Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
So I went down to Battle Creek on Friday and got a hotel room, expecting to cover a protest against the Church of Scientology on Saturday. Guess what? No one showed up. Well, one person did, and he happens to be a reader of this blog and he recognized me. We waited around for quite a while and no one else showed up, so we left. Quite disappointing.
The weekend wasn't a total bust, though. I got to spend some time with my best friend and his family and that's always a good thing. Got to watch my godson play baseball. And came home with a really nasty sunburn. Thank science for aloe vera lotion.
Comments
Last summer I was having lunch outside across the street from Church of Scientology offices in downtown minneapolis. I saw two mormon missionaries walk right in front building. This was one of the few times I didn't a camera with me - it would of made an awesome shot.
Posted by: yoshi | May 11, 2008 9:53 AM
Maybe you got your cities mixed up Ed? Or was this a nationwide thing? Because there were a bunch of protesters outside the Scientology building in DC, near Dupont Circle yesterday. I get that the protests are by "anonymous," in part to prevent the kind of harassment Scientology is infamous for, but I have to say all the masks on the protesters was kind of creepy.
Posted by: CPT_Doom | May 11, 2008 11:12 AM
Is there some way we could foment a war between the moonies and Old Motherfucker Hubbard's groupies?
Posted by: democommie | May 11, 2008 11:29 AM
No, I got the city right. Yes, it is a nationwide protest and Battle Creek was supposed to be included. Lots of people on their organizing message board were talking about going, then apparently none could make it.
Posted by: Ed Brayton | May 11, 2008 11:32 AM
Aloe vera really is amazing at preventing a sunburn from peeling. I was skeptical about that until I tried it out of desperation. I wonder if anyone has every figured out why it works so well for that?
Posted by: PhysioProf | May 11, 2008 12:58 PM
Hey Prof - How's Aloe against hairy palms, blindness &etc.? :) -DJ
Posted by: DingojJack | May 11, 2008 1:49 PM
There's something ironic about Scientology in Battle Creek given Battle Creek's history: John Harvey Kellogg and the Battle Creek Sanitorium.
Posted by: Bill in NC | May 11, 2008 2:48 PM
How Not to Protest: Don't show up!
Posted by: Brandon | May 11, 2008 2:57 PM
I'm sorry, but I have absolutely no idea what a water-soluble odorless slippery gel that is very smooth and soothing on the skin could possibly have to do with hairy palms or blindness. No idea whatsoever.
Posted by: PhysioProf | May 11, 2008 3:46 PM
Bill-
To complete the irony, their office is on the same block with the Kellogg foundation.
Posted by: Ed Brayton | May 11, 2008 5:04 PM
Ed, if you're interested in lending your voice to protesting the Church of Scientology, come down to DC--we have a strong organization here. On July 19 we're staging the "Over 9000 Man March" which, while it won't actually be anywhere near that large, should still be pretty successful.
It would be awesome if you could make it. I don't know much about what the budget for it is like, but maybe people would be willing to scrape together the money to fly you down for the weekend, if you're interested. You could be Wise Beard Man #2.
Posted by: Hyuga | May 11, 2008 8:58 PM
Hyuga:
I can't make the D.C. march, but if you need somebody to help out in Gstaad, Tahiti or Provence let me know!
Posted by: democommie | May 11, 2008 10:10 PM
Hyuga-
I would love to go to a Scientology protest in DC.
Posted by: Ed Brayton | May 11, 2008 10:31 PM
I'm VERY surprised that no one showed up. Wow.
There was a decent turnout at the Toronto protest. Around 125-150 at peak. Probably closer to 200 total protesters across the length of the protest.
I've been collecting video content from the protest at my site.
Posted by: Ron Brown | May 11, 2008 11:31 PM
Ed:
Sorry about the no-show in Battle Creek. The typical three organizers of the raid had uncontrollable events that prevented them from helping organize this, and it seems no one stepped up. I heard many went to Detroit. I for one was the south in a new job.
