1) We need teams dedicated to getting people signing a petition for the tax exempt status (This is a GOAL)

2) We need teams dedicated to fliers

3) We need teams dedicated to talking to the public

4) We need to continuously grow in numbers :)

My 2cents:

The humour and fun aspect of the protests are, imo, the most important. Yes, what we’re protesting against is Serious Business. I don’t deny that. But a lot of people on various forums are saying that we need to cut down on the humour and be more serious. My answer to that, as a long time activist, is, why?

The OG have repeatedly stated that one of the major parts of the success of Anon has been the fun and the humour. For years, they’ve been fighting the fight and being Serious Business and then along come Anon with their memes and their Loooooooongcat and the Rickrolls etc, etc, and the protests are attracting more attention - and not just because of the numbers *or* the historic fact that this is something with no leadership organised mainly on the internet. (Sidenote: that’s going to be a big part of the history, I think - a major, global protest organised by a group of people who don’t know each other, on the ‘net, coming together united by a single cause. Powerful stuff.)

In past protests and so on, the lack of humour and fun made the protests less meaningful or interesting to Joe Public. Esp in Aust where, let’s face it, cricket or footy are more important than anything else and woe betide you if you dare imply that rescheduling a genre tv show in favour of sport is crap programming. With Anon, the jokes, the laughter, the memes, that gives a sense of inclusion, and a sense that yes, while this is Serious Business, like life, if everything is taken seriously and there’s no time for laughter, it becomes work and a chore. We need to keep that.

Someone on the SA forums said something along the lines of the memes and so on being the frontline of the attack, allowing those in the back to talk to people, be serious, get the message out. I think that’s a great analogy and works well - it proves that you can merge the two and they will work and to our advantage. There was a vid posted on OCMB which was heartbreaking, of a Scio in NYC, who was crying - wanting to leave the org and go down to the protestors who were shouting ‘We want you to be free! Come out and we’ll help you! We’ll protect you! We have cake!’ And then the Scio was hauled away by two larger Scios and not seen again.

Another post on OCMB had pics of two children watching through the window of an org. The protestors waved and sang, the kids waved back and smiled. And then they were dragged away by adult Scios. This shows two things, 1. that what we’re doing is working and 2. that we need to keep it up and let these people know they can come out and they will be helped.

tl;dr, I know. It’s hot, I’m tired, this heatwave is crap.

@23417 - Humour - yes, memes - no.

They won’t be understood by members of the public, wheras things like cake, music, and :shock: original content will be.

We also need to target our information to the audience - we need more Australian specific information regarding the Co$. How many people have stumbled across http://www.culthelp.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=943&Itemid=12 before? The stuff we hear about happening in the USA can and HAS happened here. Additionally: We need Australian Disconnection/Reconnection stories.

signs people -> signs!

as a first time raider, i was surprised how many ppl took the time to dress-up, mask-up and show up - but many didn’t bother making a sign or bringing any flyers to distribute.

even a lot of the signs that were there, were not legible unless the reader stood directly in front of the sign, from a distance of only 1-2 metres away. you can’t always guarantee you will have the public’s undivided attention and that they will bother reading to the end of the sentence.

we need succint, legible signs that can convey our messages simply and can be read from people across the street, down the road or passing by on a bus. not everyone will approach us to satisfy their curiosity or take a flyer, but big ass signs that can be read from a distance are a different kettle of fish and a gr8 way to let curious passers-by know exactly ‘what the deal is’ with all the masked people.

i am working on a guide of sorts -> ‘tips for making simple, cheap signs with things u can find around the house’ (ie cardboard, computers, siblings, your hands etc) - am also working on posters that can be printed on A4 sheets, but taped together to form super-big ass A3 or A2 posters.

PS agree with snurg that we oughta form a few different ‘working groups’

http://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/ParliamentToday/ - for info on protesting at Parly House. It looks pretty straight forward and should be easy to get a permit. Only problem: this means we’ll have to do a weekday protest because Pollies don’t work there on weekends :)

Also, I spotted this on News.com.au: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23387558-2,00.html - I think we should follow this story very closely over the next few weeks.

Not only is it pretty horrifying, but we could strengthen our public image by protesting something that is NOT Scientology. Scientology will also struggle to play the persecution card as we are targetting another ‘church’ with abuse claims made against it.

Also see this: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18140191-1242,00.html I’m seeing some similatiries between this group and another…

I’ll be keeping an eye on things and posting as new info comes up.

