Java VMs

I don't have any idea who is going to win the IAS Freedom Medals this year, but I'd nominate the team of Scientology Volunteer Ministers who went to Java to help after the earthquake. Three months later, these VMs are still there.

They are helping at ever level of Java society to get the technology of L. Ron Hubbard into broad use to improve education, communication, help people overcome trauma and get an edge economically through administrative skill.

They are a very small team but they've made a major impact on a whole population and have taken it from a state of despair to one of real hope and confidence.

Anti-Drug Program

The IAS has sponsored the Church's anti-drug program. This includes a series of booklets and flyers that present the facts about various drugs to kids so they can really understand it.

I find it revolting that kids are being exposed to narcotics in elementary school. These booklets are vital.

Contact me if you want to help get them distributed and I'll help you do so.

Who will it be?

The next IAS event will be in October.

It is probably my favorite Scientology event of the year because it is always so impressive to see what we are doing to reverse the damage psychiatry is causing in society.

If this statement jars your sensibilities or causes a skeptical reaction, why don't you take a trip to the local mental hospital and ask to speak with some of the inmates (I mean patients).

Of course the psychs will blame their debilitated state on their "illness" so if you never met them before they got into psych hands it would be hard for you to know that the blatant craziness you observe is WORSENED considerably by the drugs.

If you have not yet seen the PSYCHIATRY AND INDUSTRY OF DEATH museum, you should make a point of seeing it. visit www.cchr.org for information

Frederic Grossmann

Last year's IAS Freedom Medal Winner was Frederic Grossmann for his precedent-setting work to bring psychiatry under the rule of law in France.

As the director of the Paris chapter of CCHR his work has saved the lives and future of untold numbers of French youth who would otherwise have ended up on harmful drugs.

Rick Pendery and Joy Westrum

Rick Pendery and Joy Westrum are the people who founded the Narconon Second Chance Program.

According to their web site:

The Second Chance Program, Inc. (SCP) is a non-profit government-consulting group that helps governments handle the combined problems of crime and drug abuse by developing prison-based and community-based rehabilitation and prevention programs. SCP has worked extensively since 1995 with the Mexican government of Baja California in developing unique solutions that have reduced community-wide crime rates by 55% at a cost even the Mexican government can afford.

A Prison-Based Rehabilitation Model

Since 1995, SCP has worked with the Department of Prisons for the State of Baja California, in developing a prison-based rehabilitation model that directly addresses and handles four areas that are vital to the rehabilitation of inmates. Individual modules for each of these four areas include: a Drug Rehabilitation Module, an Education Module, a Self-Respect Module and a Life Skills Module. This program is called "The Second Chance Program."

The purpose of the model was to convert a prison into a facility that would actually rehabilitate inmates so they did not come back into the criminal justice system after they were released. Due to this, the parameters of the model were set to include a cross-section of the prison population rather than a population prescreened for maximum chance of result. Additionally, it had to be able to start small and gradually expand to include most of the prison. It had to reduce violence and drug use inside the prison. It had to greatly reduce criminal recidivism and finally, had to be extremely cost effective.

Rick and Joy were awarded IAS Freedom Medals several years ago have continued unabated to work to help prisoners get exactly that - a real second chance.

Fran Andrews

Yesterday I posted about Jan Eastgate - the President of Citizens Commission on Human Rights. Fran Andrews, as the Executive Director of CCHR was also awarded well-deserved IAS Freedom Meda. Fran is the woman who makes it happen -- behind the scenes, getting the work done, coordinating the work of CCHR chapters all over the world.

Jan Eastgate

Jan Eastgate is the President of CCHR International. Recently CCHR has launched its traveling exhibit, based on the documentaries and displays in the CCHR Psychiatry Industry of Death Museum on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood CA.

I truly admire Jan's courage in exposing psychiatric crime and her persistence in making this known.

The traveling exhibit has just completed its tour to Boston and San Jose. Copies of these exhibits, funded by the IAS, are about to launch on every continent where there are Scientology churches.

IAS Sponsors International Scientology Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tours

This week was the grand opening of the Asian Scientology Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tour.

Drums and dragons signaled the start of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Asian Goodwill Tour, which launched this week on Kinmen Island, a small island two kilometers off the coast of Fujian province of China, and 280 kilometers from the island of Taiwan.

