"The Day the Clear Mirror Cracked" also appears on the Fraught With Peril Website, in the Kempon Hokke blog.

There is another website, victoriousamerica.com, that has similar accounts of SGI groups being broken up in cruel ways by senior leaders. The website's "Page of Courage" has about ten such letters from SGI, or former SGI members. I think that "The Day the Clear Mirror Cracked" came from California. The accounts from the Victorious America site seem to be centered around Boston, and also the New York City/Long Island area (Bayside, Flushing, Queens, and Nassau are all mentioned.)

The website is clearly very anti-Nichiren Shoshu, and Ikeda is quoted to the point where I felt like gagging. Then again, the Victorious America folk, Phil Orenstein and Stanley Zir, may also be doing that to make a point -- that Ikeda spouts all this pro-democratic rhetoric, stuff that sounds good, like the SGI charter -- when in fact, SGI is anything but democratic.

Orenstein and Zir, like the IRG, were pushing for a more democratic SGI. I don't think that they had any more luck with that than the IRG had.

In their own words:

------------Beginning of Quote, Victorious America Website---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Victorious America is an advocacy forum. It is solely dedicated to a workable plan of action to revise the SGI organizational structure from within into a system based on democratic ideals where the leaders are accountable to the people as outlined in Victorious America.

If you have encountered abuses or unjust treatment through the actions of the leadership and your attempts to protest have been suppressed and covered up, causing excessive anguish to you, then your experiences are what we are calling for. Courageous members who love the SGI enough to speak out and expose the injustices to the members that are corrupting our organization, can help by writing your experience for this Page of Courage. Many members, from general members to top level leaders have written to us in secrecy and confidence. Of course we respect this confidence, and will not betray it, but we urge you not to be afraid to speak out, because the Gohonzon is absolute. Don't be afraid, trust the Gohonzon. Opening up and exposing the injustices of this present outmoded top-down system will not make you a traitor, it will help to make the change you so deeply desire, until we realize the dream, "the miracle of the SGI" as one member has put it.

Have you had a personal experience in a situation involving any individual or leaders, whether on a local or higher level where you felt you were treated unjustly? If after going through the proper channels, your issues were met with denials, you felt that you were suppressed and your concerns were dismissed or you were asked to back off? If you have been denounced as being negative or breaking unity for pursuing your concerns for a fair resolution, please have the courage to submit your experience so that others may come forward as well and we can make the necessary changes in the present organizational structure. Your story will be the catalyst for change. This is true Buddhist compassion. Do you have plans to start a grassroots committee such as the People's Representatives Committee, so you can hold your leaders accountable if necessary? Do you feel that if such a grassroots committee was in place in your Area, the outcome might have been different in your situation?
----------------------------------------------End of Quote---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SGI Members behaving badly: I copied this account from www.buddhajones.com -- it also appears on Yahoo's SokaGakkaiUnofficial Board, and alt.religion.buddhism.nichiren

-----------------------Beginning of Quote-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Two Sundays ago, we had our 2009 kick off meeting in West Hollywood.
Between 4 and 6AM, someone snuck around and filled al the temple exterior locks with glue. Then, a stack of World Tribunes was left at the doorstep of the chief priest's private gated apartment.

Then as he was leaving for the temple, 4 SGI, waiting in a car, leaped out and accosted him verbally about how he slandered President Ikeda.

As the meeting started, a group of about 20 SGI in red t-shirts saying SGIUSA assembled at a small dirt covered traffic triangle at the corner. They had video cameras and were acting under the guise of "trash pickup to help clean the city". 20 SGI for about 100 square feet of dirt.
They spent the entire duration of our general meeting there, trying to have "dialogue" with our members. Positioning themselves there, they would get people crossing the street. I went down the street just to see
it for myself.

We also recorded someone with a laptop and camera with a telephoto lense sitting in car.

The activity included taunting the Chief Priest at his lodging, and harassing members as they crossed the street, taking photos of them, and so on.


Dharmaseeker64 responded:

This incident as described by Robin was "Reported back to the members" during our last district meeting by the central figure with apparent pride.
According to the report, national level youth leaders were on deck. While scant cheers were heard amongst the youth upon hearing this incident, all adults were silent.

