Читать книгу “THEY” Cripple Society Volume 2: Who are “THEY” and how do they do it? An Expose in True to Life Narrative Exploring Stories of Discrimination - Cleon E. Spencer - Страница 8

Chapter Two

Collin began his presentation on the Lawtons in Terraprima. “My fine, distinctive friends, Durwin Lawton and Canda his wife of more than thirty years were fine people too; both exceptional people in many ways even after years of belittling. To protect their privacy and personal interests, the names I am using for them, Durwin and Canda Lawton, are fictitious. However, they are very real people, and the story I am about to tell of their experiences in Terraprima (another fictitious name as you already know) is not fictitious but true and factual. They were both in their early fifties when this story began more than a decade ago. As I tell the story, I will emphasize the pride and envy motivation of the belittlers-why they do what they do.

“The several states that make up the area I call Terraprima are, as you will see, largely under the influence and dominance of belittlers. Durwin went to Terraprima as a minister of the church, and Canda his wife to work at various levels of office work in industry and commerce. Each of them found both occupations to be over laden with belittlers. In time I will tell you of their experiences in each of these fields of work. For now I will tell you of their experiences together with the government office of immigration through which process they had to go in order to take up permanent residency.

“As I said, Durwin was a minister, but it was not only in the church the Lawtons had trouble with wayward people. Quite near the beginning of their story you will see that an area of government civil service was practically overrun by belittlers.

“Altogether, you will be able to see the terrible damage that belittlers, both in high places and low, do to their country. They actually cripple, and in some cases eliminate the vast contribution that potentially exceptional people could make to it.

“So let me begin,” said Collin, “by telling you of the grotesque experiences Durwin and Canda Lawton had with one unit of the Immigration Department located in Terraprima.

“Before they had decided to move to the area, they had heard stories of weird behavior of members of this government department. They were to soon find out that it was even worse than they had heard. The ignorance and outright open abuse with which they were treated was unfit for any human beings in a country of the quality Terraprima is purported to be. Having heard of this strange behavior, the Lawtons took every precaution to avoid problems with them. However, their fine personal makeup was such that trouble was unavoidable. Fine people get picked on aplenty.

“The Lawtons, while still living in Secundaterra, were on another of their frequent visits to one of the states of Terraprima when they learned that it would be possible for Durwin to be appointed to a church somewhere in the area. They went immediately to the Immigration Office in the state they were visiting and made known their desire to move to Terraprima where Durwin would be appointed minister of a church. They were treated in a mannerly fashion in this office and given the necessary papers and instructions. Within a few days, while still visiting in the state, the Lawtons got all the papers in order, each had a medical, and then returned to the immigration office with everything ready.

“After examining all the papers, the immigration officer responded: ‘All your papers and medical records are in good order except that you still give a Secundaterra address as your place of residence.’

“‘Yes,’ replied Durwin, ‘we haven’t moved to Terraprima yet, we are just visiting now.’

“‘Well,’ she said, ‘you have to move down first and then apply. You can do that as a minister of the church.’

“Durwin and Canda and their Terraprima friends who were with them were delighted to hear that, but wanted to make sure the officer was right. They questioned her. ‘Are you sure we can actually move to Terraprima and then take care of immigration matters after our move?’

“‘Yes,’ she replied. Then added assuredly, ‘I am certain of that, but if it will make you feel better I will consult my supervisor on it. I’ll be back in a minute or two.’ She took all the papers and disappeared through a door behind her. Shortly she returned. ‘Yes, my supervisor agrees that it is quite in order for you to come into this country as a clergyperson and submit these papers immediately after you have taken up residence here.’

“The Lawtons and their friends were overjoyed. The way was open for Canda and Durwin to fulfill a long-held desire and move to the land of opportunity for all.”

Collin interjected, “You will see in time just what opportunity there was, or rather was not in this land, for fine people like the Lawtons.”

He then continued with the story. “Upon returning to Secundaterra the Lawtons made plans to move. Durwin resigned from his church there, and also turned down a good offer for a move to another congregation in Secundaterra. Soon he was notified as to the name and location of his church-to-be in Terraprima. The location, however, could possibly pose one problem - maybe. It was in a state other than the one in which he had contacted the Immigration Office. They may now have to apply to a different Immigration Office - the office in the state to which Durwin had received the church appointment. This gave them some concern. On the other hand, they thought the rules must be the same in every office of the country. Still, they would check it out. It wasn’t something to be taken lightly or to take a chance on. If the Lawtons moved out of their present location with all their possessions in a rented truck, they had to be sure they had some place to go, and not end up out in the street, homeless. It could take as much as several months to find another church in Secundaterra.

“With this concern in mind, Durwin and Canda drove one day to the nearest border crossing, and asked to see the supervisor in charge there. The supervisor was a very congenial man who listened to their plans and concerns with interest. ‘Sit down in the waiting room for half an hour or so,’ he invited them. ‘I know there are some special provisions for clergy, but it’s so seldom we have to refer to it. I’ll read up on it in the rule book while you wait.’

“He went across to the other side of the large room and into his glassed-in private office in the corner. Taking a big book about four inches thick off the shelf he sat down to read. After twenty minutes or so he came back across the larger room again. ‘Yep,’ he said with a smile, ‘you can do it that way, just as the woman in the other office told you.’

“‘So,’ asked Durwin, ‘if I come here to this border crossing driving a rented truck load of my belongings, and my wife behind me driving our car, we will be able to enter Terraprima, no problem?”

“‘That’s right,’ responded the supervisor. ‘According to the book there should be no problem. Tell you what,’ he continued, ‘I’ll write down for you the days of the week and hours I’m on duty. Can you arrange to cross the border on a day and within the hours I’m on duty?’

“‘Yes I can,’ said Durwin delightedly. So they arranged that the Lawtons would cross the border on a Tuesday morning in approximately a month’s time. The Lawton’s were assured by this very cooperative officer that if everything was in order after the usual inspection, there would be no problem in crossing the border with all their possessions. He also told them that within ten days of the arrival at their destination they would be required to put in their applications for residency at the office in the state in which they took up residence.

“The Lawtons came away from the border crossing much more assured, but not totally. There was one more assurance Durwin would seek. He had two telephone numbers for twenty four hour seven days a week information regarding immigration procedures. One number was for the office in the state he had already dealt with on his visit, the other for the office in the state which he would now have to deal with.

“One evening he called the first number. After some delay due to the line being very busy, he connected with a woman who seemed quite conversant with immigration procedures. Durwin carefully outlined all the circumstances of his pending move. Knowing there were questions about mental illness on the papers later to be submitted, he was very careful to mention that he once had what was termed at the time, some brief nervous breakdowns. ‘Would that pose a problem for me?’ he asked.

“‘How long ago since you have had the last breakdown?’ she asked.

“‘Approximately ten years,’ replied Durwin.

“‘That will not make any difference after all that time. You will have no problem with it.’ she assured him.

“In actual fact it is debatable whether Durwin Lawton ever had a nervous breakdown. He had experienced some trouble to be sure. The psychiatrists whom he had first consulted termed it a mental illness caused by childhood problems. The psychiatrists who attended him in his later bouts termed it as excessive exhaustion brought on by too much stress with difficult people. His treatment for it in the latter cases was rest and sleep with the use of medication for a brief period.” Collin paused, then smiled, “Sounds familiar to some members of this group, eh!”

“Very familiar,” said Gilda Emerson, and the others agreed.

“But,” continued Collin, “Durwin didn’t want to enter into a debate about it on the phone at that time. Rather, to be sure, he went for the worst scenario, a nervous breakdown, received a satisfactory reply and thought that would be the end of that. He had no reason to think otherwise.

“Durwin then phoned the second number, for the city where he now would have to report. This time a man came on the line. Durwin explained to him the plans and circumstances of his pending move, including the information about his supposed nervous breakdowns, and that the last one was approximately ten years ago.”

“‘No problem,’ said the man in his obviously jolly, perhaps flamboyant manner. ‘Just get in your truck and come on down. Then report to the office here within ten days as you were previously told.’

