"Is Anonymous done?"

This was a prank by two (or three - if we I hear the harmonies correctly) people. That leaves over 9000 other Anons who took no part in this silliness, but were busy protesting the CoS in other ways.

No, of course Anonymous is not done.

It bears repeating that Anonymous is a non-entity. Nobody has the power to control what anyone calling themselves Anonymous does or says. If someone does something stupid or illegal while calling themselves Anonymous, they themselves bear all the responsibility. One person's stupid behavior is just one stupid person's behavior. Many anonymous anti-Scientology protesters have already condemned this very incident and distanced themselves from it.

Tony, you surprise me! You've done stories on Scientology in the past. You know what they've done. Why the crankypants 'tude towards Anonymous here?

Silly prank was silly, and juvenile, but still hilarious. One anonymous jester gets busted, and you see that as the end of Anonymous?

We're about to celebrate our annoniverary this weekend with a global picket. There are plans in place for the rest of the year.

We're even cleaning up the corrupt hold Scientology has in Riverside County, California, where the cult is trying to suppress everyone's right to free speech!

Oh, we're not done, Mr. Ortega, not by a long shot! We're just getting into our groove. 2008 was just a warm up.

2009, it's payback time. The cult is going to be forced to take responsibility for the crimes and abuses it's been allowed to perpetrate for five decades.

YSOSRS, Mr. Ortega? One vaseline and pubic hair covered 18 year old getting busted does not herald the end of Anonymous!

Just a college kid prank that the racketeering scientology business is yelping about. Scientology commits crimes and goes out of their way to conceal them. Google "Operation Snow White".

NOTHING justifies such hate crimes. I hope the guy and his Anonymous friends get the jail time they deserve.

this was totally disgusting. when protesting something dumb and evil like Scientology or The Bush administration you have to be not evil yourself to convince people. Dumbasses.

Les, your butthurt reaction shows that you are a Scientologist. However, is that the best you can come up with? You are supporting an enterprise that commits far worse crimes and abuses than this prank. I agree this is not the way to bring attention to that, but why not ex-scientologist and read some of the stories?

Funny, the same website you quote has a poll with more than 60% of the people who thinks its only a dumb prank.

You think the student movement in the 60s in Europe never pulled something similar to this?

"There is no such thing as bad publicity except your own obituary." - Brendan Behan

Okay, I'm not angry that he was arrested, and I think we pretty much all saw that coming. But...

"Hate crime"? How was this a hate crime? Oh, I guess anything bad that happens to Scientology nowadays is a "hate crime".

Also, he wasn't protesting Scientology, he was pulling a prank. There's a big difference between protesting/hate crime/prank. Yet this seems to have been all lumped into the same category. wtg guys.

I think this was utterly stupid, but every village has an idiot this man doesn't represent all of the people who are critical of scientology and to make a blanket comment like that shows how ignorant and stupid you all are. The fight will go on, you have no clue Ortega (you fool), Viva La Revolution.

You can't say everyone who isn't american is a terrorist because one foreigner bombs us. So you can't presume a whole group of ANY people are responsible for anyone else's actions let alone those of the village idiot.

Peace!

Please.

This guy has as much to do with protesting the human & civil rights abuses of the Church of Scientology as David Miscavige has shopped for adult size clothing.

The media is quick to jump on these pranks, but when it comes to the real story - they duck and cover.

Sue

Keep in mind, there is nothing to "desecrate" since its not a church in the first place and its not a religion. Its like a book store. That sells really lousy books. And wants your children.

Well some douchebag put pubic hair on his body and went into a Scientology building. I guess this means Scientology isn't an evil cult and everyone should just stop speaking out against their abuses.

He was guilty of trespassing if they clearly asked him to leave and he refused, and maybe damaging merchandise. That is all.

Drawing swastikas on Jewish graves is a hate crime. Defacing a mosque is a hate crime. This was a prank gone wrong.

Anonymous has no members. There are just people who will fight to bring the criminals in Scientology to justice, vaselined-bandits or no bandits.