There were evidently two similar incidents. One was in DC on July 13, confirmed by ds. The other was in LA, on July 20th, reported by Kurt.
----------------------------------End of Quote------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Glue in the locks of the temple -- wow, that's really doing the Buddha's work! And leaving a stack of World Tribunes? What were they trying to do, bore this poor priest to death?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/11/2009 09:06AM by tsukimoto.

More SGI Paranoia: From the alt.religion.buddhism.nichiren message board

----------------------Beginning of Quote--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SGI has become even more paranoid than usual. Recently a SGI member
> in Houston died who was good friends with the Nichiren Shu minister
> there. Rev. Myokei was invited to the funeral by the family of the
> deceased and she attended. No attempt was made to any propagation at
> the funeral but she was identified as a Nichiren Shu minister. While
> there she was introduced to number of Soka Gakkai members, quite a
> number of whom asked her for contact information so they could speak
> to her at another, more appropriate time. She gave them one of her
> cards.
> The result is that the Houston SGI leadership sent her and other
> Nichiren Shu members in Houston registered letters accusing them of
> attempting to recruit Soka Gakkai members and informing them that they
> were not welcome to attend SGI functions or to enter the Houston
> kaikan. Now the funeral was not at the kaikan nor was it a SGI
> function. Of course no one was attempting to "recruit" SGI members
> either at the funeral but it goes to show the level of desperation and
> frustration among the SGI leadership in the USA as their numbers
> continue to remain stagnant or drop in some areas while the there is a
> thriving Nichiren community which has grown up around them.

---------------------------------------End of Quote-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Can you imagine the Catholic Diocese of Houston sending such letters to an Episcopalian priest and members of his church in a similar situation? Does the family of the deceased not have the right to invite anyone that they wish to their loved one's funeral? Apparently, if you are an SGI member, SGI does not allow you to invite Nichiren Shu ministers, or members to your relative's funeral.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/11/2009 09:18AM by tsukimoto.

Soka Gakkai Japan Members Behaving Badly -- Cult Awareness and Information Centre Website, www.culthelpinfo.org

-------------------Beginning of Quote------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Soka Gakkai Members Make Death Threats on Congressman's Life

Daisaku Ikeda and the Soka Gakkai are exhibiting what can only be described as bizarre behavior. October 11, 1994, at the House of Representatives Budget Committee Meeting, Congressman Mr. Jirou Kawasaki (Liberal Democratic Party) raised questions concerning the Soka Gakkai. In response to that, the Soka Gakkai held two demonstrations in the congressman's district. Additionally, the Soka Gakkai used its organ paper, the Seikyo Newspaper to protest his actions. Further, the Soka Gakkai, no different from members of an organized crime family, overwhelmed Mr. Kawasaki's office with more than one hundred terroristic threats by phone each day. Workers in Mr. Kawasaki's office who received the terrorist threats stated that they were afraid for their lives.

There is growing criticism that the Soka Gakkai, which has gone beyond the bounds of actions characterizing any manner of a religious organization, is displaying behavior that violates the rules of a democratic society by attempting to censor and suppress speech.

At the House of Representatives Budget Committee Meeting, Congressman Kawasaki raised questions concerning the matter of the Soka Gakkai and the Komei Party that are in violation of the constitutional requirement for separation of church and state. He also pointed out that Soka Gakkai's aggression against Nichiren Shoshu, including violent and terroristic activities are in violation of the constitutional right to "freedom of religion" in that they are activities aimed at obstructing the religious activities of Nichiren Shoshu.

Soka Gakkai To Be Investigated For The Murder Of Rev. Ouhashi

Additionally, Congressman Kawasaki requested the National Police Agency to carry out a strict investigation into the death of Rev. Shinmei Ouhashi, chief priest of Nichiren Shoshu Jinmyoji Temple in Hokkaido, Japan. Within two to three hours of Rev. Ouhashi's death, Soka Gakkai members handed out several hundred posters that stated, "It's Heaven's Punishment Of The Nikken Sect! The Death of Rev. Shinmei Ouhashi!"

The Soka Gakkai, in response to this, on the 12th and 16th held emergency meetings where they denounced Congressman Kawasaki's actions as "interfering with religious activities" and "violation of the human rights of Mr. S," the driver of the truck and member of Soka Gakkai who smashed his two ton truck into Rev. Ouhashi on an isolated and deserted rural mountain road in a bizarre, kamikaze-like attack.

An individual, who works for Soka Gakkai headquarters, stated that this is the Gakkai's way of showing to all that if you question the actions of the Gakkai, we will make a "blood festival" out of that person.

