CWK: How I became a "fan" of Lou Midgley

[Kishkumen]

Great episode. Reed Benson, the Birchers, and McCarthy's communist smears on anyone that disagreed with them is something that should be continually revisited and rightfully denounced. I guess I have to agree that the Midge was correct on that score. However, my brief history with the guy which includes a tirade that I witnessed at the Rose Park Stake Center still leave a sour taste in my mouth about the man. Apparently, the Midge didn't think the Rose Park Stake Center was posh enough for his beloved New Zealand Missionary Society and went off to a point to where I thought he was going to try and punch someone. Whatever Midge, whatever.

Anyway, keep ''em coming. I enjoyed your take.

Thanks, Dr Exiled! Wow, I had no idea about the Rose Park incident. Maybe we need to have you on as a guest sometime to fill out our facts about Lou.

[Doctor Scratch]

It would seem that Midgley is both liked and hated for his aggressiveness. If he happens to be snarling at and attacking something one doesn't like, then sure, one can be a fan. But he is vicious towards a wide enough array of people / things that he has garnered a lot of enemies. I think the Mopologists are the only ones who don't seem to see a problem with this, but then again, they called him "Midley" in print, in the guy's own festschrift.

In any case, a nicely balanced episode, Reverend, though my personal favorite moment was when you described Midgley as a "bigot." It will be interesting to see if that elicits a response from Mopologetics Land.

[Dr Exiled]

Great episode. Reed Benson, the Birchers, and McCarthy's communist smears on anyone that disagreed with them is something that should be continually revisited and rightfully denounced. I guess I have to agree that the Midge was correct on that score. However, my brief history with the guy which includes a tirade that I witnessed at the Rose Park Stake Center still leave a sour taste in my mouth about the man. Apparently, the Midge didn't think the Rose Park Stake Center was posh enough for his beloved New Zealand Missionary Society and went off to a point to where I thought he was going to try and punch someone. Whatever Midge, whatever.

Anyway, keep ''em coming. I enjoyed your take.

Thanks, Dr Exiled! Wow, I had no idea about the Rose Park incident. Maybe we need to have you on as a guest sometime to fill out our facts about Lou.

It happened many, many moons ago when my father was in the hierarchy of the New Zealand Missionary Society (Vice President of supplying food for the gathering and sending out invitations I believe - I was there to help set up) and the Rose Park Stake Center was where it always was held and I believe it is still held there each year. If I remember, Midge wanted to have the reunion down in Provo, where he lived of course. I guess he had a more affluent stake center in mind, one that obviously suited his view of himself. The thing was that the Midge was arguing with some very wealthy and prominent members who wanted things to remain the same. Midge even brought Elder Simpson into the fray, the 70 that had served in New Zealand. Midge lost.

[Gadianton]

guy which includes a tirade that I witnessed at the Rose Park Stake Center

I have relatives from that area. People who converted overseas and immigrated to Utah, and Rose Park was their home. It's funny to learn that Midgley looked down on my family. The one comment I've ever made at SeN, MIdgley responded in anger, accusing me of driving a garbage truck because a blue-collar occupation is such an insult in his mind. He's big on his self-image as an affluent scholar.

Do you recall any details about that tirade, any specific words used? It would be good to have for the biography.

[Moksha]

It would seem that Midgley is both liked and hated for his aggressiveness. If he happens to be snarling at and attacking something one doesn't like, then sure, one can be a fan.

I think apologists took some comfort in knowing that if they pointed Dr. Midgley toward a desired target he would relentlessly ram it with his head and keep a dossier on it. There have been no exact estimates of the bone thickness of Midgley's head, but it is easy to estimate that it is mostly bone.

[Gadianton]

Reed Benson is another odd duck. I'm pretty sure that's the guy some of my roommates had for Book of Mormon and they hated it. Apparently, it was very difficult because it centered on memorizing long lists of scripture passages.

[Dr Exiled]

guy which includes a tirade that I witnessed at the Rose Park Stake Center

I have relatives from that area. People who converted overseas and immigrated to Utah, and Rose Park was their home. It's funny to learn that Midgley looked down on my family. The one comment I've ever made at SeN, MIdgley responded in anger, accusing me of driving a garbage truck because a blue-collar occupation is such an insult in his mind. He's big on his self-image as an affluent scholar.

Do you recall any details about that tirade, any specific words used? It would be good to have for the biography.

I don't remember any specific words but I remember derogatory comments about the rose park area and taking offense and everyone else there taking offense. My father had words with the Midge on that day and also one of our neighbors who was with the Midge when he was a missionary in N.Z. That neighbor is no longer with us. Maybe my father will remember the altercation because a lot of it was directed his way. I'll ask but my father is almost 90 and perhaps doesn't remember it.

[Dr Exiled]

guy which includes a tirade that I witnessed at the Rose Park Stake Center

I have relatives from that area. People who converted overseas and immigrated to Utah, and Rose Park was their home. It's funny to learn that Midgley looked down on my family. The one comment I've ever made at SeN, MIdgley responded in anger, accusing me of driving a garbage truck because a blue-collar occupation is such an insult in his mind. He's big on his self-image as an affluent scholar.

Do you recall any details about that tirade, any specific words used? It would be good to have for the biography.

Midge went to East High School and Rose Park is West High School. A lot of the older alums really took their East High alumni designation seriously. I would hear it in testimony meeting and talks given in church and how thankful they were to go to the Lord's High School or whatever. A lot of G.A.s went there. There was an upper crust attitude about it. To me, it was just another school but what did I know. I had fun there but there wasn't anything particularly special about it.

[Kishkumen]

It would seem that Midgley is both liked and hated for his aggressiveness. If he happens to be snarling at and attacking something one doesn't like, then sure, one can be a fan. But he is vicious towards a wide enough array of people / things that he has garnered a lot of enemies. I think the Mopologists are the only ones who don't seem to see a problem with this, but then again, they called him "Midley" in print, in the guy's own festschrift.

In any case, a nicely balanced episode, Reverend, though my personal favorite moment was when you described Midgley as a "bigot." It will be interesting to see if that elicits a response from Mopologetics Land.

Thanks, Doctor. Yeah, he is a bigot, and yet that is not all he is. I hope the episode shows that in its aim for balance.

[Doctor Scratch]

The one comment I've ever made at SeN, MIdgley responded in anger, accusing me of driving a garbage truck because a blue-collar occupation is such an insult in his mind.

Would you happen to have a link to this exchange, Dr. Robbers? My recollection is that Midgley said something to you—perhaps it was the “garbage truck” remark—and you responded by saying, “That’s Dean Robbers to you,” which resulted in you getting instantly banned by the Afore…. Am I remembering this correctly??