"Mahoud Samed Almahadin", if that turns out to be his real name, might not be the typical Anonymous, but it clearly shows their dedication to harass and intimidate.

you know i used to love the village voice, but why would you call that a protest?

it was intended as a prank, and if Joe Pubic, erm, Public, will immediately dismiss anything bad that the Church of Scientology does on a daily basis, well you don't deserve to know what has been going on right in front of your very eyes.

we have no "doctrine" or set of rules or anything, and we are allowed to pull pranks, no matter what you guys think because personally, i think it was freaking hilarious.

judge Anonymous how you want, but it doesn't take anything away from the fact that the CoS is a corrupt, dangerous corporation.

And no, Mr. Ortega, we are not done.

In fact, we haven't even started.

Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard on his deathbed told his son
"You know how to get rich... start a religion." admitting that Scientology is nothing but a fictionally created story.
Scientology is nothing but a corporation that thrives off the ignorance of it's followers by selling them and whoever else books, and courses on how to "improve" themselves spiritually.
One of their expensive scams is that they will sell you for extremely large
amounts of money a series of books that in the end are supposed to teach you how to walk through walls.... and after spending long hours of self deceptive meditation, a lot of money, and reading you become brainwashed to believe that you can actually walk through walls and when you try to and end up bumping your nose against the wall you are told that you couldn't do it because you're not ready yet however there are more books and courses available that will someday make it possible for you to do so for larger amounts of money butt not really.
Scientology = manipulative corporate scam brainwashing moneybaggers club
Scientologist = manipulated misguided fool

I know someone who got sucked into that Scientology I didn't know he was a Scientologist until one day, about 4 years ago, he said "Rob here's a book you should read." He passed me Dianetics by L. Ron Hubbard. I laughed and said "L. Con Flubbfart ha forget it." For the first time in the years since I've known the guy he displayed anger and I'm talking very angry!!! Verbally with an agressive face.
After that display he went on to talk about the ability to walk through walls, he hasn't reached that level but he plans on getting there etc...

We are the Internet Hate Machine, we never forgive, we never forget, we cover our selves in pubes...

Expect us.

The author's final comment is just as stupid as the prank that was pulled but not nearly as funny. Your ignorance is showing, Mr. Ortega.

"might not be the typical Anonymous, but it clearly shows their dedication to harass and intimidate"

Yes, and the crime of a single Jew should also be attributed against all Jews, because, after all, they are Jews.

Ortega is doing his job in terms of calling NYC Anon to task. However, lets have some perspective. On the one hand you have a clueless 18 year old with Vaseline and pubes, whose conduct is only his own conduct.

In contrast, the entire COS enterprise is an evil criminal enterprise, doing harm on an international scale in systematic fashion. The consistent actions of the leaders of the COS in this regard stand in stark contrast to the anomolous behavior of this clueless 18 year old.

I'm hoping we can get a dollar amount on how much Scientology had to pay these kids to do this, if these kids are agent provocateurs.
I was a punk-arse little biatch once upon a time and pulled some stupid pranks, people grow up though. It's really important that
people who support human rights causes maintain their propriety though, and protest with respect and within the bounds of the law. We can't or should'nt do the vile and revolting things that Scientology does.
Oh and sup, les, how's terryeo and louanne?

This is not a hate crime. It is street theater and avantgarde performance art that you see in New York City all the time--like the naked cowboy.

Les, it was just a small jar of vaseline--not the big jar for with the federal death penality would apply.

Dear Tony,

I find your definition of adulthood rather offensive. If being an adult means getting in line and keeping your head down, playing the game of life and hoping to last it all out,. well fuck that and fuck you and your snob liberal rag.

The world isn't pretty. Groups with notions of altruism are pretentious and economically parasitic. We're the people whose read and witnessed all the bullshit, greed, and infantile behavior of this modern era and this is how we quell our hunger.

Anonymous would like to point out that your article is factually incorrect on several points.

When did it happen again Tony?

Do some research before you write your article if you actually want Anonymous to take you serious.

Yes I know your background with Scientology. We've gotten more accomplished in the last year than you have in 15. Kindly continue to write articles about how dumb Anonymous is because a dumb Anonymous person gave you a reason to write an article about the cult of Scientology.

Either that or DIAF and STFU.