Congressman Kawasaki made the following comments:
"If what I questioned was mistaken, if there were opposing debate, open debate should be conducted on the House floor. Even the matter of separation of church and state, the Komeito themselves declare that the Soka Gakkai and the Komei Party are separated. Therefore, if we question that they indeed are not separated, the Komei Party can reply and prove in actuality that they are. However, they made no attempt to debate or prove that they are separated. What's more, the Soka Gakkai attacked from an entirely extraneous direction claiming religious oppression based on government authority.

They acted in a similar way concerning the incident of Rev. Ouhashi's death. To hand out posters maligning Rev. Ouhashi by claiming his death was 'heaven's punishment', and so forth, was to trample on the deceased. Based on common sense, their actions were incomprehensible. Therefore I urged the National Police Agency to investigate. Soka Gakkai then demonstrated and claimed, 'violation of human rights'.

Matters that should be taken up for discussion in congress, the Soka Gakkai takes up out on the streets and then libels and slanders elected officials. Their actions are extremely peculiar."

Source: Shukan Jitsuwa, Nov. 10, 1994, pgs. 22 - 25
----------------------End of Quote-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Further, the Soka Gakkai, no different from members of an organized crime family, overwhelmed Mr. Kawasaki's office with more than one hundred terroristic threats by phone each day. Workers in Mr. Kawasaki's office who received the terrorist threats stated that they were afraid for their lives."

"Within two to three hours of Rev. Ouhashi's death, Soka Gakkai members handed out several hundred posters that stated, "It's Heaven's Punishment Of The Nikken Sect! The Death of Rev. Shinmei Ouhashi!""

Congressman Kawasaki is indeed a master of understatement. "Their actions are extremely peculiar," he says. Hmmm, "peculiar" is not exactly the word that I would use....I wonder if this kind of situation is covered in SGI's charter? Didn't it say something about peace and the sanctity of human life? Or is there some fine print that says it's okay to terrorize a congressman's office staff and publicly gloat over the death of a priest?

I was a good friend of Stan Zir and Phil Ohrenstein was once my Chapter Leader. During the 1976 SGI Bicentennial parade preparation, in the warehouse on the piers, we didn't have a Gohonzon and Stan Zir whipped out a picture of President Ikeda and he and I chanted to it. He once gave an experience after he was knifed in the chest by a crazed disgruntled member? while protecting the New York Community Center Gohonzon. He already had bad lungs due to spontaneous pnemothoracies and he could hardly speak or stand up. It was difficult to sit through his experience. He and Phil were also YMD leaders and at the end of one poorly attended and uninspiring young men's division meeting on a Saturday, with Mr. Kasahara present, they ran around the community center with chainsaws shouting NEVER GIVE UP EVEN IF THEY CUT OFF OUR HEADS. Phil, before his problems with the SGI, actually and unintentially directed me to an anti-SGI website and discussion forum where I first learned of the doctrinal deviations of the SGI and NST. Funny, they were never kicked out of the SGI for bizarre behavior but because a senior leader purportedly raped Stan's wife and Stan confronted him and made major waves and Phil supported Stan. Thus I heard.

Here is another experience I had, entitled THEN THERE ARE THE UNREALIZED DREAMS:

Shortly after the temporary Community Center opened on Park Avenue and 17th street (1979?), I went to a Young Men's Division meeting on Saturday. The purpose of the meeting was to make our personal determinations for the future and to present them to Pres. Ikeda. We wrote down one or two line determinations in a binder-type book, one after the other. The meeting opened and to my surprise, every determination was read. I was uplifted by the determinations, they were so lofty: US senators; judges; congressmen; doctors; lawyers; artists; musicians; and a few teachers, for Kosen Rufu, for Sensei. Final encouragement was given by Mr. Kasahara. The jist of what he said was to chant and do lots of activities and we would all realize our dreams without fail. At the end of the meeting, I'll never forget, this Japanese senior leader going around and shaking hands very vigorously, saying, "Ah!, future senator, future congressman, future doctor, for President Ikeda, neh?"

