Scientologists forge new front in proselityzing

This isn't on the web; I'm typing it from today's San Francisco Examiner, P.J. Corkery's column, page 5:

Now we're in North Beach, where the Siren Sisters of San Francisco -- Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White, Police Chief Heather Fong, District Attorney Kamala Harris and Emergency Services Chief Annemarie Conroy, always generous about helping good causes -- were sitting down to a lunch Friday to help the kids at North Beach's Yick Wo Elementary School. At a silent auction held by the school's friends last May, the Siren Sisters agreed to sit down for what was planned as a typical rollicking San Francisco Friday political lunch. A man who described himself as "a North Beach lawyer" bought the lunch for $700.

But when the ladies arrived, they found five other guests, including the lawyer, one George Shieman, already in place... and with something other than politics and a fun Friday lunch on their minds. Turns out the lunch with the four top women officials was won by Scientologists. And the five Scientologists, led by Shieman, were intent on missionary work. The ladies endured with good grace nearly two hours of nonstop pitching, replete with books and DVDs about L. Ron Hubbard.

Said one lady, "This was a real misuse of a charitable event, coming in with a secret agenda." Meanwhile, at another table, Willie Brown and Joe O'Donoghue watched with amused eyes. Now the friends of the Yo Wick School are trying to figure out what to do with another get-together sold at the auction: a tour of City Hall by Gavin Newsom. Yep, the winner, paying $1000 cash, of that event was also George Shieman.

Scientology, proselityzing, San Francisco