Dear Tony,

I find your definition of adulthood rather offensive. If being an adult means getting in line and keeping your head down, playing the game of life and hoping to last it all out,. well fuck that and fuck you and your snob liberal rag.

The world isn't pretty. Groups with notions of altruism are pretentious and economically parasitic. We're the people whose read and witnessed all the bullshit, greed, and infantile behavior of this modern era and this is how we quell our hunger.

Also - Tony, today 1/15/2009 is the one year since the beginning of Project CHANology. Guess you don't know as much as you think you do.

I don't believe for one second these guys were a part of Anonymous! If they were, they'd know how stupid that was. I for one, think that in the middle of Scientology's p.r shitstorm with Jett Travolta, they needed to look like victims right about now. They've been known to call in bomb and death threats on themselves and blame it on anonymous. They've done this to enemies in the past who have spoken out about them. This seems very staged. The church of Scientology are brilliant p.r stratagists. THEY WILL DO ANYTHING TO BE RIGHT!!

Help us revoke Scientology's tax-exemption by voting up the following suggestion on change.gov's site

http://citizensbriefingbook.change.gov/ideas/viewIdea.apexp?id=087800000004rbZ

Make the future US leaders realise that this is an issue!

People do stupid shit all the time. To be honest, I'm surprised that it took nearly a year for someone to do a really retarded prank that gets them arrested. And, I mean, yeah, it's hilarious. But it's not like there are very many Anons who are taking it seriously, and it's not like anyone believes that Agent Pubeit doesn't deserve to be arrested.

Though, I'm with the guys who say "this isn't a hate crime", I do support the trespassing, harassment, and whatever charges, and I'm assuming he knew the consequences when he signed up for it.

Relax, man. Anonymous still does protests and infodumps.

Tony. You dropped the friggin ball on this one dude. Painting this prank as a protest and every anonymous protester with the same brush is just pure headline faggotry.

I expected much better from you given your past reporting on $cilons and anons.
Go chase an ambulance.

you just don't get it, tony

Fuck you Tony. Fuck you.

How to protest the cult of scientology......

http://888chan.org/td/src/1232055739518.jpg

Tony Ortega, blow me.

How to protest the cult of scientology......

http://888chan.org/td/src/1232055739518.jpg

How to protest the cult of scientology......

http://888chan.org/td/src/1232055739518.jpg

As someone who at one time considered themselves to be Anonymous, I have to say, this sort of socially retarded "prank" is exactly what drove me away in the first place. The other two factors were the extreme lack of critical thinking, and a rabid Anti-Scientologist slant taking over.

I'm not gone totally yet: good things are afoot this year, and I hope people will take stock of this event, and wise up a little bit.

To Mr Ortega, I thought your article was actually pretty fair. We'll just have to see what happens as the year progresses.

http://888chan.org/td/src/1232055739518.jpg

Read Scientology Fundamental of Thought by L. Ron Hubbard :)

And for anyone that claims this hate crime is "not anonymous" or "not sanctioned by anonymous" please see that this comes right out of the "Anonymous Playbook" as posted on their forum along with other offensive "operations" such as one that begins "An anon takes laxatives a half an hour before going into the org to take a stress test, in shorts." That this material was left on the forum since May implicates Anonymous as a group, no matter how amorphous they may be.
http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:ruLia71KHSQJ:forums.whyweprotest.net/291-scientology-activism/anonymous-playbook-12112/+slickpubes+site:whyweprotest.net

Hate Crime? Uh..no

Stupid, yet disgustingly hilarious, prank? Absolutely.

Anonymous is so not done.

Hey Tony, why couldn't you be bothered to write about Jett and the Purif? Why couldn't you be bothered to write about Scientology and their puppet government official out in Riverside County, CA trying to ban protesting against the First amendment? Why couldn't you be bothered to write about Second Chance in New Mexico breaking the law?

Nope you decided to write about an idiot. Way to go! You're an hero!

Fail.