“Durwin was almost convinced that everything was okay for his move. Still other peoples stories of difficulties with immigration in Terraprima came to his mind. He would try for one more assurance, he decided, by calling the same number on the week-end when likely there would be different persons on shift to give information. On the weekend Durwin phoned again, and a man answered the call. Not recognizing the voice, Durwin again outlined his plans and circumstances.

“The voice on the phone responded, ‘What you again?’ he said cheerfully, ‘come on down man. I told you earlier in the week you will have no problem. We are nice people down here, and we like you people of Secundaterra, you are just like us. Come on down and be at home.’

“This information officer had spoken in such a friendly reassuring way that all doubt left Durwin’s mind. He would not question the matter further. After thanking the person most warmly, Durwin came away from the phone feeling sure all would be well. He and Canda were delighted. They felt assured.

“There was one more assurance they were pleased with also. Some of Durwin’s colleagues in ministry who perhaps knew, from stories of others, more about the pitfalls of such a venture than did Durwin, took steps to protect his future in case he wanted or had to return to Secundaterra. They had his name placed in the record as on leave of absence from his present denomination, rather than removed and transferred to another denomination. Durwin was very grateful for this. Later, it would give him badly needed security as you will understand later in the story.

“There was opposition to this leave of absence status by belittlers of the Secundaterra church, but they weren’t in control and were overruled, to Durwin’s advantage. Later, however, when staff was changed, it left Durwin out on a risky limb in Terraprima, as I shall explain more fully later on in the story.

“Most people wished Durwin well on his new venture. One well meaning colleague, however, made a statement that Durwin didn’t understand at the time. Later, it would have much meaning for him. The colleague said to Durwin, ‘We don’t have any ministers from here go down to that denomination of Terraprima anymore. We have several who have gone there to other denominations and done well. I wish you well in your venture though,’ he said, shaking his head gently.

“On the pre-planned Tuesday morning the Lawtons set out, Durwin driving their large size rented truck, and Canda following behind in their car, having had the truck loaded by experienced movers the previous day. After going through immigration and customs at the border under the friendly, respectful and efficient facilitation of the supervisor, the Lawtons drove uneventfully along the highway to a new yet very different life than ever they had expected.

“Durwin had previously notified the people at his new church in Terraprima that he and Canda were aiming at arriving at the church at approximately six p.m. They came close to that, arriving at six-thirty p.m. There was a welcome reception for them for which they were a little late. The half hour delay was caused by a final gas-up and truck check which could have been eliminated had they known they were only twenty miles from their destination instead of the sixty they thought they still had to go.

“Perhaps an experienced bus driver who was very familiar with both the route and his vehicle could time it more closely. The Lawtons were familiar with the route, except for the last end of it, but had never driven it in a large truck before, which required extra gas stops, oil checks, etcetera. Even though they arrived within half an hour of their estimate, one of the church members had been complaining about the lateness and undermining the enthusiasm of others. This complainer would later turn out to be a chief belittler and troublemaker.

On arrival from another country with the truck, et al, and although a half hour late the attention of the twenty or so people present became focused on the new pastor and his wife. This was quite a natural thing, yet it was to the dismay of the complaining woman, who until now it seems had been the main focus of the group. In future, the Lawtons would see similar reactions to this on occasion. The cause of it was usually that when someone had done perhaps an exceptional job of some sort for the church, that person then felt qualified to be the main leader and decision maker in all things pertaining to the administering of the many and varied functions of the whole congregation. But expertise in one area of service, as good as it may be, and as much acclaim as they may receive for it, does not give a person license to be overbearing in all that goes on in a church. In time, rivalry for first place would set in - a rivalry in which neither Durwin nor Canda would intentionally participate. Overall though, the reception was a warm and joyful one.

“Within a few days the Lawtons, after receiving directions from a church member, set out in their car for the immigration office they were required to contact. The office was in the big city. They had driven in there a few times before, so it would pose no problem for them. They found the right building, paid the very expensive city parking rate, entered the building and proceeded to the required floor. It was early morning, around eight o’clock when they arrived, yet the line was already hundreds of people long. They were directed to get into the line and in turn would be taken care of by one of several officers at the long counter.

“It was after ten o’clock when they began to get anywhere near the counter. The lines between the cords going up and down the room moved slowly, but usually steadily. Ten employees worked the counter, each having an opening in the countertop metal rod barrier. In the background were two other women, who appeared to be supervisors floating around each to one-half of the area, overseeing the work of the others.

“As Durwin and Canda came down the line between the cords to near the lower end of the room, with still another up and down to go, the supervisor of that lower end caught site of them in the line. She quite noticeably bristled and looked harshly at the Lawtons for the longest time.

“‘Oh, Oh,’ whispered Canda to Durwin, in as unnoticeably a way as possible. ‘I think we are over dressed for here, or something. We may have trouble. Did you see the way that woman glared at us?’

“‘Yes,’ replied Collin, ‘I couldn’t help but notice. Perhaps we will end up in the area of the other supervisor.

“‘Hope so, Durwin, but she looks vicious,’ said Canda.

“‘We have our preliminary papers from the border crossing, and it’s just a matter of getting them processed,’ Durwin tried to sound reassuring. ‘She may not like us, but we should get through okay.’

“‘Hope you’re right,’ said Canda with a sigh.

“As the Lawtons slowly followed the line around the turn and up and down the rows once more, this woman, as she moved around her territory, continued glaring at them with increased intensity the nearer they came to being waited on. Coming down the final aisle was the worst, for then because of her location and theirs she could look straight at them. As she did she began to strut around with an air of authority all the more, occasionally slapping papers here and there, placing them down hard on the counter in a very perturbed looking manner.

“This supervisor was a very hefty, hard boiled looking woman, between fifty and sixty they guessed, with an upswept peroxide blonde hairdo and a very sour face. She was obviously down on the Lawtons for their appearance, for she had as yet no other criteria for which to take such a dislike to them. As awkward and overdone as her own hairdo, make-up and gaudy clothes were, she was very obviously concerned about her own appearance. Not having the taste it takes, however, she was plainly resenting the Lawtons who were dressed in a relatively modest manner, yet tastefully, and quite unintentionally stood out in the crowd there as they did most any place.”

Pausing in the story telling, Collin remarked, “This is an obvious and severe case of balloon puncturing.”

The group members laughed aloud, and Owen remarked, “Just by their appearance and presence, the Lawtons unintentionally punctured that supervisor’s balloon of undisciplined pride.”

“Yeh,” added Donna Coyne,” and I’ll bet she got plenty angry. I know what that’s like.”

“She did get very angry, as we shall see,” responded Collin as he continued the story.

“Durwin and Canda had been standing in line now for nearly three hours. Finally it was their turn. They were called from the end of the line to the wicket at the very end of the counter by the young woman working there. This woman was probably in her late twenties-a different generation and therefore not a pal of the sour looking supervisor who was supervising that same area of the counter. The supervisor was presently busy overseeing a transaction at another wicket. The Lawtons explained their case to the young officer at the counter and presented to her the papers they had received at the border crossing. She was very pleasant and efficient, examined the papers carefully and handed them back to Durwin. ‘From here,’ she said, ‘you have to go up to the twelfth floor. I will give you the room number and the name of the man you are to see.’ She wrote the room number and name on a slip of paper. As she tore it off the pad to give to Durwin the supervisor came roaring down. ‘What’s this,’ she growled as she snatched the slip of paper out of her hand. Then she turned to Durwin ‘Where are you from?’

“‘From Secundaterra,’ said Durwin.

“You have no business to be in this country, and I’d suggest you get back out of it,’ she snarled.

“As she began to say something else, the near mortified counter person shouted above her, to the Lawtons, ‘go and see Mr. so and so in room number such and such.’

“The Lawton’s got the message and after thanking the young woman walked away as the supervisor continued to sputter. It was a case of open and unabashed hostility by a belittler. No subtleties were necessary in this office. She knew she could openly do as she pleased and get away with it.

“Durwin and Canda went to the twelfth floor, found the room and the person they were to see. He, being a very cordial and helpful man, examined their papers received at the border crossing, approved their temporary immigration into the country for one year, and gave them another paper granting them permission to work.

