First on suicide and disabled: I was astounded at the number of disabled who came to Pinellas Park to defend Terri. They reflected a substantial percentage of all the protesters, represented most all the faiths I can think of, and even some who were atheist or agnostic. Early into the vigil, one could visit at 11:00pm on a rainy night and see almost nobody, except bold courageous souls in wheelchairs! Early morning, late at night, all the time, the disabled were there, sometimes suffering greatly for the effort, but hiding it, and staying brave. Some were horribly disabled, one came from Texas, carried on a stretcher. No talks of suicide or despair, just the resolve to defend Terri and her "right to live" (not die).
What a humbling sight it is to witness such courage from those we might expect to wallow in well deserved pity.
Second, the SP Times was ubiquitous. At least one of their reporters was nice, but we never saw much good in print, only the negatives. St. Pete Times has a building right in the middle of scientologyland, a stone's throw away from the emporor's chamber of Judge Greed. I came to see the St. Pete Times as an equation:
New York Times is to liberals as St. Pete Times is to.......?
8mm
Mosquitoes? Rats? Leeches? Street drunks? Kudzu? Black Plague germs? The Progressive Labor Party? Boy, this is a stumper. :-) :-)
What an inspiring story this is! -- especially to those of us who could not be there and see it and be part of it. Thank you for your first-hand report -- and for being there.
I've had only one strong encounter with scientology, in the persons of two young friends, both young women. They gave me guided tours of the local "church" and more secret facilities. (I found it ridiculous :-) ). This was thirty years ago.
One of the young women eventually escaped. The one who did not was surnamed Cranford. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?