exited the office, saw Suzette standing there swaying, sniffed her and ordered her to bed. MSH had got the story from her and did not me responsible. BUT, It won't happen again, will it????

Too bloody right it wouldn't.!!
 

Div6

Crusader
----------------------------------------------------------------------

This must have happened after I came off the ship in 1969. We had no RPF at that time. The lowest level was TPF, Tank Project Force where people were forced to chip out tanks, laying on their backs in very claustrophobic conditions.

We had pretty well lost most of the kids at the time. I remember a couple of scalliwags, Tyler "Tiger" Turley and Larry McDonald.

Tiger was always getting into trouble. We all liked him (except Hubbard). The kids must have been bored witless on the ship.

Larry, (Diane McDonald's son) was a real work of art. He was an out and out thief, forever breaking into people's cabins and raiding their ciggies and booze. But you couldn't help liking him. His mother (a real "lifer" in the cult) was the LRH Comm and was known among the guys as " Everybody's cleaning station". :omg: :coolwink:

The trouble was that the ship, the SO and all was Hubbard's game. He had no time for kids, especially his own. The kids were simply tolerated, an unavoidable interference. The families were moved off as quickly as convenient.

If the kids were teenagers, then they became absorbed into the CMO. On the ship the original group of Terri, Janis, Suzette and Ann were as bright as buttons. :happydance:

It was a Treason offence to impede their path if they were running somewhere on a message for Hubbard. :nazi: :nazi:

One night, I was off duty, I had taken a shower and got back to my cabin undressed and got into my bunk. There was knock on the door. I asked who was it. Suddenly the door opened and Suzette walked in. I had a portable record player and she put a record on, walked across to by bottle of Metaxa, poured herself a LARGE glass, helped herself to my ciggies and sat down cross legged on the floor, back against the door.

This was a bizarre sight. I am naked in my bunk, Suzette (13yo mind you!!) sitting on the floor smoking my fags, drinking my booze and grooving to my music! She is chatting away as if there wasn't a care in the world. At about 11;50pm she gets up, a bit unsteady, rinses out the glass and tells me she is now going on duty outside Hubbard's office! :omg: :omg: :omg:

You know that feeling when your life passes before your eyes?

The next morning I am sitting at the Officer's table and from across the room I can feel these eyes right on me. It was MSH. We all go up to leave (me right in the middle of the group) when MSH comes across and like a sheepdog sweeps into the pack, loops her arm through mine and sweetly asks if I have a minute!!! (A bit like when a shark is up up close smiling at you).

I tried explaining what had happened but MSH simply burst out laughing. Apparently Hubbard had exited the office, saw Suzette standing there swaying, sniffed her and ordered her to bed. MSH had got the story from her and did not me responsible. BUT, It won't happen again, will it????

Too bloody right it wouldn't.!!

Yeah, I'd probably start drinking heavily at an early age if old L. Ron was my dad too....:duh:
 

DartSmohen

Silver Meritorious Patron
Yeah, I'd probably start drinking heavily at an early age if old L. Ron was my dad too....:duh:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

I suppose it may run in the genes.

Did you,know that at St Hill Hubbard would drink a bottle of Jameson a night?:eyeroll:

In the morning, Corrie Ellis, a S. African woman who worked in the kitchens as MSH assistant would take a brown paper bag with the empty bottle in it around to the rubbish tip and smash it. It was a morning ritual about 8;30am.:wink2:

DS
 

Bea Kiddo

Crusader
I am so, so so glad that I was too young to go on the ship. My mom was thinking about joining the Sea Org from the time I was born (1972). By the time that she joined, it was 75. I dont know when the ship docked honestly. I am just glad that I did not end up there. I used to wish I had, so I could have met LRH. But now I am content to not have. Yeesh. Weird stories I have heard.

I dont know what year my pc was on the ship. But she was old enough to remember it.

Shes said many times she met DM there and he was an "asshole". LOL!!!
 

Zinjifar

Silver Meritorious Sponsor
I am so, so so glad that I was too young to go on the ship. My mom was thinking about joining the Sea Org from the time I was born (1972). By the time that she joined, it was 75. I dont know when the ship docked honestly. I am just glad that I did not end up there. I used to wish I had, so I could have met LRH. But now I am content to not have. Yeesh. Weird stories I have heard.

I dont know what year my pc was on the ship. But she was old enough to remember it.

Shes said many times she met DM there and he was an "asshole". LOL!!!

That reminds me. We have another thread about 'dystopias'

But, the story of David Miscavige is a different dystopian book:

Lord of the Flies

Zinj
 

Royal Prince Xenu

Trust the Psi Corps.
If this pit still exists, why isn't it reported as a severe health hazard? I'm fortunate in not having such a horrid experience, but they'ld have had one hell of a fight if they tried to get me to go in there.

SOMEONE WHO KNOWS CONTEMPORANEOUSLY THAT THIS IS HAPPENING SHOULD MAKE A FORMAL REPORT TO HEALTH AUTHORITIES.
 
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Bea Kiddo

Crusader
If this pit still exists, why isn't it reported as a severe health hazard? I'm fortunate in not having such a horrid experience, but they'ld have had one hell of a fight if they tried to get me to go in there.

