Ritalin
The Washington Post reported on September 25th that Lisa Marie Presley and other Scientology witnesses were scheduled to speak before the U.S. House Government Reform Committee. "Cause Celebs Lisa Marie Presley and Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, have been traipsing the halls of the Congress lobbying for their respective pet projects. Presley, a Scientologist and mother of two will be testifying today before Indiana Republican Rep. Dan Burton's House Government Reform Committee on the evils of hyperactivity medication for children." Advocacy group CHADD issued a warning prior to the hearing. "On Thursday, September 26, the House Committee on Government Reform, chaired by Representative Dan Burton (R-IN), will conduct a hearing entitled 'Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders - Are Children Being Over Medicated?' "Four of the five witnesses - invited by Representative Burton - are reported to be spokespersons for or persons associated with the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR), an affiliate established 1969 by the Church of Scientology. CHADD is concerned that four witnesses associated with the hearing share the belief that AD/HD is a lie and a fraud. They include: Lisa Marie Presley, Bruce Wiseman, Dr. Mary Ann Block, Patricia Weathers. "As further context of the CCHR's philosophy, among their publications currently in circulation are 'Psychiatry Betraying Families: The Hoax of ADD/ADHD and Other Learning Disabilities,' 'Psychiatry: Shattering Your World with Drugs,' and 'The Hoax of Learning and Behavior Disorders.' The fifth witness, invited at Mr. Burton's request, is Mr. Neil Bush, the President's brother, whose son was incorrectly diagnosed with AD/HD. "Through the efforts of Representative Henry Waxman (D-CA) to ensure a balanced discussion, Clarke Ross, CEO of CHADD and Dr. David Fassler, representing the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) and the American Psychiatric Association (APA), also have been asked to testify. It is expected that the National Institute of Mental Health will also send a witness." From Reuters on September 26th: "Adversaries in the debate over widespread prescribing of Ritalin and other stimulants to children squared off on Capitol Hill Thursday, only to arouse the ire of lawmakers who accused them of serving as fronts for the drug industry and religious groups. "A parade of witnesses came before the House Government Reform Committee to tell lawmakers why an estimated 3 million to 6 million US children are currently on Ritalin and other drugs used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Committee members voiced concern that doctors are too quick to diagnose the disorder and prescribe strong drugs in children who may not actually have a mental disorder. "Chief among the drug's detractors were three witnesses from the Citizen's Commission on Human Rights, an anti-psychiatry watchdog group. The organization points out that scientists have no reliable way of confirming a child's ADHD diagnosis and that teachers have too much sway in convincing doctors to medicate unruly children. "But Rep. Constance Morella (R-MD) pointed out that the Citizen's Commission for Human Rights (CCHR) was founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology, a religious group known both for attracting celebrity members and for vehement opposition to all of psychiatry. Morella read a statement from Jan Eastgate, the organization's international president, which calls psychiatry a 'malignant disease' that 'threatens society and ultimately mankind.' Wiseman said he agreed with that view, and said that his group maintains an independent tax status from the Church of Scientology. "Morella also challenged Dr. Mary Ann Block, a board member who treats ADHD children with nutritional and anti-allergy interventions instead of drugs. Block accused psychiatrists and other doctors of prescribing ADHD drugs for financial gain. 'You'd probably gain a little bit too if people were scared away from psychiatric drugs,' Morella said. "The committee also heard from Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), a group that defends the widespread treatment of children and adults diagnosed with the disorder. The CEO of CHADD, E. Clarke Ross, told the committee that ADHD may be underdiagnosed in US kids and that more doctors should be aware of professional guidelines governing the identification and treatment of the disease. "Psychiatrist David Fassler told lawmakers that drug treatment 'can be extremely helpful' in treating ADHD but that 'medication alone is rarely the appropriate treatment.' 