I am a scientologist and that behaviour of that kid shows how low a being can get.
As scientologist I respect other religions and I like to learn more about them. I also accept other people not believing that Scientology is the religion for them. But while this is true for me as scientoloigst, this is not true for anonymous. These guys want to destroy the right of others to follow the religion they like to follow! They don't even say "the religion anoynimous supports is better than Scientology"... they don't. They just want to destroy a religion without even telling if they believe that there is a religion "better" than Scientology.
If someone is "stuck" in his urge to destroy the right of others to follow a religion I think that other parts of his mind are stuck on "stopping" or "destroying" other things.
So Anons... do you have better answers to questions such as...
1- What is life...
2- Is man a spirit...
3- Is there life after death...
4- Is man immortal...
5- What happens when a man dies...
6- How far in the past a person can remember...
7- How could you get a person to remember things he has totally forgotten...

Thank you for the answer

The bigger worry to me here, is the profound void of anything resembling intelligence by these commenters. Hello! Israel vs. Gaza? Iraq/Afghanistan? African genocide? Climate change? Global economic collapse? State and municipal insolvency? Ad infinitum, and these cerebrally paralyzed cretans spend their time defending a disgusting display of mental ennui? We are doomed as a species. Listen you kids, get off the Internet right now, its turning your brains to jelly!

The bigger worry to me here, is the profound void of anything resembling intelligence by these brain dead commenters. Hello! Israel vs. Gaza? Iraq/Afghanistan? African genocide? Climate change? Global economic collapse? State and municipal insolvency? Ad infinitum, and these cerebrally paralyzed cretans spend their time defending a disgusting display of mental ennui? We are doomed as a species. Listen you kids, get off the Internet right now! Its turning your brains to jelly!

The bigger worry to me here, is the profound void of anything resembling intelligence by these brain dead commenters. Hello! Israel vs. Gaza? Iraq/Afghanistan? African genocide? Climate change? Global economic collapse? State and municipal insolvency? Ad infinitum, and these cerebrally paralyzed cretans spend their time defending a disgusting display of mental ennui? We are doomed as a species. Listen you kids, get off the Internet right now! Its turning your brains to jelly!

The bigger worry to me here, is the profound void of anything resembling intelligence by these brain dead commenters. Hello! Israel vs. Gaza? Iraq/Afghanistan? African genocide? Climate change? Global economic collapse? State and municipal insolvency? Ad infinitum, and these cerebrally paralyzed cretans spend their time defending a disgusting display of mental ennui? We are doomed as a species. Listen you kids, get off the Internet right now! Its turning your brains to jelly!

it can't be a hate crime because you CHOOSE to be a Scientologist. just stop being Scientologists and then you won't get pube covered shit.

I am not in Anonymous and I am totally AGAINST the church of Scientology, but to call this a hate crime is beyond ridiculous! Come on people! Although it may be viewed as a bad idea, it was nothing more than a college prank. A hate crime? Wow ! People are so uptight now these days.
Funny how this article does not mention the MANY crimes that Scientology is guilty of. How about when they infiltrated the IRS and stole files? And the founder of Scientology's wife Mary Sue Hubbard went to prison? How about when they strong armed the IRS and they got tax exemption in 1993 by threatening them with exposing personal info about the IRS agents? How about the fact that they run 100's of front groups? Use religious cloaking for tax exemption? Offer treatments for drug addicts that are not proven to be a cure OR safe and charge thousands of dollars for it, how about the fact that the church has an abusive Sea Organization that abuses it's members with coerced abortions,mind control,family disconection,slave labor,sexual abuse,illegal alien trafficking,and so on????
A little furry vaseline on books is a drop in the bucket and LAUGHABLE compared to what Scientology does on a daily basis.

Don't you get it? These young kids are trying to bring attention to one of the biggest litigious and evil cults that even walked the planet. Perhaps they have their own way of doing it , and it may not be right to some...but our own government isn't doing ANYTHING to stop Scientology... so more power to these silly kids! BRAVO!
Is Anonymous done?? I HOPE NOT!!!!

