Fresh Intelligence: Radar Online
XENUPHOBIA
Writer: I Was Stalked by Scientologists
Scientology can seem more silly than scary, with its zany mythology, made-up lingo, and Tom Cruise. But it was no joke when the group's leaders set out to destroy investigative journalist Paulette Cooper's life.
In the new issue of Byline magazine, a publication of the New York Press Club , Cooper for the first time tells the full story of her 17-year battle against the followers of L. Ron Hubbard.
It began in 1968 when she wrote a story, "The Scandal of Scientology," for Queen, a British magazine. Despite receiving a death threat, Cooper decided to write a book on the topic. "I was naive and had no idea of the horrors that lay in store for me," she writes.
A series of lawsuits by the Church of Scientology convinced the publisher of Cooper's book to issue an apology and a recall, but the forces she had unleashed were not satisfied. First, Cooper discovered her phone was being tapped. Then, her cousin was assaulted by a man who, posing as a flower-deliveryman, gained entrance to her apartment and pulled a pistol on her. (The gun jammed.) When Cooper moved to a more secure building, someone sent 300 of her neighbors an anonymous letter claiming she was a prostitute and had molested a child.
It got worse.
Cooper was arrested and charged with mailing an anonymous bomb threat to a Scientology spokesman. In front of a grand jury, the prosecutor revealed that her fingerprints were on the letter. Certain she was going to prison for a crime she hadn't committed, Cooper contemplated suicide. Her fiancée left her. She hired a private investigator—none other than wiretapping suspect Anthony Pellicano—who proved useless. Her weight dwindled to 83 pounds.
Her luck finally turned after a Scottish professor who was writing a book on Scientology provided prosecutors with information about "fair game"—the Church doctrine that encourages Scientologists to attack their enemies by any means. Cooper also persuaded a neurologist to inject her with truth serum and interrogate her to prove she was telling the truth. The government dropped its case.
In 1977, an FBI raid on Scientology offices revealed the truth: Cooper was the target of something code-named "Operation Freakout," a scheme intended to land her in jail or in a mental ward. She concluded that a man who had stayed in her apartment prior to her arrest had been a Scientologist who had stolen paper with her fingerprints on it to forge the bomb threat.
"I sometimes get discouraged because Scientology gets so much assistance and publicist from people like Tom Cruise and John Travolta, she writes. "As for me, I often wish I had never even heard the word 'Scientology.' But given the same situation, I would still do it all over again. I would not have been capable of remaining quiet, because I learned too many scary things and talked to too many people who were being hurt."
By Jeff Bercovici 06/22/07 8:00 AM
Some Comments
who dis?
Posted by: crazy alice | June 22, 2007 07:54 AM
They do waaaaaay more harm than good. People, do your research! xenu.net www.lermanet.com
Posted by: Jade | June 22, 2007 09:35 AM
What they did to her was sick. It was also normal for them and they still do it now. Google "scientology and fair game" While James L. or Greg or Terry will be here soon to tell you its not going on and to list their many, many scientology links the facts are clear. This cult follows the writings of hubbard to the letter even to this day. They don't care who they destory. Google Keith Henson and see his story also. Then check out xenu.net and xenutv.com to see the very dark side of scientology.
Posted by: JeraldR | June 22, 2007 09:53 AM
Is there any way you can read the whole article? If you go to the Press Club website there is no link available. I would love to read the whole article.
Posted by: kcnewport | June 22, 2007 02:25 PM
longer version of this story I wrote the article about what the Scientologists did to me,(the first critic of them), for other writers and somehow it was picked up by Radaronline. The New York Press Club doesn't put their stories on line, but below is my (secondary) e-mail address and the person who posted here that they wanted to read the whole story can write me and I'll e-mail it to them. Paulette.Cooper@gmail.com
Posted by: PauletteCooper | June 22, 2007 09:25 PM
Thanks for speaking up, Paulette! :) For the general reader: Paulette Cooper is a real hero to many, myself included, so I really appreciate this article. She is a true survivor in many ways and her story about how Scientology stalked and harassed her is a must-read. I am very glad to see her speak out fully about what the 'church of scientology' did to her and others in her life. You can read about that and Paulette at wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulette_Cooper You can also read her book,The Scandal of Scientology, for free online. Just visit her website for the link: http://www.paulettecooper.com/
Paulette is a writer of other genres. Her 'pet secrets' books are very popular. There is much on the internet about her, including scientology's attack on her. Here's a google search link for more information. http://tinyurl.com/2kvv4z
Mary McConnell
Truth is such a rare thing, it is delightful to tell it. -Emily Dickinson
Posted by: JustCallMeMary | June 23, 2007 01:05 AM
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Later after the Scandal of Scientology was published, Paulette Cooper co-authored many of her books with her hubbie, Paul Noble. Here is they're other website http://www.277secrets.com/authors.html
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