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International Cultic Studies Association
Department: Group Report - Hare Krishna
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Vol. 1, No. 1, 2001 |
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| _______________________________________________ |
| Featured Group Report |
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Hare Krishna: news articles
1992
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- ISKCON in the News Articles from the
Cult Observer
1984-1999
1992
Vol. 9, No. 1
Hare Krishnas
(p. 8) The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, which already runs
social services clinics for members in England and India, plans to
establish counseling networks and is researching the feasibility of old
age pension plans and health insurance.
A row in the administration of Bolden Comprehensive School, South Tyneside,
has erupted over Hare Krishna visitors teaching their faith to 13 and
14year old pupils at the public school. The Krishnas appeared as part of a
program on other religions instead of the invited Hindu, Muslim, and
Buddhist representatives. The PTA feared the program would include Moonies
or Satanists; next and that parents might withdraw their children from
religious assemblies.
Vol. 9, No. 3
Hare Krishna
Festivals
(p.
8) A High Court justice has dismissed the appeal of the International
Society for Krishna Consciousness against the Secretary of State's
decision to uphold the Hertsmere Borough Council's ban of public worship
and festivals at its Bhaktivedanta Manor. ISKCON says it will take its
case to the Court of Appeals and then, if necessary, to the European Court
of Human Rights. Meanwhile, public worship can continue at the manor-which
the local authority granted permission initially for use as a school and
residence- and the members are demonstrating to get public figures to
support their cause. The local council wants restrictions on events at the
manor - a gift years ago of Beatle George Harrison which draw up to 25,000
people, but ISKCON has rejected the idea.
Krishna Damages Cut in George Case
(p. 4)
The 4th District Court of Appeals in San Diego, in a 110-page decision,
slashed to $500,000 a $2.5 million dollar award against the Hare Krishna
organization [International Society for Krishna Consciousness] gained by
Marcia George and her daughter Robin, who said the younger woman was wooed
as a 14-year-old into the Krishnas and then hidden by members in a chain
of events that began in 1974. The
decision, which for the moment removes the Krishnas' prospects of
financial ruin, leaves total damages for the Georges at $475,000, or close
to $700,000 with interest, according to a Krishna lawyer, who declared the
verdict a great victory for the sect and a crushing defeat for the
Georges. "We keep chipping away at this verdict," he said,
noting that a jury initially awarded the Georges $32.5 million in damages,
later reduced by the trial judge to $9.7 million and further, on appeal,
to $2.9 million. "Our position remains that the imposition of
compensatory and punitive damages still is unconstitutional," he
added, promising to fight what was left of the judgment.
In the ruling, the court applied a 1991 California Supreme Court
ruling retroactively to the case, deciding that the Georges should have
given the jury some evidence of the Krishnas' financial worth before it
determined punitive damages. The Supreme Court has required this financial
information to ensure that awards are "sufficient to deter misconduct
without being excessive." The Georges had sued asking damages for
false imprisonment, emotional distress, libel, and the wrongful death of
Robin's father [who died during attempts to locate her while she was among
the Krishnas].
The court of appeal ordered the case back for retrial solely to decide the
amount of punitive damages, and the Georges' original lawyer, Milton
Silverman, of San Diego, said he would appeal the decision to the
California Supreme Court, and retry the case-even though some of its facts
are nearly 20 years old-if that court refused to review it. Silverman said
he originally tried the case using laws on the books at the time. However,
"10 years later, the rules are different and my clients are the worse
for it." (From "Court cuts damages Krishnas must pay," by
Lorie Hearn, San Diego Union, 1/31/92, A13)
Vol. 9, No. 4
Krishna Property Tax
Case (p. 5) The West Virginia Supreme Court will soon consider a case in which the
Hare Krishna commune in Marshall County claims it is not liable for
$900,000 in past property taxes because it uses the land for religious
purposes. The state Department of Tax and Revenue contends that the
commune contains a number of commercial enterprises that are subject to
taxation. (NewsRegister [Wheeling], 1/29/92, 1)
Vol. 9, No. 6
Krishnas' Airport
Solicitation Suit Denied
(p.
5) The U.S. Supreme Court, sharply divided on what degree of First Amendment
protection to provide political and religious activities at public
airports, has ruled that airport officials may bar fund-raising in
terminals but cannot prohibit leafleting. In the 6-3 ruling, in a case
brought by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Hare
Krishnas), the Chief Justice said that "Face-to-face solicitation
presents risks of duress that are an appropriate target of regulation.
The skillful, and unprincipled, solicitor can target the most
vulnerable, including those accompanying children or those suffering
physical impairment. The judgment rests on the finding that airports are
not public forums. (Boston Globe, 6/ 27/92,8)
Vol. 9, No. 8
Bosnia-HerzegOvina
Hare
Krishnas Help In Sarajevo
(p.
9) Members of the Hare Krishna sect in Sarajevo are joining in the fight
against the Serbian attack. The leader of the group's approximately 100
followers in the city, Jadranks Stojkovic, said that the Krishnas were
helping refugees and that one member had been permitted to fight on the
Muslim side. That is allowed under the rules of the faith if it is
considered a just war, said Stojkovic, a Serb. (From "Even the
peaceful Hare Krishnas are joining the fight in Sarajevo," by John
Daniszewski, AP, Philadelphia Inquirer, 7/29/92)
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|
|
|
| _____________________________________________
^ |
| |
|
International Cultic Studies Association
Department: Group Report - Hare Krishna
|
|
|
|
Vol. 1, No. 1, 2001 |
|
| _______________________________________________ |
| Featured Group Report |
|
Hare Krishna: news articles
1992
|
| |
- ISKCON in the News Articles from the
Cult Observer
1984-1999
1992
Vol. 9, No. 1
Hare Krishnas
(p. 8) The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, which already runs
social services clinics for members in England and India, plans to
establish counseling networks and is researching the feasibility of old
age pension plans and health insurance.
