LOS ANGELES - The Church of Scientology never has been shy about attempting to silence critics. Now, however, two gay activists - one of them a former Scientologist - claim the organization founded by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard has broken the law by obtaining and disclosing confidential medical records belonging to those who oppose its policies.
Graham Berry, the attorney for gay activists "Angry Gay Pope" (AGP) and "Happy Smurf" (the former Scientologist), called the public revelation of their HIV-positive status by lawyers for the Church of Scientology "downright sickening, illegal and an insult to members of the LGBT community and HIV patients worldwide."
The disclosure of information protected under both state and federal law was part of an effort by the church to stop protests at its "Gold Base" near Hemet, Calif., AGP and Happy Smurf said.
"Worldwide pickets against Scientology have surged in the last year, and Scientology has been fighting to stop them, especially near the Hemet compound," the men noted in a prepared statement. "Scientology has used tactics ranging from physical attacks [and] false reports to police [to] the emission of an estimated 110db organ note from loudspeakers in an attempt to drown out protesters' chants."
According to Happy Smurf, "Scientology policy states that homosexuals are ‘low on the tone scale' and should be ‘disposed of quietly and without sorrow.'"
To that end, the men aver, the church is lobbying Riverside County to pass an ordinance that will restrict protesting at Gold Base.
"Scientology considers the presence of two HIV-positive men to be a threat to the well-being of the alleged 500 church workers at the base, and is seeking to restrict protests in a move that may constitute a restriction on First
Amendment rights of activists in Hemet," the activists and their attorney assert.
The church has been known to claim it can cure homosexuality.
The activists also allege the Church of Scientology of California donated a generous sum of money to promote passage of Proposition 8, an amendment to the California Constitution that defines marriage as a heterosexual union.
