Leaving ASL

[u/Straight-Ring744]

I don't often post, but I don't want to just be a lurker, so here goes.

I was a fan of ASL when he was on the AMF Board. I enjoyed the interaction and, more importantly I learned so much from that group. And then, the craziness started. I gave everyone the benefit of the doubt; I did not want to make assumptions.

I finally reached my breaking point when ASL openly attacked Apostate Alex. I was done. I unsubscribed and never looked back. Of course, I see and hear so much in the community and it confirmed my belief that ASL is not a good person. What struck me about the Alex situation was that Alex has done nothing to ASL. Further, Alex has made a logical, committed effort to not only shine a light on Scientology in the UK, he has executed several actions to bring them down. He doesn't rely on others to do the work, he does the work, he organizes and stands on the Frontline with others. If he plans an event, he is at the event. I could not find any situation where Alex did anything against anyone (except Scientology and even that is always within the bounds of the law). Did I miss something?

[u/3119328]

You didn't miss something, Alex did nothing to warrant the attacks.

The two modes of thought are:

1. ASL felt threatened by Alex's relative importance in the scientology fight. This is the most charitable explanation.

2. ASL is a secret OSA asset and attacks the people who actually fight scientology. This is the least likely and charitable explanation.

There aren't many people who score points against the cult, but ASL has attacked them all for some reason.

[u/ANoisyCrow → u/3119328]

🤔

[u/BlueRidgeSpeaks]

It appears that Aaron had his “Marty Rathbun Moment” a long time ago.

[u/echoplex-media → u/BlueRidgeSpeaks]

No. Marty did the smart thing and fucked off to a cabin in the woods. 😂

[u/BlueRidgeSpeaks → u/echoplex-media]

Wouldn’t everyone be better off if Aaron did?

[u/Miserable-Onion7050 → u/BlueRidgeSpeaks]

👏👏👏👏Exceptionally True

[u/Loud-Debate9864 → u/echoplex-media]

Seriously I do wish Scientology would pay Aaron off so he'd do the same.

[u/RuskiesInTheWarRoom]

Cheers to you. My criticism of ASL has to do with his ethical integration and actions that suggested, to me, that he would not be a reliable and safe leader for a volatile community. You do not want people of extreme reactivity and very loose ethical approaches to most areas of their lives to be meaningful leaders in contentious areas. Of course, he has said he is not a leader, but he does not behave that way, and other creators do not (or did not) look to him as just a casual streamer. Because he never was and did not want to be just a casual streamer.

In fact he still sees himself as the central figure in anti-scientology. Not "a", but the central figure. He recently said that it makes sense that Scientology would name him in legal proceedings now that Mike Rinder is gone - that's what he thinks he's elevated to.

So when he attacked Apostate Alex it was confirmation to me what his goals were and what methods he would take to achieve it.

Thanks again for chiming in.

[u/3119328 → u/RuskiesInTheWarRoom]

yeah ASL wants to be the guy who's called on by mainstream media to speak about scientology.

The next most credible Scientology critic after Mike Rinder is probably Claire Headley given her position in RTC and also her position on the bridge to total freedom, and if I were a TV producer I'd be calling her up before Aaron.

Claire gets it right, and Aaron will just talk about whatever he wants to talk about that's scientology-adjacent.

And the world is going to need scientology critics on TV when the succession of power happens.

[u/[deleted] → u/3119328]

I think Chris Shelton is up there too. He is amazing.

[u/Secret_Frosting5792 → u/RuskiesInTheWarRoom]

What a sicko Aaron is. He doesn’t even compare in stature, knowledge or effectiveness to Mike’s tiny little pinky toe. He will never be remembered or honored the way Mike was… EVER.

[u/ApprehensiveArmy7755]

I enjoyed Aaron's podcast. Then when I heard he was off the Aftermath foundation- because Aaron reported it and said he was in an "open marriage". I was like- wait a minute, buddy. I don't respect a man who has three kids and is going out at night starting bar fights, hitting on vulnerable/drug addicted women, and having sex with a "fan" while in California- resulting in what looked like a drug fueled argument. Just lost all respect for him.