@Togusa:
Original content, laughter, jokes, having fun - all for it. But a note on the memes: I preface this by saying I am not a g00n nor a *channer, I come to the party via the bloggosphere. And I think you’re overlooking a very important part of the whole meme thing.
The pure meaning of meme, comes from memetic in the Greek. And it’s used very effectively by advertising companies all the time. How often do you hear things like:
“Not happy Jan!” (Yellow Pages Advertising commercial)
“Which bank?” “The Commonwealth Bank.” (Regardless of whether you’re a CBA member or not. Also old meme, but valid for arguement’s sake.)
“I can has…” / “I has…” / “omnomnomnom” (Net memes used offline.)
No one really knows or cares where the original source comes from, because it’s part of every day speech. That’s good marketing, that’s what advertisers want to get across. And that’s what we should be doing with the memes as well. Longcat is long, for instance, attracts attention, and people are going to ask ‘But why *is* Longcat long?’ which you can then go into saying, ‘Longcat is long because he worries about the break up of families through Scientology. Have you heard of the disconnection policy/RPF/topic of choice?’ Used well, memes are powerful ways to get your message across.

Now, we’re coming up to Operation Reconnect. And that’s not going to be a laugh a minute thing. We’re going to hear a lot of terrible, sad, devastating stories. If even what we’ve heard so far is any indication, we’re going to be made angry and outraged, depressed and upset on behalf of these people. It’s as much for us, as protestors as it is to show that yes, we can help you, we can put a smile back on your face and help you reunite with loved ones, that jokes, humour, memes are going to be important. Not important as to mask the message, but to keep up spirits.

Memes come into this, too. “Phone home,” for instance, with a stylised E.T. That’s a meme in the making. Of course, design the poster so E.T looks sufficiently derivative not to be considered copyright infringed. But that sort of thing. Tug at the heart strings, while getting the message across and making people on both sides of the protest fence remember it.

(Sorry for the ongoing tl;dr, argh.)

And signs that pack a punch, short, sharp and simple, ie:

Just examples. Source pics from here: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:2008-02_Buffalo%2C_New_York_%22Anonymous%22_anti-Scientology_protests

Is that cool change here yet?

i had the sign that was painted, with red and black text :D i am planning on making a few more and giving them out at protests for people to carry, i agree with the little signs being too hard to read, when marching people cant read them. And on the topic of memes, i think the public don’t get it and we should take a slightly more serious approach to the next one.

Don’t get caught up in the “meme” debate. I need to stress - Comedy is golden and I don’t think we should remove the fun and games ITS REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT TO EVERYONE INVOLVED

I’m stressing we simply need to get organized.. Preparing posters and getting them printed on mass before the march. Large professional posters (less hand made hard to read) and making sure everyone is upto date with correct information!

Everyone dressed in suits - Fantastic photo ops.

I think it’s important to differentiate between humorous fun, and memes. Singing, dancing, and cake are happy for everyone and certainly project a good image to bystanders (as well as being lots of fun), but obscure internet in-jokes just confuse people. There is, of course, a place for them as in-jokes - no-one is banning longcat - but in-jokes shouldn’t take the spotlight.

I’ve been saying this for a while now: Memes are only memes to people who know them. To people who don’t, they’re funny/interesting/crazy/zany signs that draw interest.

I’ll be working on better signs this time, I just drew up the stenciled signs the night before because that’s what I had last time.

For a possible protest at Parliament House it could be quite effective to not have any laughter or jokes.
A completely quiet ’sit-down on the steps’-protest with the symbolism of all the voices that cannot be heard from the broken families (this could be emphasised with sign explaining why we’re completely quiet).

A whole group of people, in suits, sitting down (or standing) on the steps of Parliament House…dead-silent!

Any questions from the public would be met with flyers describing the disconnect policy and the lack of any expressed opinion from the family members.

…or something like that…I haven’t worked out the most effective way yet.

Memes - when used properly - make excellent marketing tools. I’m not talking about the *chan memes, but using the idea of the meme to get the message across. That sort of thing.

Onto Operation Reconnect, do we know if there are any RPFs in Australia at all? Also, do we know there are any children involved? It might be worth digging into that and alerting Family and Child Services if there’s anything. Also, someone with good writing skills should draft up a press release and add links to photos and the YouTube vid of kids and adults wanting to come out but being ‘handled’ away from the windows and away from people (us) who want to help them.

And a few ideas for posters/fliers/what-have-you (here’s hoping the linking works this time, argh!): http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/3702/etje6.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/8658/kid1df6.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/7239/kid2sn8.jpg

There were thick 19 A3 signs floating around. If people like those style signs.. I’ll make more!

If people can throw some money at me on the day - I’m happy to pay for a whole lot of flyers to be printed up.