“‘From here,’ he instructed, ‘you should go back down to the counter you just left and pick up a set of papers each, number such and such for permanent residency and come back another day with them prepared for submission to the same counter. You have a year in which to obtain your permanent residency.’

“‘Do we have to stand in line all over again today’ asked Durwin, ‘it took us nearly three hours there this morning?’

“‘No, not this time, but the next,’ replied the man. ‘For today I will give you a signed slip which will enable you to go directly to the counter, and hand in the slip. The counter person will give you the papers.’ He then smiled at the Lawtons. ‘Good luck,’ he said to them, ‘I wish you well.’ They were encouraged greatly.

“As they rode down the elevator, Durwin and Canda decided they would go to the same counter woman they previously had. She was positioned at the end of the counter, and easily accessible to them without their breaking through the lines of people. And besides, this young woman had been very pleasant and now already familiar with their case. The supervisor wouldn’t be able to do them much harm they reasoned, because they had already been admitted to the country.

“As another customer left the young woman’s wicket, the Lawtons approached and handed her the slip from the man upstairs to whom she had sent them. She bent down beneath her counter momentarily, came up with the necessary papers, and began to give a brief commentary on them as she passed them one by one to Durwin. There were several papers.

“As Durwin held some of the papers in his hand, and the young woman held some in her hand, still commenting on them, the supervisor came roaring over again.

“‘What are you back here for now?’ she snapped showing much hostility on her face.

“The young woman protested, ‘they have come to pick up such and such sets of papers.’

“Durwin chimed in sternly. ‘Look Lady, Mr. so and so has approved our temporary admission to this country, and told us to pick up these papers here.’

“The supervisor snatched the remaining papers out of the young woman’s hand, throwing them out across the counter as she snarled, ‘take your papers and see where they’ll get you.’ Most of the papers fell to the floor at Durwin’s feet. While he stooped down to pick them up, Canda attempted to gather the few papers remaining on the counter. The angry supervisor snatched them out of Canda’s hands and threw them down to the floor where Durwin was stooping to pick up the others. Some of them fell over his head. Durwin patiently gathered them all together. Then he and Canda, ignoring the supervisor, thanked the young woman for her helpfulness. She looked at them kindly, tilting her head sideways in affection, then immediately called the next person in line.

“The Lawtons walked away in near shock. ‘Is this what it means to be an immigrant in the land of opportunity?’ Canda remarked to Durwin.

“‘We have to come back to the same counter with these completed papers,’ responded Durwin. ‘We are in for a hard time, I do believe.’

Making an interlude in the story, Collin said to the support group, “Incidentally, some years later, when Durwin told this actual experience to a Christian person in a responsible position, that person said that such a thing could only happen in a communist or third world country. He wouldn’t believe the story.”

“I guess that Christian person had never read in newspapers or heard on television how employees of another North American government department were ruining peoples lives. News of it was widespread in the media.

“To quote one of them:

“Nationwide, IRS abuses are the product of a badly dysfunctional agency, a seemingly totalitarian financial regime where bullying personalities can find a place to exercise unbridled power over peoples lives. As tearful witnesses testified to the Senate, that power wielded arbitrarily, has destroyed businesses and broken up families. In other cases, taxpayers have been unjustly imprisoned-even driven to suicide.” (NEWSWEEK, 251 West 57th St, New York, NY 10019, Page 34, October 13, 1997)

The cover of that same issue of the magazine read: “Inside the IRS, Lawless, Abusive, and Out of Control.”

“That system was eventually fool-proofed somewhat so that the employees couldn’t do such things to people. However, what motivated them to do it in the first place was their wayward characters; seeking power and control over people even to the point of destroying them.

“Then there are the stories on various media about government prosecuting attorneys concealing evidence from defense attorneys so as to secure a conviction in the interests of promoting their own career; and sending innocent victims to prison for life to do it.

“All it takes to have such things happening in any democratic country is a sizable number of its people of such wayward character as living for self alone. In such a life, they use self as the measuring stick by which to measure what is allowed and what is not allowed, what should be and should not be, what is good and what is not good. They let no higher being, God or human, guide their standards. If someone else is a cut above them, then to them that is wrong, and that someone has to be put down or destroyed. Such selfish, self-centered mind-sets as that cause numerous and diverse problems in society. The Lawtons’ experience with immigration is only one manifestation of many similar and related problems.

“The woman supervisor in the Immigration Department, in her treatment of the Lawtons wouldn’t even let herself be guided by the laws of the government she worked for. The Lawtons pricked her pride. So being governed first and foremost by self, she decided that since the Lawtons were too much for her and therefore upset her wayward undisciplined pride, which in turn stirred her envy, hatred and hostility, they had, according to her, to leave the country. She did not use the laws of her country as the criteria for admitting or dismissing the Lawtons, but rather, her own self-centeredness. Self was the ruling criteria for her.”

Adding further, Collin said, “Christians are not meant to be like the ostrich with its head buried in the sand not knowing what is going on around it. Christians are supposed to be tuned in to what is going on in the world, and working to make it better. Durwin told some other of his experiences to the same Christian person. He did not believe these either. However, the experiences of Durwin Lawton I am relating to you are true and factual, as hard as they may be to believe.

“Furthermore, one of the main defenses of belittlers is to deny that such a thing would be done by them or in their country. When they are riled up enough, power and control belittlers do some brazenly ridiculous things that most people wouldn’t believe if they heard it. They have already outwardly established their own public image, as phony as it may be, and dare their victims to openly accuse them of what they have done to you. Then they will flatly deny it and accuse you of doing wrong things to them by accusing them falsely.

“So wake up Mr. Christian. Either you really are like an ostrich with your head in the sand, or, you are supporting the evil of belittlers by trying to cover up their dirty work. Either way you are wrong.

Returning to the story, Collin remarked to the support group, “You will notice I mentioned that the hard-boiled supervisor was older, and the woman at the wicket younger. This is not meant to indicate that belittlers are older people and younger people are not belittlers. That is not so. There are many belittlers among both old and young. This case does indicate, as the story will bear out, that there was a whole segment of belittlers approximately the same age throughout this vast office complex. Obviously they have been working together for years, and you will later see how they work together as, ‘a conspiracy of sorts’ as I call it, to put fine people down.

“When the Lawtons went home that day, they almost immediately went over the papers and list of requirements, which they found to be identical to those they had prepared on their visit to Terraprima approximately two months earlier. A complete medical report including X-ray not more than three months old was required for each of them. The Lawtons had this on hand on the required forms from their initial contact with immigration. They decided to fill out the remaining new papers, putting the present date and address on them, and go back into the city next morning. They aimed at being there seven o’clock to be in line early for the seven thirty office opening.

“Arriving at the planned time, they found the lines to be already hundreds of people long. They would have to stand in line a long time, which they did. At the end of this line they would be issued tickets which would give them entrance to a large waiting room on another floor, where the procedure was that as they presented their tickets upon arrival, their names would be recorded in a book. Then they would be called for an interview as it became their turn according to the order in which the names were listed.

“So the Lawtons stood in line for their tickets for nearly four hours. Tickets were generally issued until eleven a.m. which allowed enough people through to keep the department to which the people would go from there, busy for the remainder of the day. It was twenty minutes before eleven when the Lawtons reached the ticket wicket and asked for their tickets. As the amiable young counter man tore the tickets off the roll, the same hostile supervisor came barging in still another time. She snatched the tickets from the man’s hand before he had time to pass them on to the Lawtons. ‘There are no more tickets to be issued today,’ she snarled angrily. ‘We have reached our quota for today.’ The young man looked at her aghast, then at his watch, then at her again.

“‘It’s almost eleven o’clock,’ she growled in extreme hostility. ‘We have given out enough tickets for today. There is no more today,’ she said firmly in a near tantrum. The man put up his hand slightly in a gesture of resignation. The Lawtons walked away empty handed after nearly four hours in line.