SOMEONE WHO KNOWS CONTEMPORANEOUSLY THAT THIS IS HAPPENING SHOULD MAKE A FORMAL REPORT TO HEALTH AUTHORITIES.

I hate to say this, but "the pit", last time I checked it, was pretty spotless. Its been seriously cleaned up. It was nasty from the purchase of the building until the 90's sometime. They fixed it somehow...
 

Tanstaafl

Crusader
I hate to say this, but "the pit", last time I checked it, was pretty spotless. Its been seriously cleaned up. It was nasty from the purchase of the building until the 90's sometime. They fixed it somehow...

(my emphasis)
On the good side - doesn't that mean that the glare of publicity is enforcing positive changes? Even if it's not from a positive desire to improve conditions, it's still a good thing.
 

Dulloldfart

Squirrel Extraordinaire
I hate to say this, but "the pit", last time I checked it, was pretty spotless. Its been seriously cleaned up. It was nasty from the purchase of the building until the 90's sometime. They fixed it somehow...

It's hard to change names. I would have thought "Rats' Alley" would keep its name until the end of time. If some exec had forbidden its use for PR reasons and it had been renamed "the lower deck" or something innocuous, maybe, but "The Pit" is straight out of Edgar Allen Poe and no better than "Rats' Alley". Besides, I don't think you can jump into Rats' Alley. As far as I remember, the only entrance is that one halfway up the wall.

I was there twice when I was on the RPF, both in early 1996. The first time it had literally many thousands (I estimated the quantity at the time by counting how many in a square foot and multiplying by the area affected) of palmetto bugs twitching away. "Big cockroaches" might be grammatically correct but it makes one think of cockroaches rather than small birds, which would be closer as they fly too. Pushing yourself around on a little wheeled dolly with these creatures only inches above your head (the ceiling there is not uniformly four feet high as there are low cross beams too) is quite unnerving. I had to run hellos and OKs on them for about fifteen minutes before I could do it without freaking out.

The second time I was in there I didn't see one single bug. The floor was covered with a white powder that I was told was "harmless to humans" although toxic to bugs. Again wheeling around a few inches above the floor, breathing this stuff. Personally I preferred it the first time!

Paul
 

Zinjifar

Silver Meritorious Sponsor
It's hard to change names. I would have thought "Rats' Alley" would keep its name until the end of time. If some exec had forbidden its use for PR reasons and it had been renamed "the lower deck" or something innocuous, maybe, but "The Pit" is straight out of Edgar Allen Poe and no better than "Rats' Alley". Besides, I don't think you can jump into Rats' Alley. As far as I remember, the only entrance is that one halfway up the wall.

I was there twice when I was on the RPF, both in early 1996. The first time it had literally many thousands (I estimated the quantity at the time by counting how many in a square foot and multiplying by the area affected) of palmetto bugs twitching away. "Big cockroaches" might be grammatically correct but it makes one think of cockroaches rather than small birds, which would be closer as they fly too. Pushing yourself around on a little wheeled dolly with these creatures only inches above your head (the ceiling there is not uniformly four feet high as there are low cross beams too) is quite unnerving. I had to run hellos and OKs on them for about fifteen minutes before I could do it without freaking out.

The second time I was in there I didn't see one single bug. The floor was covered with a white powder that I was told was "harmless to humans" although toxic to bugs. Again wheeling around a few inches above the floor, breathing this stuff. Personally I preferred it the first time!

Paul

I would guess that the white powder was either boric acid or diatomaceous earth, neither of which is toxic, although, you probably wouldn't want to be breathing it any more than any other dust.

Zinj
 

everfree

Patron Meritorious
My understanding is that a common handling for roaches is finely ground up seashells. The little shards are sharp on a minute scale and penetrate the exoskeleton of the insect which kills it.

It would be mostly harmless to humans as stated but I suppose it could cause skin irritation and I wouldn't think you'd want to breathe it.

Edit: oh, ok: diatomaceous earth is a fancy-shmancy term for "ground up seashells". haha
 

Marie

Patron
I was there twice when I was on the RPF, both in early 1996. The first time it had literally many thousands (I estimated the quantity at the time by counting how many in a square foot and multiplying by the area affected) of palmetto bugs twitching away. "Big cockroaches" might be grammatically correct but it makes one think of cockroaches rather than small birds, which would be closer as they fly too.

Not to detract from the thread, but...:p

Funny story about those cockroaches...

I was in the galley doing cleaning, while on the EPF. I see this huge cockroach, I mean huge.... I grew up in a bad area of town when I was young so I had seem them before - but they must grow them big in LA.

Anyway, I wanted to kill it - but I didn't want to step on it because I would get a bit of crap on my shoe. So I found a paper plate, threw it over the bug and stomped on it a couple of times, went to pick it up and clean up the mess and the plate started moving :omg:.. I didn't know quite what to do, so I turned the broom over that I was using to sweep with and just started beating the heck out of plate with it... I must have killed it, but I didn't want to look. SO I just cleaned it up and went about my job.
 
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