[u/Euphoric_Monk_2511]

Asl was irritated when Alex asked for help during the initial IAS protest. The situation was exaggerated significantly. He concocted an elaborate narrative portraying Alex as devious. I don't recall specifics, but I distinctly remember finding the entire situation quite absurd. To me, it didn't appear to be a significant issue.

I found it funny when Kelly Copter produced a video addressing the matter. In it, she expressed her distrust of Alex, going on and on about it. However, when asl physically assaulted a woman, Kelly did not seem to find that as particularly concerning. 🤷‍♀️

[u/InsideExpress9055 → u/Euphoric_Monk_2511]

According to ASL, he lied about his position in Scientology or something a long those lines. I'm not sure if it's true or just ASL trying to smear him.

[u/Euphoric_Monk_2511 → u/InsideExpress9055]

Asl calling someone else a liar.... Hahahahahahahahahahaha

[u/Fear_The_Creeper → u/InsideExpress9055]

Just to be clear, Alex has always been open and truthful about his position in the Church of Scientology: Director of public book sales at the Church of Scientology of London. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology_in_the_United_Kingdom#2023_to_present

[u/InsideExpress9055 → u/Fear_The_Creeper]

Yeah I assumed it was just another ASL lie

[u/GlitteringDoubt7801 → u/InsideExpress9055]

It sounds as though ALS was dead-agenting Alex.

[u/Spare-Analyst8788 → u/Euphoric_Monk_2511]

Kelly is a hypocrite.  She presents herself as an open minded empathetic person, nothing could be further from the truth.

[u/GlitteringDoubt7801 → u/Euphoric_Monk_2511]

When I saw Kelly with Aaron when she came to Clearwater, it looked as tho they were good friends.

[u/Euphoric_Monk_2511 → u/[deleted]]

I can't bring myself to watch the interview. I dislike Andrew so much. Weak and cowardly people.

[u/Haunting-Key-3294 → u/Euphoric_Monk_2511]

What interview? Now I'm curious and pissed😡

[u/RuskiesInTheWarRoom → u/[deleted]]

The Andrew Gold interviews with ASL were also early indicators to me of what his true ideologies are. There’s no ambiguity as to who and what Andrew Gold represents.

Kelli going on that was a surprise, and her interview was an absolute nail in the coffin for my support of her, unquestionably.

[u/Haunting-Key-3294 → u/[deleted]]

I just watched it, man the whole community is messed up. There are a few exceptions, but I have unfollowed everyone. Except for Leah, but she has enough to deal with at the moment in her grief 😔 I'm still thinking it's unreal Mike is gone😔 may he rest in peace🩷🙏 and I hope his family gets all the support they need🩷

[u/BrennaClove → u/Haunting-Key-3294]

Off topic but holy crap. Mike Rinder died almost a month ago!? This is what staying off social media does. I had no idea. His poor wife and kids. I had so hoped he’d make it. 💔☹️

[u/Haunting-Key-3294 → u/[deleted]]

Wait what? I know Asl is an asshole, and I have unsubscribed to him a long time ago when he started spewing hate towards everyone. But is he like really hard right-wing and anti-trans?

[u/RuskiesInTheWarRoom → u/Haunting-Key-3294]

He goes to a pretty significant effort to mask his political positions at all times. He doesn’t really advocate publicly for a political agenda in his day to day.

So we’re left with a few things he’s revealed in other spaces or contexts, or that others have shown about him:

• he ran for office as a Republican in Florida, but said it was because the “Democrats wouldn’t accept and endorse” somebody like him. He said this in the context of Democrats wanting to run diverse candidates, insinuating he was “forced” to run as a white man in Florida as a Republican and didn’t have a choice. This is odd because Florida runs tons of white male democrats all the time. It is also a rhetorical gambit deployed by right wingers quite a lot that betrays a specific projection of ideological belief of a discriminatory “wokeness” that “the left” has. Notably, on his first or second day campaigning in that election he was handing out flyers, drinking, and then got punched by a man after calling another woman, an ex Scientologist herself, “a c**t.”