The event began with the performance of 24 drummers from the Kai-Sheng Elementary School and a traditional dragon dance.

The magistrate of Kin Men County, Mr. Lee Juh-Feng, welcomed the Goodwill Tour to his island and joined with members of the team in cutting the ribbon, signifying the start of a tour that will take the Volunteer Ministers on their Oriental journey through Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Philippines.

The President of the Taiwan Church of Scientology, Mei-Tsu Lee, addressed the crowd attending the opening event, giving a description of the Scientology religion and the services the team can provide.

As with the Goodwill Tours in Southern Africa, Brazil, Russia, India and the South Pacific, these Volunteer Ministers will survey civic, government and religious leaders wherever they go, to find what they need to help their communities. With courses and seminars based on the Scientology Handbook by L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology Volunteer Ministers prove, time after time, that Something CAN be Done About It.

Anne Archer and Artists for Human Rights

Anne Archer has started a group called Artists for Human Rights.

Here are the upcoming events the group will be involved with:

August 24 & 25
Reception and International Human Rights Art Exhibition, Summit at United Nations Headquarters and Human Rights Concert.

Thursday 24th August - Reception and Art Exhibition

The opening night reception and Art Exhibition on Human Rights will take place at Westwood Gallery at 568 Broadway in SoHo, NY, in which 25 artists will display their works to express their thoughts on human rights.

Friday 25th August

Summit on making human rights a global reality at United Nations headquarters. International representatives will participate.

Artists for Human Rights Concert, Friday night the 25th. This will be an outdoor concert in Union Square Park (14th & Broadway) from 7pm-9pm. Admission is free and all are welcome. For further information, call 323.993.7287 or click here.

Purpose
These events will unite individuals from all cultures and walks of life with the common purpose of making better known the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and bringing about greater peace and tolerance in today's world.

These events are being co-produced by the Church of Scientology International Human Rights Department.

Earth Organization

IAS Freedom Medal Winner, Lawrence Anthony, is also the Founder of Earth Organization

Here's a snippet from their site, showing the way they view the environmental catastrophe that is occuring around us:

Effective environmental action does not mean a small group of people doing a really great job in saving the planet. If we are to truly handle the planetary environment, it requires the work of the men, women and children that inhabit Earth. The Earth Organization, and like-minded groups, are simply the guides to a rehabilitated Planet Earth. After all, this planet belong to all of us and so we each have our piece to do.

The Earth Organizations approach to the environment has always been one of applicable environmentalism tools which can be applied by ANYONE. And we are pleased to announce that we have officially commenced work on one of those tools in the line of education and application.

Earth Org is in the process of creating a fully workable and usable environmental booklet with the purpose of disseminating this data and these tools to the peoples of Earth. Although this is still very much under wraps and not much can be said about this project right now, we can tell you that this book is different to anything that you have previously seen and will include:

• The true theory study on mans relationship to his natural world and the principles on which Earth Org operates.
• The exact, simple points that any person on Earth can follow to contribute to the rehabilitation of our planet.
• Practical application steps for use in the home, at school or in life in general.

The key to this book is that we designed it to be PRACTICAL, and so not only will there be no irrelevant data, but it will also not cover any application that is unrealistic or unwieldy because, lets face it, we are not all going to become vegetarians in the near future, or go out and stop the seal hunt next year.

We will update you on the progress of this booklet but we can tell you that it will be in print before the end of the year, and will be available in e-format as well as hard copy.

Freedom

Freedom has been narrowed in its defintion to mean "freedom from." Freedom is also freedom to.

One of the most important freedoms is the freedom to help.

Projects Funded by the IAS

The IAS funds education programs. The web site explains why this is a priority.

REVERSING THE DECLINE OF LITERACY AND EDUCATION

“The end goal of any society, as it addresses the problem of education, is to raise the ability, the initiative and the cultural level, and with all these the survival level of that society. And when a society forgets any one of these things it is destroying itself by its own educational mediums.”
-- L. Ron Hubbard

"Internationally, nearly one billion people are illiterate or functionally illiterate.

"For these people, reading and understanding a book, or even a simple pamphlet, is impossible.

"L. Ron Hubbard developed Study Technology, which enables one to overcome the Barriers to Study, and factually cure illiteracy.

