Date:   Mon, Jan 22, 1996 6:06 PM PDT
From:   cwh8x@virginia.edu (Craig Hirsch)
Subj:   Reactive Valuation?
To:     Area51www


        Hello,

        I saw this in your latest edition of the Groom Lake Desert Rat:

        *Reactive Valuation: To devalue the messenger after he has gotten
        through, thereby disabling the credibility of the disturbing message.
        This may also involve killing the messenger, but only to prove his

        worthlessness. More common is to search for the
        messenger's hidden flaws and then broadcast them loudly to anyone
        who will listen.

        Later in the issue, when I saw a reference in the Rat to your
awareness of the Scientology VS the Internet debate, I laughed out loud.
Did you know that this doctrine you call "Reactive Valuation" is central to
Scientology?  They call it "Dead Agenting," and their definition for it is
almost *identical!*

        They apply dead-agenting tactics religiously and like to use them
to persecute their critics and detractors.  I have all this info because
I'm following the debate on the Internet in the newsgroup
alt.religion.scientology.  It's fascinating but scary stuff.

        BTW, the origin of the term "Dead Agent" is Sun Tzu, the ancient
Chinese warrior-philosopher.  His "dead agenting" is essentially the same
as your reactive valuation.

        The latest issue is great, BTW.

        Craig