Waltzes galore and tons of fun!
Here is our report, as promised, on the 2001 Opera Ball.
From: ARS-CC Vienna Newsgroups: de.soc.weltanschauung.scientology Subject: Alles Walzer und viel Vergnügen! Date: 25 Feb 2001 03:13:39 -0800Many limousines with international celebrities drove up to the entrance of the Opera Hall, but not L. Ron Hubbard, apparently he had been removed in a timely manner by the security agency. Presumably he would have even been taken into custody and arrested, as were many demonstrators. As is known, Adolf Hitler pulled up the previous year in a white Rolls Royce and was promptly arrested.
In making our entrance through the walkway into the opera we saw many tastefully dressed people, very little "off-the-shelf." It goes without saying that the ARSCC Vienna Team was also done up in the very finest style, otherwise we might have been taken for Scientologists and this time that's not we intended at all. One of our members is a designer and tailor and he makes everything for us from Sea-Org uniforms (for the occasional "Captain from Koepenick" special mission into their Denmark headquarters, the Scienos always fall for it) to the most elegant evening wear and gowns.
It was an absolutely fascinating experience, as it is every year; we had our loge in the same area as the important people from politics, business, art and culture. One name after another of the most well-known personalities from all over the world and right in the middle of it, us. Then came the opening by our Austrian President with the Austrian National Anthem, then the fireworks music by Georg Friedrich Handel; Mr. President's Guest of Honor was Croation Head of State Stipe Mesic. The opening came to an end and the European Anthem was played.
At the head of the debutantes was the charming daughter of the US Embassy in Austria. The committee of young ladies and gentlemen was a sight to behold and in some of their faces one could detect genuine excitement. We had assigned debutante duty to two of our younger ARSCC activists; naturally they used the intermissions to inform the other young people about the contemptible deeds of the Scientology Organization. More than one of the young people raised their eyebrows when they heard what Scientology did with its members (we took the opportunity to mention the case of Lisa McPherson, who liked to dance herself - her last words included "I want to dance"), others there already had an idea about the organization which likes to call itself a church, but gladly took the informational material anyway.
Mary Sue Hubbard was nowhere to be seen. Apparently Richard "Moertel" Lugner had thought it over and decided not to invite her after all. This year's escort for Richard "Moertel" Lugner, Farah Fawcett, danced like a goat but at least she looked nice. Much more interesting for us were the lively steps on the floor of our favorite federal minister, Martin Bartenstein ("Bart"). Before "Bart" transferred to the commerce department, he made a heap of trouble for Scientology as the Minister of Families and Youth, and won a few games against the Scientologists. We are convinced that "Bart" will achieve something similar in the commerce department, that means that Austria's economy will be kept clear of Scientology's delusion. A dependable man, our "Bart" :-)
The international celebrities already were acquainted with us, so we could carry out our work, informing people about the not very decent machinations of the Scientology, practically from our loge. Still "Moertel" and his little problem with Farah Fawcett did not escape us, and we felt genuinely sorry for him. Amid everything else the members of ARSCC Vienna still had a little time in which to risk a dance on the floor of the most beautiful ballroom in all the world.
As the opera ball ended towards 5 o'clock the next morning, all our information brochures and flyers were gone and our work had been done to our satisfaction, so we, because we were no more entirely sober, were chauffeured home by the ARSCC transport service in the duty limousine (Stuttgart model).
It is with great joy that ARSCC Vienna can announce that no Scientologist Moechtegern-Tenor participated in the Opera Ball this year.
ML
ARS-CC Vienna (WDNE) Dance & PR I/C