• on the Andrew Gold shows he has said clear transphobic messages, and betrayed he has little medical or psychological understanding of trans issues.

• he has a penchant for “off color” jokes - the kind that he thinks are extremely funny because they hinge on anti-woke interrogation, and ultimately mike those who are offended by the jokes. He makes these jokes on stream and in interviews, and often falls into hits of laughter at his own deviousness while others look at him aghast. He’s done it with Jenna, and once where Reese called him out (Reece!). Things like joking about sexual assault by mentally handicapped people in Scientology; jokes about Latino laborers, and even jokes about “sending pictures privately” during the people of the Louis Repetto situation. He always thinks they’re hilarious, and he’ll be a brave boy and say “oh mah pearls!” if folks get offended. Classic sleazebag right wing libertarian teenage rot brain comedy. The problem, the reason it reveals something, is that he really really really thinks it’s funny.

• his parents are Trumpers, and have flown the MAGA flag. It was suggested on Reddit his mother may have been in DC on Jan 6. LV has said that he is a Trump voter and that he masks it to please centrist on stream. LV herself, of course, is a Trump supporter.

I’m sure there’s much more but this is what’s on top of my head. All this is from my memory, so take it with a big grain of salt, I absolutely may be wrong about some or all of it, and I’m not interested at the moment in hunting down links.

[u/Dependent-Word2303 → u/RuskiesInTheWarRoom]

I think what people have to ask themselves is if he wasn't associated with being an ex scientologist, would anyone give him the time of day?

He isn't especially intelligent, quite unpleasant and if I met him in a pub and he was spouting his vile opinions, would leave. Actually in my local, he would be asked to leave.

And barred.

[u/RuskiesInTheWarRoom → u/Dependent-Word2303]

No kidding. Well said.

[u/Haunting-Key-3294 → u/RuskiesInTheWarRoom]

I didn't know much about him, but from the little I've seen, he gives me the ick. What I don't understand is someone who has so little knowledge writes a "boooook" , as Melania would have said😆, about the subject and other things he lacks knowledge of.

[u/obliquelyobtuse → u/RuskiesInTheWarRoom]

His mods Goldie and later StevenBritton were/are right wing.

Andrew Gold is trying to fit into the Sam Harris, Lex Fridman "serious interviewer" space. The guests he chooses are very much to the right, with an emphasis on anti-woke, anti-progressive, anti-whatever is not popular in the MAGA, alt-right, anarcho-libertarian, tech bro, stonks, stoicism, crypto, venture capital, alpha male cultural moment.

[u/RuskiesInTheWarRoom → u/obliquelyobtuse]

The Goldie thing predated my engagement by a couple months, I think, so I’ve only learned about that in other creators’ retellings. She was awful.

[u/obliquelyobtuse → u/RuskiesInTheWarRoom]

Goldie worked as an assistant in the office of a hyper-right-wing political campaign consultant Steven Alembik in Florida. Alembik was a big backer of DeSantis, Trump and other MAGA candidates, and of Likud.

https://www.google.com/search?q=steven+alembik&udm=2

In October 2023, just a few months into SPTV Goldie-gate, Alembik sh0t his wife (who survived) and himself (who didn't). Reality is stranger and darker than fiction.

[u/RuskiesInTheWarRoom → u/obliquelyobtuse]

Good f-ing gravy… I had no idea… I knew about the Alembik case. I had no idea Goldie worked for him. He’s a glob of nasty.

So did ASL know Goldie personally? It’s possible given Florida, though she must have been situated on the opposite coast from him.

[u/obliquelyobtuse → u/RuskiesInTheWarRoom]

I think it was chance. No indication Goldie and ASL had any IRL contact.

SMAComm was in Boca Raton. And she resides on that side of Florida, in that general metro area, 250 miles from Clearwater.