'Medication should only be used as part of a comprehensive treatment plan that will usually include individual therapy, family support and counseling and work with the schools,' said Fassler, who heads the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry." From People Daily News on September 27th: Lisa Marie Presley testified before the House Committee on Government Reform in Washington, D.C., to discuss what she considers an alarming trend to medicate children for mental disorders ranging from Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) to bipolar disorder. "'I have personally seen the effects of overmedicated children and it terrifies me, especially having two kids of my own,' said Presley, the international spokesperson for Citizens' Commission on Human Rights, a psychiatric watchdog group founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology (of which she is a member). The group advocates legislation that would bar schools from forcing parents to medicate their children for ADHD and similar disorders. "Presley says her passion for this subject is purely personal. 'I became involved with this whole issue because of a little 4-year-old boy, a friend of the family, who has suffered from being overmedicated,' says Presley. "Presley told PEOPLE that her first time testifying before Congress left her 'a nervous wreck, ' but, she said, 'I was really impressed with the whole system and with the knowledge of the congress people. They really knew their stuff and asked good questions and got right to the point. Even the people who were on the other side of the issue seemed to understand where we were coming from.'" Message-ID: 80ee9418.0209251259.2cd0f1cd@p... Message-ID: 20020926024120.03221.00000680@m... Message-ID: 7gZk9.343$wZ4.35717@n... Message-ID: urZk9.344$wZ4.35717@n...
Laura's Law
A Los Angeles Times editorial on September 28 urged the Governor or California to sign a law that would allow judges to order outpatient treatment for mentally ill people. Scientology has protested against the law outside the state capitol. "By press time Friday night, Gov. Gray Davis still had not signed 'Laura's law,' an important bill that would let judges order outpatient treatment for seriously mentally ill people who can't fathom the gravity of their condition. The deadline is midnight Monday. "Davis had pledged to do everything in his power to protect Californians from crime, so supporters of the bill had expected him to embrace the measure. It would enable some of California's most vulnerable people, including many who live on sidewalks or alongside freeways, to get help before they harm themselves or others. But opponents of the legislation have grown particularly vocal in recent weeks. "Two weeks ago, for instance, a subgroup of the Church of Scientology, which opposes virtually all psychiatric treatments, sponsored a rally at the Capitol against Laura's law - named after a 19-year-old killed by a man whose mental illness had been left untreated. "Gov. Davis often says his top priorities are protecting law and order. Few bills now before him would do that job better than AB 1421." Message-ID: 20hl9.342$Rk3.32377@n...
CCHR
The Canton Journal reported on September 27th that Scientology has protested outside a hospital in Ohio to bring attention to alleged mistreatment of patients. "Members of a Church of Scientology group, called the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, recently protested outside the Judge Rotenberg Center in Canton. Their banners read 'Patients Tortured Here' at the Rte. 138 center. One protester was Lorraine Barritz of Canton. She said she was deeply disturbed to find that anyone in the community would be subjected to such forms of cruelty and abuse. The protesters did not go inside or have contact with the center staff. "The Judge Rotenberg Center treats severely troubled clients. It uses physical punishments with some patients. But it does not physical abuse clients, he says. "A Scientology official named Christopher Garrison, director of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, brought up the case of a woman who died in the center in 1990. She died of a perforated ulcer. Garrison charged a connection with a therapy she was undergoing. Garrison lists a number of treatments his group dislikes. 'Tortures,' said one of the banners, 'that have been used - electric shock, restraints, food deprivation, foul odors, helmet static (noise), and physical abuse' are all questionable therapies. "In recent years the Center has been investigated and cleared in the death of a different inmate. A court suit ended up clearing the Center and its people in that case. Answering the more recent protests was the Center director, Dr. Matthew Israel. He is the center's founder, too. Some of the therapies on the Scientology list are actually legitimate treatments, he notes. Physical restraints are part of some therapies. So is food used as a reward, within limits. He calls the type of therapy used at the center is known as 'aversive therapy' which involves behavioral modification. Absolutely, Israel said no client had ever been physically abused at the Center. "What the Scientology group plans to do is uncertain. It asks those who have violations of human rights to expose them through the Commission on Human Rights, which is a private organization. Yes, the Judge Rotenberg Center sometimes uses tough methods. And those can shock the uninitiated lay person. Cases of physical abuse have to be guarded against at all times in this sort of treatment. But the Scientologists have no case to press here." Message-ID: i6hl9.343$Rk3.32377@n...
