I finished Neal Stephenson’s 1,042 page Reamde: A Novel
. Instead of starting something else, I started in on some Scientology blogs. Well, anti-Scientology blogs actually.

So many parallels between the FLDS and Scientology scene. The blogs are similar as well. The big blog on the FLDS story gets hundreds of comments on most of its posts as regular readers trade information and theories. The anti-Scientology blogs are the same, like Mark Rathbun’s, http://markrathbun.wordpress.com/.

Like the FLDS, many who have left Scientology have become vocal in telling their stories. The most interesting of these are former leaders of Scientology, some who were in high positions and were complicit in many of the actions they now decry. It’s a fascinating thing to have someone turn. If they knew about and/or participated in the bad acts they now decry, how soon are they embraced as “good guys?” It’s something that would make a great story, FLDS-wise. Haven’t read it yet.

Another thing that sucked me in last night is something I wish we had done with the FLDS story. The Village Voice ran a series on their Runnin Scared blog listing the Top 25 People Crippling Scientology. The series gives you a great insight into who is who in the Scientology debate, both for and against. Of course, it’s written in a heavily biased tone.

It would be a fun exercise to write a list like that about the FLDS, in a more objective manner. Get into the characters. The people who are the story. Or the issues that are ongoing. You could easily do the Top 25 ongoing legal actions in the FLDS story.

Maybe I’ll do it myself. Why wait? The phone certainly ain’t ringing.

.:.

And make sure you check out this one… #19 on the list of people crippling Scientology… The Squirrel Busters. They’re camped out in front of Rathbun’s home, sending a message…

That was in April. Now, in late August, the Squirrel Busters are still there, sitting outside Rathbun’s house every day in a golf cart, filming him and filming themselves, hoping to get a rise out of Rathbun or goad him into assaulting them.

Interesting blog post by Mike Watkiss, a reporter who has covered polygamy and the FLDS for a long time, entitled Whatever happens to Warren Jeff (sic)– the media Is already guilty. He says…

after the initial “Oh My God–What is this place?–And look what cops have done” reaction; followed by the even bigger “Oh My God–look at all the kids the cops are taking out of there” response, the media then settled into it’s traditional role in this story of being gullible and dumb.

…and…

I think I’m the only reporter in the country that didn’t get on to the Ranch in the aftermath of the raid. But hey, if I was that guy, I would not have invited me to their party either. I would have asked questions that would have spoiled the sympathetic love-fest.

As for me, I’ve written and erased about several dozen lines just now, trying and failing to say the things I want to say. I’m sure I’ll keep revising this text.

I’ve worked next to Watkiss on several big stories. I think he’s right that tough questions need to be asked, always.

There have been many “media campaigns” over the past ten years of the FLDS story, from both sides. The challenge for any journalist is to look at each one, no matter who is pushing it, with a critical view and try to get to the truth of the situation without personal bias.

Doing tough reporting while at the same time trying to gain access to sources is a dilemma for journalists everywhere.

If you aren’t a skeptical reader/viewer checking in on a variety of media sources…and I guess even if you are…it’s hard to know what’s really going on.

Obviously I’m not in Texas right now. I’m watching from home. Do I regret that I’m not there? Of course. I was so involved in covering this story for so long, as much more than a photographer. At least it’s not 106 degrees here at my house.

Lots of institutional knowledge sitting here in my office unused, not the least of which is a list of restaurants to avoid in San Angelo.

.:.

You can follow Lindsay’s twitter feed from the Warren Jeffs trial here:
@lwhitehurst