[Today’s guest post is by Phil Jones]
It was April 2016 when we first launched our ‘Call Me’ billboards. The first one we did was in Los Angeles. From there we did a billboard in Clearwater, Florida and another in Los Angeles near the Scientology Media Productions site. There was lots of press that resulted which went on for some months afterwards. I think we were able to effectively bring increased awareness of Scientology’s disconnection practice.
Then, last December I was asked by the Aftermath Foundation if I’d considered doing a billboard for them. They wanted it to be a clean and direct message. Without hesitation, I agreed to do it.
After tossing around a few ideas I went to the graphic artist who did our original Call Me billboard, Kernan Coleman. Probably one of the few, maybe the only graphic artist I know who had previously had international press on his billboard artwork. He’s a true pro.
While the artwork was being created I went to work finding a location. We had some great on-the-ground help in scoping out some possible locations. One that came up I was familiar with and it turned out that it was the same company who did our Clearwater Call Me billboard. And it was available for March 2024.
We worked out pricing and availability with the billboard advertising agency and then settled on when to launch.
In the meantime, Kernan had come up with a brilliant design for the billboard. And it was perfect for the location we’d chosen. Things were coming together nicely.
The last few weeks before launch were nerve-racking. I knew that if Scientology got wind of it they’d do anything they could to shut us down.
I booked a flight to LA and readied for launch day.
The new billboard has a message aimed directly at Scientology staff and Sea Org personnel, giving them an easy-to-remember phone number they can call if they want to leave Scientology.
This new Aftermath Foundation billboard is within spitting distance of Scientology’s LA headquarters, Big Blue. It can actually be seen through the windows of the AO (Advanced Org), and from the corner of L. Ron Hubbard Way and Fountain Ave.
I’ve always known how difficult it is to leave Scientology, especially for staff and most certainly for Sea Org staff. So many staff have little or no money, possibly decades of disconnection from family and friends, and if they are a foreigner Scientology might have taken their passport to hold.
And, if a staff member tries to leave, where do they go when they first step out the door? Do they turn left or right? Where is their next meal coming from? Where will they sleep that night? And these are just immediate needs. There could be months and months of someone starting from scratch and I’m sure that some who left have ended up homeless, at least for a while.
The Aftermath Foundation provides a landing for those Scientology staff wanting (and in some cases needing) to leave.
I experienced much of the madness of Scientology as staff and public for nearly 40 years. Our own kids are trapped in the Sea Org through conditioning and other coercive means.
I believe it’s a worthwhile purpose to help others break free of Scientology’s grip. It’s a meaningful activity that I can support, and hopefully this Aftermath Foundation billboard will help those who need to walk out the door of Scientology forever.
We’d like to keep this billboard going as long as we can. Any help would be appreciated.
— Phil Jones
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Thank you so much Phil and Aftermath Foundation! Well done! I mean Very Well Done! What a great Billboard!
What a wonderful kick in the crotch for the CO$. It is a true shame that Phil and the Aftermath Foundation had to sneak around to get that billboard space. Expect a huge blow back from the Clams in 1....2....3..... Words like 'apostates', 'anti-religious crusaders', 'communists', 'fascists' and perhaps 'baby rapers' and every derogatory name in any book will be used. But all of us will go 'right on'.