The EnlightenMeFree (EMF) Online Debate Forum

When more and more people began moving here, it wasn’t that I had asked them to do so; they just showed up. They were a blessing to the local community as they purchased land, homes, farms and buildings from landlocked owners who at times just wanted to sell to pay the back taxes owed.

They built businesses, homes, enrolled their children in local schools, and in all was a boom to the local economy. To the “locals” and the small political machine active here, we were the “Mexicans comin’ to town.”

Beginning in 1970's under the code-name Project Normandy, Scientology began targeting Clearwater in order to "establish area control" of the city and county. The operations were exposed in a Pulitzer Prize winning series of articles in the Clearwater Sun.[40]

Gabe Cazares, who was the mayor of Clearwater at the time, went so far as to call it "the occupation of Clearwater.” [41] and later characterized it as a "paramilitary operation by a terrorist group."[42]

Scientology headquarters are located in downtown Clearwater and there remains ongoing controversy over the church's influence.

In 1981, I was delighted to have purchased a run-down farm on the outskirts of Yelm. I love Yelm. Since that day I have endeavored to bring the spirit of community to our beloved town. Seeing through the lens of those long-ago memories, I was able to help buy wheelchairs and special mattresses for the sick, fix bad teeth for the poor, paint senior citizens’ homes, give help to the Nisqually Tribe before the Red Wind Casino was built, and provided more than $1.2 million in scholarships for Yelm graduating seniors. Some of these students returned to Yelm after their completion of higher education. All these good works came from the spirit of the community within me. Not once did I ever ask for any of the funds I gave to be paid back nor did I request of anyone that in exchange they should believe the way I do. It was and still is unconditional.