I'll never forget the animated conversation I had with my best friend at the time, after the meeting. I'm sorry if he reads this post and is offended but it is very instructive in terms of the truth of the SGI. He determined to become a US Senator. He told me he applied to become one of the "Who's Who" of American Youth, and he determined to do so and was encouraged by his leaders to do so, so it would happen. It mattered nothing that he had accomplished little outside of the SGI. He even held on to his dream of becoming a US Senator for a time. He had attained the level of YMD headquarters chief, but he could barely hold on to a job for more than several months at a time, let alone finish college. He says he's doing great, but to me, the SGI is just a fantasy land of broken dreams.

You will see replies to this post that this was an isolated example but if we delve into the historicity and the actuality of things we will see that of the ~ 150 young men at the meeting it would be safe to say that 120 stopped practicing with the SGI all together, during the last 29 years. That leaves somewhere around 30 who continue to practice. Of those 30 how many have gone on to achieve a modicum of success (actual proof being touted by the SGI as the only reliable proof of a teaching)? How many have gone on to become senators, congressmen, judges, doctors, lawyers, accomplished artists or musicians, noted scientists, teachers, etc? To my knowledge not one has gone on to become a senator, congressman or judge. Perhaps one or two has gone on to become a doctor or lawyer and there were conceivably a few who had gone on to become respected teachers, artists, scientists etc. But out of this handful of "succesful" people, how many realized their determinations from that day in 1979? From what I've witnessed, the "actual proof" attained by these SGI practitioners was actually worse than the "actual proof" attained by those that stopped practicing or by a similar cohort who never practiced. For example, take any group of 150 highly motivated young men. One would expect that at least ten to twenty percent would go on to realize their determinations. But through the SGI faith and practice, probably less than five percent realized their dreams. However many (or few) there are, this is hardly the universal actual proof that the SGI espouses.

The bottom line is, there is no actual proof in the "Buddhism" of the SGI, regardless of how persuasively and aggressively the practitioners would have you believe. They have distorted the teachings of the Eternal Shakyamuni, the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Daishonin. How could they demonstrate actual proof?

Nichijew, You are so right! Mav, a former YMD from the Los Angeles area made a similar post about the YMD in his area -- all those grand determinations, and yet most ended up with very ordinary jobs and lives...no different than non-SGI young men of the same age and background. I had gone to meetings in my area for fifteen years, listening to members make determinations and give experiences about how their lives had changed dramatically for the better due to their practice of this Buddhism. But if you look at them -- they still have so-so jobs, financial problems, relationship problems, you name it. They seem no more successful, healthy or happy than their neighbors who never practiced at all.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

---Beginning Quote, More accounts of SGI members behaving badly, copied from mombu.com-------------------------------------------------------

Daisaku gave the orders:
"Let us proudly advance on the supreme road to Kosenrufu as we
BRING AN END to the [High Priest] Nikken sect"
WT, March 1, 1993, p. 4

The followers reply to their sensei:

=========== SGI Japan:=====================================================================

The Soka Gakkai also has begun a campaign of harassment
against the priests. Rumors have been spread that the Taisekiji
Temple grounds are in disarray, with stray dogs wandering
about and robbers lurking in the shadows. Right-wing groups
park their sound trucks outside the temple and blast out their
criticism of the priests..."
Los Angeles Times, 12/16/91

"I know what the group does to people whom it
regards as its enemies. It's not safe for anyone
who dares to criticize it."
TIME - THE POWER OF SOKA GAKKAI

[pathfinder.com]

Ms. U witnessed four SGI senior leaders storm Bukkenji Temple.
She attempted to take a photograph of the vehicle that they
had arrived in. The four persons turned their attention on her
and charged her, knocking her into the air. When she hit the
ground, they brutally kicked and assaulted her. She suffered
multiple serious injuries, a broken hip and spinal fractures.
Shukan Jitsuwa 12/02/93

=====SGI Singapore==========================================================

One member of the group of four monks and six followers
said they were verbally abused and punched by local members of
the Singapore Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist Association
(SNSBA) [Soka Gakkai Singapore].
The Straits Times - TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 1991

====I think that this next account is SGI Japan again, but published in "The Australian Magazine======================

"They tried to chase us when my sisters
went out. They came to our home to try to harass us. My former
friends told lies to get my phone number. When they called,
they said,‘You will go to hell, you will be unhappy’. Some were
subjected to physical violence. There was an order by Ikeda to
harass members who leave the cult."
Japan’s Rush Hour of The Gods
THE AUSTRALIAN MAGAZINE
[www.cebunet.com]

=========Sounds like SGI Japan, but published in Time Magazine and The San Francisco Chronicle=======================