Keith Henson
Keith Henson reported that Scientologists have interfered with efforts to sell his home in Palo Alto, California by posing as interested real estate agents. "Santa Clara County Association of REALTORS 1525 Meridian Ave., Suite 101 San Jose, CA 95125 "Dear Board Members: "I would like to call your attention to seriously unethical behavior on the part of one of your members. I have been subject to attack from the Scientology cult for years. After the cult corrupted the DA's office and the courts in Hemet, CA I was sentenced to a year in jail for picketing Scientology's desert compound over the two women they killed in the spring and summer of 2000. As a result of death threats against me on the Internet I elected to become a refugee in Canada rather than be subjected to a Scientology controlled jail. This past summer my wife and I decided to sell our Palo Alto home so she could join me in exile. "We tried to sell it through an agent, but the ones we talked to were in fear for their children should they take such a commission. So we sold it ourselves, only to find it had an illegal lien in it. That involved the bankruptcy court. The court ruled that my creditor (Scientology) should be given a chance to get a better price. An agent contacted by our lawyer told my wife that we had received fair market and that the existing sale should go through since he could do no better. This would not give the cult the delay they were seeking so they turned to a Scientologist, Pat Dulleck who is a real estate agent as well as an agent for Scientology. "I believe that bringing in an agent who is well known for infiltrating and trying to destroy a Scientology splinter group and is a close associate of Darlene Bright who works against me for the cult's dirty tricks department is a violation of the court's orders. Pat Dulleck and two others who we believe are also be Scientologists inspected my home without identifying themselves as members of the cult that considers me an enemy and will do anything under their 'fair game' policy to destroy me." Message-ID: 3d938eaa.6509419@n...
Narconon
Narconon International Newsletter reported that a meeting of its Science Advisory Board was held at its Oklahoma location. "Narconon International held a major meeting of its Science Advisory Board at Narconon Arrowhead. Attendees including Alfonzo Paredes, M.D., David Root, M.D., Shelley Beckmann, Ph.D., and Jim Barnes. Also there were friends and consultants of Narconon Arrowhead, Sandy MacNabb and Emery Johnson, M.D. (former Asst. Surgeon General U.S.), as well as Arrowhead's new Medical Director, Dr. Gerald Wooten. "Other attendees who shared their experiences and knowledge were Dr. Allan Sosin from Narconon Southern California, the distinguished Dr. Schoenthaler from California State University Stanislaus, and with Michael Phillips from Utah, who is completing a long-term outcome study on the reduction of crime in juveniles who've completed the New Life Center Narconon program. "The day's discussions focused on how to design and complete a series of objective evaluations and studies of the Narconon program's effectiveness. Dr. David Root was elected the board's new Chairman; he has authored several papers on L. Ron Hubbard's sauna detoxification program and addressed international conferences. Finally, we were all honored to have a special guest, 54-year veteran Oklahoma State Senator Gene Stipe, who praised Narconon staff for their decades of care and help for addicts who too many have rejected as hopeless." The McAlester News-Capital & Democrat reported on September 24th that Narconon celebrated the first anniversary of the new facility in Oklahoma. "In 2000, the Association for Better Living and Education purchased the former Arrowhead Lodge from the Choctaw Nation for $1.9 million and began renovating it into a treatment center that officially opened for business in August of that year. The program moved to the Arrowhead facility from Chilloco, where it had been since 1989. "Since its opening, Narconon Arrowhead has had numerous graduates finish a treatment course at the center, according to Gary Smith, executive director. In fact, 99 received certificates of completion during a graduation ceremony Friday night. Luke Catton, president of Narconon Arrowhead, called the anniversary a 'milestone,' since in one year the facility had gone from 'opening to being nearly filled to capacity.' "As the ceremony began, persons carrying flags representing 49 of the 50 United States and 15 foreign countries gathered at the front of a large tent while those assembled joined to sing 'God Bless America.' State Rep. Ray Miller, D-Whitefield, who attended the graduation Friday as well as Saturday's anniversary ceremony, said, 'It was most touching, or heart rending, I don't know the exact words to use, listening to addicts who have broken the downward spiral of addiction.'" Message-ID: FGDFOQLP37523.5012268519@a... Message-ID: f758becc.0209270910.17a3c486@p...
