Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
Here's an update on the Hovind trial. When arrested, he was forced to turn over his passport and stay in that judicial district. He asked the court to allow him to travel to South Africa for a preaching tour but the court agreed with prosecutors that he is a flight risk. That seems obvious to me, as he has already declared that he refuses to recognize the authority of the court. And in a very strange email, the organizer of the South Africa speaking engagements has issued an odd threat:
In an e-mail to a reporter, Andre L. Immelman, CEO of PowerMinistries, the South African group sponsoring Hovind's trip, said South Africans "do not react very nicely to disappointment" and ministry members "will be seeking asylum in the U.S." if his trip is canceled.
Uh, okay. And he thinks they'll be granted asylum in the US because they don't like something the US is doing? With that kind of reasoning, it's hardly a surprise that he thinks Hovind is credible. One other thing perhaps worth noting: the judge in the case is named Miles Davis. And when the case is done, I think Hovind is going to be feeling Kind of Blue.
Comments
"We South Africans aren't all smiles and sunshine..."
Posted by: Caledonian | July 28, 2006 2:38 PM
And he thinks they'll be granted asylum in the US because they don't like something the US is doing?
I think the argument is that if Hovind doesn't show then their loving Christian followers will massacre them.
And then they try to claim that atheism makes people violent...
Posted by: Corkscrew | July 28, 2006 2:41 PM
I live in South Africa, and please, please don't hold this nutjob Immelman against us. I've actually been following this story for a while and the (non) response from mPower. I've updated my blog entry at http://dotnet.org.za/codingsanity/archive/2006/07/18/Kent-Hovind-coming-to-SA_3F00_.aspx with the details of this fascinating proof that South African fundamentalists are just as dishonest and insane as the American ones.
Posted by: Sean Hederman | July 28, 2006 4:20 PM
That's it! Hovind == Freddie Freeloader.
Posted by: Johnny Vector | July 28, 2006 5:07 PM
I mean really, what an incredibly glib insult to the people of South Africa. Disappointment, frustration, and anger would be reasonably expected -- but to imply that people will riot and injure others just because a scheduled speaker had to cancel?
He doesn't have a lot of respect for his audience, that's for sure.
Posted by: Caledonian | July 28, 2006 8:07 PM
If preachers had any respect for their audiences, they'd stop peddling their garbage and board up their hate-houses.
Posted by: Stogoe | July 29, 2006 12:22 AM
How to spot a loony - check Hovind's associates. I've compiled some links on Glen Stoll. Ed has taken notice of him in the past. Check a few of these links and you'll admit that no country can top the US when it comes to loonies.
http://www.geocities.com/lclane2/stoll.html
Posted by: Les Lane | July 29, 2006 12:04 PM
Yeah, Stoll is in some trouble as well. He's been advising clients to take Hovind's strategy of claiming to be employed by God in order to avoid taxes and the government has filed suit against him over it. He may end up in jail too.
Posted by: Ed Brayton | July 29, 2006 1:13 PM
I bet the folks in SA are really upset because the deposit (probably requested in krugerands) is non-refundable.
Posted by: KeithB | July 31, 2006 3:18 PM