Subject: Dear Son by Ida Camburn http://www.lermanet.com/idacamburn/dearson.htm
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 03:29:56 GMT
From: alerma@nospam.bellatlantic.net (arnie lerma)
Organization: ScientologyLIES
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology,ca.politics

Dear Son
As I check the calendar I see the date of June 20 registered there.
This is a date with many memories--this the fortieth anniversary of
your fathers death and the twenty fourth anniversary of your signing
of the "disconnect" letter. In that you saw fit to publish your last
letter to me (or about me) for the world to see, I felt this one
should meet the same fate--thus I make it public.

This is a difficult letter to write as I realize we no longer "know'
each other. I saw you for a moment about fifteen years ago, however
only a hello and you were gone. I asked to come see you when you were
so very ill a few years ago, however I was told that you did not care
to see me. I waited in terror until I knew you were going to survive.

I have never been one to sit around letting life just pass me by. When
you decided to check me out of your life via the disconnect, I
realized that the relationshiop we had in the past was over. This did
not stop me from loving you and thinking of you each moment that has
passed. I fill my mind with remembering the good times while
constatnly learning about the present times.

My head is filled with memories of your growing to be a man, coming
home with great report cards, you reading into the wee hours, holidays
with all of us together, the phone calls, your love of Edison and your
laugh when I called to remind you of his birthday , your trying to
teach me to put "english" on my pool shot, making the birthday cakes ,
your pride in starting your first business, there are so many memories
but then my hope is that you are able to remember them too.

What "could" have been is over and now in these last years of my life
I keep as active as possible and I know in my heart that these past
events have occurred for a reason. Could it be because I would not let
my pride stand in the way of exposing this pain to the public? Could
it be because my father taught me "when you know in your heart that
something is dead wrong and you do not make any effort to make it
right --that is sin.".His words echo in my head each time I am so
weary when I get a call for help that I think how easy
it would be to just pass the problem on and I am ashamed to think I
would not be there for whoever needed a lift and a kind word. So
please son, do not think a nasty letter with less than the truth
published, is going to make me cringe from the "fair game" or will the
strange phone calls frighten me. My home and heart will be a haven for
anyone who has felt the sting and infringment of a destructive cult
resulting in the loss of a loved one or denying one a right to free
speech.

The effort to discredit me with the people in this community has
failed.

Perhaps I should be thankful as it proved again how far the
organization that you have devoted over twenty five years of your life
would go to silence just one person. I had a wonderful civics teacher
in the eighth grade son, she was a great believer in the exercise of
free speech. I remember every word she taught us. It is a pleasure to
associate my life with those that believe that free speech is meant
for everyone--not just those with what may be temporary and supposed
power!

Sincerely,
Mother

Ida J. Camburn
Hemet, California
http://www.lermanet.com/house/destructive.htm

Image of Letter to Ida Camburn from US Congressman Leo J Ryan
http://www.lermanet.com/idacamburn/leoryan.jpg

I'd prefer to die speaking my mind than live fearing to speak.
The only thing that always works in scientology are its lawyers
The internet is the liberty tree of the 90's
http://www.lermanet.com/grifters.htm - mentioned 4 January 2000 in
The Washington Post's - 'Reliable Source' column re "Scientologist with no
HEAD"
You want Bigots? http://members.home.net/bwarr1/Movie2.html