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GANDHI TECH AND SCIENTOLOGY Gandhi Tech is the protest method that involves direct confrontation using non-violence. It comes from the teachings of Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Vaclav Havel, and others who showed that it works. It is practiced against a person or group that claims to be moral and righteous but actually is harming people. The method works by exposing the contradiction between their claim of morality and their actual teachings and practices. If you see a person or group harming people while they are also claiming to be moral and righteous, you may feel the need to expose or try to stop this harm. There are different ways to do this. Each has side-effects, some long lasting, some unexpected. If you use violence, it could be possible to stop the harm, but one side-effect could be anger and a desire for vengeance from those YOU harmed by your violence. If you use the same immoral methods as the group you are against, then the side-effect is you have simply become like them. Finally, the side-effect of Gandhi Tech is reconciliation and peace. The goal should be to convert the adversary, not hurt the adversary. In this way, there are no bad side-effects. Vaclav Havel, who went from communist prison in Czechoslovakia to the presidency, wrote during his struggles against the dictatorial government there... “Those who have for many years engaged in a violent and bloody vengefulness against their opponents are now afraid of us. They should rest easy. We are not like them...” (p.303) Charter 77 in Czechoslovakia succeeded in overthrowing the government by use of Gandhi Tech. There is nothing easy about Gandhi Tech except the simplicity of its concept. It does not work in all situations. But as Martin Luther King, Jr. stated: "I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant." Gandhi Tech is somewhat of a skill. Just how should you directly confront your adversary? Take, for example, Gandhi's Salt March. The British imperialists in India made it illegal for individuals to gather their own salt. So Gandhi announced loudly that he was going to march 240 miles to this one location on the ocean shore, and he was going to get some salt for himself. He and many of his followers walked for days to get to this spot. When they tried to simply gather salt, they were severely beaten. This was such a simple, direct way to show why British rule was neither moral nor wanted. All the British would have had to do to show their cultural superiority was let Gandhi get some salt off the beach. Instead Gandhi exposed their brutality.
Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard stated that the analytical mind handles problems in 5 ways - attacking, avoiding, falling back from, succumbing, or neglecting (“The Analytical Mind,” 1950, in Astounding Science Fiction magazine). Since avoiding, falling back from, succumbing and neglecting are hardly "handling" you could say he only held out one real method, attack. Hubbard later wrote about this as the Black Panther mechanism in the book Dianetics: the Modern Science of Mental Health. How do you handle a Black Panther who is in your way? One of those 5 methods. Gandhi had a method to handle problems, such as getting rid of the British control of his country. He looked at the British as wayward brethren who simply needed to be shown the error of their ways. In other words, he didn't use Hubbard's methods. He befriended the Black Panther (that is, the British Imperialists). He embraced it. And it worked. I think it's very telling that Hubbard never thought of embracing the Black Panther. That's why Scientology now utilizes dead agenting, noisy investigations, and other attack methods against their perceived problems. Attack is the only true method of handling a problem in Scientology. "Always attack, never defend," Hubbard wrote. "The law can be used very easily to harass, and enough harassment on somebody... will generally be sufficient to cause his professional decease. If possible, of course, ruin him utterly." (Magazine Articles on Level 0 Checksheet, p. 55) I don't believe you can find compassion and love in Scientology either in their actions or in Hubbard's writings. Do you see why the Scientology tone scale doesn't have love in it? No embracing or befriending there. Gandhi, on the other hand, taught that all that was needed was to show the Black Panther the error of its ways and treat it kindly. In fact, you see that the pain in Gandhi Tech is borne by the aggrieved, not directed toward the aggressor. Gandhi Tech is a method to expose the bad side by putting them in a situation where they will reveal their true nature. It is done in a peaceful, caring way. It is wonderful to read of the history of Gandhi Tech throughout the years. While it can't be used in all situations, and there have been times it failed, still countries were freed from oppression, minorities gained rights, and divisions were healed. It is wonderful to see that there is an alternative to violence and anger. I hope you will study and utilize Gandhi Tech. JEFF'S LIST OF GANDHI TECH PROTEST POINTS 1. nonviolence always 2. have one simple goal that is attainable. Make it easily understood. When that goal is attained, go to the next. 3. educate yourself on the history and effectiveness of Gandhi Tech 4. do not humiliate or create panic on the other side 5. confront the other side in such a way that they will expose their true nature 6. your goal is to convert the other side, not hurt the other side 7. be kind, calm, ethical, just 8. you're aim is for long-term results. When everything is done (and done well), you and the other side should be friends without any resentment. 9. run the movement by concensus whenever possible 10. make extensive use of the media 11. be cheap 12. work locally as much as possible 13. educate the public 14. no secrecy. No OSA-like activities. 15. negotiate Further reading: Havel: A Life, by Michael Zantovsky Gandhi: Prisoner of Hope, by Judith M. Brown Martin Luther King, Jr: a Life, by Marshall Frady
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