...."a mob of Soka Gakkai members, marched into the Kaishinji temple during a
religious service. Shoving aside worshippers, they seized Yahiro and
Kashiwazaki. I thought I was going to die, recalls Yahiro, an
asthmatic. He almost did. A large man grabbed Yahiro by his necktie and lifted
him off the floor, and others took turns punching him until he passed out."
TIME Magazine November 20, 1995 Volume 146, No. 21

"...several hundred Soka Gakkai members invaded his temple during a
service and beat him so severely that he was hospitalized for three months.
Yahiro's hospitalization in April 1991 brought to light a brewing battle..."
San Francisco Chronicle: - Japan Fears Another Religious Sect
--------------------------------End of Quote--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

More Soka Gakkai violence from Japan and Korea, mombu.com

--------------------Beginning of Quote-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=====Japanese former members' experience, from The Australian Magazine===================================

THE AUSTRALIAN MAGAZINE
2, Holt Street, Surry Hills, Sydney 2010.
Tel: (02) 9288-2442 Fax: (02) 9288-3371

September 28-29, 1996.
Pg.30-35
By Robert Garran

One former member, Tomiichi Yamada, claimed he was
harassed for two years after he left. “I was an
executive responsible for looking after 4000 members,”
he says. “After I quit, I received phone calls every
day. They either hung up without speaking or said,
‘You will be killed’. Early on the calls came every
day, morning and night; later they became
intermittent. It wasn’t just me, it happens to all
former members. Sometimes they followed me home from
work, or left frightening messages saying, ‘Watch out
what happens to your kids’. I had Soka Gakkai members
piss on me. Others have had dead cats, rats and dogs
thrown over the fence into their gardens, or fires set
against their houses.”

Soka Gakkai denies all this, saying such stories are
the invention of irresponsible tabloid journalists.
“I can categorically deny that any kind of pressure
like that exists in our organisation, because people
can come and go,” says Yoko Kaitani, 46, a member for
40 years. “There is absolutely no pressure from the
organisation.”

Michiko Watanabe (as did Yamada, she asked that her
real names not be used), also left at the time of the
split, after being a member since her birth 32 years
before. “When I left, my family and I were harassed by
members of the Soka Gakkai division,” she says. “They
tried to chase us when my sisters went out. They came
to our home to try to harass us. My former friends
told lies to get my phone number. When they called,
they said,‘You will go to hell, you will be unhappy’.
Some were subjected to physical violence. There was an
order by Ikeda to harass members who leave the cult.”
============================================================================================

Experience From Korea:

Discovering the Truth

By Kim Tai Kun, Korea
March I, 1993 Daibyakuho

Around midnight on November 1st, more than ten Soka
Gakkai Korea YMD members barged into my store and be-
gan to harass me. They told me, "We will stab you to death
for sabotaging Sensei's efforts! Why have you tumed
against Ikeda Sensei after having given us guidance for
more than twenty years that he is our master in life?"

I answered, Mr. Ikeda pledged that he would forever re-
spect the high priest as the master of the Law. But he broke
his promise and has rebelled against Nichiren Shoshu and
the high priest. That is why I have refused to go along with
him. However, I am not violating Nichiren Daishonin's
teachings. I am following what I believe."

In spite of my words, they remained on my property for an
hour. Finally they left me with the following menacing
words. "We will come again. Prepare for the worst.A traitor
like you is sure to come to a tragic end."

After that. for the next twelve days, from 7:00 a.m. until
midnight and sometimes until 2:00 a.m. they surrounded my
house, entered my property and threatened me. One night
they told me, "Mr. Kim, we are here because the YMD
members want to stab you or beat you up."

I replied, "You can stab me, you can attack me. I am ready
to die. I am not a&aid in the slightest of dying."

But my wife. mother-in-law and children were terrified.
My wife could not sleep for several days.

So I called the Chief of the Soka Gakkai Korea Adminis-
tration Department and demanded that he order the YMD
members to leave me and my family alone. Two senior lead-
ers requested that I meet with them, and I agreed.

At this meeting they told me, "Mr. Kim, come back to the
organization and we will give you any position you wish.
We will ask Wako Publishing Co. to give you any job you
want, along with a nice salary."

I answered, "I resigned to support the Nichiren Shoshu
priesthood, to receive guidance from the High Priest Nikken
Shonin. Do you think I will accept a payoff like this?

