The hypocrisy of Scientology )St. Petersburg Times, published December 2, 1997 In the past, the Church of Scientology has defended its actions by claiming the First Amendment right of free speech. Now, it would deny that constitutional right to its critics by stopping them from picketing in front of the church's main building in downtown Clearwater. Scientology can't have it both ways. A group of 20 to 30 protesters has planned a non-violent demonstration in front of the former Fort Harrison Hotel, now Scientology's spiritual headquarters, to mark the second anniversary of Lisa McPherson's death. McPherson was a 36-year-old Scientologist who suffered an emotional breakdown in November 1995 after a minor traffic accident. Instead of accepting medical and psychiatric care, McPherson went back to the Fort Harrison building and was placed in isolation. Seventeen days later, on Dec. 5, 1995, she was taken by Scientologists to a New Port Richey emergency room where resuscitation efforts failed and she was pronounced dead. An autopsy by the medical examiner showed the cause of death to be a blood clot brought on by severe dehydration and prolonged bed rest. Clearwater police are wrapping up a criminal investigation of McPherson's death, and State Attorney Bernie McCabe will decide whether to file criminal charges. The protesters, some of them former Scientologists, wanted to mark McPherson's death with demonstrations on the evening of Dec. 5 and during the day of Dec. 6. They planned to carry signs on the sidewalks in front of the Fort Harrison building. Although the protesters didn't need a city permit, they applied for one and it was granted. Scientologists responded by attempting to have the sidewalks in front of their building closed off by police on those two days, saying a Christmas event called Winter Wonderland and a church meeting would draw thousands of visitors. Scientologists claimed the protesters had been involved in violence against the church, but offered no substantial proof. Clearwater Police Chief Sid Klein denied the Scientologists' request, saying he had no proof of violent behavior by the protesters. In a letter to Clearwater City Manager Michael Roberto, Scientology director Ben Shaw said "actions such as this give us the feeling of being treated as second-class citizens by the city police." After Scientology's heavy-handed effort to close down a public sidewalk, it is the protesters who should feel like second-class citizens. In the Scientology letter, which asks Roberto to overrule Klein and close the sidewalks, Shaw writes: "Chief Klein's insistence that the rights of a dozen protestors from outside Clearwater supersedes the rights of thousands of Clearwater citizens is, in my judgment, outrageous." What is outrageous is the Church of Scientology's hypocrisy. When it suits them, Scientologists claim to be the persecuted minority trying to exert their constitutional rights. In this case, it suits them to deprive other citizens their free speech. Roberto should not let the Church of Scientology bully him. Clearwater police are fully capable of allowing the demonstration and maintaining the peace. )Copyright 1997 St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.