‘won’t somebody PLEASE think of the children?’

snurg, those signs were gr8, but with the A3 sheet turned on its side, the type blown up EVEN bigger, we can reach even more ppl imho :)

got the ball rolling with an april 12 themed poster… this is a very simple design: just the google site, with ‘disconnection’ keyed into the search field.

there’s an a4 version, a version with 8 per A4 page… also done a big A2 version, that prints out on 4 A4 pages, then you can tape them together to form a big ass A2 design

http://www.anonsa.org/v/Users/mr_dogfood/google-sign/

PS the thumbnails in that gallery are all kooked, but the PDFs work

Anon D - That culthelp site you flagged has some other great info on Co$, in particular the entries concerning the findings of the Anderson Report. Whats changed scince 1965 that has allowed the Co$ recognition as a relgion and tax exempt statis in this country?
K-Anon - Great idea! That these con men are trying to get their meathooks into the public purse is particularly galling.

A government house protest sounds like an idea worth seriously considering. I love the silent idea, that would really make an impact I think.
Even though it would have to be on a weekday, I’m sure people could take a day off school/work, and I go to school at Eynesbury College just up King William Street, and I often have 4 hours of frees on most days, so I could come then, which would be sweet.

As long as its not on a monday or wednesday i think i could make it to a gov house one

you realise not everybody is going to go out and buy a suite just cause you tell them too, i think it would be cool if everyone had a suit but face it its not gonna happen

yes i reaslise i have bad grammer LOL

Government house would be perfect. Perhaps something in the school holidays when people from school/uni/tafe are off and can go?

As it is I can’t attend April 12th and would love an opportunity to come another time that isn’t a saturday and isn’t a weekday.

Reconnect will be fantastic if we keep this brainstorming up.

Re signs:
I’m planning on making a HUGE sign on calico with bold black letters for Operation Reconnect - the kind held up with 2 broomsticks and needs to be carried by 2 people.

Give me a slogan, it shall be made.

Re Australian Disconnection:
xscikids are looking into it, if they have any info we should hear back in about a week or so.

An0n-e-moose:
I believe “religion” was re-defined. Raelians aren’t classified as a religion because “believed in creatures assumed to be real rather than from another dimension. ”

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22001905-5007146,00.html

1) Goto Op-SHOP
2) Get suit for $12..
3)??
4) Profit

1) go to Op-SHOP
2) has no suits
3) epic fail

What kind of op shop doesn’t have cheap suits!?

Anon-D -Holy Xenu!! My hard earnt tax IS going to these con artists!! Thats got my body theatans going batshit!!
Seriously- they take the cash but don’t have to prove they have a curriculum - thats farcial

Count me in for a protest @ parliment any day of the week. The more I learn about this bunch the less I like :-<

We found a few that didnt have suits, at least, cheap but nice suits. It just takes a little time and maybe a day to go cruising the salvos. Its obviously not mandatory to wear a suit, but it is imposing. Suits make it look like we mean business.

Dunno if you’ve all seen this yet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCc5ANMVtxM

Awesome vid.

I’m going to make some big ass signs for reconnect, I can also make the giant cloth one if you would like.

Slogans like: Disconnected from Life and Families are ripped apart (with a tear down the middle of the sign covered in clear contact/ tape) would be good signs methinks.

Suits = go

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/bspecial-investigationb-gods-cure-for-gays-lost-in-sin/2008/03/18/1205602385236.html
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/no-mercy-for-transgressions/2008/03/18/1205602385239.html

Here are the latest articles on the HellSong revelations. Apparently they can ‘cure gay’ and all other types of things including forbidding followers to enter a newsagent to read about the world outside Mercy Ministeries.

As they are linked to Gloria Jeans we could protest at one of their stores, as GJ funds HellSong activities.

As someone who works closely with Parly House I’m afraid I would not personally be able to attend a weekday protest on the steps (too risky and I will be outed by someone I’m sure), but I’ll cheer you guys on from behind the scenes and attend the next weekend protest :)

Seems like a slicon to me.. You’re scary tactics will not work!

Do not be afraid! Join us on the steps, Wear a suit, Wear a wig, Wear a mask, hand out flyers and don’t say a word!

I would love to see the peaceful silentish protest on the steps of parliament. (Having a silent protest that doesn’t annoy the politicians and police would be a great thing.)

l’ll see you all there!

but I do agree - There methods are similar to the scilons and should be dealt with after Scientology has fallen..

STAY ON TARGET!

I like the idea of a slient protest on the Parly steps, Friday would be the best day? Late night shopping and there’s alot of people in town just becuase of the fact that it is a Friday.

hahaha, In regards to April 12th, nothing could be more be more greater;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkuMHFjH9oA&watch_response

This is a private video. If you have been sent this video, please make sure you accept the sender’s friend request.