"Some people become more confident and courageous the
more they are threatened and intimidated. Therefore. I want
you to call off your members right now. I have not taken
any action yet because of our former friendship. But I can-
not keep silent anymore. If you do not stop the harassment
immediately I will go to the press and speak out publicly
about what has been done to me.

After that conversation. members came over twice more.
After that. they stopped completely. I received threatening
phone calls several times, but those did not continue. I have
heard that they followed me for one month, but I was not
aware of that. I have also heard that they continue to vilify
me both privately and in their meetings.

-----------------------------------------------End of Quote-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Incident in Spokane, Washington and Coeur D'Alene, Idaho between Soka Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu Members

This, I found a bit hard to keep track of and had to reread, with all the Mr. B, two Ms. S's, Mr. Y, Mr. T, Mr. K (no, this Mr. T wasn't from the old TV show, "The A-Team," though I was picturing that as I read this!)

Basic storyline: A Nichiren Shoshu priest, Reverend Takahashi, and his assistant arrived at the Spokane airport and were met by two Nichiren Shoshu members, Mr. Ken B, and Mr. Paul K. These two men were to drive the priest to Idaho, where he was to officiate at Mr. B's wedding.

However five Soka Gakkai members (Mr. Eddie Y, Mr. Larry T, Mr. Dave M, Ms. Shizuko S., and Ms. Melissa S.) apparently heard that the priest was coming and also came to the airport to confront the priest. Mr. Y and the two Ms. S's did so, rather aggressively, requiring the intervention of airport security. Mr. T and Mr. M waited out in the car.

Our Soka Gakkai friends then followed Rev. Takahashi, Mr. B and Paul K to Idaho. In Idaho, the Soka Gakkai members got a room at the same Bed and Breakfast that Rev. Takahashi did, and tried to confront him over breakfast.

The Soka Gakkai members also tried to confront Rev. Takahashi again when he was at the Spokane airport, waiting to get his flight back to San Francisco. The airport security permitted Reverend Takahashi to board his flight through a special gate, so that he could avoid the SGI members.

Ken B., the Nichiren Shoshu member, filed a civil harassment suit against Larry T., and Eddie Y., the SGI members. The Spokane County Superior Court found in favor of Ken B., the Nichiren Shoshu member and entered protection orders against Larry and Eddie. Gee, maybe Larry T. and Eddie Y. should've chanted more.

----------------------------------Beginning of quote, copied from mombu.com---------------------------------------------------------------------------

FILE
IN CLERKS OFFICE
COURT OF APPEALS
STATE OF WASHINGTON, DIVISION III

DATE: JUNE 9, 1994

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

KEN B No. 13065-7-III
Respondent,

V.

) Division Three
LARRY T ) Panel Four
Appellant.


)
KEN B ) No. 13066-5-III
Respondent,

V.

EDDIE Y

Appellant. FILED JUN - 9 1994

SCHULTHEIS, J.-- After trial to the bench, the Spokane County Superior Court found in favor of Ken
B on his civil harassment claim and entered protection orders against Larry T and Eddie Y.
Appellants contend: (1) the findings are unsupported by the evidence and in turn fail to support the
conclusions; and (2) the civil harassment statute is vague and overbroad. We reverse.

Nichiren Shoshu Temple (NST) is the "temple side" of Japanese Buddhism and is a religious order
operated by ordained priests. Various lay groups also practice Buddhism, but without official sanction by
NST. One of these is Soka Gakkai International (SGI). SGI was affiliated with NST and supported the
parent organization, financially and otherwise, but about a year prior to the events giving rise to this
controversy, NST expelled SGI. The record does not disclose what prompted this action.

Among those SGI members affected were Mr. Y, Mr. T , Dave M , Shizuko S and Melissa S. Mr.Y
learned the regional high priest of NST, Reverend Jiho Takahashi, had left San Francisco and was due to
arrive in Spokane. Mr. Y alerted Mr. T who contacted Ms. S and Ms. S. They decided to meet Reverend
Takahashi's plane so Mr. Y and Ms. S could confront him about the rift. Mr. Y left his home in Seattle,
bringing with him surveillance equipment, and met with the others in the group who resided in Spokane.
On May 23, 992, they drove to the Spokane International Airport. Mr. T and Mr. M did not enter the
terminal and remained in their respective vehicles, each equipped with a walkie-talkie.