“Out in the hallway of the building, Durwin asked a security officer what time in the morning did the line start to form. ‘Oh,’ he replied, ‘there are a few here at five thirty, and it starts to get heavy by six a.m. sometimes.’

“The Lawtons decided they would be there next morning at five thirty, which they were. There were a few people in line even at that time, but they were near the beginning of the line. This allowed them to approach the wicket for their tickets shortly after eight. They approached with much apprehension. The same supervisor was there, and she had spotted them in the line very early. Strangely enough, however, she did not continue with her glaring at them this time. In fact as she walked around she noticeably kept turning her back on them, which the Lawtons appreciated. Under great tension they finally approached the wicket and were very politely given tickets. The supervisor did not come near.

“The Lawtons thanked the man and left the area. ‘Thank heavens there was no clash with the supervisor this morning,’ remarked Canda with relief.

“‘It seems we are rid of her,’ said Durwin, ‘maybe we are well on our way now.’

“‘Don’t count on it.’ cautioned Canda.

“At the time Canda’s attitude seemed to Durwin to be a negative one considering the progress they had just made. Time would show that Canda’s caution was more than warranted. They were in for years of wrangling and abuse with this Immigration Department as it became more and more clear that belittlers were in control there, were well entrenched and were a law unto themselves.

“The Lawtons went directly to the other room located on another floor. Almost immediately and without incident they were able to present their tickets, have their names recorded, and then choose a seat from the hundred or more that filled the room. The seats were less than quarter filled when the Lawtons arrived there. Over the next three hours or so the room would fill up, the morning influx being faster than the processing. By eleven a.m. the influx would cease and by mid-afternoon everyone would be taken care of. That was how the system worked.

“There was a notice on the wall stating that once persons had presented their tickets and had their names recorded, they should not leave the room. If their names were called and they were not there to respond, they would lose their appointment for that day. There were wash rooms nearby to which one could go provided there was another to stay and hear the name called. There was another sign stating there was to be no food or drinks in the room. There was a water fountain in the hallway, which could be used by one while the other listened for the name.

“The Lawtons sat there from shortly after eight in the morning until after three in the afternoon. The room filled to capacity by eleven in the morning and became near empty by mid-afternoon. People were called in approximately the same order as they had been registered-all except the Lawtons, that is.

“By noon they began to suspect that something was wrong. The number of people in the room was thinning out. The Lawtons should have been through by now. Canda said to Durwin, ‘the battle axe downstairs is getting her way after all.’

“‘I believe you are right,’ said Durwin, ‘she was unconcerned about us downstairs this morning because she has fouled our procedure up here.’

“I’ll go to the counter and make inquiry,’ volunteered Canda.

“‘Good luck,’ said Durwin, with a hopeful smile.

“Canda approached a woman at the counter with her usual friendly smile and pleasant manner, explained that they had been in the room since shortly after eight and now it was afternoon. ‘Shouldn’t we be called in for our interview soon?’ she asked.

“‘We-1-1,’ said the woman in a smooth, cold manner, we are very busy here you know.’

“‘Yes, I can see that,’ replied Canda, ‘it’s no trouble to tell, but we have been here since shortly after eight. It’s now afternoon. Many people who came after we did are through and gone.’

“‘Oh, well’, she said, as she kept a calm, even more cold composure, there may be something special about your case. We’ll call you when we’re ready.’

“Canda returned and sat with Durwin. They noticed they were being watched when one of them went to the wash room or the water fountain. They felt sure that if two of them were to go out together their names would have been called, and they would have missed their appointment for the day. They were careful not to do this. Between Canda’s first inquiry and three o’clock they made two other inquiries. Each time they were put off with a cold and casual, ‘we’ll call you when we are ready for you.’

“‘By three fifteen the room was all but empty; only a handful of people left. Durwin and Canda decided to go to the counter together and be firm. They approached the same woman they had talked to earlier. Durwin spoke firmly, ‘We have sat here all day. We haven’t eaten since four o’clock this morning. It is near closing time. Don’t you think its time we had our interview?’

“She replied in a drawl as though unconcerned about the long arduous day, I’ll go and see if you can be seen now.’ She went through a door behind the counter and was gone for about ten minutes. Upon return she drawled coldly again, ‘You can’t be seen today. You’ll have to leave your papers with me, and you’ll be called in for an interview sometime within the next three months.’

“The Lawtons protested.

“‘That’s the word from the supervisor of the section,’ she said with a coldness that seemed devoid of any human feeling.

“‘Can we speak to the supervisor?’ they asked.

“‘The supervisor has no time to see anyone else today. You had better give me your papers. That is her instructions,’ came the firm reply.

“They handed her the new set of papers, making sure to keep the papers that admitted them for a year. Then they left the office.”

Collin paused in the story, “So you see the ‘conspiracy of sorts’ I mentioned earlier, was taking formation here in this government office. It isn’t that they sit down and plan together how to get you. It’s birds of a feather working together. They just pass the word along. And since they all have been playing the same game at times over the years, and know it well, they automatically join in putting you down.

“Durwin and Canda had been observing all morning the people and procedures in the room, as they also had done in the line up in the previous room downstairs. There were people from every part of the world, so it seemed; people of all colors and languages; people dressed in the varied clothes of many lands. There were very few white Caucasians there, maybe a half dozen or so out of all the hundreds the Lawtons had seen in both large rooms that day, and that few in number were shabby in dress and personal decorum. But everyone there were all being treated courteously and with patience, even though many of them spoke little English, and had trouble understanding papers and instructions. Nearly everything was done for them by the staff. Most of the staff were white. All of the staff the Lawtons had direct contact with, by coincidence were white. No racial discrimination was involved. There were other reasons for the cold treatment the Lawtons were receiving; reasons of undisciplined pride, envy, and hatred for fine caliber people.

“The group members should note that the cold treatment began before any of the staff there knew anything at all about the Lawtons; not even their names or where they were from. The obnoxious supervisor downstairs eventually did in the conversation learn where they were from and later their names would be available to her from the register book upstairs. But that was all that was known about them in the whole office building. Not even the man who issued the one year papers had information on them yet, other than name, address and occupation. Not until after the papers the Lawtons eventually handed in that day were read by the immigration people, would they know anything about Durwin’s previous supposed illness, or have any basis at all for turning them away. No basis, that is, except prejudice brought on by the Lawtons’ fine appearance.

“The rough treatment was indeed solely on the basis of their appearance. They were fine looking people, far above the caliber that were passing through that office; far above the caliber that were in charge of that office. There were some nice, good people working there; mostly of a younger generation, the young woman who first saved the situation for them, the friendly man to whom she sent them, the ticket man who did the best he could. But in contrast, there was the hostile supervisor downstairs, and the supervisor behind the scenes upstairs and her out front woman at the upstairs counter. It did seem already that the office was dominated by a generation of belittlers. It would be fully verified as time went by.”

Gilda Emerson of the support group interrupted Collin’s story of the Lawtons experience with Terraprima Immigration. “What would have happened if the Lawtons had protested more vigorously? Could they have been more demanding and broken their way through the barriers?”

“Not likely,” replied Collin, “it has been my experience with belittlers that they twist everything around and blame it on the other person. When it becomes necessary, belittlers quite openly deny that they did anything wrong to the belittled. They would support each other in such denial, and their victims wouldn’t stand a chance. I will give you examples of this later. The Lawtons probably would have been blamed for causing a scene in a government office for no reason and labeled as undesirable aliens. The belittler’s mind-set is to continually probe to get some concrete complaint against the person they are putting down.”

“I agree,” said Brett Culver, “and it has been my experience that belittlers put you down in subtle and not so subtle ways, often without thought of the very serious end results of what they are doing. But you had better be careful how you defend yourself against them. They will be very quick to say, ‘listen to what he or she is saying about me,’ or, ‘look what they are doing to me, and I didn’t do a thing to deserve it.’”

“I’ve experienced that lots of times,” said Donna Coyne, “there are numerous times when you can only be silent and take it.”

“We are really up against it, aren’t we?” added Owen Winslow. “Looks like avoidance is our best defense.”

