August 14, 1998
OP/ED

The article of July 31 (“Antagonism leads to shotgun blasts”), mentions how Robert Minton of Sandown apparently shot at peaceful Church of Scientology parishioners without rational reasons -he claims he has been emotionally damaged by his brutal involuntarily incarceration into a
psychiatric institution at the age of 16.

What led to Minton’s involuntary commitment is not commonly known, but the residual hostility within him is very evident.

The goal of Scientology is a world without war, crime and insanity where the able can prosper and honest beings have rights. Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard first released “Dianetics” The Modern Science of Mental Health” in 1950, followed by millions of Scientologists reporting miraculous successes from their application of Scientology methods to real life situations. Scientology is an applied religious philosophy that enables one to gain a greater understanding of their own spiritual nature.

In 1951 Hubbard’s bestselling book, Science of Survival, exposed CIA-funded psychiatric mind-control experimentation, which used electroshock, drugs and hypnosis to program innocent people to become robotic assasins. Later these incidents were recounted in well-known publications and movies such as the Manchurian Candidate and Conspiracy Theory.

Minton stated on several occasions the irreparable damage psychiatry has had on his youth and his overall depression in life. Perhaps this is a similar story to that of the recent Capitol Hill gunman, Russell Eugene Weston Jr., who also had a long history of emotional problems before his frenzied shooting.

Who can tell what really set Minton off to fire a shotgun at peaceful Church parishioners who were merely asserting their freedom of speech? Did he just take on the colors of the psychiatric enemies he was trying to fight? It was fortunate that the skilled police officers of Sandown arrived early enough on the scene to handcuff Mr. Minton and protect him against himself and others,

For several decades, the Church of Scientology has worked shoulder to shoulder with government and private agencies to expose and eradicate illegalities in the field of psychiatry, including fraudulent involuntary commitment. Many of these activities were followed by shutdowns of these asylums.

The Church of Scientology remains dedicated to eradicating psychiatric abuses such as occurred in Minton’s case and hopefully Robert Minton one day will come to realize who his true enemies were.

FRANK OFMAN
Public Affairs Director
Church of Scientology