I am not in Anonymous and I am totally AGAINST the church of Scientology, but to call this a hate crime is beyond ridiculous! Come on people! Although it may be viewed as a bad idea, it was nothing more than a college prank. A hate crime? Wow ! People are so uptight now these days.
Funny how this article does not mention the MANY crimes that Scientology is guilty of. How about when they infiltrated the IRS and stole files? And the founder of Scientology's wife Mary Sue Hubbard went to prison? How about when they strong armed the IRS and they got tax exemption in 1993 by threatening them with exposing personal info about the IRS agents? How about the fact that they run 100's of front groups? Use religious cloaking for tax exemption? Offer treatments for drug addicts that are not proven to be a cure OR safe and charge thousands of dollars for it, how about the fact that the church has an abusive Sea Organization that abuses it's members with coerced abortions,mind control,family disconection,slave labor,sexual abuse,illegal alien trafficking,and so on????
A little furry vaseline on books is a drop in the bucket and LAUGHABLE compared to what Scientology does on a daily basis.

Don't you get it? These young kids are trying to bring attention to one of the biggest litigious and evil cults that even walked the planet. Perhaps they have their own way of doing it , and it may not be right to some...but our own government isn't doing ANYTHING to stop Scientology... so more power to these silly kids! BRAVO!
Is Anonymous done?? I HOPE NOT!!!!

Sorry for he double comment, it was not my intent and had no idea it posted twice..... this comment program is a bit buggy

Hey Frank G!!! Stop pitching your Scientology failed tech mumbo jumbo here, it doesn't work and never will

I love the comments in this article.

Go, Anonymous, Go!

Not dead.

In fact, still alive. Everyone in Anonymous participates as they see fit, and faces the consequences of their actions. Many of us choose to only participate in non-violent and legal forms of protest, and as a result get laughed at by the more prank-loving within Anonymous. Agent Pubit decided this was what he wanted to do, and he is facing the consequences of that action. Doesn't change what we have been working on for the last year, and doesn't change our plans for 2009.

Tony! Man, I always love watching you kick that ant hill when it god damned bloody well needs to be kicked because the occasional resulting termoil, motion, and boiling anger is good theature! Usually it's the Scientology lunatics (I'm looking at you, Heterosexual Tom Cruise!) that turn beet red and spew their coffee in outraged anger when they turn to your articles in the morning, but you got Anonymous humping and man, that's EPIC fun!

And dude, please reconsider sending your resume to CNN because you really do belong in the big times and (dare I say it?!) you should have a cable news show of your own, "All Scientology All The Time" would be a great title for your segment. You could have a lot of guests appear on your show, all of them in "V" for Vendetta masks, Moralfags on one couch, Channers on another, and the occasional Old Guardfag (with or without beard) standing between 'em.

The best part -- the very best -- is reading the annoyed postings by n00b Anon who assume you're a Scientology plant, some n00b yarking up on his shoes without having taken your punches and done your homework over the years. Yeah, sure, you haven't been served with amusingly insane paranoid kook legal threats by Scientology in maybe six months or so, but cum(sic)mon, man, these here are the Internet(s) and your name id legend to the point where you would think a few n00bi3 Anon could Google your ass. (No I mean your name. Or your ass if they're looking for Tony Ortega porn. Actually I don't know what the bloody fuck I mean. Hell, I'm not sure how I got sidetracked.)

Go get 'em, Tony! And be sure to bring a jar of vaseiline!

@FrankG:

Don't know if this got covered further down because I got distracted when I saw how spectacularly you missed the point, but basically the Anonymous movement isn't about destroying your religion [although some foolish youths like to take that slant], the major objective is to get the Church of Scientology to own up to it's past and present human rights transgressions, the beef is not with the beliefs, it's a call for honesty and transparency, simple things like the creation story not being revealed until OTIII, I mean seriously, how many religions prevent their faithful from learning about their personal beliefs on the creation of man until after they've shelled out 30 grand on courses and auditing.
The reason given by Mr. Hubbard himself for keeping OT3 secret until the mark is 'ready' involved ludicrous claims about the damage which can be caused. This is rubbish, I have read the OT3 documents, and from what I can see, the only harm they do is to L. Ron's credibilty! Having read OT3 I now understand why a person has to be mentally conditioned for it, as without years of mental reconditioning there is no way any logical thinker would accept this space opera. Also, having seen the behaviour of all the high level OTs sent out to 'handle' protesters, I am in no way swayed by the claims of superhuman abilities or even communication skills. Show me a real clear, please, show me one person who actually fulfills the original stated end phenomena as listed in Dianetics, sadly I don't believe you can.