“Not always but quite often,” said Collin, “especially where the belittlers are in total control.” Then looking to young Albin Anders, “Albin, take my word, never go to a college or university, or work in a place where belittling is the domineering factor. There are some belittlers everywhere, and you learn to dodge and/or cope with them, but in a place where they are in control, it is better to move out as soon as possible. The risk is high that sooner or later they will do you in. Either that or you have to be practically super - human, and careful almost to perfection, to avoid them getting the better of you.”

Albin raised his eyes a little and chuckled at himself. “I guess I have a long way to go before I can handle all that by myself, don’t I?”

“Keep in touch with us and we’ll help you through until you are older and more experienced,” Collin assured him. “Now I wish to tell you what happened to the Lawtons next.”

“It is most interesting,” commented Dr. Eldren.

Collin felt encouraged and continued, “The Lawtons waited at home for notification of their interview. Three months passed and yet there was no sign of it. They debated many times whether to take the initiative and get the process rolling again, or wait it out. After about two weeks past the three month period a letter arrived from the department.

“‘We may get our interview after all’, said Durwin to Canda as he opened the letter with them both very anxious to read it. The letter was a shock. They were now informed by this letter that some time soon they would receive another letter informing them when and where they were to appear in an immigration court. At that time they would be instructed as to how and when they were to leave the country. There was no mention of an interview. The letter bore the signature of the Director of Immigration for the Area in which the office was located. It could not be discerned whether the signature was an original done with a pen and black ink, or a rubber stamp signature.

“Durwin carefully composed a return letter to the director. In this letter he outlined in detail the procedures and precautions he had taken in preparation for his move to Terraprima; the inquiry at the other office while on his visit, the inquiry at the border, the inquiries by telephone, and his prompt reporting to the area office after arrival. He also detailed the responses he had received in each instance. Furthermore he informed them that he still had the phone bills on hand to prove he had made the calls, and that his temporary admittance to the country was good for a year and only a little more than three months had passed so far.

“The Lawtons never received a reply from that letter. Neither did they receive any notice to appear in court. In fact there was no further response during that first year. When the one year period of their temporary admission was nearing its end, Durwin and Canda wrote again to the immigration office reminding them of the pending expiration date and expressed the desire to bring the matter to a conclusion. There was no answer until long past the end of the first year and their temporary admission had expired. In the meantime they had decided to stay on, as they had tried everything possible, and could take no responsibility for the lapse of their temporary admission.

“It seems some immigration officials were making it a stand-off between them and the Lawtons. So the Lawtons decided to take them up on it and stay in the country until they were officially notified to leave, or granted the permanent residence status they had applied for. The Lawtons never were notified in writing to leave the country. In the light of all the circumstances of their entry into it, there was no case against them to do so.

“In hind-sight they felt they would have done better to not have replied to the letter that informed them of the pending court hearing. Had they remained silent and let the matter go to court, they most likely would have received a fair hearing and been admitted permanently to the country. In their letter, however, they had tipped their hand and shown they had a winning case. They were now of the opinion that this was why they heard no more about court. They had an air-tight case, so to speak.

“When another letter finally did come, several weeks after the year had passed, it raised a problem that Durwin knew would come sooner or later. Belittlers always find some area in a person’s life on which they can pounce. They were now zeroing in on the fact that Durwin had had some sort of nervous breakdowns in his past. That these were of short duration and had happened many years ago was now being overlooked. Durwin, trying always to be honest and above board, had mentioned this in his application, feeling at the time that it would be handled in a modern, up-to-date way, without stigma and in the light of the latest knowledge on the subject. In reality it would be handled very crudely as a weapon for belittling.

“This latest letter requested that Durwin submit a recent psychiatric examination to the department. This posed no problem. He already had a good one from a renowned psychiatrist in Secundaterra. He would now seek one from a psychiatrist in Terraprima.

“Upon inquiry, a friend told Durwin of a psychiatrist who did some work for the church in Terraprima. He was located in a very favorable part of a high caliber town, with well appointed offices located on the second floor over some fashionable boutiques, where he was accustomed to dealing with well-to-do people. Durwin felt okay about it.

“In an interview with this psychiatrist things went very amicably and favorably. The doctor inquired into Durwin’s past illness and causes, and also into his present outlook and activities. He then told Durwin he would have an appraisal in the mail to him in a day or two. It was a very favorable report that arrived.

“The doctor stated in his appraisal that Durwin’s present performance in all areas of life was exceptional, that he had never had a mental illness and that his past problems were due to problems in life. Durwin also requested and received a letter of reference from the C.E.O. of the area church. In this letter, Durwin’s ministry was described as ‘excellent’. I ask you to note,” said Collin to the group members, “that in the psychiatrists letter, Durwin’s ‘performance is superior.’ In the C.E.O.’s letter, his ministry is ‘excellent’. We will be referring to these letters in another context later.

“Durwin sent these letters of reference to the department together with the report of the psychiatrist in Secundaterra which was also very favorable. There was no further action from the department for nearly another year and even then it had to be prodded by the Lawtons.

“Through social contacts, Durwin had made acquaintance with a prominent lawyer in the area of his church. After he had become acquainted well enough with this lawyer, he spoke to him one day about his immigration problem and about the inaction of the department on his case. The man didn’t understand the full depth of the problem. Few people would. So Durwin made no effort to discuss personalities, but merely that his application wasn’t being processed on schedule. The lawyer remarked that government offices are like that sometimes, and suggested he work through the office of the local congressman to get faster action. He made an appointment for Durwin.

“Durwin went for the appointment, but it turned out to be an appointment with the congressman’s secretary. Durwin asked if he could see the congressman personally and was informed he was presently in the capitol and that his help to constituents was generally handled through his secretary.

“Durwin outlined to her the delay in the processing of his application, discussed with her the supposed nervous breakdown problem that had arisen, and gave her copies of the psychiatric appraisals of both psychiatrists. Her opinion was there shouldn’t be any problem. She added that ‘some people, when they hear the word mental or psychiatric or nervous breakdown do think in terms of something drastic and dangerous. But one has only to look at these appraisals, and to talk with you to know different than that. She added, ‘and you are from Secundaterra. There certainly shouldn’t be any problem with that.’ Durwin informed her that they had never yet interviewed him to get to know what he was like. She couldn’t understand that, now going on the second year and not interviewed.

“‘We will get it moving right away,’ she said.

“Several more months passed, but the Lawtons received no word either from the department or the congressman’s office. Durwin went to the congressman’s office and reported the inaction again.”

“‘I don’t understand that,’ the secretary said, ‘I will speak to the congressman about it when he is in town again. It won’t be for another month or so, as he is out of the country.’

Collin paused in the story telling. Then he asked the group members, “Do you notice how so many people, including a congressman’s staff, don’t understand such things as you and I and people like us have to put up with?”

“They don’t have the foggiest idea of what is going on for people like us,” answered Donna Coyne.

“Mostly, only we and the belittlers who do those things to us, know about it, and they cover themselves well don’t they?” added Owen Winslow.

“Yes Owen, they cover themselves well. A few good people are wise to them, people who have been stung and survived. They know the dirty mind-games and all. A few others know it from observing it in action against other people, but they don’t always realize the intensity of it. Many people don’t know it is even going on at all.

“Another two months passed. The Lawtons then each received a large packet from the department together with a letter of instruction. They were informed that their previous medical reports and applications were now outdated. They were to fill out the enclosed forms, have new medicals, including X-rays, and report to the immigration office, room such and such on the date and time given. Examination of the packets revealed that they were of similar content to the ones they had received on their first trip to the office. They now had to start from scratch and do the whole thing over again, the time and expense of it all being duplicated.

“Upon closer examination it was revealed that one form was missing from Durwin’s set of forms. Canda’s set was complete. The missing form for Durwin was a medical history form, a very necessary one, for sure. The belittlers miss no opportunity in their manipulations. The medical history form was essential if Durwin was to continue to be open and fair about his mental health.