A row in the administration of Bolden Comprehensive School, South Tyneside,
has erupted over Hare Krishna visitors teaching their faith to 13 and
14year old pupils at the public school. The Krishnas appeared as part of a
program on other religions instead of the invited Hindu, Muslim, and
Buddhist representatives. The PTA feared the program would include Moonies
or Satanists; next and that parents might withdraw their children from
religious assemblies.
Vol. 9, No. 3
Hare Krishna
Festivals
(p.
8) A High Court justice has dismissed the appeal of the International
Society for Krishna Consciousness against the Secretary of State's
decision to uphold the Hertsmere Borough Council's ban of public worship
and festivals at its Bhaktivedanta Manor. ISKCON says it will take its
case to the Court of Appeals and then, if necessary, to the European Court
of Human Rights. Meanwhile, public worship can continue at the manor-which
the local authority granted permission initially for use as a school and
residence- and the members are demonstrating to get public figures to
support their cause. The local council wants restrictions on events at the
manor - a gift years ago of Beatle George Harrison which draw up to 25,000
people, but ISKCON has rejected the idea.
Krishna Damages Cut in George Case
(p. 4)
The 4th District Court of Appeals in San Diego, in a 110-page decision,
slashed to $500,000 a $2.5 million dollar award against the Hare Krishna
organization [International Society for Krishna Consciousness] gained by
Marcia George and her daughter Robin, who said the younger woman was wooed
as a 14-year-old into the Krishnas and then hidden by members in a chain
of events that began in 1974. The
decision, which for the moment removes the Krishnas' prospects of
financial ruin, leaves total damages for the Georges at $475,000, or close
to $700,000 with interest, according to a Krishna lawyer, who declared the
verdict a great victory for the sect and a crushing defeat for the
Georges. "We keep chipping away at this verdict," he said,
noting that a jury initially awarded the Georges $32.5 million in damages,
later reduced by the trial judge to $9.7 million and further, on appeal,
to $2.9 million. "Our position remains that the imposition of
compensatory and punitive damages still is unconstitutional," he
added, promising to fight what was left of the judgment.
In the ruling, the court applied a 1991 California Supreme Court
ruling retroactively to the case, deciding that the Georges should have
given the jury some evidence of the Krishnas' financial worth before it
determined punitive damages. The Supreme Court has required this financial
information to ensure that awards are "sufficient to deter misconduct
without being excessive." The Georges had sued asking damages for
false imprisonment, emotional distress, libel, and the wrongful death of
Robin's father [who died during attempts to locate her while she was among
the Krishnas].
The court of appeal ordered the case back for retrial solely to decide the
amount of punitive damages, and the Georges' original lawyer, Milton
Silverman, of San Diego, said he would appeal the decision to the
California Supreme Court, and retry the case-even though some of its facts
are nearly 20 years old-if that court refused to review it. Silverman said
he originally tried the case using laws on the books at the time. However,
"10 years later, the rules are different and my clients are the worse
for it." (From "Court cuts damages Krishnas must pay," by
Lorie Hearn, San Diego Union, 1/31/92, A13)
Vol. 9, No. 4
Krishna Property Tax
Case (p. 5) The West Virginia Supreme Court will soon consider a case in which the
Hare Krishna commune in Marshall County claims it is not liable for
$900,000 in past property taxes because it uses the land for religious
purposes. The state Department of Tax and Revenue contends that the
commune contains a number of commercial enterprises that are subject to
taxation. (NewsRegister [Wheeling], 1/29/92, 1)
Vol. 9, No. 6
Krishnas' Airport
Solicitation Suit Denied
(p.
5) The U.S. Supreme Court, sharply divided on what degree of First Amendment
protection to provide political and religious activities at public
airports, has ruled that airport officials may bar fund-raising in
terminals but cannot prohibit leafleting. In the 6-3 ruling, in a case
brought by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Hare
Krishnas), the Chief Justice said that "Face-to-face solicitation
presents risks of duress that are an appropriate target of regulation.
The skillful, and unprincipled, solicitor can target the most
vulnerable, including those accompanying children or those suffering
physical impairment. The judgment rests on the finding that airports are
not public forums. (Boston Globe, 6/ 27/92,8)
Vol. 9, No. 8
Bosnia-HerzegOvina
Hare
Krishnas Help In Sarajevo
(p.
9) Members of the Hare Krishna sect in Sarajevo are joining in the fight
against the Serbian attack. The leader of the group's approximately 100
followers in the city, Jadranks Stojkovic, said that the Krishnas were
helping refugees and that one member had been permitted to fight on the
Muslim side. That is allowed under the rules of the faith if it is
considered a just war, said Stojkovic, a Serb. (From "Even the
peaceful Hare Krishnas are joining the fight in Sarajevo," by John
Daniszewski, AP, Philadelphia Inquirer, 7/29/92)
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