"The IAS and its members have long provided grants to bring this Study Technology to countries and communities all across the world. These grassroots programs have trained thousands of teachers and have helped countless children and adults improve their literacy levels, and thereby their prospects for a better life."

These projects are funded entirely by member donations.

What is the Purpose of the IAS?

The IAS site includes a section on why the IAS was formed:

The International Association of Scientologists (IAS) was formed at a convention held at Saint Hill Manor in East Grinstead, Sussex, England, in 1984. Delegates from around the world representing the Scientology will be practiced for all time through a strong group that is composed of those who believe in the rights of man and freedom of religion.
The IAS is today a membership organization open to all Scientologists from all nations. It unifies the members and provides a forum to keep them informed of important developments and sharing the successes of the religion around the world. It is the strength of the individual members of the team, briefed and coordinated one with another that gives strength to the group. All great movements have succeeded based on the personal conviction and dedication of their members to overcoming any barriers to achieving their objectives.
Regrettably, history has seen many attempts to suppress religious freedom and human rights. From the persecution of early Christians in Rome, to the nineteenth-century assault on Mormons in the United States, to the slaughter of Jews in Nazi concentration camps, many faiths have suffered dearly. The International Association of Scientologists also serves the purpose of protecting Scientology from similar attempted persecution.
For this reason, in the 1984 convention at Saint Hill Manor, in addition to forming the IAS and adopting a constitution and electing a board, the delegates also formulated and signed the Pledge to Mankind to rededicate themselves to the aims of Scientology. A copy of the Pledge to Mankind is included in the reference section of this book.

Church of Scientology of Spain

The Church of Scientology of Spain was a gift to the people of Spain from the International Association of Scientologists.

It is an enormous and very beautiful building in the heart of Madrid, renovated with real old world style and craftsmanship.

There is great significance to this church too because it marks the end of an era of religious intolerance and discriminatio agaist the Scientology religion in the post Franco era when the old fascist ways were slow to die off, and the new era in which Scientology is acknowledged as the bonafide religion it is.

David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center announced that the IAS was paying for the purchase and renovation of the church. And then when these renovations were done, Mr. Miscavige personally came to Madrid to dedicate the church.

The day was also marked by Tom Cruise's come to the grand opening and giving a speech. In Spanish no less!

What an unforgetable event.

Freedom

Freedom Magazine is a really great publication. Its investigations are brilliant and get right down to the real cause of bad conditions.

In addition to the investigative reporting they do, they also provide basic information about the Scientology religion.

John Travolta and the Celebrity Centre Gala

John Travolta is an IAS Freedom Medal Winner, and a really wonderful person.

His wife, Kelly Preston, is a child activist, a terrific actor and an incredibly beautiful woman.

They were both at the Celebrity Centre Gala this weekend.

It sounds like it must have been one great party!

Here's what the CC web site says about it:

Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre Hosts 37th Anniversary Gala

HOLLYWOOD — The Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International hosted its 37th Anniversary Gala in Hollywood on Saturday, August 5th. The guest list included many of the Church's well-known members, including John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Jenna Elfman, Leah Remini, Giovanni Ribisi, Jason Dohring, Anne Archer, Sofia Milos and Nancy Cartwright (voice of Bart Simpson).

Legendary guest performer Chaka Kahn entertained the more than 1100 guests including parishioners of the Church, local and federal government officials and community leaders.

Guests were also treated to a preview of 30 new TV public service announcements 8212; each illustrating one of the 30 articles of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Through these audio-visual presentations and other educational tools, Human Rights Department of the Church of Scientology International, in partnership with Youth for Human Rights International, seeks to reach millions of people to raise awareness of fundamental human rights and bring about global change.

Its popularity in the arts mirrors the overall growth of the Scientology religion, with 10 million members in over 150 countries. Its rapid expansion is word-of-mouth driven, due to the religion's practical principles that are used to improve conditions in life.

The Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre in Hollywood was founded in 1969. Other Celebrity Centres are located in cultural centers around the world including New York, Paris, Nashville, Vienna, Florence and London.

In keeping with Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's words from 1951, "A culture is only as great as its dreams, and its dreams are dreamed by artists," these Celebrity Centres are the arts and cultural branch of the Scientology religion and as such work with those whose broad visions for social enhancement are the catalyst for positive change in society. Celebrity Centres, like all churches of Scientology worldwide, are open to the public.