I posted numerous comments at the ABC news site that was reporting on a Chiropractic supply company in Florida forcing it's employees to undergo scientology training.
Here are just a couple of comments that they removed.
Here's Tony Ortega's take on it:
ABC Features 4-Minute Dianetics Infomercial To Illustrate EEOC Lawsuit Involving Scientology (And Now It’s Down!)
Will you be inspired?
[After our commenters showed up at the ABC site in force, the network has now taken down the video!]
Last Thursday, we told you about an interesting new federal lawsuit against a Miami chiropractor who allegedly forced his employees to take Scientology courses. Since then, other news organizations have pointed out the fun parts of the really remarkable press release that the EEOC put together…
“According to the EEOC’s suit, the company required…employees to spend at least half their work days in courses that involved Scientology religious practices, such as screaming at ashtrays or staring at someone for eight hours without moving.”
Now, when the government puts out a statement like that, and there are court documents to back it up, news organizations can have a field day and report this stuff without fear of retribution from the notoriously litigious Church of Scientology.
But ABC, the network that is afraid of its own shadow, was apparently sweating bullets when it reported this story today.
If you go to its online piece about the lawsuit — a very straightforward article with some nice quotes from Dynamic Medical Services (the firm being sued) and from the EEOC — you’ll see that the most prominent element on the page is a video. (Wait a moment for the “play” button to appear on the main photo.) Click to start that video and what do you get?
A four-minute infomercial about Dianetics from the Church of Scientology. (In fact, you’ll probably have to sit through a 15-second Cialis or Chase ad first.)
[At a little before 3 pm, about 3 hours after we posted this story and our commenters began showing up at the site in numbers, ABC appears to have taken down the infomercial.]
Pro tip: Wait for the “play” symbol to appear over the main photo
Four minutes of blather about how Dianetics will change your life, and not a moment of it has anything to do with the EEOC lawsuit against the Miami chiropractor. (The ad does not refer at all to the actual Scientology processes — like hours-long staring contests or yelling at ashtrays — that are referenced in the lawsuit.)
In other words, Scientology just got a massive national ad placement without spending a dime, which is probably what ABC had in mind as it hopes, with its fingers crossed, that the church doesn’t sue it for daring to report a story that is based on a government lawsuit.
In the past, we’ve reported that ABC news producers recorded many hours of interviews with people like Marc and Claire Headley in the wake of the Tom Cruise divorce last summer, and were hoping to put together a full episode of 20/20 about the church. But we were told by multiple sources that as much as the reporters and producers wanted to jump on subjects like celebrities in the church, the schisms tearing apart the church, the fate of children in Scientology, and the rise of David Miscavige, time and again the network’s attorneys have spiked anything the news division has produced.
An interview with Vanity Fair writer Maureen Orth, scheduled for an episode of 20/20was killed the day before it was supposed to air last fall, for example.
Well, maybe the attorneys caved this time because ABC is giving up such a valuable ad placement. Can we get some guesses from our knowledgeable commenting community about what it would normally cost Scientology to have a four-minute ad on ABC’s website?
Sorry to grab your whole story Tony but you explain better than I can right now .... see the UNCENSORED [yeah, fuck you ABC douche-bag, call yourself reporters pustules] at his site: http://tonyortega.org/2013/05/14/abc-features-4-minute-dianetics-informercial-to-illustrate-eeoc-case-involving-scientology/#more-6913
Federal officials accuse chiropractors of forcing Scientology on staffers
A Florida medical facility is the target of a federal lawsuit for allegedly forcing employees to practice Scientology and firing those who did not comply with the order.
ABC News reported on Tuesday that Miami-based Dynamic Medical Services, a medical and chiropractic center, is being sued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for requiring at least three employees to attend Scientology courses both at the facility and at a local Church of Scientology building. The suit, filed in federal District Court, accuses Dynamic Medical of violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
In a statement released on May 9, 2013, the agency said one employee, Rommy Sanchez, was forced to undergo an “audit,” a form of confession designed to clear the person undergoing it of “negative influences” by being hooked up to a device known as an “E-meter.” Sanchez was also allegedly required to undergo “purification” treatment.
According to the EEOC’s statement, employees who refused to attend the courses were told they were job requirements. Two employees were then allegedly fired after being found to “not conform to Scientology religious beliefs.”
The company denied any improprieties in a statement sent by fax, saying it prided itself on “the diversity of its staff” and that it expected to be vindicated from the “baseless allegations” against it.
MORE PROOF IF PROOF IS NEEDED
being forced to remove the Photoshopping story the Daily Mail has added a touch extra frisson to their headers....
Florida medical center 'forced staff to scream at ashtrays and stare at each other for hours without moving during compulsory Scientology classes'
- At least four employees at Dynamic Medical Services in Miami were allegedly forced to spend at least half their working days in Scientology courses
- Two staff were allegedly terminated when they refused to participate
- Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed suit seeking damages for the fired workers and called the actions 'a shameful violation of the law'
- Dynamic Medical denies the claims and says it prides itself on diversity
By HELEN POW
|
A Florida business forced its employees to take Scientology classes that involved 'screaming at ashtrays or staring at someone for eight hours without moving,' according to a federal investigation.
Dynamic Medical Services in Miami allegedly made Norma Rodriguez, Maykel Ruz, Rommy Sanchez, Yanileydis Capote and other employees spend at least half their work days in Scientology courses and fired two staffers who refused.
According to an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint, filed May 8, Dynamic Medical, which provides medical and chiropractic treatment, required one employee, Sanchez, to undergo an 'audit' by connecting herself to an 'E-Meter' - a religious artifact in Scientology.
In trouble: Dynamic Medical Services, pictured, forced its employees to take Scientology classes that involved 'screaming at ashtrays or staring at someone for eight hours without moving,' according to a federal investigation
The government claims the company's owner, Dr. Dennis Nobbe, also required her to undergo 'purification' treatment at the Church of Scientology.
The company has labeled the accusations 'baseless' and told ABC News that it would vigorously defend itself against them, insisting it prides itself on the diversity of its staff.
Boss: The government claims the company's owner, Dr. Dennis Nobbe, pictured, also required her to undergo 'purification' treatment at the Church of Scientology
But according to the complaint, employees repeatedly protested at having to attend Scientology classes however they were told it was a requirement of their job.
Two workers, Rodriguez and Sanchez, were terminated when they refused to participate in Scientology religious practices 'and/or did not conform to Scientology religious beliefs.'
Robert Weisberg, regional attorney for the EEOC's Miami office, slammed the company, labeling its actions a 'shameful' violation of federal law.
'Employees' freedom from religious coercion at the workplace must be protected,' he said. 'These actions are a shameful violation of federal law.'
The EEOC filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida after failing to reach a pre-litigation settlement with the company.
The government is seeking back pay for Rodriguez and Sanchez, compensatory and punitive damages for all named claimants who were 'subjected to a hostile work environment and disparate treatment.'
They are also after an injunctive relief ordering the company to stop requiring employee participation in courses involving religious practices.
The Church of Scientology did not respond to ABC's requests for comment.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2324326/Dynamic-Medical-Florida-medical-center-forced-staff-Scientology-classes.html#ixzz2TKRNzXF6
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