“Rather than go to the same office and possibly a hostile confrontation with the original hostile supervisor, Durwin decided to drive to another city and pick up a form at the immigration center located there. He decided to arrive there shortly before closing time when the lines would be fizzled out for the day. When he got there, he discovered that this center had a booth separate from all the other offices. It was staffed by one white woman. The booth was for information and forms, so the sign over it read. There were only two people in line ahead of him. This is the easiest yet, he thought. He was wrong!

“Durwin stood behind the two women already in line, one a middle aged woman just asking for directions to another part of the building. Next in line was a disarrayed young woman, perhaps around twenty years old, of an ethnic race from another country. She was completely disheveled in dress and personal decorum. Her clothes looked dirty and her hair uncombed. She neither spoke nor understood English very well. This description is not intended to categorize or discriminate against the people of any race. I am simply describing this young woman objectively.

“The conversation could not be heard by Durwin in detail, but the white woman operating the information booth, took considerable time to get forms for the girl, go over them with her and explain the whole process to her with great patience, repeating herself often to compensate for the customer’s lack of understanding, due to the language difficulty and perhaps the intelligence factor as well.

“Durwin thought it was very nice of the woman in the booth to be so pleasant and empathetic to a young person obviously in need of care. He didn’t mind waiting the ten or fifteen minutes it took for such a deed of kindness. There are some human beings in this department, he mused to himself, hope she is half as pleasant to me.

“When the time came, Durwin stepped up to the booth. Before he had time to speak, the woman snapped at him hostilely, ‘What do you want,’ she said with an emphasis on the ‘you’ that indicated contempt. Here again is a case of Durwin, a fine person, being turned on by a belittler on the basis of his appearance. He would learn in time that it is uncommon in some circles of Terraprima for a person like him to make the grade at all in life. In fact, it is so uncommon in these circles, that the hostility by belittlers is brazenly open and public.

“Durwin calmly told her he just needed a form, number such and such.

“‘We don’t hand out that form here,’ she snapped again. ‘You can get it when you go for an interview.’

“‘But’, protested Durwin, ‘I need to have the form ready when I go for the interview.’

“‘You can get no such form here,’ she came back angrily, then looked past Durwin to call the next person in the line that had now formed behind him.

“Durwin, the only white person in the line, stepped aside. He knew he would get no satisfaction here. As he walked around the corner away from the booth, he paused and looked back. The woman, with smiles and friendliness was now greeting the next man in line, again a disheveled person of ethnic race from another continent. Standing tall and proud and beaming, this government worker really thought she was doing her job in a wonderful manner, when in reality all she was doing was subverting her country to less than mediocrity.

“Durwin went home, wrote a letter to the Forms Division of the department asking for the form to be mailed to him. He received it by return mail. When it was sight unseen there was no problem.

“The Lawtons reported at the appointed time of two in the afternoon with their new forms and medicals ready. When they arrived, they were relieved to see it was a smaller office they had to report to this time; no long line-ups or tickets necessary. There were only a few people seated and waiting in this office. Interviews were taking place at desks spaced out and separated by room dividers. But although there was no line up in this room, for the Lawtons there would still be delay. Long after the others were all processed, they still sat there waiting. Finally someone came and told them to come and sit at one of the interviewing desks. She led them over, seated them and left.

“They sat there for another half hour before another woman arrived on the scene and sat behind the desk. She was an older woman, near retirement age they discerned, tall and of average weight for her height, looking unfriendly and hard-boiled and puffing continuously on a long cigarette.

“‘What brings you people here today?’ she growled sternly, as a swirl of smoke enveloped the Lawtons.

“‘We received a letter to be here with our new applications and medicals,’ replied Durwin firmly.

“She blinked, and grunted contemptuously, ‘Ugh’, as she reached for the envelopes, then separated Durwin’s packet from Canda’s. Upon opening Durwin’s packet, she quite obviously looked for one part only, the medical history form. To her obvious surprise it was there. She took a quick look at it, then at Durwin accusingly, ‘A question on this paper asks if you have ever had a mental illness and you answer no.’

“‘Right,’ said Durwin, pulling a paper out of his pocket, ‘and I have here a copy of my psychiatric appraisal stating that I never had a mental illness, but problems in life caused my breakdowns.’

“‘A copy is not acceptable to this office,’ she growled with yet a little more hostility, ‘we require an original.’

“Durwin spoke with yet more firmness, ‘You already have the original here in this office. I sent it to you in a letter when you previously requested it.’

“She blinked again, but then came back forcefully. ‘You cannot be admitted to this country,’ her cold growling voice asserted.

“‘Why not?’ asked Durwin strongly now tired of pussy-footing.

“She declined to answer.

“‘Why not?’ repeated Durwin strongly.

“‘Because it is illegal,’ she quivered as she tried to keep up her hard-boiled appearance.

“‘Why is it illegal?” demanded Durwin.

“‘Because it is. It’s against the law,’ she snapped as she turned her attention to the papers to divert her focus from Durwin at whom she could no longer look, for shame. She did not look at the papers for long, being in no emotional condition to do so. Then trying to compose herself again she said as firmly as she could muster, ‘You’ll be hearing from us soon. That’s all for today.’ She took the papers and left the room. The interview had been very short-about three minutes. There was no one else in sight. The Lawtons had no choice but to leave empty handed.”

Leo Aidan interrupted the story, “Durwin almost broke through to her that time when she quivered, didn’t he Collin?”

“Almost, Leo, at least that’s one plausible analysis, or perhaps he just shook her hollow pride. Then again it may be that he did get through to her. But if she had given in, then how would she face her colleagues in the back office?”

“I see what you mean,” said Leo.

Collin continued, “there was such a delay in her coming out for the interview that there well could have been a get-together behind the scenes to decide who would take on the Lawtons today and get rid of them. She may have volunteered, or she may have been pushed into it. She had to go back and face the gang. It is a case of birds of a feather acting together against the Lawtons whom they perceived to be a common enemy-an enemy because they prick their pride and stir their envy.

“Again, it is a ‘conspiracy of sorts,’ as I call it. They have to turn their hatred on such a supposed enemy to preserve themselves, so they think in their ‘most warped and twisted of human emotions’. (The Daily Study Bible. The Letter to the Romans, William Barclay, P.28. The Saint Andrew Press, Edinburgh, 1966). It’s the way their mind-set has been since their younger, formative years.”

“Paranoid,” quipped Leo Aidan.

“Yes, truly paranoid,” affirmed Collin. “They really felt the Lawtons were doing them harm. In reality, the Lawtons were just being themselves, and this hurt these proud envious ones, so they supposed the Lawtons to be enemies really doing them harm; very paranoid indeed.

“Another possible explanation of her behavior is that since she was a bully, and since a bully is a coward, she began to cower when the chips came down on her. The bully started to whimper when Durwin got firm with her, and it looked like she might be cornered.”

“Should he have pushed a little harder at that point?” asked Leo inquisitively.

“I don’t think so,” replied Collin. “If he had pressed her hard enough to break fully through the facade and make her cower too much for her comfort she would probably have bolted from the room to report how she was being mistreated by the applicant. Durwin would most certainly be blamed for a scene. This could have resulted in a total loss of their chances of staying in the country. Belittlers never take the blame, it’s always the belittled whom they see to be in the wrong. When someone breaks through the facade of belittlers too fully they are devastated. Then they will do most anything to protect it. Besides, there wasn’t any opportunity to push it further. She simply picked up the packages of papers, said ‘that’s all for today,’ and left the room, leaving the Lawtons sitting there with no one else in sight.

“How defiant of a congressman’s office they were!” remarked Owen.

“Yes indeed,” answered Collin, “and they knew they could get away with it. I have heard of several such cases. They have been doing it for years and getting away with it. The Lawton’s never heard from that area immigration office again.

“They waited several months, then Durwin reported to the congressman’s secretary again. She acted in a manner of resignation, saying, ‘I don’t understand it and I don’t know what else we can do.’ Here again it is notable that many people in high places even in government have no idea or concept of the existence and destructiveness of belittlers. Durwin didn’t go there again.

“Here were the Lawtons, high quality candidates for immigration; healthy physically in all respects; psychologically mature, Durwin’s mental health clear for ten years, a near six figure bank account, guaranteed permanent employment, covered by health and disability insurance, covered by good pension plans, and with quality references from very credible sources. These people would be a credit to any country, but in Terraprima, the land of opportunity for all, they were being treated less than human by one of its government departments.

