Our readers know that we are huge fans of A Queer and Pleasant Danger, Kate Bornstein’s remarkable memoir about her experience in Scientology’s “Sea Org” and her later transformation into a nationally-celebrated trans performance artist.
Kate’s book Gender Outlaw is considered a classic in the field, and she’s constantly in demand for speaking engagements at universities. But her many fans were stunned when she announced last year that she had been diagnosed with lung cancer. She raised more than $100,000 in less than a week after breaking the news, an indication of just how much she means to people.
She’s been through the wringer since then, had a film come about her, and she scared us when she indicated that after some initial success, her cancer had come back.
But then, yesterday, she texted us to let us know that the latest tests show that her cancer is now in remission. For now, she’s won the battle and kicked cancer’s ass.
We asked her for a message to the readers of the Underground Bunker, where she was often a contributor…
Hello, my dearest, darling family of SPs. I’m beyond thrilled to tell you that my cancer is officially in remission! I guess it’s down to me being Dianetic Clear. Oh no, wait, that cert was cancelled — so I should still be dying. But I’m not! I’m alive, and I’m deeply grateful for your support and well wishes. Now, the thing I need to grapple with is: WTF do I do with the rest of my life? (Please, no suggestions of goals assessments on a meter!) In closing, kindly allow your old tranny auntie to say I love you, I feel at home with you, and maybe when I’ve recovered the use of my brain, I’ll be able to focus and join in on the discussions again. Kisses, Auntie Kate.
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Queens Borough President Melinda Katz gets the ‘safepointing’ treatment
We’ve told you before about the stealthy way Scientology tries to sucker New York school officials with the use of its “Foundation for a Drug-Free World” front group. Scientologists who downplay their connection to the church offer to give free seminars, and they hand out booklets that contain Scientology’s dangerously wrong notions about drugs, all in an effort to convince local officials that it’s all a do-good operation for the benefit of kids.
The latest target of this “safepointing” operation is Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, who last week was a special guest at a “meet and greet” with the Foundation.
In 1972, L. Ron Hubbard gave a talk about “the safe point” which was collected in a 1982 Scientology policy letter. Hubbard urged his followers to soften up an area by currying favor from important local officials…
The most important action to undertake when going about making a safe point is to carefully and painstakingly find out who exactly are the top dogs in the area in financial and political circles, and their associates and connections, and to what each one is hostile.
A handful of allies with impressive-sounding titles and positions is not enough. Viability depends on having all areas and persons who could affect or influence the operation under PR control.
Get a clue, New York.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on August 14, 2014 at 07:00
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BLOGGING DIANETICS (We read Scientology’s founding text) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25
UP THE BRIDGE (Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47
GETTING OUR ETHICS IN (Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING (Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43
PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | Scientology’s Private Dancer
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