AlienGirl: A message from her family. Important to read.

[auntAgonist]

I have been ill and away for a few days and received this message. I was asked to post here on DU so that everyone who is familiar with AlienGirl is aware of what is going on.

Here's the message I received

I think it would be a good idea to let people on DU know what is going on with that event in Clearwater that is in Shelly's name. Maybe people here can help to straighten things out. It would mean a lot for her family, and frankly, if it is DUers speaking out, it will cancel out any kind of impression that people are opposing the event because it is a Democratic related event and not because it is just plain wrong for someone who treated Shelly so poorly to be organizing anything.

This is the article:

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/elections/former-democratic-state-house-candidate-shelly-leonard-dies-of-cancer/1215436



Many of my friends here are also family and friends of Shelly Leonard. Please take a moment to look at this article, and to leave a comment in its comments section. Please also consider calling the journalist, Mike Brassfield, whose number is at the bottom of the article. PLEASE read this entire comment first, though. It's long, but it will give you context.

The writer of this article was given incorrect information, and passed that information on. He does not have Nathan's birthday right. He does not have the state where Nathan and Quinn live right. He seems to have taken only Van Farber's word for everything.

Van Farber was once a friend of Shelly's, but ceased to be a friend to her in July of 2011 for reasons that are private and personal. She did not want to speak to him or see him. Mr. Farber did not honor her wishes then. He refused to accept that she did not want anything to do with him any more. He harassed my family on the phone and in person. Because of Mr. Farber, Shelly had to be a confidential patient wherever she was. Yet, he has the audacity not only to speak for her, but also to organize this fundraising event without attempting to consult with Shelly's family or close friends.

Please do not misunderstand. The cause is worthy and one that Shelly supported. The event is not. The venue is not. Mr. Farber is most certainly not, and ought not be allowed to speak for Shelly or to take political advantage of her life or her death.

[rhett o rick]

1. r&k

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. He sounds like a stalker.

[auntAgonist]

3. He is very much a stalker and has caused a lot of problems

NO family should have to endure what he is putting this family through.

aA
kesha

[SugarShack]

11. And here is the rest, the "backstory" that should have been posted!

http://www.tampabay.com/news/briefs/safety-harbor-brings-back-city-manager-at-same-salary/1216457

Controversy erupts over fundraiser Feb 22

A minor controversy has erupted over a fundraiser that's planned for Saturday evening at the Fort Harrison Hotel. It's a celebration of the life of Shelly Leonard, a 2010 Democratic state House candidate from Clearwater who recently died. It's also a fundraiser for the Martin Luther King Center Neighborhood Coalition, which hopes to reopen the closed MLK Center in Clearwater. However, Leonard's family does not endorse the event, which costs $35 per person and includes live music and dancing. Meanwhile, some of Leonard's associates are moving forward with the event, saying it's what she would have wanted. Leonard was not a Scientologist, but the Church of Scientology offered the venue for the event because it agreed with Leonard's stance on reopening the MLK Center, her associates said. Leonard's family suggests donating directly to the Martin Luther King Center Neighborhood Coalition, a nonprofit group. Contributions can be sent to P.O. Box 1492, Clearwater, FL 33755, or via the web at http://savethemlkcenter.bbnow.org.

******************************************************************************

https://whyweprotest.net/community/threads/scientology-takes-advantage-of-a-clearwater-politicians-death.100328/
Scientology Takes Advantage of a Clearwater Politician's Death
Not sure that this it the right forum, but here goes, anyway.

Scientology is using a memorial for my best friend, Shelly Leonard, to get good press, with the assistance of her stalker ex boyfriend and campaign manager. Shelly was not a Scientologist, and thought the Scientologists were (frankly) a bunch of dangerous scam artists, lunatics, and assholes. She wasn't ever rude to any of them, because she just wasn't that kind of person.

Shelly Leonard died of complications of cancer a week ago. Her family did not want an obit published locally (St. Petersburg-Clearwater FL) as they knew it would result in press attention, and a chance for her ex-boyfriend and former campaign manager, Van Farber, to get his name in the paper and do some fundraising in her name. The funeral home published an obit anyway. The Tampa Bay Times published an article full of quotes from her ex. The Scientologists have donated the use of the Fort Harrison Hotel for a "celebration of her life" to benefit the Neighborhood Coalition to Benefit the MLK Center, to be held on February 25th . Her family and closest friends were not contacted or notified, and none believes this event should take place. The part about benefiting the MLK Center is the only thing about this that's OK: Shelly fought very hard as a candidate for the Florida state House of Representatives to keep the center open, and continued to work with the MLK Center after the campaign was over. With the $35 admission to the event, many of the people who she wanted to benefit by keeping the MLK center open would not even be able to afford to attend. She would not have wanted that.