Forewarned of a possible confrontation, two NST members, Mr. B and Paul K , were at the airport to
greet the plane. Mr. B had been a member of SGI but left to join NST. The reason for Reverend
Takahashi's presence in Spokane was to officiate at Mr. B's wedding over the weekend. Reverend
Takahashi and his assistant, Yoshiko Huseth, deplaned and as the four of them stood together, Mr. Y
approached the group and began speaking to the priest in a loud and aggressive manner. The two were in
bodily contact and Mr. Y was "in his face". Mr. B directed Mr. Y to step back. A scuffle ensued when
Mr. B interposed himself between Mr. Y and Reverend Takahashi in response to a perceived threat of
physical violence. The NST party then proceeded through the concourse toward the exit. Along the way,
Mr. Y continued to shout at Reverend Takahashi who did not respond. The one-sided conversation was
in both English and Japanese. Mr. B did not understand Japanese and at trial, the only comments he
could attribute to Mr. Y were "Stop. We want to talk to you. We want to talk to your priest. We want to
go to your meeting."

As the party walked toward the main terminal, Ms. S, accompanied by Ms. S, confronted Reverend
Takahashi. Mr. K positioned himself between the priest and his adversary. In the process, he hooked Ms.
S's purse with a luggage cart and tugged it from her grasp. On reaching the magnetometer station, Mr. B
asked one of the attendants to summon airport security for assistance in preventing the SGI contingent
from following and harassing Reverend Takahashi. Mr. Y and Ms. S continued to try to talk to the priest.
All of the SGI members were chattering loudly and several were grasping at the NST group. Security
personnel contacted the SGI contingent in the terminal parking garage which allowed the Takahashi party
to escape. After engaging in brief conversation, the officers took no action.

The NST members retrieved their automobile and prepared to drive to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, where Mr.
B resides. Still intent on confronting Reverend Takahashi, the SGI group put into operation a backup plan
to maintain contact. Mr. M observed Mr. B's vehicle leave the parking garage and radioed Mr. T on a
walkie-talkie. The two surveillance vehicles fell in behind Mr. B's vehicle as he left the airport. While on
the Interstate 90 freeway, Mr. B sensed he was being followed and brought his vehicle to a halt at an
access ramp to confirm his suspicions. Another vehicle did likewise, and in the front seat were Mr. Y and
Mr. T . No threats, menacing gestures or verbal abuse occurred, although Mr. B did observe one of the
men had what appeared to be a walkie-talkie. Mr. B then took evasive action by leaving the freeway. He
was followed by Mr. T . He re-entered the freeway, again followed by Mr. T 's car, and proceeded to his
destination.

Various incidents occurred in Idaho later in the day and the following morning. Among them, Mr. Y and
Mr T had "difficulty finding accommodations" that evening and finally located a bed and breakfast facility
where they remained for the night. It happened to be the same bed and breakfast where Reverend
Takahashi and his assistant were staying. Testimony relating to events transpiring in Idaho was excluded
because the court concluded that extraterritorial harassment, if any, was not relevant. Some information
developed nonetheless when Mr. T testified without objection to meeting Reverend Takahashi in Coeur
d'Alene. The priest and his assistant were having breakfast. Mr. Y and Mr. T joined them, there
apparently being only one table at the facility. The situation was "tense", but not confrontational. The
SGI members were still intent on engaging the priest in dialogue, but another couple staying at the bed
and breakfast sat down at the table and Mr. T felt it would not have been "really appropriate to talk to
him" under the circumstances. The priest left the table after the first course of the meal and did not
return.

Mr. Y, Ms. S and several other SGI members returned to the airport later that day in the belief Reverend
Takahashi would be departing and they might again have an opportunity to speak with him. He was, but
security personnel allowed the priest to avoid public access areas and to leave through a special gate.
There was no contact at the time between any of the NST and SGI members.
----------------------------------End of Quote---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The experience "THE DAY THE CLEAR MIRROR CRACKED " is quite breath taking.
Anyone here remembers Byrd? Still have her picture on the PC. I guess I will print it out and put it near the butsudan. The experience above seems like a continuing storry to what Byrd would have faced if she had lived long enough to tell us.
I heard that story of Rev. Myokei at the Houston funeral before, in a way its funny since SGI thought others operate the same way as they do. Yet another example showing the ignorance of average SGI members.

commongirl ... if you are a person hope you read all this ...