-
HOME
-
WHAT IS STANDOur Mission Our Values Our Help Contact
-
WHAT WE FIGHT FORReligious Freedom Religious Literacy Equality & Human Rights Inclusion & Respect Free Speech Responsible Journalism Corporate Accountability
-
RESOURCESExpert Studies Landmark Decisions White Papers FAQs David Miscavige Religious Freedom Resource Center Freedom of Religion & Human Rights Topic Index Priest-Penitent Privilege Islamophobia
-
HATE MONITORBiased Media Propagandists Hatemongers False Experts Hate Monitor Blog
-
NEWSROOMNews Media Watch Videos Blog
-
TAKE ACTIONCombat Hate & Discrimination Champion Freedom of Religion Demand Accountability
Business Post’s Catherine Healy Uses Anti-Scientologists to Disparage Prominent Drug Rehab
In a February 11 article in the Business Post, freelance journalist Catherine Healy turns to known anti-Scientologists to comment on an upcoming facility for the internationally acknowledged Narconon, a drug rehabilitation program supported by Scientologists.
Business Post readers are misled by the characterization of John McGhee and Samantha Hicks as credible “observers.” They are both virulent anti-Scientologists:
- John McGhee has an extensive record of trespassing on, defacing and vandalizing Churches of Scientology in addition to verbally and physically attacking and harassing individual Scientologists. One such assault earned McGhee a permanent injunction. McGhee has also posted on Facebook threatening to assassinate the Church’s ecclesiastical leader.
- Samantha Hicks belongs to two anti-Scientology online hate groups and has posted on social media calling Church humanitarian volunteers “scum.” Hicks has also promoted offensive digital imagery denigrating the Scientology cross and paralleling Nazi-era antisemitic cartoons of “greedy” Jews carrying bags of money.
Narconon is a drug-free withdrawal, detoxification and rehabilitation program that uses L. Ron Hubbard’s technology to help individuals recover from the devastation of drug addiction, a goal it has pursued for more than half a century, prompting more than 160 government agencies and organizations to partner with Narconon globally. Scientologists actively sponsor and support the establishment of Narconon centers worldwide.
STAND condemns Catherine Healy’s misuse of her journalistic platform to serve as a mouthpiece for known antireligious bigots and their hateful rhetoric.