To all those knocking Tony for this article, grow the fuck up, what this kid did was damn stupid, and simply serves to make the rest of anonymous look like a bunch of clowns. To all those Scientologists who believe this is a 'hate crime,' you too should grow the fuck up, and grow a pair while you're at it. Disagreement with the policies and actions of the Church of Scientology are always simply thrown off as 'bigotry.' Start complaining about religious intolerance when your people are rounded up and thrown into death camps. Foolish pranks like this are hardly up there with the KKK now, are they?

@FrankG:

Don't know if this got covered further down because I got distracted when I saw how spectacularly you missed the point, but basically the Anonymous movement isn't about destroying your religion [although some foolish youths like to take that slant], the major objective is to get the Church of Scientology to own up to it's past and present human rights transgressions, the beef is not with the beliefs, it's a call for honesty and transparency, simple things like the creation story not being revealed until OT3; I mean, seriously, how many religions prevent their faithful from learning about their personal beliefs on the creation of man until after they've shelled out 30 grand on courses and auditing?
The reason given by Mr. Hubbard himself for keeping OT3 secret until the mark is 'ready' involved ludicrous claims about the damage which can be caused. This is rubbish, I have read the OT3 documents, and from what I can see, the only harm they do is to L. Ron's credibilty! Having read OT3 I now understand why a person has to be mentally conditioned for it, as without years of mental reconditioning there is no way any logical thinker would accept this space opera. Also, having seen the behaviour of all the high level OTs sent out to 'handle' protesters, I am in no way swayed by the claims of superhuman abilities or even communication skills. Show me a real clear, please, show me one person who actually fulfills the original stated end phenomena as listed in Dianetics, sadly I don't believe you can.

To all those knocking Tony for this article, grow the fuck up, what this kid did was damn stupid, and simply serves to make the rest of anonymous look like a bunch of clowns. To all those Scientologists who believe this is a 'hate crime,' you too should grow the fuck up, and grow a pair while you're at it. Disagreement with the policies and actions of the Church of Scientology are always simply thrown off as 'bigotry.' Start complaining about religious intolerance when your people are rounded up and thrown into death camps. Foolish pranks like this are hardly up there with the KKK now, are they?

111111111GET

This is not a protest. This is trolling. Dont tell us how to do something that we invented.

anonymous is retarded. what a waste of time. how do these people actually feel that what they do is important and benefits society? Do you go home at night after a protest feeling that you actually acomplished something that day?

It's hilarious that the scientologists are calling guilt by association. If one person calling himself Anon covers himslef in pubes, then they're all capable of similar? Let's look at some scientologists;
Gabriel Scott Williams
Mary Sue Hubbard
Donald Strawn

According to the scientologists' logic, all scientologists must be child molesters and rapists who break into government offices and frame journalists for crimes they didn't commit. After all, if these three did those things...

Or you can accept that people are individuals and act on their own actions. Which is it?

It's hilarious that the scientologists are calling guilt by association. If one person calling himself Anon covers himslef in pubes, then they're all capable of similar? Let's look at some scientologists;
Gabriel Scott Williams
Mary Sue Hubbard
Donald Strawn

According to the scientologists' logic, all scientologists must be child molesters and rapists who break into government offices and frame journalists for crimes they didn't commit. After all, if these three did those things...

Or you can accept that people are individuals and act on their own actions. Which is it?

^
Wolfy, get real.

Anti-scienos are constantly trying to label the entire religion of scientology as evil and criminal based on the actions of a few scienos. 99.9% of scienos are law abidiing citizens. But when people try to label all Anons as criminals based on the actions of the pube guy, then Anons get their panties in a bunch.

Let's face it, both scientology and anti-scientology are nothing more than opposite sides of the same lunaatic and delusional coin. Both groups are flat out retarded. Anti-scienos are nothing more than "bizarro scienos."

Kimmo Alm, the leader of Anonymous, put him up to this.