Thanks for taking the time to clear things up, Gina. The way it looks to me, the conservative legal group got involved *as a result of the article*, not as part of some anti-TM "hit." The desire on the part of some TMers to believe that they're the target of some huge conspiracy against them seems to me to be Just Another Desire To Be Important. :-)
What you have described of the meeting itself bears out my original suspicions -- what "did in" the grant proposal was the TM movement's own history, its karma coming home to roost. No one would *have* to invent anything negative about them; all that is necessary is to say what they've done in the past, and leave it up to the imagination of the non-TMers as to whether they can be trusted not to do it again with a new generation of recruits. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, gimari03 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > OKay, a quickie reponse, then I'm done. Just to explain the > situation, as I saw it, for those interested. > > I attended alone. There was NOT a planned outcry/battle against > this, to my knowledge. > > In fact, no "debate" nor conversation" was tolerated. > > The high school made an announcement - I saw it in the paper. > An "informal informational" meeting was being held about this > new program funded by the DL foundation- with open invitation > to interested parties. Since my kids graduated from the > school, I was curious. > > The "informal" meeting was a slick roll out of a program. > Seven well educated speakers came up to present benefits of > TM-the-technique with extensive computer overheads by > power point and video. They spoke w the standard smooth > reassuring monotone. > > A few mintues were allowed for questions. One person asked > about the puja or mantras. The MSAE headmaster at the podium > dodged the question "We have a proven method of instruction > that is identical and personalized for each individual." > > The TLHS principal became uncomfortable with a few questions, > she said there was nor more time for questions. I had a few > questions also, was not allowed to ask. > > When it became clear that we were not allowed to ask anything, > Susan C calmly walked onto the stage, past the principal and > MSAE headmaster. She stood center stage and said "I am a > former TM teacher" blah blah.. She said maybe two sentences. > (I didn't know she lived here.) > > The principal called for security to remove her from the stage > and the lights were dimmed. > > Someone else (a man I know w/o religious nor TM affiliation) > yelled "Allow her to talk!" I tried to hush him. > > Another father yelled "We didn't come to hear her. We came > to hear them!" pointing to the TMO folks. Then he added "You > don't have kids here anyway! What do you care?!" > > My friend said "Yeah! Well they (pointing to the TMO folks) > don't have kids here either!" > (oi!) > > Meeting ended. Some folks gathered to talk near the stage. > Reporter was taking photos. I walked away and talked to a > few folks in the back of the auditorium. > > There was no screaming and flailing of arms in protest of a > normal debate at the high school. There was no normal debate > nor civil question-and-answer allowed. > > It was like watching the two halves of my heart doing battle > (my upbringing and loved ones in TMO vs my local community) > > Some parents were concerned about TMO's hidden agenda, as > they had prior exposure to TMO decades ago. > > Newspaper article came out about someone storming the stage. > > A few days later I wrote my "letter" (as posted here). It > was cc'd around. 48hrs later the DL foundation withdrew > the grant. > > I don't know about right wing Christian legal threats (there > might have been, or not, I do not know) > > The parents that I know were concerned about potential TMO > hidden agenda. To my knowledge, no one spoke of religious > conflict. > > IMHO, if a religious program claimed to be a religious program > (e.g. a prayer group) then fine. The TMOs hidden agenda was > the concern. > > We were all surprised about the press' spin of "religious > minority". I don't know what religious affiliation, if any, > other parents have. > > Perhaps a right wing group was invovled behind the scenes. > Perhaps not. Again, I don't know. Just wanted to inform > my hometown-of-sorts. > > Otherwise, I have more pressing issues in my life. > > That's all folks. > Best to all! > Gina > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, TurquoiseB <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, gullible fool <fflmod@> wrote: > > > > > > > Same thing here. This quote was designed to make > > it look as if the Lynch grant was the victim of > > a "hit" when in fact it was the victim only of > > the TM movement's own history being revealed. > > This quote was designed to appeal to *TMers*, > > and to make them feel persecuted. Fascinating > > how many people here on this group fell for it. > > > > Also, I think it's important to look at the > > *response* from the Lynch Foundation. When con- > > fronted, they cut and run. An indicator to me > > that the only way they'll *ever* get a program > > like this accepted is to do it quietly and behind > > closed doors, so that no one can tell the "buyers" > > what it is that they're buying and who it is > > they're buying from. To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