Protest Summary
Keith Henson reported a protest at the Toronto Scientology org on September 28th. "The unknown picketer and I put in a late afternoon picket at the Toronto org Sat from about 5:40 to 6:40. As usual I was across the street (which actually results in a lot more flyers being handed out). The Unknown picketed in front of the org where 20 scns inside were rapidly reduced to two. "We gave out flyers at a faster rate than usual, 200 for me. I was giving out the Parsonage flyers and again a number of people said they would call and complain about a non-religion, non-charity getting a tax break on an 8 story office building." Message-ID: 3d974765.315990794@n...
Priscilla Presley
The New York Daily News reported on September 26th that Priscilla Presley thinks that her Husband Elvis would have been a Scientologist if he were alive today. "'I wish that he knew what Scientology was before he died,' the King's ex-wife told us Tuesday night at a CD-release party for 'Elvis 30 #1 Hits' at the Hard Rock Cafe. Like her daughter, Lisa Marie, Priscilla has long been a member of the controversial church. And she's convinced that it could have 'helped Elvis a lot' as he fought an addiction to prescription drugs." Message-ID: 7g46pu81sog4h77midn9ehlbs0hbh17efk@4...
Internet Archive
CNET News reported on September 24th that Scientology has removed archives of certain web sites that are critical of Scientology. "Buckling under pressure from the Church of Scientology, the Internet Archive has removed a church critic's Web site from its system. The Internet Archive, a site that preserves snapshots of old Web pages and bills itself as 'a library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form,' no longer contains links to archival pages of Xenu.net. Instead, surfers are pointed to a page telling them the site was taken down 'per the request of the site owner.' "However, Xenu.net operator Andreas Heldal-Lund said he never made any such request. Heldal-Lund, a Norwegian businessman and longtime church critic, said he's eager for people to read archived pages of his site. 'I'm the author, and I never asked that it be removed,' he said. 'I believe what's happening in this case is important history.' "A representative of the Internet Archive said the organization, which is run mostly by volunteers, took the pages down after lawyers for the Church of Scientology 'asserted ownership of materials visible through' the site. He said the group replaced the links with a generic error message about blocked sites. "However, the organization removed not only Xenu.net pages containing excerpts from Church of Scientology documents, but also the entire Xenu.net site, which contains pages crafted entirely by Heldal-Lund." The Internet Archive issued a statement defending its actions. "The Internet Archive archives data that is publicly available to provide services, such as the Wayback Machine, that are useful to researchers, historians and scholars. While we endeavor to provide as a complete a record of the Web as possible, we are a small, non-profit, largely volunteer organization with limited resources. "Lawyers for the Church of Scientology contacted the Internet Archive, asserted ownership of materials visible through the Wayback Machine, and those materials have been removed from the Wayback Machine." Message-ID: c5757860.0209231632.c3fef57@p... Message-ID: 80ee9418.0209241319.564ad15b@p...
A.r.s. Week in Review is put together by Rod Keller ©
This collection is organised for WWW by Andreas Heldal-Lund.
Only edits done by me is replacing word encapsuled in * or _ with bold and underscore, and made links into HTML.
