I’m sure you’ve noticed a lack of activity here on Caliwog’s Blog for the last couple of weeks. Part of the reason is that I’ve simply been busy with the parts of my life that put a roof over my head and food on Mrs. Caliwog’s table. But another part is that based on everything I’m seeing and reading, I’m feeling extraordinarily satisfied with what’s happening on the protest movement vis-a-vis the Church and Marty Rathbun.
I started this blog out of my concern that legitimate protesters might not really see what Marty was up to. I am still disturbed that people like Jason Beghe, Tori Christman, Amy Scobee, and even Mark Bunker – all heroes of the movement, as far as I am concerned – have all, in some small way, lent their support to what Marty is doing. That really bothers me.
But in reading Why We Protest and ESMB, it becomes clear to me that people understand what Marty is up to, and that he regularly censors dissent and re-writes history, just like Scientology trained him to do. People understand that he really isn’t any better than David Miscavige or L. Ron Hubbard. I’d like to take some small measure of credit for this, but the truth is that Marty is so obviously full of shit that it’s hard not to figure this out on your own.
The fact that Jesse Prince started speaking out and calling Marty on his bullshit comes as a huge relief. Humans are social animals, so it should come as no surprise that ex-high-ranking Scios are eager to clump together like urine in a cat box. It’s good to see Jesse tell it like it is without fear of making Marty angry. (Like the military, rank is a big deal in Scientology, and Scios are often reluctant to speak out against their perceived betters.) The fact that Jesse can say what he has to say without letting emotion get the better of him is an amazing accomplishment. It’s certainly something I can’t always manage, and I didn’t allow L. Ron Hubbard to take over the best years of my life!
And I can’t go on without mentioning my friend Aaron Saxton. Aaron has become a controversial figure in the protest movement, and it’s unfortunate that so many people can’t see past the baggage and just hear what he has to say. Aaron is perhaps the finest living example of what Scientology does to a person, and he’s willing to talk about all of it – no matter how bad his actions were – because getting the truth out is more important to him than getting people’s approval. To this day, Aaron’s video interview (starting here) remains one of the best and most candid illustrations of what growing up in Scientology and the Sea Org – the Hubbard Youth, if you will – does to a person. If Marty had even one-tenth of one percent of Aaron’s candor, bravery and honestly, I might have some shred of respect for him.
And then there is the scuffle between Marty Rathbun and the Church. Most of Marty’s attention is now devoted to the light-weight harassment he’s getting; the Church, meanwhile, knows they’ve found a button, and will continue to press it. While I feel that any harassment is wrong, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying the antics between them. The truth is, either the Church has lost some of its mean streak, or they just aren’t willing to unleash the big guns on Marty. Actually, the fact that they wield cameras and signs today, whereas in Hubbard’s day they broke into government offices, framed people with fake bomb threats, and showed up on people’s doorsteps with guns, really calls into question Marty’s assertion that Miscavige is the real evil in Scientology. Regardless, I will continue to enjoy watching two groups I don’t like fight with each other, and meanwhile I sincerely hope that Marty never finds out just how persuasive the Church of Scientology can really be.
This is not goodbye, although I know it sounds like one. I just wanted to explain my absence. Things may be quiet for a bit, or something may come up that leads to a flurry of postings. I read Marty’s blog and the Church’s responses every day, and I enjoy researching policy and shining the light of truth on the lies of both the Church and the Independent movement. But these things take time. My over-arching goal has always been to make sure that the public knows the truth about Scientology in all its forms – including the fact that Marty’s brand of Scientology is no different than the Church’s. And the public seems to have figured that out. Marty’s customer base is not new Scientologists; it’s existing Scientologists who want to be deluded at cheaper rates.
Keep posting, keep telling the truth, keep exposing Marty’s censorship, and I’ll see you soon!
ML,
Caliwog
Caliwog's Blog 