I don’t like the idea of a silent protest. Sure this is serious business, but there is alway room for lulz, and silence is not lulzy, plus very hard to dance with no music. Also silence will garner less attention, which is ultimately what we want, we want attention focused on Co$ and it’s underhanded, extortionate, ILLEGAL practices.
I’m also a bit confused about the Parliament House location- especially as this is Operation Reconnect. Isn’t a part of this about reaching out to members of Co$ and showing them that they have support in the world outside? So shouldn’t we be outside their headquarters where they’re more likely to see us ?
But I am totally down with the suits.

If we’re able to talk to families who have been disconnected or people who have been involved with sci-iers.

We want them to talk about how the CoS has messed with them.

Having the general public talk to families and ex-sci-fiers on the steps of parliament would be a great piece of publicity for us.

Standing across from the SCI-FI building has proved to them in the recent marches that we are here and that they should be afraid.. with the successful ides of march raid.. we proved we’re only getting bigger, louder and more organized.

It is time to get the public on our side and the silent protest would be the best idea in a VERY public place.

Notice: Silent means holding large signs with “Scientology silences members from talking to their family” style quotes.

We’re allowed to talk to the public and explain everything. we need to make sure that the public knows we’re AGAINST them as their was some confusing before hand.

Howdy anonymous, just a few comments from a newbie:

1) Personally I must say the fun factor was a big a thing. That’s why I’ll be back for more. But I think we should balance it a bit more with looking serious.. e.g. more uniformity would be VERY effective. E.g. suits/ masks

2) I silent protest loses the power of the noise and words. for a silent protest to work (and I think it could work VERY well) it would need to be
a) In a very public place.
b) It would rely upon VERY big signs to get our message across.
eg. A2 at least.

3) One of the immediate observations I made at the March 15th protest was this:

The flier campaign was awesome.

However, scroll through any album of pics from that event and ask your self what percentage of photos/signs have the word scientology in them? and how big are they?

It was highly possible for a person to see the whole protest go past from a distance (e.g. out of flier range / across the street / inside shops / without glasses etc..) and not know who “the cult” were that we were protesting against. We need not only bigger signs, but in addition - large use of the word Scientology. If people don’t see the word scientology all our placards are out of context..

Hows this for an idea: a silent protest one in the middle of rundle mall on a late night shopping night. EVERYONE in SUITS even thirty people surrounding the malls balls with large placards would be effective.
Heck another 30 under the “buskers” veranda.
Another 30 near the pig statues.
Easy exposure…

@Thetan: You have some very good ideas.

Fuck suits

The word Scientology is so big though! I was going to include it in my sign but it would’ve taken up the whole width of it if I wanted to make the letters big enough to read from a distance.

hey kids - any1 keen on teaming up to create new flyers, posters and handouts for Operation Reconnect?

i have sourced a heap of hi-res stock photographs and some sweet vector illustrations of happy smiling families. aiming to create some cheery, dada-ist flyers with a big emphasis on FAMILY LIFE

drop me an email if u would like to share ideas or work together to develop some new material, be it visual ideas, copy-writing or whatever - or if u just want copies of the high rez imagery/anonymous logo/etc for use in your own materials :)

mrdogfood [at] gmail[dot]com

I’m sorry i’ve been looking but i couldnt seem to find any specific details of meeting times etc for the april protest. can someone please help

well maybe not everyone loves suits but the point is uniformity.. if everyone wore colours close to the black and white (possibly red) mark, in addition to masks, it’d have more of a visual impact then happy pants and rainbow suspenders, plus projects more seriousness..

As a christian myself, I am in strong opposition to K_Anon’s idea of attacking the Hillsong Church. Now, im not defending the church (personally, id never attend it), but we have to focus primarily on CoS.

I don’t mean any disrespect K_Anon, but you’re attacking my religion.

Christianity is free, CoS isn’t.

Christianity is bereft of abuse, Cos isn’t.

Without turning this into a debate, I ask K_Anon and everyone else to focus on dissmantling CoS, an organistaion-not a religion. How are we going to be taken seriously by the media and the public if we attack something harmless such as Christianity?

We are Anonymous. Together, we can bring down this abomination known as CoS.

True Anon_L, focusing on the CoS instead of other harmless religious beliefs is essential to overcoming this plague of injustice.

“The unknown can triumph over the known” - Anon_A

Yeah I agree

It’s important remember, that our unifying views here relates to CoS.
Not to say we don’t have views beyond these, or that there aren’t similar groups out there abusing power - but that’s not what draws us ‘here.’

Focus on Xenu incorporated..

Hey out of curiosity.. what are people putting on their signs / placards etc?

I’m having trouble thinking of short~ish messages that would work (given the reconnection theme).

Simply “Scientology destroys families” sounds kind of lame.. I need something more catchy.. inspire me!