Some thoughts on the Anonymous movement.

I’m not anonymous. It’s not possible anyway, no one is a member of anonymous. Anonymous is not an organization in the conventional sense. It has no leaders, it has no goals. It is an example of Open Source Activism, not the first and surely not the last.

A few years ago, some people found themselves in a predicament. Terrorists had taken over an airliner they were riding in. They heard over cell phones that three other planes had been thus commandeered. All three of the planes had been deliberately crashed into buildings with devastating loss of life. They realized that this was their fate as well, the plane they were riding in was destined to crash into a building, in New York or DC, it didn’t really matter.

The passengers outnumbered the terrorists, although they had few weapons they understood that to prevent further loss of life, they had to take the plane back.

They were members of Anonymous. They didn’t know each other, they didn’t care who the person next to them was, they only understood that they needed to do something. They had to take that plane or die trying.

Let’s say there is a man on fire, his jacket is burning and he’s panicked, someone tackles him and rolls him on the ground to put out the flames. Another person calls 911.

These are members of Anonymous.

A car spins out of control during a violent rain storm. People who witness, stop and help the survivors, comfort, give medical attention if they are qualified and make sure the authorities are notified.

They are members of Anonymous.

How about if there was a criminal organization that pretends to be a religion. They systematically dupe people into believing that they have powers of clairvoyance and telekinesis but can’t use them because they are prevented by spirits of dead space aliens. Suppose this organization has a long history of abuse, dirty tricks, lies and harassment. Suppose this organization stripped the wealth of their members, forced them into hard labor for little or no money after their wealth is gone. Suppose they took over the lives of their members so completely that some of them would gladly commit crimes, many would give up their families and all of their friends outside the group. Suppose this organization infiltrated federal state and local governments to spy on people, get people they don’t like out of office and ruin their lives. Suppose they kidnap people by taking away their passports, systematically distort information and creating “mind walls” using various mind control techniques. What if this group sought to limit the free speech of not only their own members but everyone else? What if this group prayed on children?

What if another group of people, outraged, frustrated at their government’s apathy decided to take things into their own hands, to create a popular movement against the abuse, against the crimes? Is this not the same as the brave folks of flight 93? Is this not the same as helping the man on fire? There are several thousand people in Scientology who need help. Several thousand who want to leave but because of the mental walls, they cannot find the will. And Scientology’s stated purpose is to “clear the planet.” To force everyone into Scientology, no matter what it takes.

Many thousands of Anonymous are sending a message to Scientology, from what I’m hearing, the message reads;

“enough is enough! We will now place ourselves in peril because by not doing so we allow a sinister, rapacious and brutal organization to continue and flourish. We cannot honestly allow this to happen. For the sake of our freedom, our lives and our children, Scientology must be taken down.”

Is this not like you and I? Is it not like anyone who sees something or someone in danger, something terribly wrong and finds a way to help not a member of Anonymous? Can one stand by and watch Scientology gobble up and destroy what is good and just. Replacing goodness with innumerable courses and Keeping Scientology Working? With lies and innuendo? With broken families and entire generations of kids raised ignorant of the real world?

Who can stand by, watch this and not do something?

The cultural gulf between Hubbard’s nightmare and the rest of society has gotten so large that there seems to be no possible compromise. Many people in Anonymous suggest that the organization known as Scientology must be brought down with finality, completely and as Hubbard might say, without pity. I don’t know if I agree with that but I understand where they are coming from.

Scientology has created this gulf by refusing to change as the rest of the world has changed. By sticking with the 1960s era mutterings of a man who was clearly psychotic, paranoid and had an entire encyclopedia of strange ideas, Scientology has hoisted itself upon it’s own gibbet. They have nailed themselves on their own spiky cross.

Let me say once again that I deplore the use of violence or illegal activity to fight this or any organization, even one like Scientology. It’s wrong to take a moral and ethical low-road when dealing with people and make no mistake, Scientology is made of people. People with very strong feelings people who will fight tooth and nail to protect their religion. I understand this, it’s right and correct to defend what you believe. It’s not right to move that defense into illegal activity or to hurt people.

Yesterday in Clearwater, Scientology showed their true colors. After a world-wide peaceful protest in February, Scientology filed a restraining order against several people and anyone they felt was affiliated with the group called Anonymous. It remains to be seen how the authorities are going to react to planned pickets of not only the Flag compounds in Clearwater, but also the Hubbard Birthday celebration at a nearby venue the night before. Scientology spokespersons claim that many death threats were made against senor church members. That numerous threatening phone calls were made. It seems significant to me that after the Anons realized that this was a poor tactic (thanks in no small part to Mr. Mark Bunker AKA Wise Beard Man) they collectedly backed off.

A suspicious package was found on Scientology property at one location, it contained a valentine card and candy.

Although they don’t realize it yet, it seems their restraining order has had an opposite effect in Clearwater, more people are pledging to be present at the March pickets. This is the famous “foot bullet principle” of Scientology. They must have it written down somewhere because they always do it.

Watching Scientology come to grips with this new problem is like watching reptiles and mammals go at it for evolutionary niches. (I stole that from the MoAALC) Scientology, the old dragon of wooisem cannot recognize what is attacking it and make no mistake, Scientology is under attack, from the inside and from without. From many directions simultaneously. It is not under physical attack, it is under an attack of ideas and there is nothing more potent.

Scientology is under attack by a foe that has publicly stated it desires to see the organization “dismantled in it’s present form.” This foe can seemingly change at a moments notice, It can alter it’s form and behavior with a speed that makes me breathless. It’s displaying a fantastic degree of command and control despite the fact that it’s members are not organized in any conventional way.

Anonymous is controlled by ideas, not by people. Anonymus is controled by the human heart.

This is a foe of ordinary people who have gotten an idea in common. Quite honestly, there is something amiss in Scientology. They see a problem, one that needs to be taken care of. It’s just like Tom Cruse said, (paraphrased) “when you drive by an accident, you know that you have to stop and do something about it.

I think a lot of people have noticed an enormous train wreck that is Scientology, they want to do something about it. They have to, they have no choice.

It is a fight that Scientology loses by default if they participate at all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGEuGsO9cCA

Here’s Scientology’s official stand on Anonymous. I’m not Rick Rolling you! Promise!