I think I know who the Scientology connection is. In December, after Christmas, Van showed up in Shelly's hospital room. She didn't want him there, and wouldn't leave when he was told to leave. She had to be a confidential patient after that, and was moved to a different room. Several people showed up after that to find what room she was in. The last one was a Scientologist "minister", who got up due to the exception hospitals seem to have for "clergy". I took his business card. I am sure I can find it.

This isn't part of the horrors that Scientology inflicts on the people it cons into joining. It's a disgusting act perpetrated on a person who can no longer defend herself, who was never a part of their organization. Shelly was very well liked across political boundaries, and these abusive scum have joined with another abusive scumbag to use her even after she has died.

After I found out about this event, I was stunned for a while. This morning, I thought of the work Anonymous has done to expose Scientology. I thought you all might like to know.

Here is the article: The aricle Van Farber got the Times to write, with incorrect facts.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politi...ndidate-shelly-leonard-dies-of-cancer/1215436

Most of the information in this article is factually incorrect. Shelly's son's ages are wrong, and they don't live in Michigan. She did not die peacefully without pain: she died in awful pain and struggle. Van Farber was not there to know how she died, and was most certainly not her friend. Zell Savitz was not there in her last stages. The Church of Scientology may have agreed with her stance, but I think we all know why they are doing this.

The better connection is that the Church of Scientololgy has infiltrated the Pinelles County Dem party in FLA!

[auntAgonist]

12. Thank you SugarShack for posting this. I have

been ill and in hospital over the past week and haven't had a chance to get back here.

Your input is much appreciated.

aA
kesha

[Dragonbreathp9d]

4. K&R- and I will do whatever is in my power to help

I didnt know AlienGirl too well but if I were
To give a shout out to all DUers whom have inspired me she would be among them

[DCKit]

7. +1 She was definitely up there with the best of DU.

Seems to me this guy might be trying to fundraise off this.

Any of us who read her posts or chatted back and forth knows she'd rather we gave to any responsible charity of our own choosing, trusting that we'd make the right choice.

She never thought so little of any of us that she'd think that we'd need to have any donations in her honer directed by any single person - or that she'd care for (or even want) the credit or memorial donation for any charitable donation - just that some worthy cause got some $$$.

I'm thinking SCAM.

[BlueIris]

5. Yikes. I am very sorry to read that anyone is taking advantage of her memory.

This person sounds awful.

Continued best to AlienGirl's family.

[Tsiyu]

6. Disgusting, Matt Brassfield is irresponsible

He should have contacted the family, but "modern" journalists just believe and copy everything they're told, apparently. No work ethic, no desire to see the truth. Brassfield should be ashamed of this tripe he printed, and should publish a retraction ASAP.

I don't have time to register to make a comment, but will contact Brassfield. My heart is just hurting reading her son's words in the comments section, which Brassfield conveniently ignores.

Mike Brassfield can be reached at [e-mail] or [phone]. To submit a letter to the editor, go to tampabay.com/letters

My condolences to Tucker's family who are going through this second grief at a time when they just don't need the extra pain.

Farber is a POS.

[csziggy]

8. Thank yo for posting this - I didn't know the whole story when I posted previously

What an appalling thing to do to a grieving family. (Van Farber's actions, that is.)

[bethflorida]

9. Shelly's Passing

auntAgonist

I haven't been active on DU for quite some time. I knew Shelly (AKA AlienGirl) well and have missed her personal warmth and her enthusiastic participation in Democratic politics locally. (Even though I always believed she could have trained her cockatoo to be a better fund raiser!)

For my benefit, as someone not up to date with postings here, could you tell me how you were related to Shelly and who asked you to post the message about the Clearwater event? If you are the aunt in Safety Harbor who cared for her during her illness, I thank you. I wish I had been able to communicate with Shelly over recent months, or even just to sit at her bedside so she could know how many of us cared about her and held her up to the light.

Please understand that no one from Shelly's family communicated with her "real world" Democratic friends There were many of us, and we worked together side by side for a variety of causes and candidates.

I chose not to go to the event on Saturday, but I do plan on contributing to the Center in her name. Another reply gives this information, but others wishing to donate can contact

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Neighborhood Family Center
900 N. MLK Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33755

Beth F

[auntAgonist]

10. bethflorida

I am not related to Shelly. Shelly and I have never met in person but have known one another for quite some time. Shelly is sorely missed by all who knew her offline and online.

I would be more than happy to answer your questions privately. Feel free to message me here.

thanks

aA
kesha


edited because I got your name wrong the first time.