“The Lawtons now retained the services of an immigration lawyer who had been recommended to them as one who had helped other ministers. This lawyer, a very capable and amiable man, tried time and again to get some action from this office of the immigration department, but none was forthcoming. They gave no response whatsoever.”

Gilda Emerson broke into the conversation, “they defied the congressman and his office, now they ignore a lawyer!”

“A law unto themselves!” added Leo.

“Indeed,” said Collin, “they behaved as though they were autonomous-a power unto themselves, answerable to no one.

“There are other stories circulating about the treatment certain people from various countries receive from this department. Many of these stories are of people from Secundaterra, which country has tried officially over the decades to be a good friend to Terraprima, and continues to do so. Yet some of its fine people who wish to move to Terraprima are often on the one hand allowed to enter the country, but on the other are shunned by the immigration department when they get there. Some of them, fine people as they are, have had it implied to them that they are criminals, breaking the law by trying to stay in Terraprima. This is what was happening to the Lawtons.

“In casual conversation with a police chief in Terraprima one day, Durwin and Canda told him of their immigration problem. ‘My dear people,’ he said, ‘you came from the wrong country. We have people pouring into this country illegally, with nothing except the clothes on their backs and not much of that. I picked up three of them in this town the other day, phoned the Immigration Department about it and they answered, ‘Well what do you want us to do?’

“‘Don’t they have to be deported?’ asked the police chief.

“‘No,’ came the reply. ‘We have no means here to handle that. Eventually they will be legalized.’

“The police chief then reiterated to the Lawtons, ‘You people are from the wrong country, you are just too good a caliber of people to be admitted to this country anymore.’

“He was near right. Although it wasn’t altogether the country they came from, but rather the kind of people they were from that country -too good for the many envious immigration people.”

Collin continued to the group, “Statistics show that more people now leave Terraprima to live in Secundaterra, whereas it used to be the other way around. No wonder, with this kind of treatment in store for them.

“However, even with such odds against them, Durwin and Canda decided they would continue to ride out the storm to see where it would lead. Another year or more passed with no further word on their immigration status.

“In the meantime, the Lawtons were missing out on a lot of opportunities to solidify their life in Terraprima. For example their bank, by whom they were personally well regarded, was offering some good group insurance and investment plans by which they could invest for retirement. They had to turn them down because they may have to leave the country anytime. Long term investments had to be by-passed.

“For years now they had been preparing the means whereby they would own their own home upon retirement after living in a church-owned house during their working years. The prices of real estate around the area of Terraprima where they were living began to rise. Before it had risen too far, the Lawtons could easily have made a down payment on a house, rented it, and eventually have a house for their retirement in the area they had planned. But again they had to pass it up because of the impermanence of their circumstances.

“So you see, the Lawtons were being severely damaged. It wasn’t a matter of them being over-sensitive to little hurts as some try to imply. The remainder of their lifetime would be drastically affected. When belittlers and their supporting psychiatrists try to make you believe you are a super sensitive pansy, don’t let them do it to you. If they had to put up with a quarter as much they would fold like wilted flowers or break like match sticks. I have often heard them whimper like small children over far less.”

Leo broke in, “Belittlers appear to be proud and powerful when they have you down and think they are getting away with it. But I know how they are when they are tripped up in their weird and dirty game and fearful of being brought to light on it. I also have heard them whimper like babies! We folks too sensitive? Not on your life! They are, but for different reasons than we are accused of.”

The other group members all agreed with Leo. Dr. Eldren gave a grin of satisfaction at the way things were going in the group.

“Did the Lawtons ever get their immigration approved?” asked Albin Anders.

“Yes they did,” answered Collin, “so we do win at times, Albin, but often at great cost. I’m a firm believer that people like us can always make the grade, damaged and scarred though we may be, but nevertheless winners at least to some degree. If only we could put half the energy and effort we are forced to put into survival, into creative living for the benefit of ourselves and others, we would be out on top where exceptional people should be. Alas, we are destined to be short-changed by foul means not of our own making.”

“You’ll have to tell us tonight how the Lawtons got their papers,” said Albin exuberantly.

“I will right now,” said Collin and continued with the story. “After four years of excessive negative behavior by belittlers in the church, the Lawtons were moved to another congregation. I will tell you much more about this when I tell you of the Lawtons’ experiences with the church in general. Suffice it to say for now this congregation was in another state and within the jurisdiction of another immigration office, the office to which the Lawtons had gone in the first place when on their visit to Terraprima if you will remember.

“They decided to approach this office through their immigration lawyer who, although he had been unable to get a response from the first office, had higher hopes for this office. He was well known in immigration circles in this area, and therefore likely to get a courteous response and a fair hearing. This they did, and although the process was long and drawn out, another year in fact, it brought results.

“This immigration office was much more congenial, generally. There were some belittlers there, as there are nearly everywhere, but they were not in control of this office. They did not dominate the general atmosphere there. This together with the presence of a lawyer who was well known in the immigration circles of that area, kept the belittlers at bay.

“The lawyer requested that the Lawton’s records be transferred to this area immigration office with which they were now dealing. He also arranged for the Lawtons to be interviewed by an immigration officer. He would be there with them and make a new approach.

“The interview was with a very friendly and helpful mature woman. It was obvious from the start that she was being positive toward the Lawtons and their case. However, she had the sad task of informing them that their previous records submitted to the other office could not be found. The records were lost. The Lawtons would now have to do all new papers, have new medicals, more X-rays and all, and bear the expense of it once more. The woman gave them the new sets of papers, and instructed them to submit them through their lawyer for processing. After the processing, they would be granted a final interview after which the process would be completed within a short time. So the Lawtons did the whole process once more, this time much more hopefully.

“After their submission of the new papers, this office came back with a request for a more recently dated and original copy of the psychiatric appraisal. Durwin had submitted a photo copy he had preserved from the original appraisal that went to the first office. Photo copies were not acceptable, and furthermore a recently dated paper was required.

“Durwin made an appointment with the same church related psychiatrist who had appraised him so well before by describing his performance as ‘superior in all areas of living.’ The psychiatrist again interviewed Durwin exhaustively, but this time not in the friendly, helpful tones of the first interview. This second interview was of a cold, stern nature, even bordering on hostility at times, and mixed with a seeming impatient concern at other times.

“First, of course, he asked Durwin why the need for another appraisal. Durwin explained to him that he was now living in a different state and applying through a different immigration office. Remember now,” said Collin to the group, “this is after approximately four years of trying through the other office.

“The doctor spoke in mixed tones of perturbance and seeming, seeming that is, concern. Further he spoke very curtly and loudly, ‘you have been trying for several years now to get these papers, and obviously without success. What’s wrong with living in your own country? Why are you so adamant about staying in this country? Are you going to stay here till they wear you down?’

“‘Not so,’ replied Durwin calmly, ‘I’m going to wear them down!’

“The psychiatrist was taken aback just a little. ‘You have moved,’ he still growled, but not quite as harshly. ‘How many members are there in your new parish?’ Durwin told him the figure that was in the church statistics record.

“‘And how many members are in your previous church?” Durwin gave him the number. It was a little less than for his new church.

“‘Where is this new church located?’ he asked. Durwin told him. The psychiatrist pondered for a moment, then very demandingly, ‘And what went wrong in your previous church that they placed you away out there?’ he growled.

“Durwin replied calmly, ‘I did my work faithfully and well. I gave them a good ministry. I guess it wasn’t what they wanted.”

Brett Culver interrupted the story, “If only Durwin could have simply said that the place was dominated by belittlers, how simple it could have been!”

“Right,” said Collin, with a sigh, “and as I said earlier I will be telling you much about belittlers at work in the church at later meetings. But the way we use the term belittler is not yet used in psychological language in the same manner. However, that does not mean that some psychologists and psychiatrists do not play the belittling game. The fact remains though that it cannot be talked about because it is not a part of the professional language. To talk about it is to risk being labeled a nut, or a paranoid.”