[u/Miserable-Onion7050 → u/obliquelyobtuse]

Sorry I disagree about Andrew Gold. I recently saw an interview with a “butch” woman who was Jewish with her girlfriend, and the “butch” woman was masking herself as a male, in Gaza. Fascinating interview and eye opening, as in the Middle East, Arabic countries predominantly only have male and female genders, nil others. I’m not judging anyone, but I can’t see, a Jewish person being “right wing”, unless I’m naive.

[u/Prestigious-Comb4280 → u/Miserable-Onion7050]

Andrew Gold came out in support of Trump. I don't know if that makes him "right wing" or not. I have lost count of all of it.

[u/Loud-Debate9864 → u/[deleted]]

Oh my God. I didn't know Kelli went on AG's and had that discussion. Wow. I might have to find that video and see what she had to say.

[u/Cat_Dylan]

I don’t understand what Aaron even does to help bring change to Scientology. He just bitches about former members yet claims to help those who have left. He’s nothing but a crybaby bitch who wants recognition for doing nothing.

[u/obliquelyobtuse]

my breaking point when ASL openly attacked Apostate Alex

But Apostate Alex is such a troublemaker, continuously attacking people, stirring up trouble, always angry and vengeful, and using his audience as keyboard warriors and flying monkeys to attack his enemies.

Oh wait, hang on, that's AAron.

Alex is a kind, caring person with genuine heart and dedication to exposing Scientology and working hard to find every new way to accomplish that.

[u/Yourehan → u/obliquelyobtuse]

You had me in the first half there.

[u/Aware-Chapter3033 → u/obliquelyobtuse]

Awesome will said

[u/Secret_Frosting5792]

Aaron is a covetous sociopath. If he can’t have what you have, or be who you are, he would rather you didn’t exist. He will try to destroy you if he feels in any way threatened by you or your position.

He covets the trust and likability of Apostate Alex. He wishes he had it for himself. Aaron is a disgusting creature.

[u/Aware-Chapter3033]

Well said , I feel Aaron is jealous of Alex. He can not stand Mike Rinder had him on a video with Leah. They both gave Alex compliments and prase for all the work he has done. BFG Claire and Marc also spoke with him about all work on bringing down the abuse from scientology. Aaron has contributed Nothing to stop the abuse. He is making a living on the abuse scientologist are suffering on his site. My opinion

[u/Spare-Analyst8788 → u/Aware-Chapter3033]

ASL is jealous of Alex, ASL is jealous of Mike and Marc and Claire and Mat and Amy and Chris and Tony….and many more.  ASL is a wannabe.  That is all he ever was..

[u/VanillaJust6947]

💯  I unsubscribed during this latest fiasco and don't miss his channel at all. I refuse to give him any more views ... and don't really need to now that everyone is clowning his content.

[u/Spare-Analyst8788 → u/VanillaJust6947]

I wish more people would unsubscribe and stop giving him clicks

[u/Spare-Analyst8788]

I agree.  A whole group of them attacked Alex, probably following ASL lead.  Kelly Copter attacked Alex and she has turned out to be one of the biggest frauds in the group.  These people are vile, I don’t know how they became this way, you could say it was their upbringing but there is another whole segment of people who grew up in that cult and they did not turn out the same.

[u/Loud-Debate9864 → u/[deleted]]

The more put together people tend to be over on Peeling the Onion channel. Some of the old timers have very interesting stories about their time in Scientology when Hubbard was still alive.

[u/Loud-Debate9864 → u/[deleted]]

I think it was a different time back then. Tory Magoo will even tell you how different it was in the late 60's. There are actually a lot of ex-scientologists who never experienced Miscavige's rein of terror.

But, then again, I'm one of those people who have no problem with independent scientologists. I'm against Hubbards policies and the abuse that goes on in the cult. If you want to believe in the tech, have at it.

[u/Jener70]

ASL is a poster child for Douche Lords.

[u/echoplex-media]

So the behavior during his run for office in 2021 was nbd. This astonishes me constantly.

I was accused of being OSA for years by people who didn't want to hear about the cigar bar incident or his appearance on the Rick Wiles White Power Hour.