First, I need to officially change the name of the Street Abusers Cult. Though SAC fits quite well, I think the name suggested today in our chat channel is far better, “Street Screechers.” So, since you always have 72 hours to change the new name of a cult, I hereby dub them the Street Screechers Cult. SSC.
Next, some folks have a hard time believing these guys exist. Now, we have a bunch of video of them, actually, and I may take the time to go through those tapes, if need arises (and if Rich can find them for me). What we have below is a series of little clips from my tiny digital camera. They are really short, unfortunately, but, they were also easy to string together and upload to YouTube! So, what you have are:
1) Here you see Ruben Israel yelling at the Mormons who are streaming in to the Conference center. Yes, he says, “Bring ’em young,” as in “Brigham Young.” Charming, yes? You could see the Mormons converting by the droves.
2) I’m waiting for Ruben to start again and guess who comes by and smacks me in the head with his sign but Lonnie Pursifull! I’m sure that was a worse assault than getting hit by a little old lady in her wheelchair, but I didn’t call the cops.
3) Next you see someone using a plastic bottle, cut out to form a megaphone, yelling into the Temple Square area through the North Gate.
4) Next you see the “lunch rush” coming across North Temple. My son, Josh, is in the blue shirt with the tie. Note no one is interested in a tract as long as the street screechers are out and about. And note how different our demeanor and dress is than that of the SSC.
5) Next you see the same crowd flowing into Temple Square, passing by the sign carrying folks, followed by another shot across North Temple, with the yelling in the background.
6) Then, I included a shot from the debate that took place at the University of Utah with Martin Tanner. The men sitting in the back are the primary sign-carrying leaders of the SSC. They behaved themselves as the debate. We had informed security about them anyway.
7) Next, you will need to turn your head sideways, because I don’t have the ability to rotate these clips, my apology. This is from Salt Lake in 2004. I was up to do another debate (I think the one on Temples at the UofU) and so I decided to go by and see what was happening at the General Conference, and quickly I was recognized. This young kid went nuts, as the next few clips show. A good follower of Peter Ruckman.
8) The last clip is of Lonnie in Mesa a few years ago.
So there you have just a few shots at the Street Screechers and their activities. As I type this they are going at it in Mesa, proving to all that a megaphone can trump reason every time.