Collin continued the story, “The psychiatrist grilled Durwin again, ‘Why did they put you away out there? What did you do wrong in your previous church?’ he asked in a very demanding way.

“Again, Durwin couldn’t give the doctor the complete reason why he had been moved from his previous parish to his present one. Psychology simply doesn’t record the gross behavior of belittlers that we in this group know and speak of; their envy, hatred and tactics. Durwin simply and calmly replied, ‘they told me that is all they had for me.’

“The psychiatrist seemed baffled by Durwin’s ready answers. He growled again. ‘Do you take medication for depression?’

“‘No,’ replied Durwin as calmly as ever, ‘I don’t need it.’ The psychiatrist looked hard at him. Durwin continued, ‘One night my wife and I watched an hour long TV program on depression. It doesn’t fit me at all. I’m functioning just fine as I am.’

“The psychiatrist was taken aback some more, and in somewhat subdued tones asked pointedly, ‘and you insist on trying to stay in this country?’

“‘Yes,’ said Durwin, without a ruffle, ‘and I am at last making progress with it.’ Then in an effort to explain his new circumstances, he said, ‘in the previous immigration office they seemed to be doing all they could to prevent my acceptance into the country, but now…’

“The psychiatrist interrupted abruptly, ‘What,’ he snapped, as though questioning the soundness of Durwin’s statement and attitude.

“Durwin knew what the psychiatrist had in mind. He was probing for paranoia. ‘You didn’t let me finish,’ said Durwin still calmly, ‘in the other office they seemed to be doing all they could to prevent my acceptance. In this office I am now dealing with, they are doing all they can to have me approved.’

“‘I see,’ said the psychiatrist, ‘an altogether different atmosphere!’

“‘Yes, altogether different,’ replied Durwin pointedly.

Collin commented, “I would here ask you to note one of the ironies of the conversation. At one point the psychiatrist impatiently asked Durwin ‘Are you going to stay here till they wear you down?’ He was thereby admitting that “they” ‘, some people that is, were trying to wear Durwin down. Now, a little later in the conversation, he was trying to trip Durwin up in the paranoia trap that belittlers so often use to either defend themselves on their actions of belittling or to belittle some more.”

Collin then continued with Durwin’s story. “After a moment of silence, and in a mild tone of grudging resignation, the psychiatrist spoke again, ‘Well, you have a larger parish this time. The membership is higher and that speaks well for you. I still think my first appraisal of you was accurate. I’ll have a similar one drawn up and mailed to you within a few days.’”

Collin instructed the group members, “I will ask you to keep this second episode with the psychiatrist in mind for future reference in conjunction with other experiences of the Lawtons. But to sum it up for now, in this second interview this church-related psychiatrist revealed the vicious mind-game that has been played in this denomination of the church in Terraprima for generations. He knew the game, and he tried to play along with it, but he couldn’t subdue Durwin with it, so then he protected himself from being revealed, so he thought.

“I will elaborate on that further, but let me add first that Durwin still didn’t see through the game at the time of this second psychiatric interview. Rather, with this and other experiences he was later able to reflect back on the second interview with this psychiatrist. It helped him piece together the mind-game that was being played on him by the church at large.

“The second church, out of the way, unprogressive and almost totally unsuited to Durwin’s ministry and present interests, was supposed to have depressed Durwin. Had he been a person of hollow undisciplined pride like his assailants it might well have. If the psychiatrist could have gotten him to admit to depression and to taking medication for it, or, given him medication for it, Durwin probably would have lost his opportunity to stay in the country. If Durwin, when pressed so hard, had admitted to any wrong doing in his first church, the psychiatrist would have an excuse to discredit him.

“When the psychiatrist couldn’t pin down Durwin on these things he covered himself and the church by conceding that Durwin had received a larger parish this time. Durwin would later learn that this is another ploy of the area church. When they want to demote a person they put him in a worse situation than he had before, but there is always one or two items about the overall situation that can be said to be better. It is the ‘better but worse’ tactic as I call it, that is craftily played by the wider church, and has been for decades, and of which I will give you more examples later in the story.

“Because it is so important to other parts of the total story, I will review this incident again. In the interview, the church related psychiatrist was probing to use the whole circumstance to discredit Durwin. Being placed now in a remote and incompatible church, Durwin was supposed to be depressed over it. Also if a confession could have been wrung out of him for doing something wrong which brought about his placement to this church, then the two of it together would have given the psychiatrist ample reason to turn Durwin down for immigration. When the doctor couldn’t make it stick he covered for himself and the church by casually saying, ‘well you were given a larger parish anyway.’ It’s the better-but-worse tactic being utilized.

“At the time of the interview, however, Durwin left the psychiatrist’s office and went home feeling assured of a favorable conclusion to his and Canda’s immigration problem. He had to phone the psychiatrist’s office twice before the appraisal was finally mailed out to him. However, I am happy to tell you that the Lawtons were now approaching a successful completion of their immigration problem.”

“Hurrah,” shouted Leo, “you’re going to tell us they made it.”

“Did they really?” asked Brett, hopefully.

“Yes, they did,” said Collin assuredly. “The psychiatrist gave another good appraisal, though reluctantly I believe. Everything else was in good order.

“One other incident occurred which Durwin didn’t like, but went along with. One day the lawyer’s secretary, not the lawyer himself, but the secretary, phoned Durwin informing him that he needed to sign a declaration that at one time he had had a mental illness. Durwin protested that the psychiatric reports stated he did not have a mental illness. The secretary said that made no difference. If he wished to get his permanent residence status, he would have to sign this paper. Durwin stated that he would think, if anything, to sign such a paper might prevent him from getting his papers rather than help him. The secretary said that was not the case, and that if he signed the declaration he was virtually assured of getting his permanent resident status.

“Durwin thought it through at the moment and decided this may be the way of the belittlers in the department protecting themselves from being sued, or the like. Durwin had no thought of suing anyone on this matter. He knew that few judges, and less jury members, would be wise enough to the devious tactics of belittlers against people like he and Canda, for him to get an honest to goodness fair trial on any matters pertaining to his treatment by the immigration department. He went to the lawyer’s office and signed the paper.

“Soon the Lawtons were called into the immigration office for a final interview which went very amicably. There was the usual fingerprinting and photography. They were told they would in all likelihood receive their approval within three months. They were even told that their previous files, reported lost, had now been found.

“The approval did come through as anticipated. They were then hopeful of picking up the remnants of their lives and starting to live fully permanently. Numerous opportunities had passed them by while they had to live in many respects on a temporary basis because of the immigration problem, even though they did their church work as on a permanent basis. Things will go better for us now, and we will make up for lost time, so they thought. It was not to be. There was more trouble ahead for the Lawtons.”

A dead silence came over the group. They were visibly saddened.

“It’s too much to tell you tonight, or on any one night,” said Collin. “I’d suggest we wait until next week to continue. Then I will begin to tell you of the Lawton’s experiences as fine people with both of their local churches, their interaction with other ministers, and with the church hierarchy of the area, and much more. It will make what I’ve told you about their immigration experiences seem trifling in comparison.”

The group members were in near disbelief.

“Still more trouble ahead for the Lawtons! How much can two people take?” asked Donna, with tears in her eyes.

Leo came to her rescue, with some success, “Let nothing surprise you when it comes to the meeting of belittlers and fine, smart people, Donna. As Collin, in first semester, has already pointed out to us by quoting the Christian scholar, William Barclay, envy is the ‘most warped and twisted of human emotions.’” (Ibid).

“I know,” said Donna, “but it hurts to think that two people could be treated so viciously.”

Leo smoothed her hand as it rested on the arm of her chair.

After a brief silence, Albin evolving from his shyness a little more, as he had been doing all along, suggested it might be the right time to gather at the coffee shop for some lighter moments. The others agreed. Feelings could be better explored after the whole story is told. A sense of the ample presence of empathy was enough for now. Dr. Eldren departed from the group for the evening. The remainder of them headed for the Corner Coffee Shop just down the street as they had done many times before for a period of lighter fellowship.