Paulette Cooper
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 Portrait of Paulette Cooper
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| Born | Auschwitz, Poland |
| Occupation | Author, The Scandal of Scientology |
Paulette Marcia Cooper is an American author who is best known for activism against the Church of Scientology and the repercussions she suffered as a result.
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[edit] Early life
She was born in the Auschwitz concentration camp from Belgian parents around the time they were murdered there. After spending years in various orphanages in Belgium, she was adopted by the Cooper family at age 6 and came to America. At age 8, she became an American citizen.[1]
She began her freelance writing career in 1968, after completing a master's degree in psychology. As a result of her earlier study of comparative religion at Harvard University for a summer, she became interested in religious cults and began studying Scientology/Dianetics in 1968 in order to write about it.
[edit] Conflict with Scientology
[edit] The Scandal of Scientology
Cooper's conflict with the Church of Scientology began in 1970 when the Church filed suit against her in British court for an article she wrote that was published in London's Queen magazine. An expansion of this, her first book, The Scandal of Scientology, came out in 1971; it was a critical exposé of the activities and beliefs of the Church of Scientology.
The book earned her more negative attention from members of the Church, and that same year saw a second lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court against her by the church.[2] Further lawsuits and countersuits followed throughout the years, totaling nineteen suits from all over the world that Scientology instituted against Cooper, and three counterclaims that she instituted.
[edit] Harassment campaigns
Through the years as she continued to expose the Church, Paulette Cooper was the target not only of litigation but of several harassment campaigns including a Scientology campaign known as Operation Freakout, the goal of which was to deter Cooper from criticism of Scientology by having her "incarcerated in a mental institution or jail or at least to hit her so hard that she drops her attacks".[3] The church sent itself forged bomb threats, allegedly from Cooper, using her typewriter and paper with her fingerprints on it; further plans included bomb threats to be sent to Henry Kissinger. The Church deception was discovered when the FBI raided Scientology offices in 1977 and recovered documents relating to the operation.[4]
She settled with Scientology in February 1985 and, according to her website, withdrew from the cult-fighting front.[5]
[edit] Present
Cooper has written a total of 14 books on a wide variety of subjects such as "Growing Up Puerto Rican", "The Medical Detectives", "277 Secrets Your Dog Wants You to Know", "277 Secrets Your Cat Wants You to Know", "The Most Romantic Resorts for Destination Weddings, Honeymoons & Renewals," etc.[6]
She is married to television producer Paul Noble. They live in Palm Beach, Florida in the winter and Fire Island, New York in the summer. The couple has authored four books together.[7]
[edit] Awards
In 1982, the American Society of Journalists and Authors awarded her their highest honor, the prestigious Conscience in Media Award. She has also won five other writing awards for her other books and numerous articles on a variety of subjects unrelated to cults.
[edit] References
- ^ Paulette Cooper harassment diary, part 1
- ^ Church of Scientology of California vs. Paulette Cooper, et al., Los Angeles Superior Court, Docket No. C18558
- ^ Text of Operation Freakout document
- ^ Marshall, John. "Hubbard still gave orders, records show", The Globe and Mail, 1980-01-24. Retrieved on 2006-09-14.
- ^ Paulette Cooper vs. Scientology, timeline 1981-1986
- ^ The Scandal of Scientology/About the Author
- ^ Paul Noble