I will be in contact with Michigan Anonymous to get them going hopefully for the next raid. If you would like someone to interview (from the Battle Creek/Kalamazoo area) concerning Scientology and Anonymous, I can put you in contact with many local Anons (myself including) that would be glad to answer your questions.
Sorry you wasted hotel money - The next protest i'm at in Battle Creek, dinner is on me.
Anonomoose
(anonomoose2k@gmail.com)
Posted by: Anonomoose | May 12, 2008 12:47 AM
I've already done an email interview with one of the Battle Creek protesters, so that's not a problem. I just hoped to cover the actual event. I'm looking forward to the June protest.
Posted by: Ed Brayton | May 12, 2008 2:12 AM
Ed,
Just curious about the godson. Typically that term means you stood up at his baptism and made a promise that you would make sure he was raised in the Christian faith. Are you living up to those promises?
Posted by: Rev. AJB | May 12, 2008 10:15 AM
Re. Democommie, re "start a war between the Scientologists and the Moonies."
BRILLIANT! Oh yes, someone please do it!
The way to get this started is to make it appear as if each group is attempting to recruit the other group's members and donors. For this purpose you may find it useful to create some front groups, using the kind of language that the cults themselves use but not infringing their existing copyrights or trademarks (don't give them an excuse to sue). For example, "The Washington Institute for the Unification of Religion and Philosophy" (Moonies: keyword "unification" in any context).
You will also have to learn the various groups' language and ideas well enough to be able to pretend you're one.
You may also find it useful to learn the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual's criteria for the diagnoses of chronic undifferentiated schizophrenia and for paranoid schizophrenia.
OK.
Now the first step should be to pretend to be Scientology, and attack the Moonies on the basis that "they are behind the scurrilous attacks upon us and the anonymous protests and hostile visits on the astral plane (or whatever Scientology calls that)."
MIx fact with just enough wild fiction that it sounds just a little like paranoia: hostile astral visits, injecting unwelcome thoughts into your minds, etc.
Next, wait a week or two and flip roles: now you're the Moonies defending yourselves against the mean nasty Scientologists by calling them some unpleasant names as well. For example they are a mere cult started by a mentally disturbed second-rate science fiction author, whereas you (the Moonies) know that your man was sent to rescue humanity from the failures of Jesus and earlier prophets (yes they really believe this) and furthermore that Moon is your "true father" (his phrase) amd am insult against Moon is an insult to your honor as well. Etc.
You might need two separate groups of people to do these: one as Moonies, one as Scientologists, so the faces can't be matched from photos to prove it's all one group. But six or so of each should be sufficient.
Well, you see how this can go. Keep escalating. Who knows, one or the other group might overreact and do something illegal, and then the real fun begins, because the guy with the badge who comes along won't be acting.
Posted by: g347 | May 13, 2008 1:17 AM
Rev. AJB wrote:
In this case it just means that I agreed to raise the children should something happen to both parents.
Posted by: Ed Brayton | May 13, 2008 1:51 AM
Ed,
First, I offer my apologies for not being there in Battle Creek this past Saturday for the protest against the CoS. I had an unavoidable commitment that I could not get out of (believe me I tried). While I am not a leader, I am one of the persons who Anonomoose mentioned; I have been at every protest since they started except for 3/15, due to another previous commitment. I am planning on being there on June 14 for sure. Our numbers were strong for previous protests; it seems the Mother's Day weekend interfered with us BC Anonymous more than it should have. Though the June protest will fall on the Father's Day weekend, I have cleared my schedule for the day, and barring catastrophe, I will be there for you. Also, I have learned that June 14 will be in the middle of the annual Cereal Festival in Battle Creek, so we will have quite a large audience for our protest. It will be interesting to see what response we get. I look forward to seeing you there.
SWMIanon
swmianon@gmail.com
Posted by: swmianon | May 13, 2008 4:43 PM