Title: To Dept20/RTC staff who want to leave from Robert Vaughn Young
Author: writer@eskimo.com (Robert Vaughn Young)
Date: 23 Feb 2000 00:27:28 GMT

Saturday, February 19, 2000

A NOTE TO THOSE IN DEPT 20/RTC WHO WANT TO LEAVE

To anyone in Dept. 20/RTC who is considering leaving the organization, I
know the feeling. I served at your echelon(s) for two decades.

I also know how it was engrained in us that such a feeling was due to
"withholds." Well, for openers, even Hubbard admits there are other
reasons for people leaving, such as bad seniors and misapplication of
policy. Do some research. Go to the policy index or to SIR and look up
"blow." (Borrow another terminal because they'll probably monitor such
word searches now.) And if you can't find the reference, then someone has
deleted it without LRH's okay.. Just find some of the older, earlier green
and red volumes. They are pre-edit. You'll find the LRH reference...

It's really quite amazing but despite these other reasons that Hubbard
gives for good staff leaving, I've never once seen an organization cite
it. Read up on it and see if you can think of an instance. I'll bet you
can't.

What I'm trying to say is that your may be experiencing exactly what
Hubbard talks about, even though no executive will ever admit to it. Your
job may have become intolerable because of the misapplication of policy by
bad seniors. These same seniors then cover their asses by blaming the
staff member. It happens all the time. You've seen it.

HOW TO LEAVE

It is a fear of every staff member that if they try to leave, they will be
stopped and I don't even mean physically, as that is against the law. But
you know what? That hardly ever crosses the minds of those who leave.
Probably 99% of us choose to leave secretly because we know the control
they can exert. Yet really all you have to do is walk away. But if you are
fearful that they will stop you, call the police. Tell them that you want
to leave and are afraid you'll be stopped as you try to get your stuff and
you want an escort. The police will help. It will definitely get the
attention of Dept. 20/RTC! (laughing)

However you choose to leave, have a route and a location to go to and know
that they have the name, address and phone number of every non-Scientology
family member and friend of yours. They will be called under a variety of
pretexts looking for you. (When I left, my family was called saying I had
inherited some money but they couldn't find me. Did they know where I
was?) Either make sure your friends/family are warned and can handle the
call or, if you feel threatened, just notify the police.

WHAT TO DO AFTER YOU LEAVE

Get some sleep in a safe location. Even a motel is good but know they will
call motels so, if you can, check in under another name. Have some regular
meals. Take some walks or go somewhere in the real world, but make sure
you go with a friend who can intervene at your pre-arranged behalf if they
accost you on the street. Know that it is illegal in most states to be
"stalked." If you feel you are being stalked, notify the police.

Meanwhile, relax. Get your thoughts back. Talk to some really close,
trusted friends or family about your experiences or better yet, see if you
can find another former staff member who knows what it was like and won't
ask you ridiculous questions or shake their head in disbelief at what you
did or saw.

WHO ELSE TO CALL

If I were leaving today and couldn't find a former staff member that I was
comfortable with (hey, we know what types were on staff!), I'd contact
Stacy. She's been through it (brutally) and knows what it is like to
leave. I'd look her up on the Net and find the best way to phone her.
(Most public libraries have Net connections. If you don't know how, ask
the librarian how you can search alt.religion.scientology and feed in
"Stacy" for her number. I put it this way for anyone who reads this months
or years from now, rather than pass on a number that can change. I called
her and she said on 2/20/00 to call her office at 727-467-9335, her cell
phone at 727-723-9417, her home at 727-593-2168 or reach her at
stacybrooks@mciworld.com.)

SHOULD YOU SPEAK PUBLICLY?

If you feel there were wrongs or abuses in the organization, should you
speak publicly? First, if you feel there were violations of the law, you
should contact the authorities. That is simply the law. It is the
responsibility of every citizen. If you need an attorney, my
recommendation is to deal with one who knows something about Scientology.
Otherwise you'll find yourself giving a five-day intro lecture just to get
to your point and even then, they won't understand or simply won't believe
you. If you were involved in any wrongs, the advice of an attorney is also
important

As to "speaking out," that is a very personal decision that should be
considered only after you have had considerable time to settle down. Don't
rush into it or away from it. Your own initial peace of mind is the most
important. Hopefully you won't have to rush out and find a job or leap
into the real world too quickly. That's where support comes in. Believe
me, I know that routine. So does Stacy. Fortunately, there are more people
now who have come to realize how important this is.

Meanwhile, practice your Grade Zero. Discover that you REALLY have the
ability to talk to ANYone on ANY subject now. Compare that to your
"earlier life" when the longer you were in there and the higher in the
organization you rose, the fewer people you could talk to on fewer
subjects, an inverted Grade Zero.

SHOULD YOU TAKE DOCUMENTS WITH YOU?

There are documents that belong to you, such as letters, photographs,
certificates, knowledge reports and the like. If you leave them, you can
never get them again and you can always throw them away later. But as for
internal documents - dispatches, debriefs, transcripts, reports - those
belong to the organization. The only time I would advocate that a person
take documents is if they show a crime has been committed and they are
taken to the proper authorities. As to what is a "crime" depends on the
local or federal jurisdiction. It could range from illegal financial
transactions to perjury to destroying evidence to illegal wiretaps to
practicing medicine without a license to illegal detention to physical
assault, etc. It is not a crime giving evidence to the proper authorities
in good faith and there are a lot of us who left who wished we had done so
because it was merely our word against theirs, as opposed to their
documents against their denial. The safest bet is to contact the proper
authorities and tell them what you know and ask them what you should do.

WHY DO I SAY ALL THIS?

First of all, the above are just my own opinions. Others may have a
different view.

Second, I don't recommend a person leave staff. But I think a person who
wants to (and this was prefaced early, saying it was for those considering
it), should have the freedom to do so. We all know the organization tries
to stop it. In fact, their whole "routing out" process is designed to
change your mind. Look at the routing out form and consider the "EP" of
the sec checks, eh?

I want you to know that it is not a crime to leave an organization any
more than it was a crime to join. It is your right as an American and the
law and the Constitution are with you. If you are concerned about
"contracts," consult an attorney familiar with Scientology contracts.

If you are happy with your Sea Org life, I wish you well.

Can you wish me the same?

Best wishes,
Robert Vaughn Young
A real Grade Zero since 1989