Mark Bunker: Meeting an old Scientology friend on the streets of Clearwater

[The streets of Clearwater, back in the day]

[Today’s guest post is by Clearwater, Florida City Councilman Mark Bunker.]

Yesterday was Neighborhoods Day in Clearwater.  It is a festive day every year where individual neighborhoods throw their own block parties and we council members, along with police officers, city staff and officials travel around and visit as many of the get-togethers as possible.  It's a fun tradition and a good chance to find out what is on people's minds.

Things were going swimmingly until I got to the Country Club neighborhood.  I noticed signs asking for us to support some changes to Drew Street to make the neighborhood safer.  I explained to one woman that we have the votes to make that happen so help is on the way.  She was so excited she asked me to join her to tell that to a friend at the end of the block.  We headed that way when suddenly this woman was grabbed and pulled away from me.  I figured this may be the woman she wanted me to meet so I approached them...and they both ran away.

Suddenly, a woman I hadn't seen in a couple of decades popped up at my side and angrily demanded, "You need to leave!"  It was Maureen O'Keefe, who was much nicer when I met her on the streets of Clearwater back in 2000…

Maureen also was at the Chicago Org in 2000 when I was arrested for trespassing on a public sidewalk while trying to interview two dentists defrauded out of $20,000 by Scientology.  Maureen actually signed the arrest report which I have had hanging on my wall for decades.  That happened shortly before the video you see above this which I referenced in the video.

Maureen continued her Tone 40 demands that I leave but I told her no and reminded her that the injunction she kept mentioning also applied equally to her.  It is not “the Mark Bunker injunction” no matter how many times Scientology tries to paint it in that light.  I told Maureen I was there as a city official and wasn't leaving.  When she hit me again with, “You have to leave,” I matched her tone with, “How dare you!” and kept repeating that as we went to talk to a police officer she insisted on meeting.  That was fine with me because that officer was escorting me around to the various events.  We spent the whole day together.  Her arguing that there was an injunction was not convincing and the officer told her we were staying.

[Maureen O’Keefe]

She wasn't happy about that but she went about informing every Scientologist to beware the SP.  That left one nice guy with a doggie who told me that the neighborhood had become 85 percent Scientologists.  We had a fun lengthy conversation about the nuttiness around us.  Besides constantly trying to recruit him, the only complaint he had was being cajoled to bake a pie to enter into a pie contest.

[One of these may be a wog pie]

I didn't stick around to see the judge's decision, but after everyone watched him speaking with me I have a feeling he didn't win.

The odd thing is I was there to be friendly and to help.  I answered questions and when the first woman wanted me to walk with her to look at an overgrown area that needed some clearing, I genuinely felt I could get that done for her.  If she had told me she was a Scientologist I still would have helped her because I like to believe I am a decent guy and don't harbor any ill-will for its members.  I would have been happy to speak to every one of them and answer their questions but that is something these highly advanced individuals cannot do. I never saw the overgrown area because the woman was snatched away from me to kick off this insanity. 

It was time to move on to the next neighborhood where people recognized me from Scientology and the Aftermath and wanted to share stories about how Scientology has ruined the downtown.  One woman even told me her mom had helped a Sea Org member flee from the organization.

Other cities may have Neighborhood Days but none of them are quite like this.

This is true.

— Mark Bunker

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Mark your calendars: Austin Ideal Org opens April 15?

We mentioned in the comments yesterday that we’d received a tip from an under-the-radar source that they were hearing that the Austin Ideal Org may get its grand opening before Chicago’s. Both were ready to go when the pandemic hit, and have struggled to gain enough staff to open their doors.

After we mentioned the tip, Reyne Mayer checked with Austin city records and found that yes, Scientology has taken out a permit for an April 15 grand opening.

Will Chicago slip in ahead of Austin next week? We have our folks there keeping an eye out.

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A special treat for our subscribers

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Today at noon our subscribers will receive the episode 13 of our special podcast series, “Group Therapy.”

This week Andrea is caught out on some blatant cheating!

We’re offering this series as thanks to our subscribers for helping to support the work we do here at the Underground Bunker.

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Source Code: Actual things founder L. Ron Hubbard said on this date in history

Avast, Ye Mateys: Snapshots from Scientology’s years at sea

Overheard in the Freezone: Indie Hubbardism, one thought at a time

Past is Prologue: From this week in history at alt.religion.scientology

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